Hey everyone! I’ve been diving into the world of home automation lately, and I wanted to share my experience with creating a sunrise to sunset automation for my LIFX lights. It’s been a fantastic journey, and I thought I’d walk through my process in case anyone else is looking to do something similar or needs a bit of guidance.
So, my goal was to have my lights gradually change their color temperature throughout the day, mimicking natural sunlight. From sunrise to zenith, I wanted them to transition from a warm, cozy hue to a cooler, daylight-like temperature. Then, from zenith to sunset, they’d shift back to warmer tones. And after sunset, they’d just stay as they were until I manually turn them off. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it took a bit of tweaking, but I got it sorted!
First, I had to figure out how to adjust the color temperature without turning the lights on. I discovered that LIFX allows you to change the state of the lights without affecting their power status, which was a game-changer. I set up a series of transitions using OpenHAB’s automation rules, which let me define the exact times and temperatures I wanted.
I also wanted to create a second automation for brightness adjustments based on my schedule. This way, during the day, the lights can adjust their brightness depending on what I’m doing—whether it’s work or just relaxing. It’s all about making the environment as comfortable as possible!
One thing I learned is the importance of testing and fine-tuning. I started by setting up the basic transitions and then gradually adjusted the timings and temperature values to see what felt best. It’s all about personal preference, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
If anyone has questions or needs help setting something like this up, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to share more details or troubleshoot any issues you might run into. Happy automating! 
