In summer 2018, Philips Hue launched its low-voltage outdoor series. Starting with Calla and Lily, the portfolio has now grown to dozens of different products, even the officially indoor-only Hue Festavia light chain uses the same cables and connectors.
But it is precisely with these cables and connectors that Philips Hue seems to have at least minor problems with quality. I was hit with another defect this week. After an outdoor light strip with rusted contacts gave up the ghost a little more than a year ago, it was now a single cable of my outdoor installation that suffered a defect. Fortunately, I was able to identify the fault quickly and only had to replace a single cable.
Hue outdoor cables are difficult to disconnect again
It doesn’t necessarily have to come to a defect, there are also completely different problems. Have you ever tried to disconnect a cable of the Hue Outdoor System after two or three years? What was simply screwed shut during installation can often only be opened again with force and tools.
I assume that Philips Hue is aware of the problems. Only a few days ago I read a support statement that new T-connectors are no longer compatible with old cables. I have not been able to verify this yet.
Anyway, the situation is a dilemma. If you don’t improve the connection, there will be problems in the outdoor area in the future. But introducing improved connectors would possibly mean that older hardware is no longer compatible.