Outside lights - solutions to automate

[Converse2020]

Hi All,

My mother in law lives alone and would like her outside lights to be on when it’s dark.

She has two lights - one wired off the first, so they can’t be on/off independently.

I bought two dusk to dawn sensor bulbs but one of the lights is in an enclosed porch and the sensor decided it was dark enough to turn the bulb on at 10am yesterday on a sunny day so that was no good.

I then wondered if smart bulbs would work but the walls are very thick so I don’t know if the WiFi will reach both bulbs. I’m also not sure if these smart bulbs are designed for the cold etc of an outside light.

My other option is an external light sensor to control both lights.

So basically I’m after some advice on the above options or any other ideas ?

Thanks

[pmanson]

A couple of hue light bulbs would do this.

We have a number of internal bulbs and Philips hue outside lights (although we have used the bulbs in the past).

We then have a routine in Alexa that switches the lights on at 10mins before dusk then off again at 10:15pm

[xstian]

Keep it simple, especially if it for someone who might struggle to get smart lamps working again, when inevitable something goes wrong.

A standalone photocell is easy enough to wire up in your scenario. Also worth checking with the lamps you are using. Is the photocell sensor on the lamp facing the right direction?

[Converse2020]

Thanks for the quick replies.

The bulbs I bought had two sensors on them so I was able to get the sensor in the best position but it seems the ambient light in the porch is just too dark for it during daytime.

Wiring in a photocell is probably the right approach but I might just try two smart bulbs as a first option as I can then set them on a timer rather than have them on all night as would be the case with a photocell.

[Tall_Blk]

xstian said:

Keep it simple, especially if it for someone who might struggle to get smart lamps working again, when inevitable something goes wrong.

A standalone photocell is easy enough to wire up in your scenario. Also worth checking with the lamps you are using. Is the photocell sensor on the lamp facing the right direction?

I second this. Very simple and ordinary bulbs can be used.

[Scrump]

Stand-alone dawn-dusk sensor with normal bulbs. No need to over complicate it.