Smart Plug Basics

Smart lighting is one of the most popular smart home features. When smart lights are part of your home automation system, you can automate your lighting, or you can turn your lights on and off with your smartphone no matter where you are—from a different room or even a different state.

But what about your favorite lamps? Most lamps aren’t “smart,” meaning you need to plug them in and turn them off with a switch by hand or cord.

With a Vivint Smart Plug, you can transform your lamps into smart lighting. Read on to find out more about how smart plugs work.

Smart plug basics

Smart plugs are small, plug-in smart home devices that let you turn your lamps and small home appliances into smart devices you can then schedule to automate or control remotely with your smartphone app. This is done simply by plugging the smart plug into a wall outlet, and then plugging your device into the smart plug.

When part of a Vivint Smart Home, the Vivint Smart Plug lets you integrate your lamps with your smart lighting. With this little gadget, you can control your existing lamps (or new ones) with your Smart Home App, Smart Hub, or even voice commands if you have Google Assistant.

How smart plugs work

Smart plugs work by acting as an adapter for your lamps, appliances, and other “non-smart” devices.

In order to communicate with your other smart devices, smart plugs need a way to communicate with them. This is done by connecting them to a hub via wi-fi, Z-wave, or Bluetooth.

Wi-fi smart plugs connect to your home wi-fi, requiring you to be on the same wi-fi network to operate remotely. Some smart plugs, like the Vivint Smart Plug, are Z-wave powered. Because Z-wave uses a different frequency, it doesn’t interfere with your existing wi-fi connected devices.

Once your smart plug is set up and connected to your hub or router, you can send commands to the plug via your smart home or smart plug app or smart speaker.

Smart plug benefits

Smart plugs are great devices to include in your smart home ecosystem. A few of the benefits you’ll enjoy with smart plugs include:

• Add voice control to your lamps. If you have a smart speaker with a voice assistant, like Google Home or Siri, you can turn lamps on and off with voice commands.
• Automate your lamps and appliances. When plugged into a smart plug, you can create schedules to automate your lamps and other appliances to fit your routine.
• Make your favorite appliances “smart.” In addition to lamps, smart plugs leg you turn your existing various devices and appliances, like your coffee maker or curling iron, into smart devices. This lets you extend the convenience and energy-saving features you love about your smart devices into other items around your home.
• Cut down on energy usage. Many people think of smart thermostats when it comes to energy-saving devices, but smart plugs are also a great way to conserve energy. By putting your lamps and other appliances to a set schedule or controlling them remotely, you can help cut down on power used from devices that are left on. This also helps you lower your electric bill.
• Enhance your home security. A well-lit home is one of the best ways to improve your home’s security. The automation and remote control capabilities of smart plugs let you automate your lighting to be safer by creating custom schedules that mimic your own schedule when you’re at home (versus leaving a light or two on around the clock).
• Customize your lighting. When part of a Vivint Smart Home, you can program custom interactions. For example, set your lights to turn on when you unlock your front door or disarm your security system. Or, set them to turn off when you arm your system at night.
• One-touch locking on the way out. When you’re heading out of the house, you can program your smart plug lights to turn off when you lock your doors with a smart lock—no more forgetting to turn off the lights.
• Move them as needed. Because smart plugs can be used in any outlet, they’re flexible and portable. You can move them around as needed for different lamps or appliances within your home.

When to use a smart plug

Smart lighting is typically comprised of a variety of different components, including smart bulbs, smart switches, and smart plugs. Your smart home will likely include all of these components, but each one is used for a different purpose.

When it comes to smart lighting, smart plugs work great for lamps. Any table lamp, floor lamp, or nightlight can be turned into a smart light with a smart plug. Because they’re portable, you can move them to different outlets or lamps as needed without having to purchase a smart plug for each lamp.

Keep in mind that smart plugs can only be used for lights and devices that have an electrical cord you plug in; if you have hardwired lighting like ceiling lamps or pendants, wall sconces, or accent lighting, a smart plug will not work.

There are other smart lighting devices you can use in these situations, including:

• Smart light bulbs let you replace your traditional light bulbs with smart bulbs you can then control via your smart home app. These are good options for creating mood lighting or making lighting dimmable without rewiring.
• With smart light switches, you can swap out existing wall switch plates to extend the reach of your smart lighting without hiring an electrician or rewiring. Like smart light bulbs, smart switches provide more options for lighting customization and energy monitoring.
• If you have a Vivint system, the smart lighting bridge connects your smart switch and smart bulbs to the rest of your system.

Using smart plugs outside

If you have an outdoor smart plug, you can also take the benefits of a smart plug outside. Use them for your holiday or Christmas lights to control your Christmas lighting right from your phone. This makes it easy to set timers and schedules for your lights.

You can also use your smart plug for outdoor decor like electric fountains, inflatable yard decorations, or anything else you want to plug in and control with your phone. Be sure to check that your smart plug that is rated for outdoor use first, or buy one that is specifically designed to withstand the elements outside.

How to use a smart plug

Smart plugs are one of the simplest smart devices to install and use. Here’s how to use your smart plug:

• Go to the app store (for iPhone) or Google Play Store (for Android) and download your smart plug app. The specific app will depend on your smart home provider or smart plug manufacturer. If you have a Vivint Smart Home, you’ll use the same Vivint app you use to control the rest of your system.
• Plug your smart plug into the outlet near the lamp or device you want to use, then plug the lamp into the smart plug.
• On your app, sync your smart plug with your smart phone.
• Start controlling your lamp or appliance with your phone or voice, or create custom schedules.

That’s it! Using a smart plug to control your lighting and small appliances is that easy.

Smart plugs make smart lighting simpler than ever

Whether you already have a smart home system and want to extend the benefits of smart lighting to your lamps, or you’re just getting started with smart lighting, smart plugs are an easy way to get started.

Vivint can help you with your smart lighting with the best smart plugs, bulbs, and lighting options available.

Ready to make the switch to smarter lighting? Contact a Vivint Pro today for a free quote at 855.822.1220.