- Gotta say, I’m not totally sold on the “just use smart bulbs” workaround. Swapping out bulbs every time one fails feels wasteful, especially outside where weather can be rough on them.
- Ran into the neutral wire issue too, but there are a few smart switches now that work without one—Lutron Caseta comes to mind. Not perfect, but less Frankenstein than running new conduit or slapping boxes everywhere.
- If you’re thinking long-term and want to keep things tidy (and efficient), sometimes it’s worth biting the bullet and updating the wiring. Less e-waste, fewer headaches down the road.
- That said, I get the appeal of “industrial chic”—sometimes you just gotta roll with what you’ve got...
Had the same debate when I redid my backyard last year. At first, I went with smart bulbs in the outdoor fixtures—seemed easy, but honestly, replacing them after a couple of storms was a pain. Ended up switching to smart switches (Lutron Caseta too, actually) and haven’t looked back. Yeah, updating wiring isn’t fun, but it’s a one-and-done deal. The switches just feel sturdier for outdoor stuff, and I don’t have to climb a ladder every time a bulb acts up. If you’re already opening up the walls for something else, might as well future-proof it.
Honestly, I’m in the same boat right now and your experience is super reassuring.
That’s exactly what I’m worried about—dealing with bulbs after every storm sounds like a nightmare. The wiring part is intimidating, but knowing it’s a one-time hassle makes it feel worth it. Thanks for sharing, this helps me feel way more confident about going the switch route.“The switches just feel sturdier for outdoor stuff, and I don’t have to climb a ladder every time a bulb acts up.”
I get where you’re coming from about the wiring being intimidating—it took me a solid afternoon to swap out my first switch. But honestly, once you’ve done it, it’s done. No more dragging out the ladder every time a bulb decides to quit after a storm. The switches just seem to handle the outdoor conditions better too. If you’re comfortable flipping breakers and following instructions, it’s mostly just tedious, not impossible. Worth it in the long run, in my opinion.
I totally get the switch intimidation factor. My first attempt involved a lot of staring at wires and second-guessing my life choices. But once I got past the “which wire is which” panic, it was kind of satisfying. If you can handle IKEA furniture, you can probably handle this—just with more breaker flipping and less Allen wrenches. I do like that I don’t have to mess with those finicky smart bulbs anymore, especially when the weather decides to go full chaos mode.
