Bathroom Scene: Advice Needed

I'm looking to get an automation rule for my kids bathroom and would be interested in your thoughts on how to set it up.

I have a rectangular bathroom (12'x4') where there are two "rooms," where the sink room is the first 2/3rds of the space and the shower room is the back 1/3rd. I've taken off the door between the rooms and neither room has any natural light.
Sink Room: a single switch that controls two above mirror vanity lights, two GFCI outlets, one on each side wall of the vanity
Shower Room: a single switch that controls an overhead flush mount light that illuminates both the toilet and shower, a single switch that controls an overhead fan. There are no outlets in this room.

What I want to occur:
Sink room:
During daylight and evening hours, the overhead lights turn on while someone is in the room, delay for 3 minutes unless switched turned off.
During sleep hours, motion triggers an under-cabinet LED light strip, delay for 3 minutes to off unless switch turned off.
Shower room:
During daylight and evening hours, the overhead AND fan turn on while someone is in the room, delay for 5 minutes to off
During sleep hours, light switch button press = no overhead light but activates under-cabinet light in other room to white color at 100% brightness,

Currently I'm thinking of this setup:
CHEAP setup:
Sink room: leave the dumb switch, add motion sensor $20, add power outlet under sink $10, and make LED light strip smart via Sylvania Zigbee LED strip kit $45 or do zigbee single outlet + dumb LED light strip.
Shower Room: dumb motion timer switch $10, add GE paddle switch for lights $40.
Total: ~$130

SPENDY setup:
Sink room: GE paddle switch $40, add motion sensor $20, add power outlet under sink $10, Sylvania Zigbee LED strip kit $45
Shower Room: GE motion switch for fan $50, GE paddle switch for lights $40.
Total: ~$200

$130-200 seems a bit much to make sure my kids turn the fan on while they shower and poo, and don't have eye discomfort for late night trips to the potty. Looking for some fresh thinking from the community on this. How would you add to accomplish this?

This game is definitely not about cost savings. Cheaper would be night lights in the couple outlets by the sink for night time duties and the $10-15 dollar motion "dumb" motion switches for your fan.

If you want to get fancy...then...I think you know where you need to go. Another option is to just do 1 piece at a time.

Also nothing wrong with those dumb motion switches. I use them in my utility closets. No need for fancy in there, open door, light on...close door light shuts off in 1 minute.

What type of device is this? Will this be a smart switch that will also control the overhead light? If so, what you are trying to accomplish is impossible. When you physically turn on a smartswitch, the first thing it does is turn on the load, then it send a signal to the hub that it is on. At that point it is too late to not turn on the light, it will already be on. The only way to do this is through a button device instead of a smartswitch.

5 minute for motion in the shower room? They must take really fast showers....

I have the same '2 room' configuration for my boys bathrooms. I use 30 minutes for the light timer.

For the vent fan I do it based off humidity only (if they don't turn it on when going to the bathroom and want it to stink in there, that's their problem LOL).

If they have a motion sensor that is effective then 5 minute should be plenty of timeout. The bathroom isn't one of those rooms where you don't move around for long periods of time. At least young people shouldn't be. If they are, you need to increase their fiber intake. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

it fully depends if the motion sensor can see you when you're in the shower with the shower curtain closed or not. Mine cannot as it is a GE motion switch, so is on the wall light switch facing the shower curtain.

Exactly. My bathroom is configured so that one motion sensor can "see" into the main area and in the shower. I've never had the lights go off on me in the shower so-far. But of course, that depend on if the motion sensor is effective. I guess it would depend a lot on how tall your kids are. lol

I've had good luck with a combo motion humidity sensor for the lights and motion component. I have the light on a 10 min timeout and use an app for the fan to run off of humidity change or auto-shutoff for the other reason to run the fan :slight_smile:

Good point. Was Thinking a scenes activated button could accomplish this. But it's unrealistic for the walking dead to think enough to activate a scene instead of just trigger the load on a switch.

Humidity sensor?! Thanks @JasonJoel and @napalmcsr I think that would do the trick for the shower. What model are you guys using?

I have used both a ZOOZ 4-in-1 and a IRIS humidity motion. Both worked, the IRIS was much better for me but is no longer made. The NYCE humidity motion gets really good reviews from people.

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I use Xiaomi temp/humidity sensor.

If I had to do it over again I would probably just get a NYCE ceiling mount motion + temp + humidity sensor. And position it on the ceiling so it can see the shower, and toilet area.

http://nycesensors.com/products/ncz3043/

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Just thought I might throw my 2 cents worth in and also ask a question.

In my ensuite at night, when I go do my business. I don't like to turn the main lights on because they are to bright and wake me up to much. So my solution was a $3 motion activated toilet light. It is so cool having a soft red glow coming from the bowl and it doesn't wake me up any more then I have to. to wash my hand, I have an aeotec wall outlet that puts out a dim purple light that is just enough light up my sink.

My question has to do with humidity sensors activating exhaust fans. I have put a xiaomi temp humidity sensor in my ensuite and bedroom to monitor patterns. I was wondering if the guys activating their fans based on humidity, do you do it based off a single sensor in the bathroom? if so what percentage humidity to you put as the threshold? The reason I ask, with the way humidity works at different temperatures. EG the colder the temp the less moisture is able to be held in the air and humidity sky rocketing. And my summers can have a pretty high humidity as well. Wouldn't this cause the fan to switch on at times that there isn't people showering? I was thinking of switching the fan on if there is a difference of humidity between 2 rooms. EG if humidity in the ensuite is 20% higher then in the bedroom then switch on the exhuast fan. I'm not that familiar with rule machine yet, so I'm not even sure if you can have a rule like that. Ive just been contemplating a future project while trying to get to sleep

This would all depend on where you live. In Arizona in the winter the humidity outside is basically zero so any high humidity inside would be a shower. And in the summer it's not much higher unless it's actively raining.

I live in Central New York state....it's damp here all year round. Thanks to the lake affect snow, we even have high humidity in the winter. I tried to use a humidity sensor for my bathroom fan and it came on at all kinds of different times.

I can imagine that I would have a similar problem where I am, Thats why I'm toying with the idea of using 2 humidity sensors and triggering the fan on a percentage difference. I'll contemplate the issue and try it in a couple of months time when I got more time

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I found it easier just to flip it on manually. There was too much of a delay with the humidity sensor and by then my exhaust fan can't keep up. It's gotta get a head start on the steam. lol

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I look for a dramatic increase in humidity, and then turn off the fan as it gets close to where it started.

From one measurement to the next? How often are you performing that comparison? Are you only doing that comparison when the light is on? It seems like a large pull of resources to check it constantly.

I have used the zooz and the iris in default reporting config and set my threshold to 3% between readings. Works like a charm.

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It looks like the iris checks every 5 min, but only reports on a change.