[OBSOLETE] Dusk-to-Dawn Light Control with Lux control and Motion Dimming - RC2

We’re definitely in agreement here that a marketplace would be worthwhile!

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This app has been super buggy for me lately. I haven’t changed anything on my end, so I suspect ST as the cause. If I open the SmartApp and click “Done” it “wakes up” the app and all is good for a day or so. Must be something on the back end.

Seems like it was acting up a few days ago for me. . . . too busy to troubleshoot and I didn’t touch it. I happened to be on the porch at sunset today and the lights came on as expected. Just checked now and the app responded to motion. Maybe just some weirdness on the back-end. If you happen to catch it misbehaving and can capture a log, please share. Thanks for the update!

Can I use this on light switches that are just on/off with no dimming?

I would also like this functionality. I have just a plain old smart switch (aeon labs micro switch) that I would like to use with sunrise/sunset scheduling. This app is the closest I’ve found while searching but maybe there is a more applicable app out there?

I just want to turn my outdoor lights on 1 hour before sunset and leave them on for 2 hours. Then turn them off.
Then I want to turn my outdoor lights on 1 hour before sunrise, and leave them on for 1 hour. Then turn them off.

Seems like the app for that would exist. This is more powerful and I’d even think about getting an outdoor motion detector to take care of these features, but don’t have dimmable lights on the exterior of my house (CFL).

@onetrav - sorry for the very slow response. I just haven’t been plugged in as much as I was. Depending on exactly what you want to do, you might be able to do it with just the built in stuff. Someone else will need to speak to this since I really haven’t spent any time working with the built-in functions. I’m pretty sure if you want motion to trigger a light but only if it is after dusk and before sunrise, you should be able to do it without a custom app. Revising my app to work with non-dimming switches should be fairly easy as well

@drshaw - not sure if you can do what you want with the built in apps. A custom app would be pretty straightforward. You would just need to determine what time sunset - 1 hour is each day, trigger the lights, set a turn off event in 2 hours, etc. There is probable code in my app you could use as a starting point but quite a bit of it wouldn’t be needed.

To both of you . … you might try starting a new thread with your use case and see who comes to your aid.

Just wanted to update that this app is very reliable for me again. The bugginess was on ST’s end and had nothing to do with this app.

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@AaronZON

I’ve just published the app to my device, to have a play with it, I dont have anything that can detect Lux so i was hoping to use ZIP code. However in the UK they are called Postcodes and they are more than 5 Digits. do you know if the the field will work if i put a UK postcode in?

thanks

actually i missed the bit that if you dont put a zip in it defaults to location so, hopefully it will work

You can also use the weather tile as your lux as well.

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Did this make it into marketplace, or do I just copy the code from somewhere within this thread? Want to make sure I have the latest version.

Sorry again for the slow response(s). I’m not hanging around here much like I used to.

@DITPL - thanks for checking in.
@steve.bratt - No clue on this. There may be another place in the forums where you can find info on how postcodes are handled in ST (if at all)
@Navat604 - I think you can. If I remember correctly, the weather tile app estimates lux based on time of day and cloud cover report . . . could be wrong. Try it
@dw84 - No. I was trying but gave up. Look for a link in this thread to get the code.

Take care.

Hi Araron, what motion sensor are you using? I’m looking to control outdoor lights. Thanks.

I have various type of motion sensors for outdoor so for z wave I am using ecolink, Gocontrol and for zigbee I am using Peq, and the old ST motion with usb power for extending my mesh.
I was using the old Aeon sensors but they all failed after a year. The other sensors still going strong.

Here’s a post about water proof outdoor sensor.

Just checking in. Life is still keeping me away from doing any work on ST stuff. My app was rock solid for a long time but has been very unreliable lately. Based on all the carping I see in the feeds I still somewhat monitor, I’m guessing ST issues might be at the root of the unreliability of this app. There may also be more effective methods available that I just haven’t had time to look into.

@neilk8 - I’m just using the regular ST motion sensor. It is mounted under the cover of the porch. So, it gets hot and cold (Midwest climate) but not exposed to rain/snow. I think it’s been there for about 2 years now. No issues, not even a battery change.

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Yes, your app is still solid. ST with plenty of issues lately. Brutal the last few months to say the least.

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Just loaded this app up and got it programmed, will see how it works. I know AaronZON is not updating it but one thing I would be nice if there was also an Open/Close for the trigger. I have my backyard lights go 100% when one of the back doors is opened.

I think you should start going with webCoRE smartapps. It’s powerful and the goto smartapps for pretty much most of the things you want to do.

This sounds great but I don’t know of a smart life product that can sense lux. This would be great for my study.

Anyone know of a lux sensor that exists and is compatible?

I’ve added this to mine on the RC1 - Just about to install RC2 and will let you know if you have never sorted it.