I have several motion sensors that are used to control lighting. I am currently using RM to perform this process. These Rules work just fine 98% of the time. However, there are occasions where we want the lights to stay on even if there is no motion sensed. As an example, we have a motion sensor in a walk-in closet doorway that turns on the light inside of the closet when you walk into the closet. Works just fine. However, on some occasions, my wife will go into the closet and sit/stand without moving enough, for long enough, that the lights turn off. She is then in the dark and has to wave her arms to get the motion sensor to trigger and turn the lights back on. She will may go through this for several cycles and is not happy. To be clear, this is not a motion sensor sensitivity problem. This happens only when she is involved in some project/process that keeps her in the closet while barely moving.
Is there some technique in RM or other (without disabling the Rule via the Dashboard), whereby my wife can disable the motion/light automation (or at least the Rules pre-set delay before turning the light off) and just turn the lights on and have them stay on? I'm thinking thinking of something like; if you hit the light switch "on" button 3 times within 2 seconds, then the rule is paused/disabled until the light switch "off" button is hit. At which point, it goes back to normal motion activation.
Any RM Suggestions or other suggestions would be appreciated.
One way to do this is move it to Room Lighting and use this option, and tell her to turn on the lights manually when she goes into the closet to do things that will result in her sitting still a lot. If the light is on when she goes in, that should should keep the automation from turning the light off.
I do think you could also solve probably this by adding an additional motion sensor located where it will see her movements (and it doesn't take much when they are properly placed). I have motion automation in my wife's walk-in closet as well and she had the same issue until I added one additional sensor. Since then, zero issues, no calls on my IT support line.
I have recently done this with my mostly simple automation setup. I have a restriction switch set on the app that has the motion sensor. I've done this for most of my motion sensors.
My setup is all GE/Jasco toggle switches running @JasonJoel 's drivers. I made a routine that toggles a virtual switch when "button 5" is pushed, which really is pushing up on the toggle switch 3 times. I chose three times because I was using two toggles elsewhere, plus it's not as easy to inadvertently double toggle.
That virtual switch is used as the restriction switch in the app.
My wife still waves her arms around, but I told her it was there.
edit: It just occurred to me that I should add these virtual switches to the list of switches I turn off every evening.
I only use simple automation, not RM for this, so no code I guess.
I was just fooling around with this, and found that if I have the switch restrict only the trigger, with the switch's on position be the restricting switch, this will allow motion to be disabled after turning on the switch.
Of course, there may be times when you want to keep it dark-my original method might be better there.
You could create a virtual switch called "Manual Override" or "Lights Stay On" or something - or "Lights Automated" if you want the opposite sense and make the state of that virtual switch a Required Expression. So it would be required that Manual Override is OFF, or Lights Automated is ON before the rule would take any notice of triggers, whichever way would make most sense to your wife.
But if she's only going to change the state of the virtual switch after the rule has triggered by her going into the closet it won't stop the rest of the rule running. In that case you'd need the rule to test the state of that virtual switch before enacting the turn off.
