I have a number of WeMo light switches. I’d like these to be triggered ‘on’ based on motion at our front door. However, WeMo has discontinued their motion sensor (and it wasn’t for outdoor use). So now I’m looking for an outdoor motion sensor. All my Googling has led me to purchasing an ST hub but I’ve come up short with motion sensors that’d work for this application. Is this an appropriate use for a ST hub? Or am I way off? Any recommendations are welcome.
I’m not sure if you’d wanna go this route, but throwing it out there… The old fashioned (dumb) outdoor motion sensors that turn on spotlights were always operationally flawless. So I use that, with a Smart (BR30) spotlight bulb. Then I can run routines (or webcore pistons) based on ‘IF the bulb comes on…’
That’s not a bad suggestion. I have one of those on the far end of the property. I’m mostly looking for something to trigger the porch lights. Does your recommendation still stand?
(I should’ve been clearer in my initial post)
Hmmm, yeah I don’t know if I’d want to scare the hell out of someone with a spotlight aimed at them.
Right? Entertaining to be sure. But it wouldn’t be welcoming. Am I SOL?
We have a long FAQ on outdoor motion sensors, so you can take a look at that for several different approaches that people have taken, but the short answer is that networked motion sensor devices that work well with smartThings don’t typically work well outdoors because they’re all heat-based and there are just too many things that can cause false alarms.
There are various workarounds. I think the most common are:
One) combine several sensors into a single “zone” and only react if they all show motion. But then that increases your cost because you are using multiple devices.
Two) use an outdoor camera or video doorbell that integrates with smartthings such as Arlo or Ring and then trigger off of its motion sensor. This can work very well, but unless you were already going to get the camera it’s an expensive option.
Three) use a small tube over the sensor lens to restrict the detection area and reduce the number of false alerts. This is inexpensive and easy, but will only work for some use cases because now you are going to a very narrow field of detection. It’s typically good for when you want the front porch lights to come on and you have a specific spot where you are looking for motion.
Anyway, all of these are discussed in much more detail in the FAQ, but those are the most popular approaches.
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