My Q Trigger - Turn on a Light

Devices & Integrations
1

Hello All!!! New here, so first post.

My goal is to use Lift Master My Queue to trigger turning on a light, but hoping to only have this happen between sunset and sunrise.

So here is what I am thinking logically.

  1. Have an IFTTT integration set up with the garage door opens, it is toggling a simulated switch. I know this is working as I have tested it simply by having a light turn on.
  2. I want this to only happen between sunset and sunrise…so I am trying to use the SmartLighting Smart App.

Here is what I have set up in the smart app:

  1. App is controlling the light
  2. App is turning on the light
  3. Select Trigger Simulated Switch
  4. Which switch is pointed to the simulated switch is the one that IFTTT is triggering.
  5. Only during Sunset to Sunrise

And that is really it. I have an automation that is also flipping the switch back to “Off” but have also tried a simulated button as I think this may automatically change the state back.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong as neither is working?

Thanks in advance!!!

Mike

2

Do you have a tilt sensor on your garage or are you trying to relay on the MyQ itself? If you have a tilt sensor then just use a custom rule in Smart Home Monitor which lets you setup rules just like this.

I have one that turns my outside garage light on when the garage door opens between sunset and sunrise then turns it off 10 minutes later.

3

There are also a couple of other choices for you to consider (if your MyQ is connected to ST). You can use the Smart Lights smartapp or Webcore.

4

So the My Q is being fed to Smartthings by IFTTT. This is working if I don’t use the Smart Lighting Automation. Meaning the working set up is.

  1. Garage Door Opens
  2. IFTTT feeds that action to SmartThings by “flipping” a simulated switch once the door is open
  3. I have a Routine that is watching this Simulated Switch. This routine turns on the light, and then turns off the simulated switch again to ensure that it is ready for the next trigger.

The problem with this is that this turns on the light every time the door opens, regardless if it daylight.

So I am trying to use the same theory to trigger a Smart Lighting Automation. And this is when it breaks down. What I am doing:

  1. Removing the light trigger from the Automation Routine listed in the Step 3 above.
  2. Adding this light trigger to the Smart Lighting Automation.
  3. Setting the criteria above.

That is when it dies. I can have the door turn on the light all the time, but I would really like this to only run during the daytime.

Thanks again!!!

Mike

5

My Q is being fed to Smart Things via IFTTT. So it is only really a simulated switch.

I used to have the My Q added directly to the Smart Things, but that stopped working some time ago.

Mike

6

you should think about adding it directly to ST. There is a smartapp that works.

7

Yeah, pick yourself up a EcoLink tilt sensor for $25 on Amazon and use the SmartApp @jkp linked to. It’s much cleaner and works just fine with the built in automatons in SHM.

8

Thanks so much…

Got it working. Will add in the tilt sensors, and then I should be all set. I am guessing without the tilt sensors SmartThings is unable to tell if the door is open or not? Correct?

9

I believe the tilt sensor really is just for more accurate updates, it tells SmartThings to poll MyQ for status when it changes. If you read through the SmartApp it has a good explanation. Plus you can just use the tilt sensor as your open/close check. That EcoLink should install as a default device that runs locally and in my experience is extremely quick for feedback. You really shouldn’t need IFTTT at all.