I need suggestions on Flood light control and motion sensors

[Naptown]

OK, I've had my external flood lights controlled with a couple of motion sensors for quite some time.  They work very well with my logic.  Basically, if during night hours, a MS detects movement, it turns on a scene that pops all 4 sets of floods on.  I then have it wait for 7 minutes, and then it turns the scene back off.  I know this probably isn't the best, but it has worked very well the past few years.

 

Here is the problem.  We have a fire pit and the lights obviously pop on and off when we sit out there.  Most of the time, I just disable the program from my phone and turn the lights on or off.  Sometimes, I might be a little "disabled" myself when coming in from the firepit and I forget to reactivate the program.   I've gone a week or so forgetting to re-enable it.

 

What would be some suggestions of how I could fortify this program a little bit?  I'm guessing I could temporarily disable it and have it reactivate in a couple of hours, or ???  Could we use variables, or ???  Maybe even use my keypadlinc to help?  Please give me some suggestions! 

[oberkc]

I use the light switch that controls the flood lights as a trigger.  If turned on manually, I disable the motion timer program.

 

If

control light switch is turned on

and control light switch is not turned off

then

nothing

else

nothing

 

That program is true if I manually turned on the switch, and false if I manually turn it off.

 

Now I can simply use the true/false status as a condition of the motion timer program.

 

If

time is from dark to light

and control motion sensor is on

and status first program is false

then

turn on light

wait a while

turn off light

else

nothing

 

Assuming that the switch is not manually turned on, the first program will be false and the timer program will operate normally.  If the switch is manually turned on, the second program will evaluate false and nothing will happen (and will interrupt the timer if ongoing...a good thing).

 

I would likely find it necessary to add a third program to handle the program timer being interrupted during the transition to "light"

 

if

time is light

then

turn off light

 

Yes, you could use variables.  You could also do similar logic with program folder, or by using a program to halt and disable the motion program.  Whatever makes sense in your mind.  

 

Hopefully, this will give you some ideas.

[paulbates]

My floodlight set up is like yours, and there are 3 keypad keys in different areas can also turn them on or off.

 

I detect 'double tap' on or 'double tap' off on the floodlight keys with an ISY program to suspend the motion activation program (or turn it back on). The double tap program has a Wait timer in it too, after so many hours, turn motion activation back on. 

 

Paul

[Naptown]

My floodlight set up is like yours, and there are 3 keypad keys in different areas can also turn them on or off.

 

I detect 'double tap' on or 'double tap' off on the floodlight keys with an ISY program to suspend the motion activation program (or turn it back on). The double tap program has a Wait timer in it too, after so many hours, turn motion activation back on. 

 

Paul

 

 

I like this.  So you could also run the suspension program from your phone (while at the fire pit with a beer in hand)?  Would you mind posting a copy of your code (or at least the relevant part)?

[KeviNH]

I have a program called "Phil Connors"; runs at sunrise every day.

At sunrise Phil resets several variables and enables/disables all programs that are normally enabled or disabled, basically setting everything back to my defaults. That way any override I might have made during the previous day is undone at dawn.
 

OK, I've had my external flood lights controlled with a couple of motion sensors for quite some time.  They work very well with my logic.  Basically, if during night hours, a MS detects movement, it turns on a scene that pops all 4 sets of floods on.  I then have it wait for 7 minutes, and then it turns the scene back off. 
. . . Please give me some suggestions!

 

Personally, for the majority of my Insteon motion sensors, I have the MS as a controller for the scene. That ensures the floodlights come on immediately on motion, and works 100% of the time, has no dependency/delay on the ISY.

 

To make this work reasonably with floodlights in a yard that is used for socializing, I put the yard lights on a dimmer and have a "disable yard motion" program which calls "Adjust Scene" to set the responder on level to 1%, sleep for 4 hours, then uses "adjust scene" again to reset the on level to 100%.   I chose not to have Phil do the resetting of the on level every day at dawn only because I was being overly cautious of write cycles to the flash memory in the dimmer switch.

[paulbates]

I like this.  So you could also run the suspension program from your phone (while at the fire pit with a beer in hand)?  Would you mind posting a copy of your code (or at least the relevant part)?

Yes, if already out there, absolutely

 

Paul

[larryllix]

I was using a mini-remote but I find the range very short so the cell phone app does work better.

 

I try to always put a long period time-out in any override program.

Years back when all the kids lived with us, I found lights left on all the time. You can't confuse them with automatic lights everywhere and then leave a few manual ones and still expect people  to remember what they turned on manually too.

[paulbates]

I like this.  So you could also run the suspension program from your phone (while at the fire pit with a beer in hand)?  Would you mind posting a copy of your code (or at least the relevant part)?

 

Here you go. 

Floodlights Defeat

If
        'Kitchen / Backdoor.Outside' is switched Fast On
     Or 'Kitchen / Basement Door.Outside' is switched Fast On
     Or 'Kitchen / Doorwall.Outside' is switched Fast On
     Or 'Yard / Premise Lights / Back Floodlight' is switched Fast On
 
Then
        Set 'Yard / Premise Lights / Floodlights On' Off
        Disable Program 'Floodlights'
        Wait  6 hours 
        Enable Program 'Floodlights'
 
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 

[lilyoyo1]

I have modules controlling my flood light instead of being wired directly to a switch. My setup is similar to Oberkc in that if the button is manually turned on or my outdoor entertainment button is on then my motion program is disabled. Just in case we go to bed without turning off the scene or lights, the ISY will automatically re-enable the flood light.

 

I use programs as I feel it gives me the most possibilities. The split second that it takes them to run isn't a detriment for me since they turn on when I need them to.

[larryllix]

I have modules controlling my flood light instead of being wired directly to a switch. My setup is similar to Oberkc in that if the button is manually turned on or my outdoor entertainment button is on then my motion program is disabled. Just in case we go to bed without turning off the scene or lights, the ISY will automatically re-enable the flood light.

 

I use programs as I feel it gives me the most possibilities. The split second that it takes them to run isn't a detriment for me since they turn on when I need them to.

I agree with the delay sentiments except where they are triggered by an MS. From a manual switch, the half second is insignificant. If it is important then walk to the switch sooner.

[lilyoyo1]

I agree with the delay sentiments except where they are triggered by an MS. From a manual switch, the half second is insignificant. If it is important then walk to the switch sooner.

Perfectly said! I'm my use case, that second is insignificant. A dark room is a different story

[G W]

What we need is a device that turns lights on just before we want them on.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[KeviNH]

What we need is a device that turns lights on just before we want them on.

 

Nest can already predict when you're going to be at home, anticipatory lighting is the next step in the development of the Google home.

[G W]

Predictions are not reliable.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

[KeviNH]

Predictions are not reliable.

Once you've converted all your lights to LED, the system can just guess what rooms you're likely to enter in the near future, and if it turns on extra lights, no big deal, minimal electricity wasted.

[G W]

I converted two years ago. Every single light in my house is LED except the light inside the oven. That one light gets used less than a minute a month.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Edited October 23, 2017 by Gary Funk