LUX / light sensor

KvM

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking of getting a light sensor for my living room, so homey knows when to turn on the lights when I come home. My living room is quite dark, so only on really sunny weather the lights should be kept off.

First I tried working with a time frame when to turn the lights on or not. Later I tried using sunset times using the "sunevents" app. But still not the desired result.

So what I think I need, is a light / Lux sensor which homey can ask the current value to decide to turn on the lights or not when I arrive home. So it would be nice if Home can actual "ask" the sensor for a current value. 

Which sensor can you recommend? Or do you have another solution?

Any suggestions are welcome :-)

Eternity

I use Aeotec multi sensors, but I guess all sensors that report lux will work.

The trigger card 'lux changed' is what triggers the flow.

So

IF   lux changed 

AND  lux > xxx
(and time is daytime) 
(and 'anything you like')


THAN   switch the light off


As an example, Homey shuts my bedroom curtains IF the lux value exceeds 100. 




Now, because I don't want the curtains shut all day, I made a second flow to open them again. But, as the bedroom sensor is 'in the dark', I use the value of my hallway sensor to trigger the flow:

KvM

I was thinking something like that as well to turn the lights on when I'm already home and it becomes dark. But I also want the "thuiskomen" flow to check the lux value.

Maybe I can store it in a variable using "better logic" or something. 

Do you know how often this sensor "triggers" on "de helderheid is veranderd"? Does it report to homey in a fixed interval, of does it check like every <minute / x seconds> and reports only when the value has changed?

Eternity

@KvM

The update frequency is user adjustable (I have the sensor USB powered!) and set at 600 seconds:

KvM

That is looking good! Is this the settings page of Aeotec, or can I expect something similar for other sensors as well?

Eternity

This is the setting page of the Aeotec multi sensor 6. I have a couple of these,  as I wanted usb powered sensors. Not cheap, but a good investment.

yemoH

I would recommend to use a combined motion / light sensor. You might be at home but taking a nap in the bed room. Then there is no need for light in the living room.

KvM

But on the other hand, when i'm on the couch watching TV, or cooking dinner in the kitchen,  I want the light to stay on