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Assistance with motion sensing kitchen light


cps68500

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Posted
I am having a hard time with getting the programming right with the Aeotec Multisensor 6 in 1 in my environment.  I have messed with so many programs and variables and have had so many different combinations of IFTTT I can't even count them all and for sake of post length, I don't want to list them all.
I could use some assistance, or direction please.
 
Here are my (wife's) requirements:
  • Different lights to come on depending on different times of day
  • Lights turns on with motion
  • Lights stay on for 3 minutes regardless of motion
        There are times in the kitchen (like chopping) that motion sensors don't like
  • Turns on with switch
  • But shuts off unless motion
  • Turns off with switch
  • But allows for reentry within a few seconds in case of forgetfullness
 
 
At the moment I have two programs that turns on an overhead light between 9pm to 6am and a sink light between 6am to 9pm similar to below:
 
If 
sensor status is on
and between 6am to 9pm
then
sinklight on
wait 3 minutes
sinklight off
else
sinklight off
 
 
Some of problems I'm experiencing with the above, which may or may not be related:  
  •  Random lights turn off when there is clearly motion...  (Biggest wife complaint)
  •  Very LONG time before lights turning on regardless of time, entering the kitchen with hands waving like kid seeing his idol...
  •  Sometimes lights won't come on at all
  •  Turning lights off will shut lights off but some back on shortly after once I've left room
  • Switching on lights manually won't turn them off after a period of no motion
 
Aeotec Multisensor 6 Parameters:
 
3: 180
4: 5
 
The Multisensor has been tried with battery power and USB.
 
I've tried so many different combos, I'm ready to give up and start over and ask for help from ground 0!
 
Thanks in advance.
Chris
Posted

cps68500,

 

1. Use Control instead of Status (otherwise the light turns off even if there's motion)

2. Unclear as to what should happen if someone turns on the light manually. Should it turn off after 3 minutes? If so, then you should have:

If Control .... is Switched On

Or Status ... is not off

Then

whatever

3. Your program will turn off the lights at 9 PM regardless of anything else

 

With kind regards,

Michel

Posted

Correct.  If I turn on the lights manually or it hits on motion...  as in if the overhead lights come on during the day because I walked in the kitchen from the motion sensor hit then I work at the counter and turn on the sink light, both lights would then shut off if no motion after three minutes.

 

I think I have tried the IF control method in the past.  Like I said, I've tried so many combinations and they all fail in some way.

I was hoping someone could help with a program they've written to do something similar.  Even the simple single light on motion seems to have a problem...  Of course, I know its me and the programming...  

 

though I did have to restore links at one point, that took me a whole day to work out after messing with so many program combinations.

Thanks for the reply.  I'll try to work on some more programs and post the problematic ones to see if that spawns more responses.

Posted (edited)

Your motion sensing device may be sending Off signals. This should be blocked usually.

 

Use control xxxx is switched On to retrigger your timer every time motion is sensed.

 

Using status may cause problems where your MS has a dead time and your wait time turns the light off. Also status will run your else, every time the MS  times out. Using control allows your program to control it better without ever running the else section.

 

The retrigger time on your motion sensor may have a dead time in it that can cause you dead time spots.

Edited by larryllix
Posted
I have a similar situation for my garage ceiling lights using the Aeotec MS.  I use two programs, one for ON that includes a test for ambient light:

If
         Status  'Garage Ceiling Lights' is 0%
    And Status  'Garage MultiSensor' < 11 lux
    And Control 'Garage Motion' is switched On
 
Then
        Set 'Garage Ceiling Lights' 100%
 
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 
 
And one for OFF:

If
        Control 'Garage Motion' is switched Off
    And Status  'Garage Ceiling Lights' is 100%
 
Then
        Set 'Garage Ceiling Lights' Off
 
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 
 
I prevent the MS turning off the lights when they have been turned on at the switch by using the % levels.  My switch is programed to turn on the lights at 96% so the MS doesn't mess with them if they are below 100%.
 

I added a timer program to turn off lights that are manually turned on to compensate my forgetfulness.

If
        Status  'Garage Ceiling Lights' < 100%
    And Status  'Garage Ceiling Lights' > 0%
    And Status  'Sensors / Garage Motion' is Off
 
Then
        Wait  30 minutes
        Set 'Garage Ceiling Lights' Off
 
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 
 

Posted
Different lights to come on depending on different times of day

Different than what?  Setting lights to come on at specific times are straightforward.  Do you want them to come on at a certain time, or do you want to enable the motion trigger during certain times? 

 

If

time is x

then

set device/scene on

else

nothing

 

Lights turns on with motion

 

Are these the same or different lights than referenced in the first bullet?  If you want different lights to come on with motion always, then I like to configure the motion sensor to send ON commands only, and use a scene with motion sensor as controller and lights as responders.   To this, add a program:

 

if

control motion sensor is switched on

then

wait 3 minutes

set scene off

else

nothing

 

If you ever want to constrain operation of the motion sensor by other factors such as time, darkness, whatever, then you must use a program and NOT a scene.

 

 

Lights stay on for 3 minutes regardless of motion

    There are times in the kitchen (like chopping) that motion sensors don't like

 

Program, above, would accomplish.  Are these the same lights as triggered by motion, I assume?

 

Turns on with switch

 Are these the same lights as triggered by motion (include the switch as controller in the same scene)?  Same lights as on the timer (create a scene with switch as controller and lights as responder)? 

 

But shuts off unless motion

 suggesting same lights triggered by motion.  If so, ammend program above as:

 

if

control motion sensor is switched on

or

control switch is switched on

then

wait 3 minutes

set scene off

else

nothing

 

Turns off with switch

 would do so if controller in a scene

 

But allows for reentry within a few seconds in case of forgetfullness

 

Above suggestions would work whether gone for seconds or for days.

 

Clearly, I am a little uncertain as to which lights are which, whether they are the same in all cases or different and my recommendations might change if I misunderstand what you are trying to accomplish.

 

My suggestion is to start with a more limited set of requirements (such as coming on at certain time of day and working with switches) and see if you can get that working.  If so, move to motion.

Posted

My Aeotec Mulisensor 6 is not showing up in the CONTROL or CONTROL (OLD) drop downs.

 

Otherwise, I would have used those.  

 

Is that normal for this type of sensor?  This sensor is new to me.

Posted

As this is not a control device, I removed the turn off in the then statement and all seems well.

 

Kitchen Ceiling Motion 6AM to 9PM - [iD 002C][Parent 001B]
 
If
        'Aeotec Sennsor 6 / ZW 009 Motion Sensor' Status is On
    And From     6:00:00AM
        To       9:00:00PM (same day)
 
Then
        Set 'Kitchen / Kitchen-Light-BackDoor' On
        $int_kitchen_ceiling_motion  = 1
        Wait  4 minutes 
 
Else
        Set 'Kitchen / Kitchen-Light-BackDoor' Off
        $int_kitchen_ceiling_motion  = 0
 
and the other light at other times:
 
Kitchen Sink Motion 9PM to 6AM - [iD 0012][Parent 001B]
 
If
        'Aeotec Sennsor 6 / ZW 009 Motion Sensor' Status is On
    And From     9:01:00PM
        To       5:59:00AM (next day)
 
Then
        Set 'Kitchen / Kitchen-Light-Sink' On
        Set 'Kitchen / Kitchen-Light-UnderCabinet' On
        $int_kitchen_sink_motion  = 1
        Wait  4 minutes 
 
Else
        Set 'Kitchen / Kitchen-Light-Sink' Off
        Set 'Kitchen / Kitchen-Light-UnderCabinet' Off
        $int_kitchen_sink_motion  = 0
 
Thanks,

and yes I just realized there are 2 - 59 second times lights would not turn on...

Posted

That is what I thought too.  NONE of my programs make sense, but they work.

If I remove the 4 minute wait, the lights shut off early with or without motion at times.

 

The wait works.  Who knows why.

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