What should I get next?

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I recently was gifted a $150 Amazon gift card. I'm very undecided about what to get. More RGB bulbs? Motion sensors? Repeaters to improve mesh?

I was thinking about adding motion sensors to our home but I have long thought it would only be introducing headaches since we have seven cats and two 60lbs dogs. I love the idea of room occupancy that I have seen but I don't think it's doable for us.

RGB lights are great to tinker with but I often find that I am hard pressed to find actual true benefits.

Is there anything else, maybe for outside? We have just about everything else covered....I think.

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Depending on your current mesh state, additional repeaters can be a good buy. You may also look into any flood sensors if you don have any. Similarly, some people have put temperature, lux and humidity sensors to a verity of good use e.g. 1) Turn on bathroom fan when it is too humid due to bath 2) Turn on lights, based on brightness in the room to account for cloudy days 3) Make better comfort rules based on temperature of individual rooms, or if garage/basement is too cold 4) flood sensors in major areas

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An Alexa enabled Billy Bass :smiley:

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if you wanted to have fun, get the RGB lights, an HDMI capture card, and a RPi and set up Hyperion to create ambient lighting for your TV

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Even though you have cats and dogs, you might be able to install motion sensors so that they only pickup humans. Most of my motion sensors are mounted 5-6 ft high and the cats never trigger them. I do have one in the bathroom set at only four ft. One cat triggers the sensor and turns on the light when she goes to get a drink of water from her bowl.

The 60 lb dogs may be more of an issue, but by adjusting the sensitivity and placement of each sensor, it might not be as much an issue as you think.

For me, one of ideal use of motion sensors is in the garage. I have my lights set to come on as soon as the garage doors open, or the door from the house to the garage. The lights stay on for 5 minutes until motion is no longer detected. I no longer find my self working in the garage and having the lights go out leaving me in the dark. If the animals only go into the garage when you do, that minimizes the issue with them triggering the lights.

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