Is there a way to make Alexa trigger a rule in rule machine to turn for example “Hall Box Fan” OFF for 25 minutes and then turn back ON?
Here how I would like to see it work.
Alexa turn off “Hall Box Fan”
25 minute timer starts
After the 25 timer ends
The “Hall Box Fan” turns back on.
My wife works at home and it is very hot in her office/bedroom and when you gets on the phone she needs to turn the fan off because of the noise from the fan. Most of her calls only last about 20 minutes. Just trying to think of a easy way for her to turn the fan off and not have to give a 2nd command to turn it back on.
After each call she very quickly needs to jot down notes from the call. It would just be nice if this was possible. Might be a pie in the sky, just thought I would ask.
Create a virtual switch and export it to Alexa (via the Amazon Echo Skill integration). Name that device as the thing you want Alexa to act on. E.g., "Hall Box Fan".
Use the virtual switch as the trigger in your rule.
I added the spare Bath Light and that works great. Alexa turns the Fan on but the rule does not work. So the fan turns ON but never turns off. What am I doing wrong?
its possible with the Echo skill to tie your devices to Amazon if you are unaware. Then you can have the rule in Alexa as well without the need for a virtual switch. You can also now just say ‘Alexa, turn the fan on for 10 mins’ verbally. I often use that when leaving the bathroom and its a bit… residual. I try to keep alexa specific routines in Alexa. I used to use virtual switches but that got to be a PITA from the sheer volume.
Should we assume you tried turning your hall box fan on? By commanding Alexa verbally? And then presumably nothing happened?
The first thing you should do is confirm whether you can control this (or any) device with the Hubitat Amazon Echo skill. If it doesn’t turn on and off when you talk to an Alexa-enabled device, your rule will never work.
You are not showing any reference to your Alexa Routine to flip the virtual switch.
The Alexa routine only needs to turn the virtual switch on.
The rule that reacts to that virtual switch being turned on contains the logic for the delay. I would use a virtual switch with auto off, so that you do not need to turn it back off in the rule. Else, turn the virtual switch off as the first thing the rule does, before turning the actual fan off and starting the delay to turn it back on.
The logs you posted should be filtered by the rule (app) number to reduce the chaff.
You should also set up your test rule so that the trigger is not also an action – I suspect you have a circular test rule right now where turning on the Hall Box Fan triggers the rule which turns on the Hall Box Fan which re-triggers the rule – which likely will prevent the Wait For action from happening.
I am sorry I thought I put in the post the “spare bathroom light switch” was just for a test. And the bathroom switch WORKED every time. What that told me is it has to be something with Alexa setup.
Okay using Alexa my Virtual test switch call “Fred Fan” does not turn the fan on, however “Hall Box Fan” turns on my (test light - in place of the fan) every time.
I learned if you do not have a device name anywhere in a rule it does not display under “in use by” So that tells me I can not just use a virtual switch.
This is a lot more work than what is worth. I am just telling Alexa to turn the fan off for XX of time and be done with it. That works.
