From the money/vouchers I got at Christmas I bought myself a thermal bodysuit and a Hue Go Light, which is a standalone rechargeable lamp. I like the idea of being able to control my environment using my voice. I thought that the set-up would be easy but it wasn't as smooth as I thought it would be. I had the Hue app on my phone and updated the light's software. I managed to add the light to the Alexa app on my phone but it wasn't a simple one step thing. I had some routines set-up so that I could string together some commands that involved playing music and setting the light to come on with a colour to create a mood. But then I did something, can't remember exactly what but the connection between the Echo and the light got lost and I could not get it back despite trying numerous different combinations of things.
For anyone who might be having the same problems, I'll document what I did and how I eventually fixed it.
- I downloaded the wrong Hue app for my phone. The Go light is a Bluetooth lamp and you need the Hue BT app (BT stands for Bluetooth I guess)
- I downloaded the correct app by using the QR code in the Hue instruction pamphlet that came in the box
- I plugged the light in and turned it on and tried to pair it with the app but it wasn't working
- I eventually read and followed the instructions and held the power button in for 10 seconds until it flashed a couple of times and turned off
- I tuned it back on and tried pairing it and it eventually paired
- Once I got the light working with the Hue app I found a setting to update the light software, so I updated it
- Then I tried to add the light to my Alexa app
- I went to add devices and saw the Hue logo so I clicked that
- That route took me to signing in on the Hue website, which then wanted to search for a Hue bridge. I haven't bought a Hue bridge because the Echo includes a smart home hub. So I didn't want to go that route
- In the Alexa app I went back to the devices page and went to add an individual light, which then asks what make and I chose Philips Hue from the list
- It then wanted to scan for the device, saying it could take up to 45 seconds
- So first couple of times it didn't find it but then I read about turning the light off and on, so I did this (the 10 seconds off)
- It must have worked first time, not sure why but it did, it called the light First Light and I just accepted this
- I was able to set up some routines in the Alexa app involving the light and music
- I don't remember what I did wrong next but something happened so that the light was controllable by the Hue BT app but not via the Echo's voice control
I spent a lot of time going through what I thought was the process to get Alexa to scan and discover devices, re-starting the light many times using the 10 second restart. I looked up some suggestions about going to Settings > Apps > Alexa > Clear Cache and same for the Hue app. But that didn't work, the light was still not discoverable. I started to wonder whether the Echo and the light had to pair exclusively? I had the Hue app working and was a bit reluctant to fiddle with that but the next day I deleted the light from the Hue app. I then tried to add the light as a new device in the Alexa app but again that didn't work. I could pair it again with the Hue app, so that was something at least. I didn't find anything much online from official sources other than telling me that setup was simple and that adding the Alexa skill to control the light requires the Hue bridge. I tried adding it via the Hue Light app, where it asks if you want to control it with voice commands and then gives you the option for Alexa.
I even reset the light, this performs a factory reset on the light (the software update remains in place, so you don't need to download it again) and then re-paired it with the Hue light. After that I tried to again to discover the light in the Alexa app but no joy, not even after clicking the button in the app to make the light discoverable.
Getting close to giving up I continued Googling and found this suggestion on Reddit: "go to the light in your Hue BT app and hit reset and give it about a minute and simply ask Alexa to discover your devices again". So I reset the light again, which removes it from the hue app. But instead of pairing it first with the Hue app I tried to discover it from the Echo, the light blinked and I knew it had worked. I could control the light using my voice commands and the Alexa app.
I then added it to the Hue BT app and can now control it with either, so it is not exclusive but the order in which you pair the devices seems to be the thing to get right: after a reset, pair with the Alexa app first and then you can pair it with the Hue Light app.
Now I can either use voice commands or either of the apps to control the Go Light and it's great. There is one light effect I can't find in either app though - the candle effect is not an option. And the blinking light alarm doesn't seem to be an option in the Alexa app. I will have to search Google to see if I can find those options.
