Light automation and motion

Hey everyone,

I am creating my 1st rules and i need some feedback.

I have a HUE motion sensor and a Sengled bulb at the main entrance.

I created 2 rules;

1- Light On at sunset +15 minutes at 5% and off at sunrise using the simple automation rules app.

2- Light on 100% when motion is detected between sunset and sunrise using the motion lighting app.

My question, is this the proper way to achieve this? Will the lights go back to previous 5% after motion stops?

Thanks for your help.

In order for your light to return to 5% you would need an action to make that happen. Motion is inactive then the light returns to 5%. If you do not have something to tell it to return back to 5% then it will remain at 100% until something tells it to return to 5%.
I'm not at home right now to look, but if it's an option to set it to 5% in motion lighting to finish the rule, then you would choose that. If not, then you might need to look at simple automation and see if that is available to use there. Otherwise you can do it in Rule Machine.
I set up similar rules in rule machine before simple automation and motion lighting were available, so I see the use to this sequence. brighten if someone comes into the room, but otherwise use as a night light. I love this because you don't have to have lights blazing when you're not in the room, but the house is not dark either. Let me know if I can be of help with your rule later. I'm happy to help, I'm just having to do this thing called work during the day. So inconvenient.
:grin:

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Thanks....i definetely dont see it in motion lighting....These is a restriction section under simple automation but i am not sure i can do that there. Its bit overwhelming at first to understand how to setup rules. I'll get it someday, maybe :smiley:

I think you will get it. I have been at this since Saturday and I have come a long way in understanding how it all works. Have faith.

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That would be great if you could should me an example of how it looks in RM, whenever you are done with that thing called work :wink:

Thanks

I sure wish I was home to help you with those rules. I'll look when I get home this evening. It's the hubs birthday, so we'll be having cake at some point, but I'll have time in there to get things worked out.
In the meantime, you'd be looking for something in motion that says if motion is inactive, then set level to 5%. Come to think of it, just create a new ML rule doing only that. It won't interfere with anything. Rules are free here.
:grin:
I will still send you some examples when I get home. Even if you do figure it out before then.

You can do it as 2 rules in RM. ML doesn't really cater for lights staying on when motion stops.

Rule 1 turns the light on and resumes rule 2 then at sunrise pauses rule 2 and turns the light off.

Rule 2 brightens the light if there is motion.

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Thanks i will give that a try! :cold_sweat:

I think i got it...looks like this. I will now delete the simple rules i had created.

Is there a way to test a rule even if we dont have the trigger event met...like the sunset +15?

There is something wrong with the motion light rule as it triggers during the day. But the cycling between 5 and 100% works perfectly

Try this app. It probably will be simpler than a rule.

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Thanks, will do

My app is also designed to turn the lights off (I think the "dim" feature might be confusing, but it's a Hue-esque feature I added to dim the lights before turning them off instead of just turning them off right away). Enough people have asked for this or assumed that this is what it meant that I might add it to a future version. :slight_smile:

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So just wanting a little clarification, you want from 15 minutes after sunset until sunrise for the light to be at 5%, and from sunrise until 15 minutes after sunset to be 0% correct? Additionally, if motion is detected from sunset to sunrise, you want the lights to go to 100% or do you want whenever motion is detected to go to 100%? Finally, after some amount of inactivity, you want the lights to return to 5% or off depending on the time of day?

If this is what you want to do, I would take a look at the "Lights off" options in motion lighting and then make a virtual button or switch, does not really matter but probably a button, that you would "push" when the lights go off. Then you can use that button as an alternative trigger to your first rule that sets the brightness to 5% or off accordingly.

You would have needed to pause the rule manually when created which I forgot to mention.

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