Scenario - After sunset we use dimmers via hubitat and set it to 10-20% range. But next day we want all dimmers to default to 80%. Because next day if someone turns on the light via the wall switch, light is way too dim. So then have to use a phone to bring brightness up to 80%.
Current solution - I turn on all dimmers to 80% at 3 am at night. And then turn off. So now the percentage is set to 80% for next day use.
Is there a better way to achieve this? i tried looking for some sort of "restore dimmer value" that does NOT turn the light on. But couldn't find.
I never found a way to change the dim level without having the device turn on. What I do is have a RM rule looking for an On event and then turn the dim level to the desired level based on time of day. Drawback is that there is a one, two second lag in doing this.
Before I experimented with setting the maximum dim level, a parameter many dimmers support. That worked well most of the times, but that could be a hub reliability issue of the brand I used then.
I believe that the feature that you are describing is referred to as level preset. I am not certain whether the Aeotec Nano Dimmer (ZW111) or any other dimmer module supports this capability.
My experience in using a rule-based approach has been positive. Observable delays have been rare, though I concede that every situation is different.
MrFarmer, I want to see if I understood correctly.
At night 9 pm, I dim lights to 10%. I turn it off and go to sleep
During the day, turn on wall switch, RM will see that its during the day and turn up the percentage to 100% (100% as an example).
At the risk of showing my ignorance, please don't take this advice as absolute fact.
For months I struggled to achieve the same thing with bathroom lighting and never made it.
While you can pre-set dimmers to a specific level, that preset will only be used by a digital switch.
Example: If the bathroom light is turned on between 2200 and 0600, I want it to be at 15%. This can be done using a hub to activate it and any digital device as a trigger. Like a motion sensor, contact sensor.
What will NOT work, is physically activating the switch. That will cause the light to energize at the last level when de-energized.
Any attempt to incorporate the physical switch into your logic, requires the light be turned off at a specific level so that when the switch is engaged, the light will energize that the previous level. i.e., if I want the light to turn on at 15% I would need some routine to set it at 15% before the physical switch is used. Or, as you noted, the light has to be turned on, then off at the desired level so it will be ready for the next time someone switches it on.
I suppose you could use a Lutron switch that is really a digital controller and wire the lights to something like a Shelly dimmer so there is NO physical/manual switch in the circuit.
hmmm there might be potential issues with this method I think.
eg (keeping it simple for concept)
day time interval = 9 am to 5 pm
night time = after 5 pm
variable = DayTimeLevel = 80% dimmer level
at night, I dim lights to 15%. Then I go to sleep.
at 10 am I turned on lights via dashboard or wall switch, rule machine detects the On event and sets the dim level automatically to 80%.
Question 1 = Is there few seconds delayed when the adjustment to 80% is done? if so, would that delay be there always? since rule machine might be settings 80% each time the lights are turned on?
Question 2 = There is one issue with this variable method. I turned lights on and it adjusts to 80%. I dim the lights to 50%. Turn off lights. Turn it back on, it'll bump to 80% again.
@djh_wolf
The logic is sound. However, if using a physical switch, I believe the physical switch will immediately go to the setting when it was turned off, then quickly adjust to the variable. Hence, there will be brief "pop' of light.
If I am wrong, I am open to learning how to avoid this.
Yes Ani. Correct. As said I see a small delay for the desired level to be set, but if you go from 10 to 100 you will hardly notice. I find to have it from 100 to 10 when you stumble out of bed at night to be more annoying , but you do not seem to have that scenario.
Hi Ani,
To avoid the level to go to the preset each time I check it is at the low (or high) preset level before changing it to the high (or low) preset. That avoids overwriting a level set be a user. I.e. during the day, only change to 100% if the level is <= 10%. At night, only change to 10% if the level is => 99%.
@MrFarmer I am trying to sort all scenarios in my head for your solution. So for day time...
with threshold set to 10%....
If I have current level set to 90%. Turn off light, turn it back on, No change will happen since level is more than 10%. Correct?
If I have current level set to 5%, turn on lights, it will adjust to 100%. I dim it down to 60%. Then turn off lights, turn it back on, No change will occur since level is more than 10%. yes?
If I have current level set to 5%, turn on lights, it will adjust to 100%. I dim it down to 5%. Turn off lights, turn back on, it'll adjust to 100% again yes?
On a cloudy day sometimes we dim lights to like 5% (just an example), So when we turn it off and back on, it should stay at 5% unless we want to change it to 100%. With the variable method you mentioned, it'll change to 100% as soon as its on. Which is what we dont want.
We will stick with the current solution to just reset the lights to 80% at 3 am or so. Thanks for the info though @MrFarmer
, but you do not seem to have that scenario.
