Cannot add time offsets for sunset in routine

SmartApps & Automations Automation Ideas
1

I am trying to create a simple routine to turn on the inside garage light when one of two motion sensors in garage detects motion. And I want to add couple of conditions:

  1. that this only happens from 30 minutes before sunset to sunrise.
  2. turn off the garage light after 5 minutes

When I tried to create this routine, I ran into an issue with setting the Time Period. Whenever I set the offset to X minutes ‘Before’, it automatically changes to ‘After’.
For example, when I select Time Period, then select ‘Night’, and choose ‘Sunset’, I change the Minutes to 30 and select ‘Before’, but as soon as I do that, the ‘Before’ is automatically changed to ‘After’.

So basically, I can’t set the offset to 30 minutes before sunset. I can only set it to sunset or some minutes after sunset but not before.

This has to be a bug?

I got the routine working by using the APP’s AI assistant by just typing in what I wanted and it seems to be working. But even then, when I go into this routine and see the Time Period, it does not have the proper offset. I’m not sure how this routine is working properly even though the Time Period doesn’t seem to be set correctly.

Anyone else encoutered this issue? Is there a way to work around it other than using the AI assistant?

TIA.

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1 Like
Creating a routine and Time>Before Sunset doesn't stick
2

I also have this bug!

3

Great! Oh, I meant I’m not the only one! LOL

4

Yes, same here.

5

Hi, everyone

Have you reported this to our Customer Support team? This falls within their scope, and they don’t visit this forum often.

6

I’m happy to report it, what’s the best way to do so?

8

Hi, everyone.

Sorry for the confusion, the last instructions were to get app logs (this can still help in case the Customer Support team asks you to replicate the issue and send them), but the steps to create a report on their side are:

  1. Open the SmartThings app
  2. Go to the menu tab at the bottom-right corner.
  3. On this page, select the option “contact us” and then go to “Error reports”
  4. Select the topic related to your issue and follow the steps to submit your support request
9

Did anybody find a workaround?

10

I, too, have this problem, setting the time for my Porch light to turn off. Whenever I tap on Before (see screenshot) the minutes goes to 0 and the Before changes back to After. It happens for both Sunrise and Sunset - I cannot set any Before value. This is on Smartthings app v1.7.33.16 on iOS 18.6.2, iPadOS 18.7 and iPadOS 17.7.10. On Windows (at my.smartthings.com) this routine does not show - I assume because it runs locally on the hub.

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Has anyone found a way around this?

11

The only workaround I found is to use the Smart Lighting app.

12

Thanks for the suggestion - I’ll install Smart Lighting and see what it can do.