Motion Sensor/Lights

SmartApps & Automations
#1

Good day everyone. I am trying to create a rule with Rule Machine that does the following:

Setup -
Motion Sensor in kitchen
4 Ceiling mounted LED lights
1 x GE Connected light switch to control all 4 lights

When motion is detected in the kitchen turn on the lights. Turn the lights off after 3 minutes of no motion. I would like a condition (or rule) to say if the light switch is turned on (someone physically turned on the kitchen lights) then do not run the rule and do not turn the lights off after 3 minutes.

I have everything working EXCEPT the turn off part. what is happening is if the lights are turned on with motion they turn off after 3 minutes no matter what. If motion is detected during the 3 minute delay they still turn off. this is very annoying. The goal would be if motion is detected then start the 3 minute time again. below are the images of the rule…

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Screenshot_2016-01-10-21-27-55.png1440×2560 156 KB

#2

This is probably not going to work. A normal motion lighting rule looks like this:

Condition: motion active
Rule: motion active
Action for true: light on
Action for false: delay light off by 3 minutes, cancellable

The cancellable part keeps the lights on until there is no motion for 3 minutes.

But, as to the light switch part, that’s not going to work unless the light switch is not within the range of the motion sensor. If it is within the range of the sensor, it won’t work. The thing to disable the motion off must be independent.

#3

So are you saying we can’t make a rule to sense lack of motion? I want to turn the light off in my kids room after 10 minutes of no motion. I am making them turn the light on at the switch, as I don’t want motion to turn the light on… Is this possible?

#4

No, that’s not what I was saying.

If you want a rule to turn the lights off after no motion that’s easy. What I was talking about was the part about not doing that if the switch is turned on first.

Is that switch within the range of the motion sensor?

#5

Thanks for the response Bruce. Unfortunately the switch is within range of the motion sensor. We may just have to live with the standard motion rules. It isn’t terrible just annoying if we are sitting at the breakfast bar and the motion sensor doesn’t detect anything for 3 minutes and the lights shut off. Just wave a hand and they come back on…

#6

The best fix for that is to increase the 3 minutes. Try 5. Or, add another motion sensor.

There is circular logic with trying to use the switch to disable motion-off. You’d have to use some other device to do that. We use an Echo in our kitchen, and one of the things we use it for is to disable motion on/off in a hallway.

#7

Got it. Thanks again

#8

@DwayneMccoy … You might be able to use the “double duty” app and a virtual switch to disable the motion event. In its “glory days” the double duty app was very reliable, however there have been recent anomalies reported by various people including the guy who created. It’s really a great use of GE switches, so it might work for you.

Or you can even try “double tap”. It’s an app on the marketplace under “Lights & Switches” category. Same principle for both apps, you add a second event on your GE switch to turn on a virtual switch to cancel the motion.

#9

You might be able to do this…

Create a virtual switch.
Create a rule that the physical press of the light switch turns on the virtual switch. Use the virtual switch to disable the rule (option at the bottom).

I ran into this very similar thing a few days ago and this is how I fixed it.

Don’t forget to set a second rule for physical switch off that turns off the virtual switch.

This will make it so if you walk in the kitchen the motion will turn on the lights and then off after you leave. But if you walk in and press the switch you have to actually turn them off when you leave, or they will stay on.

#10

Both are great ideas!! I will try each one and see what works best.

#11

bamarayne, you suggestion worked perfect! Thank you!

2 Likes
#12

Here are the 3 rules that I created for thia to work. So far everything is perfect.

Since im new to the forum I can only post one image at a time…

Screenshot_2016-01-11-20-46-54.png1600×2560 133 KB

#13

Rule 2

#14

3rd rule

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