How to override a motion detector

Thinking of installing a Embrighten 46201 light switch to control a led light and a zwave motion detector to turn the light on through my Hubitat C7. But I also want to be able to turn the light on and off manually. Will this work, or how do you recommend I set this up? TIA

What you wish is exactly how most automations work.

The physical switch acts like any physical switch. The paddle (or toggle) turns the circuit on or off BUT there's also the radio messages (Zwave or Zigbee) also turn it on and off. IF the physical switch turned a light on, then sending a ZWave command to turn it on doesn't turn it on more. Same with the Zwave command to turn a switch on, then you walk up to the switch and turn it on. Doesn't get more on. :slight_smile:

If you set your motion automation to turn the switch on when motion occurs, then 3 min later turn it off if motion has ended... it will do that. If, before the 3 min, you walk to the switch and turn it off, it goes off then at the 3 min mark, it turns off again, but it's already off.

Is there a way to temporarily disable the motion detection. I am planning on a similar application where I want motion to turn on the light, or the switch. If I leave, I want it to turn off after 5 minutes, but if I turn off the light manually, I don't want the motion detector to turn it back on as I am walking out of the room.

It depends on the physical layout.. in many cases, it won't matter.

If the switch is on, then you walk towards the switch, motion will be detected and will turn the already on light on and start the 3 min timer. When you turn the switch off physically, it goes off and then again 3 min later, it turns off again, but it wasn't on. :slight_smile:

In my situation the physical layout matters. The light is in a closet in the bedroom that always gets left on. I don't want it to turn off if someone is in the closet, but I also don't want it to come on when someone is trying to sleep. Right now I just have it set to turn off after 30 minutes in case someone is in the closet. I haven't tied it to motion yet yet because I'm more concerned about it coming on accidentally. It works well enough. I hadn't thought about it too much, until this thread. Just thought I would see if anyone else had any ideas.

Here is how I understand it. In order for the motion detector to turn on the light the switch has to be on. If the switch is off the motion detector will not turn it on. Part of the family wants to use automation and part wants to just turn the light on and off with the switch. Hence the question Is there a way to do both?

Motion would be inside the closet, if I were designing it... and I have. My Master Bed closet is exactly this. I happen to use a dimmer, because I want it brighter during the day. A motion Sensor is inside the closet, parked so that you have to be in the closet for motion to be detected. Usually for me, that means it's mounted 4-6 inches above the door, with a good downward angle.

I think you have a typo there.. Motion itself does nothing but inform the Hub. The hub has an automation that detects motion and turns on the switch. Every Motion Sensor has an internal timer to prevent a zillion motion events per minute. Depending on manufacturer, it might be a minute minimum or 15 seconds minimum. Most allow you to adjust. When the motion ends signal is received by the hub, it starts a timer. If, while the timer is running, another motion event occurs, the timer starts over. If the timer gets to zero, the switch is turned off.

That's it. Don't worry about the physical. It will work just fine.

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I plan on doing our laundry room with a similar setup. I'll experiment there, since it is a less critical area.

Why not use a contact sensor on the door, door opens light turns on. Door closes light turns off. Then you don’t have to be concerned with time out/ re-activation time of the motion. You can also set a timer to turn off the light if the door is left open. This is how I’ve set up closets and it’s been working great for years.

For my Coat closet, near the front door, I do the same, a door sensor that directly drives the light.. no delay. Works perfectly for a non-walk-in closet.

I use Aeotec Recessed Door Sensor.

Screenshot 2023-07-31 at 11.27.17 AM

I started with a normal, external door sensor and it worked perfectly too. But eventually, as I wanted more, I chose to go with these recessed ones. I think I have 6 of them now. not including 2-3 spares.

In my case, there is a mirror on the back of the door, so the door is usually closed when someone is getting ready, and left open most of the time. I have a similar setup for my garage light. The light comes on when the door opens or there is motion, then turns off 10 minutes after the no motion.

I have motion override for all my motion detectors, maybe 6.
I have a bunch of GE/Jasco toggle switches and I use @JasonJoel 's driver, link below.
I use simple automation with a virtual restriction switch.
If I flip the toggle up 3 times it turns on that switch and disables the rule.
Three flips down enables turns off the switch and enables the rule.
I also do it for the contact switch at the top of the basement stairs.
I figured out how to light up the toggle when motion is disabled, again with @JasonJoel 's help on an older thread-I keep the switch leds turned off except for this and when the gate is open.

Turning the device on and off manually will work, but as soon as you add a alternate trigger and timers things can go off the rails fast. Especially if you have a shorter timer.

What I have done is I use a Virtual switch to turn on and off a virtual switch that Room Lighting uses to disable automation. Here is my example based on my Closet.

Here is the setup in Room Lighting

Here is the RM rule that manages the virtual switch to disable the automatic control.

The only thing to remember here is if you manually turn it on. You also need to manually turn it off. You could also setup a rule to just turn off the override virtual switch for certain end of night activities to make sure it doesn't accidently remain set over a few days.

These two rules and the Virtual switch allow you to use it with motion or whatever alternate trigger for automations, but under the condition you need to control it manually and only turn it off manually you can do that as well.

Also, in my bathrooms a closed door contact switch will disable motion.
This helps a lot.

Thanks for the ideas.

Nice, didn't know those existed.
Now...the question, how long does the battery last under your usage?

Battery devices really should be rated in number of notifications per battery :smiley:

I have 6 of these and 2 of them rarely get used: three to four times a year. One door get used three to four times an hour during the day.

Battery life runs between more than a year on the rarely used devices to 3-4 months for the most used.

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