Is there any support for using outdoor lighting level as a trigger?
I've experimented on another automation platform with using the Current Cloud Cover data from Rachio. It works, but within the confines of the long intervals between updates. That's fine, it's a cloud service for a relatively autonomous device and they're not expecting (nor want) people hammering on it for this sort of data.
The scenario is using motion detection for presence in a room, during 'day time', and if the detected light level is below a certain point (it's cloudy) use that to allow the detected motion to trigger lighting. If it's bright enough, don't bother making lighting changes beyond detecting vacancy to turn off lights. Potentially window shade activation might come into play also.
So there's a number of weather systems or even motion sensors with luminance detection. Anyone experimented with those wrt Hubitat?
There are a few devices that do lux measuring for light levels.
I use Hue and Fibaro to do this that subsequently turns lights on and off with motion should the lux value be below a certain level.
You can also use the ApiXU weather driver that gets a lux reading from your local weather station.
You will need to register and get an API key to use it.
For this situation you probably want indoor devices measuring lux in that room. I have this scenario in my laundry room. If there is motion and the laundry room is dark enough, turn on the light.
The reason I recommend indoor (or even on a per room) is because my rooms are all a different brightness. So my laundry is darker than it would be in my kitchen.
I'm currently using the xiaomi motion sensor which also measures lux value to do this.
Just to clarify something about this device.
It only reports the lux value when it detects motion. This is OK for when you go into a room but if you want lights to turn on at a set lux reading WITHOUT motion being a factor, then this won't work for you.
Great little devices but just thought I would mention it.
I use an external pws (personal weather station) and an internal aeon labs multisensor 6 and âaverageâ them to produce one figure.
I then change to âeveningâ mode or âmorningâ mode dependant upon this average and the proximity to sunrise/sunset.
(Afternoon and night modes are handled differently)
This way my lights have been âenabledâ in the evening when I need them and âdisabledâ in the morning when I donât
Iâm lucky that the natural lights levels are very similar in each room.
Has been working well for some months now.
Use @bangaliâs ApiXU Weather device. It does lux in the device and you can base everything off that. I also use my Zooz internal lux in combination to get the most accurate automations accordingly.
For a while I linked to my neighbors weather station for a lux value, but it was inconsistent, and didn't really work well for me. Around 6 months ago I purchased a Dome motion detector that has a lux sensor, and stuck it to the back side of the blinds installed in my master bathroom. That way it has a clear view out the window if the blinds are open or closed. It has been working absolutely perfectly as a way to automate my interior lights in the open concept areas. I use motion lighting in individual smaller rooms. In my location, we have dark clouds roll in, then blue skies, then dark clouds alternating throughout the day (Washington state). We usually don't even realize the lights turning on and off with the lux, but it is always lit in the house. My wife made the comment the other day that she thinks it's been months since she has touched a switch. If you need to average more than one motion looking out the window for Lux, you can use @Cobra Average all app, but just a single sensor has been working very well for me.
I should probably add that I'd prefer to avoid anything battery operated. That is, anything that can't be wall AC powered or require a hacked-up mess to 'fake' being a battery. I've had my share of devices over the years and really hate having automation of lighting get tied up in babysitting a ton of batteries.
The sole exception being Lutron's Ra2 motion sensors... those I'm entering my 5th year of them operating daily with the same battery. Lutron has some daylight schemes but they're not Ra2 compatible. Whole different gateway box to use them and precious little documentation on it.
I suppose the sole exception would be an outdoor weather setup that used a solar panel. Granted, those degrade over time, so they're not without their own maintenance adventures.
I'm not looking for room specific lighting control at this point. Taking it a step further into 'daylight harvesting' with integrating the shades is not on my immediate list of must-haves. Right now I just want to refine the motion detection in a south-facing home office to reactivate motion control of lighting when it's cloudy. The Ra2 system has a way to stop/start motion detection, so this wouldn't be terrible hard to accomplish if I have something to use as a trigger for it.
