Brighten light with motion then dim after motion stops

I have my routines and modes set to turn on a couple of interior lights and my outdoor lights at 10% during the evening. I would like an option to brighten the lights on motion and/or contacts. I have tried smart lighting, but the set to level after motion stops does not work. I have also tried lighting director, but it just turns the lights off after the motion stops. I need a solution to brighten them from a trigger, but after the trigger stops, they need to go back to the 10% level.

Try Rule Machine. Make sure to read and follow his install instructions.

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I second this. Using Rule Machine, I have all of my outdoor lights doing precisely this. On at sunset and dimmed to 1%. Then dimmed to 100% when specific doors are opened, returning to 1% after a set time. Been bulletproof so far.

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Unfortunately this is over my head. I installed (I think), but when I open the app I click create new rule only to get a white screen with no options.

Did you follow the instructions to the letter? If you don’t hit ‘done’ when you first go in you will get this error. Reread the instructions.

I’ll try again. Do I have to do anything to the code to create my rule or is it all done within the mobile app?

It’s all done in the mobile app. Many users have missed this step when installing Rule Machine.

It took a couple of tries, but I got it finally. Thanks!

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So, I have this working but I wonder if i’m doing it the best way. Should I have two rules (one for brighten with motion and one for dim after motion), or can I do it with one rule to simplify things? I am thinking maybe I can use the false action to turn them back to dim?

Currently for my brighten rule, I have;
Trigger: Motion Sensor Active
Conditions: Mode in Daytime, Evening
Rule: Mode in Evening, Daytime (Do I need a condition and a rule?)
Actions for True: Dim Lamp to 80

Try something like this:

Condition: motion active
Rule: motion active
Action for true: dim lamp to 80
Action for false: delayed dim lamp to 20, cancellable
More options: only when mode is Evening, Daytime

When you have both triggers and conditions, you have a triggered rule, which is only evaluated when the trigger fires.

You want a rule, which is evaluated whenever the state of the conditions change. That way, we catch the motion-inactive event, and use it to start a timer. The timer is cancelled if motion becomes active again.

When you have conditions, there must be a rule to define the relationship between those conditions. But when there is only one condition, Rule Machine automatically gives you the trivial rule of that condition.

By cancellable on the false action, I assume that’s the “cancel on truth change” under the delay?

I also failed to mention that I have my arriving back home routines set to “dim” the lamp to 100%. Will this interfere with that?? I don’t mind if this overrides that with the motion, I just want to make sure the routine setting won’t mess with the above mentioned rule.

It shouldn’t matter, as long as one rule isn’t messing with the conditions that trigger another rule.

Yes, cancel on truth change is what you want. You start the timer when motion stops. But if motion starts up again, you want that timer cancelled. Another one will start the next time motion stops, etc., until x minutes have elapsed with no motion.

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Works great, thanks again.

So this is exactly what I want to do, but now I see Rule Machine is no longer downloadable or supported.

Is there a “new” solution to do this same task - maybe with Core?

I currently have an Automation that turns on my outside lights 30 mins after sunset (at 30% dimmer) and another rule that turns off the lights 30 mins before sunrise. What I want is to use motion sensors to change the lights to 100% dimmer for x minutes after motion is detected then return to 30% dimmer.

Yes, CoRE is the replacement for Rule Machine and even more powerful although a bit more daunting to learn because of all its abilities and flexibility.

To help you get started

For help go here

I have this working with core using a simple if then piston. My porch lights are running on a rule to turn on at 10% from 6PM to 11:00PM. Then I have a rule to brighten them with motion, front door open, arriving home, etc. Attached is the one for motion.

Ignore the times on that… I normally have it set for 6PM, but adjusted it to not interfere with the christmas lights.