First project - automating lighting but need suggestions

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1

So I decided to take the plunge and try my first project by automating the lights in my family room. What I want to do is straightforward:

  • Turn lights on when someone enters the room if the time of day or lux condition is met
  • Adjust light level depending on time of day or lux level
  • Turn off lights if someone leaves room

I plan to use the Lutron Caseta products

  • L-BDGPRO2-WH - Smart Bridge Pro2
  • PD-6WCL-WH - Wireless In Wall Dimmer

So my questions are:

  1. What motion and lux sensors do people recommend?
  2. How do people deal with the situation when someone is in the room but motionless (i.e reading or watching TV)?
2

For the motionless watching TV scenario...Plug the TV into a zigbee power switch that reports power. Add a restriction on motion inactive IF power > 5.

3

Thank you. I problem I see with your suggestion is if someone leaves the room but leaves the TV on. In this case, I would like to turn the lights and TV off after X mins.

4

Go crazy with it and add pressure sensors to the room's seating. If someone's butt leaves a chair, shut down the room after 5 mins. :sunglasses:

5

Thank you for your reply. I am not trying to go crazy with any automation. I just assumed the scenario I described was a common one and as such there are simple solutions. Perhaps this was a wrong assumption.

6

We have a TON of creative members here and I can GUARANTEE you that someone will spin up a solid solution for you.

7

I have a three part solution.

First part is just a rule for the motion activated lighting with different levels based on time of day.
I then have a Virtual switch and a 2nd rule that triggers off that switch. If the VS switch thrown the 2nd rule pauses the motion rule.

I have pico remotes that I use to adjust lighting for watching TV, If a pico button adjusts the lights in the room it also turns on the virtual switch that pauses the motion rule. I have a cancel button as well that enables the motion rule by turning off the virtual switch.

The third rule resets the lights, turns off off the virtual switch, and cancels rule actions. It is on a delay of 150 minutes that cancels on truth change.

I'm sure there is probably a better way to this, but it does work.

8

I had the same thoughts. This is what I did to in my two living rooms:
GE smart switch
Aeotec multisensor 6
Harmony Hub
Harmony Touch remote

If the lux, mode, and time of day reach criteria, the lights will turn on. Based on my husband's and my habits, the living rooms are used for movies, TV, or gaming. I connected my harmony hub to hubitat through the turorial on the community. I have more motion sensors in one room than in the other. The basement living room doesn't have an aeotec because it's pitch black if the light is off, so lux wasn't necessary, but the concept I used in each living room was if the switch created with the harmony link was on for watch tv, watch movies, or Gaming were on, then the light would stay on. I tweaked other things for dimming the lights, etc as needed for what we are doing. If the vs turns off, then the light will time out after motion stops. During movies upstairs, I like the light off, so I have it turn off if that switch turns on in hubitat. I hope what we do gives you some ideas for your living room. You really need to make sure that you program the room for what you do in there. Might be able to create a pressure switch for the remote instead of going all in for pressure mats in the seats. But I have a charger for my harmony remote, so it would be easy to integrate that into the automation with a button and contact sensor.