How can I set up SmartThings hub to automatically turn on porch light at sunset and off at sunrise? Where to start with creating this kind of routine? Any recommendations would be really helpful!
First, you need to buy a porch light that can be added to Smartthings (ST) either natively or via community edge drivers. Secondly, you can go to the ST app, navigate to the routines tab, create a routine by hitting the plus button and put something like If sunset, turn on porch light. Thirdly, write another routine to do turn off the lights at sunrise. Simple as that.
Should be quite intuitive and straight forward in the app and you can’t miss it.
BTW, which country are you in and what’s the model of your hub?
I’m sorry to disagree with Subramanian_Swaminat, but you don’t NEED to buy a porch light that is SmartThings Compatible. You can get a switch, relay, etc.; basically anything smart that works with SmartThings that will be used to power the dump porch light will also work. You aren’t limited to just SmartThings Compatible smart porch lights like they said.
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I meant a Zigbee or Wifi bulb to fit in the porch fitting as that’s what I used in my UK home which is why I asked which country the user belonged to. I have a Zigbee B22 bulb that I have attached to the porch fitting and I use that as a porch light bulb. If the light or bulb is dumb, then you can use a relay as you said but if it’s just to fit a bulb into the fitting to make it smart, then it’s easy to get a Zigbee or a wifi bulb
To answer your question about a Routine. Provided you already have the any of the “devices” mentioned above.
to create a Routine, you can either: tap on Routines in the lower Menu and tap on the + at the top of the screen or on the Favorites screen, tap on the + and select Create Routine.
tap on Add what will trigger this Routine in the IF block (image above)
select time (image above)
tap on the Sunrise tab near the top and on that screen (image above), there are other options that you can review but for a plain sunrise, you don’t need to use any of those.
click Done at top of screen.
Next tap on Control device and select your porch light or switch (image below)
click Next at top of screen
select Turn on after selecting the device. (image below)
click Done
you will see the following screen where you click on Save.
That the simple way to set up a light/switch to turn on at sunset with a Routine.
There is also Smart lighting (if available in your region) that you can use.
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Another method for creating the Routines, is to use the Routines tab on the device details page. You will be presented with options for turning the device on, off, or on/off. Select your days/times and the app will create the Routines for you.
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Yes, sunrise and sunset will run locally when used in Routines. I also have a Manually Run Routine (formerly Scene) that is used in a Routine that is triggered by sunset and that Routine runs locally as well.
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