Switch based on LUX ?

dennis91

Hi,

I have multiple Philips Hue Motion Sensors (which work great with Homey), but is it also possible to use the LUX value of a Motion Sensor in flows? For example : I want the lights in my bedroom to switch on automatically on motion, but only when LUX is < 10.

JPe

you need the trigger from the moving and the "Helderheid" copy from the Tags-puldown.

bvdbos

This is not good, this triggers whenever the luminance changes regardless of movement. Trigger should be movement, condition "Luminance < 12" with indeed the luminance-tag from the pulldown menu...

JPe

that is what I try to say in my comment "you need the trigger from the moving", sorry being unclear 

Eternity

This is what I have made, using 3 flows.


Flow 1 



Flow 2 (ignore the SK-OP3 zet AAN... not needed for your purpose!)


Flow 3 (ignore the SK-OP3 zet UIT... not needed for your purpose!)

bvdbos

Why the variable?
Flow 1 : if motion detected and lux < 10 : turn on light(s) and set hourglass
Flow 2 : if hourglass empty : turn off light(s)

dennis91

Eternity said:

This is what I have made, using 3 flows.


Flow 1 

Thanks for the screenshots. For whatever reason, if i pick the "Logic" item in the flow editor, i cannot specify "Helderheid" there.... any idea?

Eternity

@bvdbos
Yes, you are right. Initially I had this setup with extra card for different purposes. Need to clean up the flows (and see if I can reduce the amount of flows by using the OR and ELSE capabilities). 

@dennis91
Perhaps it is named differently with Philips Hue sensors?
In my case the lux values are generated by Aeotec multisensors. In the flow editor I select 'Tags' and type 'helder' in the search area to find all my sensor / lux tags:

Eternity

An even simpler solution - without the 'zandloper' - is this:


Just set a delay in the action card, thats matches your needs:

JaapPelt

Eternity said:

An even simpler solution - without the 'zandloper' - is this:

Just set a delay in the action card, thats matches your needs:

The simple solution will still turn off the lights if motion is detected for a second time. This might not be an issue depending on the use case, so it is just a matter of preference.  

I'd like to propose a solution with a timer instead of a variable. It is a bit simpler, but still flexible:
1) WHEN motion detected AND lux < 10 THEN set timer hallway to 300
2) WHEN timer hallway = 300 AND lamp is off THEN turn lamp on
3) WHEN timer hallway = 0 AND lamp is on THEN turn lamp off

If you have a wall switch with a sensor, you can override the timer when the wall switch is used to ensure the lights stays on or is forced off. 
4) WHEN hallway switch changes AND lamp is on THEN turn lamp off ELSE turn lamp on
5) WHEN hallway switch changes THEN set timer block-motion to 60
Change 1 to: WHEN motion detected AND lux < 10, block-motion is not running THEN set timer hallway to 300

I don't have the timer app installed at the moment as I recently moved to a new place and I'm still in the process of installing all the sensors, so I haven't tried this one out myself yet. I'm also upgrading some switches from KAKU (receiver only) to Fibaro (sender and receiver) so I can do all of this with a single Fibaro switch and any motion sensor.  

So much fun stuff to do with Homey 

Eternity

So, it looks like this:




BTW
The 'manual override' is also part of the App "State Control". Bit complicated to set up, but works nicely too! I had to use that, as my Fibaro switches only have 'ON' or 'OFF' flow cards in the IF section, no 'has changed'.

roel_hendr

I also want to switch lights when someone enters a zone (hall, bathroom, toilet, etc). Can someone tell me what devices I need?

Only motion sensors can work indeed, but then I need to work with timers as above mentioned. I also want my physical light switches to know that lights are on or off. And when someone uses these light switches, Homey should also be aware of this. What do I need for this?

And even more advanced, I want a zone to know when someone enters or leaves. Do I need door sensors also then?

Would be nice if you can tell me which devices I need and how the flow(s) will look like. Thx in advance!

Mecallie

I am using a NeoMotionSensor (NeoCoolCam). I want to create a flow that turns on two lights when there is motion and the lux level is below 30 lux.

In the tags I see a tag for the sensor. But in the "and" section I cannot drag the tag to the better logic part. I had the placeholder for the tag once, but could not drag it there then either. The better logic icon looks somewhat different too: not just + - × : but also the = symbol are shown.

I do not need to declare variables first in the better logic setup right? What am I missing?

My flow is (or shoud be):
Motion detected ==> Helderheid (lux level) below 30 and lights off ==> turn on lights.

I just cannot get the darn "Helderheid" tag in the better logic portion...

Rocodamelshe

Just use the "normal" logic card for that.
And dragging and dropping takes some practice!

Mecallie

Ah, got it. Hehe...

WRos

Switch based on Lux.
I've made 4 flow for it.
Start detection
Stop detection
Reset Timer
Calculate dimming level 
 
Start Detection:

If: there is motion detection activated.
And: timer isnt running AND lux in lower than 15
Then: Switch on the licht with the calculated dimming parameter AND start Timer.

Stop Detection:

If: Timer is empty
And: there isn't any motion detection anymore
Then: Switch light off

Reset Timer:

Reset timer when there is motion.

Now the real trick:

Calculate dimming level:

with this formula the dimming level gets a nice value when Lux is between 0 and 15: {{round(sqrt(Helderheid*Helderheid/250+0.1),2)}}

Eternity

Great flow example!

I have a problem with the last flow.  You have typed "Bijkeuken...." in the first field":





but shouldn't this be the created TAG?


Thanks for sharing!

caseda

@Eternity you can't use a tag in the name input, you need to type it

WRos

@Eternity I declare a new variable: BijkeukenLichtNiveau.
A better name for the explanation: CalculatedDimmingLevel

Eternity

Cheers! 

Eternity

Hmm, my first attempt to do some calculations and not very succesful at it...

As a test I have created a Better logic number variable with the name 'waarde'.


If I make a test flow and test it with this card, it does not update the variable. I tried various formats:
{{5*5}}
{{ 5* 5 }}
{{ 5 + 5 }}

The flow works - green ticks - but the variable stays 0






What am I doing wrong ?

caseda

@Eternity
Maybe you should try to use the correct app 's cards when calculating

Logic is not ( != ) better logic

Eternity

 

Haha. Thanks!  

WRos

@Eternity
The thing you did with logica was working. (I think) You looked for the changes in the Better Logic settings. The default logic value are only presented in the tag area where you building the flows.
I had made a fault in the formula. Forgot to use the "round" function.

The formula is now: {{round(sqrt( Helderheid*Helderheid/250+0.1),2)}}