I just created a switch Group that includes a standard smart switch and a vacancy smart switch. I also have a Rule that turns on the vacancy switch if the standard switch is turned on. Before I created the Group, if the vacancy switch was turned on by the Rule, it would turn off after the device designated timeout as expected. But now it seems since the Group switch also turns on when the standard switch turns on (triggering the vacancy switch as well), that the vacancy switch does not turn off after the designated timeout.
Check to make sure the mode is set as you wish (Vacancy). The auto-off under the Vacancy mode does seem to require a motion event to activate the off timer.
I'd suggest checking out Room Lighting to see if it works for your scenario. It can handle complex multi-activate and off scenarios. You could even just set up a single app to handle all the vacancy logic for that switch and leave the physical device in Manual mode. Room Lighting is also the replacement for the Groups and Scenes app, you might find it able to simplify some of your automations.
Thanks for the reply. I realize there are several ways to work around this, but since the behavior changed only after I included the vacancy switch in the Group, I was curious if this is expected behavior, and I would need to implement a work around if I wanted to keep the Group.
It looks like I was a bit mistaken as I was doing my testing away from the light. My light does actually turn off automatically without a motion event in Vacancy mode. What doesn't happen is the 'off' event getting reported back to Hubitat. A 'Refresh' does generate the event and update the state, though. Not sure if this is a driver or Z-Wave issue.
So, I guess, I would ask you do you see the lights not going off as expected or are you basing your question on the status as reflected in Hubitat. When your group stays on unexpectedly go to the device page and check the status. Click 'Refresh'. Does the status of the device and group change?
Years ago I used to have some periods automatic and some manual. I converted everything to manual and do everything in Room Lighting.
I'm actually looking and testing all this remotely, so without being able to force a motion state, I'll need to wait until I'm physically back at the location this weekend.
I've also experienced the lack of reporting you mention with my other Jasco motion switch in the garage, where if I turned on the switch digitally through a Rule, it would not report/reflect the Off event after the designated timeout, even though the switch had turned off.
I'll start messing around with the Room Lighting app... it looks intriguing.
