Rule Machine is still a pretty big challenge for me right now. Trying to understand what the term is for what it is asking and then what it does etc. I have followed a video to help set up one but I have tried to apply that info to a new application and am struggling. Maybe it can be done in another app as well though. Thanks in advance.
I am using Lutron caseta switches and Zooz 4 in 1 multi sensors.
I have a motion sensor in my master bathroom and one in my master toilet. At night I would like to have it set so that if one of us gets up to use the bathroom that the bathroom sensor will turn on the light but then when you leave the toilet room and that sensor does not sense motion to shut off the light.
I was trying to just use one sensor but depending on how i set it up the light ends up shutting off to early or staying on to long. To long is better but then you have to hit the switch to shut it off which then kinda defeats the purpose.
Use the built in simple automation rule app. That way you don't have to deal with rule machine.
Note on the zooz multi sensors. If they are the 500 series, you will need to re pair them without security as those sensors paired at S0 will bring down your mesh because they are too chatty. If they are the 700 series, pair them with no security as well.
So you want to build your rule similar to this (but if it's strictly in the middle of the night, set it to come on to 10% instead so you're not blinding yourselves and waking up fully.
You can also do this using Basic Rule. Also much easier to use than Rule Machine. And, comes with the advantage that Basic Rules can be imported into Rule Machine, should you need to make them much more complex in the future.
In the Basic Rule below, one motion sensor (MB Entry) sensing active motion turns on a light. Another motion sensor (MB Washlet) not sensing motion for 2 minutes turns it off. And the room is restricted to run from 2 hours after sunset to sunrise. The rule could also be restricted to run in just a particular mode (eg. Night or Sleep Modes).
Ok...I will give this a try as it sounds correct. I was trying to dabble with the "modes" and at the moment it appears I am doing something wrong with them. I set them up "as far as I can see" but when i use it the rule will not run. If i remove the mode it works. I havent had enough time to go dig further into it. I thought it was as easy as setting up the hours tied to the modes and then just using them.
this is what i am doing currently but if you are in the toilet room longer than the outer area sensor is set for you end up in the dark. However, if you leave it to sense to long then you end up back in bed with the lights on and then you would be better off having hit the off switch when leaving.
One of the nice things about Hubitat is that there are many ways to accomplish the same thing. I think you may be better off with two sensors. Take a look at the motion and mode lighting app, which automates a lot of stuff based on motion sensors. It will also allow you to do stuff like "turn the lights off if this sensor clears but leave them on if this other one does not." The zone motion controller app can also be really handy aggregating several sensors to create a motion zone.
You have to have something to change the mode. So lets say time of day is your mode trigger. Then that mode is your trigger for the motion lighting rule. (keep them separate)
As others mentioned, there are different ways to accomplish this. My go to app for quick automation is Basic Rules, as @aaiyar suggested. However, when I need to set different level for dimmers with variable off times, my go to built-in app is Motion Lighting. As @rlithgow1 suggested, you can adjust the length of time the lights stay on based on time of day, as well as dim level. Here is one way to take advantage of the modes to mitigate how long the lights stay on:
I have a lot of rules to accomplish things in my house, but I have yet to use Rule Machine. I have found that Basic Rules will accomplish everything I need to do. Sometimes it might take a couple of rules to get the job done, but it works.
I have Lutron Caseta dimmers and motion sensors in my bathroom, but they only function during normal waking hours. The last thing I want is for bright lights to come on in the middle of the night. Thus, I use a 1 watt nightlight in the bathroom that provides plenty of light when my eyes are adjusted to darkness. If you do use your main lights, at least set the Caseta dimmer to come on at 10-15% brightness during normal sleeping hours.
my main issue with the caseta motion sensors is they turn the lights to 100% and then dim them down to what you have set. Is this the case for you or am I using the wrong app to set these which is the cause for this. I do notice some apps ask for a switch and then the dim level as where others ask for a switch with a dim level. Maybe this is my issue?
I don't have familiarity w/the Lutron motion sensors/switches, but if there are issues controlling how the lights intially turn on and then dim, a work-around could be to add a motion sensor on the route to the bathroom that would catch your motion early, and turn on and dim the lights before you get there so you aren't affected by the dim change.
But I would be surprise if there isn't a way to get your lights to come on at a set dim as desired, someone familiar w/the Lutron sensors/switches should be ale to help you with that.
I would agree with you...every time i mess with a new automation i find a new option or idea on how to do something so it is very well more a user error.
Excellent tool for the job.
