Hello everyone, I wanted to share my experience with setting up smart lighting automation based on sunrise and sunset. This has been a fantastic way to enhance my daily routine and energy efficiency. Here’s how I approached it:
The Goal
I wanted my kitchen lights to automatically adjust their brightness depending on the time of day, especially as the seasons change. During the early morning and late evening, I prefer softer lighting, while during the day, brighter lights are ideal. However, I noticed that relying solely on fixed time settings wasn’t sufficient, especially with changing daylight hours.
The Solution
I decided to integrate sunset and sunrise events into my automation setup. Instead of using static times, I utilized the built-in sun event triggers in my smart home platform. This allows the brightness to adjust dynamically based on the actual sunrise and sunset times in my location.
Here’s a snippet of the code I used:
yaml
action: service: light.turn_on
entity_id: light.kitchen_main
data_template: brightness: >
{% if now().hour > 22 %}5
{% elif now().hour < 8 %}5
{% else %}180
{% endif %}
Enhancements
I also wanted more granularity in brightness levels throughout the day. I added specific brightness settings for different time blocks:
- 4 PM - 5 PM: 10% brightness
- 5 PM - 6 PM: 60% brightness
- 6 PM - 8 PM: 140% brightness
This gradual adjustment helps create a more comfortable transition between daylight and evening lighting.
Challenges and Tips
One challenge I faced was ensuring the automation updated correctly with seasonal changes. I learned that relying on built-in sun events is more reliable than manual time adjustments. Another tip is to test the automation thoroughly during different times of the year to ensure consistent performance.
Conclusion
Setting up this smart lighting automation has been a game-changer for me. It not only improves energy efficiency but also enhances my daily comfort. I’d love to hear about how others have implemented similar automations or any additional features they’ve added!
Happy automating! 