I'm new to Hubitat coming from Smartthings/Wink and need some help. I wanted to move to Hubitat for the customization but can't figure out the basic lighting rule. I have a z-wave motion sensor, outlet connected to string lights and a light switch. I would like to turn on the string lights, dim the outdoor light to 15% with motion between sunset/sunrise and then when no motion is detected for 5 min turn off the string lights and then set the outdoor light to 100%. I can't seem to get the light to turn on after no motion and need some help.
Welcome to the community!
Why dont you post a screenshot of your current rule, and we can make suggestions.....
Thanks for the quick reply.. I couldn't figure out how to attach an image but it let me reply with one.
I dont think it can be done with Motion Lighting. But if you make a rule in Rule Machine 4, that does the following. This should work, if I've read your text correctly.
Trigger:
Outdoor motion sensor changed
Rule
IF outdoor motion sensor is active and time is between sunset and sunrise THEN
Turn on string lights
Dim outdoor lights to 15%
cancel delayed actions
ELSE-if outdoor motion sensor is inactive and time is between sunset and sunrise
turn off switch: string lights, delay 5 minutes (cancellable)
Dim outdoor lights 100%, delay 5 minutes (cancellable)
ELSE (this is for turning all lights off at sunset)
turn off switch (string and outdoor lights)
END-IF
Thanks.. I was trying to understand how to use the Rule Machine but wasn't having any luck. What I don't understand now is how to write the 'ELSE-IF', 'ELSE' and 'END-IF' comments. Really hope I can get this.. I tried HomeAssistant but didn't have any luck but Hubitat seems way easier adding devices. Thanks again for your help!
Yeah, ya just going to have to spend 10 mins figuring out the UI, and the diffeence between triggers (that kick off the rule), and conditions (if, then, else, etc).
Alll of the conditions are found under "conditional actions" the first selectable option under Select action type to add (in the rule section).
I think I got it! I wasn't selecting "Done with Conditional Action" so I wasn't getting the 'ELSE' conditions.
Here's what I have so far so we'll see how it works tomorrow.. I can already see that I might have to change the brightness at night to be lower so hopefully I can figure that out. Thanks again!
You will need to fix the then
It should be
Off: Backyard string lights (delay 5 mins, cancelable)
Dim Backyard lights: 100 (delay 5 mins, cancelable)
Delete both "delays" that are there presently, and go into each of the other two commands, and down the bottom is a check box that says "delay". Slide it across, select 5 mins, and then over on the right, select cancelable (for both commands).
But one of the commands probably needs to change to dim, not adjust. I'm not sure what adjust does. But I'd stick with dim. Just dim it to 100%.
hope this helps.
Ok I made the changes.. Just trying to understand the "cancelable" just means that if there is motion that command can be cancelled, right? What about the "Cancel Delayed Actions"? Anything after that can be cancelled with motion? Here's how it looks after the changes:
I added a fade of 5 so we'll see how that works.
Thanks again!
The cancel delayed actions will cancel anything that has the cancellable tag. In this case it will cancel the turning off the lights, and push it a further 5 minutes down the track (when motion sensor goes inactive) . So if you walk outside, and then inside and the timer begins counting down, and then 3 minutes later you walk back outside again, you would expect lights to turn off after 2 more minutes, but now the lights won't turn off until a new 5 minutes has passed.
