Smart Lighting Controller (SLC)

Overview

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First Post by Thomas_Lerman on Aug 21, 2025

Updated 5 & 6 the next morning. I just got my first Smart Lighting Controller today. I have not hooked it up yet, but did get it connected to the Internet and within my Rachio app. Here are my thoughts, problems, suggestions, etc.

1. Setup seemed SUPER easy. This might be due to the Matter interface. Besides scanning the QR code, I hardly did anything. Once connected, I named my zones.
2. It has three zones. I really wish it had more or more was an option, but it makes sense with the 200W maximum power. If everything works out, I will likely get at least another one. I currently have five zones and wanting to expand to at least seven.
3. It seems pretty beefy, probably because of the 200W.
4. Where the wires hook in, it is open on the bottom with a door that covers the face of the connectors. I wish some kind of cover existed around the wires to keep dirt/sand from blowing into the connector.
5. On the top are four buttons, one for each zone plus a “turn on all zones” button. The buttons are lit red at all times, which I might wish that I could dim them down or turn them off.
6. Within the app, I found that it has a “Wattage Usage” which is very cool.
7. Staying in the app for the rest, it is very easy to turn on/off zone(s) and a photo can be attached to each zone name.
8. One can create “Areas” which is a collection of zones, then you can turn on/off the area.
9. One can also create “Scenes” to quickly set dim levels.
10. Finally, schedules can be created for zones, areas, or scenes.
11. I tried linking Matter apps & services but have had issues connecting.
12. I do wish I had a “Quick Run” type of mode that I can use without a schedule.
13. It would be awesome to create smarter scenes based on conditions.
14. A nice feature could be scheduling lights to turn on and off automatically at intervals within a specific time frame.
15. Another feature could be simulating occupancy by scheduling lights to turn on and off at random times.
16. Finally, inching mode allows you to set a specific on-time for a light, after which it will automatically turn off.

Wow, that ended up being a bit long. More to come when I hook up more, depending on the overcurrent situation.

Post by sbuswell on Aug 23, 2025

Thanks for the detailed write-up. Do you know if it supports colored lights?

Post by Thomas_Lerman on Aug 23, 2025

I know it can accept dimmable lights, but do not think that it can change colors on its own.

Update on Aug 25, 2025

My unit is being sent in to be checked because of the over-wattage. I found the following link on troubleshooting: Smart Lighting Controller: Troubleshooting Guide & LED Reference.

Follow-up Post by tmcgahey on Aug 26, 2025

It would depend on the technology being used to control color changing. The Rachio unit itself can dim the lights but cannot control color changing.

Post by Thomas_Lerman on Sep 8, 2025

Over wattage: I ran into this problem again. I have not had that issue since receiving a new unit. Google Home: I had initial problems which now seem to be resolved.

Post by billm on Dec 30, 2025

Has anyone learned when the round 2 pre-sale units will actually ship?

Post by Phadez on Feb 5

It would be helpful to have consistent, frequent updates on the status of production and shipping.

Post by JimW42 on Jul 17

Thomas, any updates on your SLC? I'd like to hear about your over-voltage issue.

Conclusion

Overall, users shared various insights, troubleshooting tips, and suggested features for the Smart Lighting Controller, with ongoing discussions about its performance and compatibility.