Hi everyone, I’m working on creating a smart lighting system that combines motion detection with dimming functionality. My goal is to have lights turn on at full brightness when motion is detected, dim after 15 minutes of inactivity, and then turn off completely after another 5 minutes. However, I want the system to allow users to override the dimming and turn the lights back to full brightness if they’re still in the room but the motion sensor hasn’t detected them. This would be especially useful in areas where motion detection might not always pick up movement, like a home office or a living room with soft seating.
I’ve tried setting up some rules using my smart home platform, but it doesn’t work consistently. For example, sometimes the lights turn off even if someone is still in the room, and then they come back on when motion is detected again. I’m looking for a more reliable solution that ensures the lights stay on when needed without constant false triggers.
Here’s what I’ve attempted so far:
- Turning Off: I set up a timer that triggers after 20 minutes of inactivity. If motion isn’t detected, the lights dim and then turn off. However, this doesn’t account for cases where someone is still present but not moving enough to trigger the sensor.
- Turning On: I configured the lights to turn on at full brightness when motion is detected. This works well initially, but the override functionality isn’t seamless.
I’m wondering if there’s a way to integrate a manual override feature, such as a wave sensor or a button, that can reset the timer and bring the lights back to full brightness. I’m also curious if others have faced similar challenges and how they’ve resolved them. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Additionally, I’m considering whether the placement of the motion sensors or the sensitivity settings might be contributing to the inconsistent behavior. Maybe adjusting the sensor placement or tweaking the sensitivity could help improve reliability.
Overall, I’m excited about the potential of this system but need some guidance to refine it. Thanks in advance for your help!