Uses for a slow PIR?
Discussion
Been playing around with a PIR that activates an Alexa routine to switch on some ambient lighting but its too slow. Takes about 3 seconds from detecting movement to switching on.
Before I shove it at the back of the bits drawer anyone got any suggestions what I could use it for where the delay isn't important?
Stumped for ideas... as is google.
Before I shove it at the back of the bits drawer anyone got any suggestions what I could use it for where the delay isn't important?
Stumped for ideas... as is google.
Thread titles a bit misleading. The PIR picks up movement fine, its the delay between the PIR and the switching of the light via an Alexa routine. Hence looking for a use thats less time sensitive, ie. walk into a dark kitchen at 6am and it stays dark for 3 seconds. Quicker to hit the switch on the wall so bit of a waste of time, literally.
This may not be relevant to your scenario and you may already do this stuff but just in case this explanation is helpful...
I have SmartThings, Philips Hue and Ikea hubs which use routines to work with their respective motion sensors to control lighting by turning on, turning off and turning off after 1 minute of no motion detected. The branded hubs only control their own brands of motion sensors and lights.
The above works great for SmartThings to turn on my garage light when I walk in and turn off when I have left. For Ikea to turn on my office light when I sit down. For Philips Hue to turn on our garden lights but only when it is dark.
Some rooms like the Living Room have up to 20 lighting elements using a mix of brands and for this room we only want the lights on when we are using the room and so I have setup groups in Alexa and can use commands like "Alexa, Living Room Lights On" which turns on 20 lights for SmartThings, Philips Hue and Ikea at varying levels of intensity.
By using the hubs a good response time is achieved although anything smart will glitch from time to time which can lead to some cross words with Alexa.
I have SmartThings, Philips Hue and Ikea hubs which use routines to work with their respective motion sensors to control lighting by turning on, turning off and turning off after 1 minute of no motion detected. The branded hubs only control their own brands of motion sensors and lights.
The above works great for SmartThings to turn on my garage light when I walk in and turn off when I have left. For Ikea to turn on my office light when I sit down. For Philips Hue to turn on our garden lights but only when it is dark.
Some rooms like the Living Room have up to 20 lighting elements using a mix of brands and for this room we only want the lights on when we are using the room and so I have setup groups in Alexa and can use commands like "Alexa, Living Room Lights On" which turns on 20 lights for SmartThings, Philips Hue and Ikea at varying levels of intensity.
By using the hubs a good response time is achieved although anything smart will glitch from time to time which can lead to some cross words with Alexa.
Is it sending a message to an Alexa device that then sends a message to the server? If so, then try rebooting the device (ie pull the plug out of the wall, then push it back in after a few seconds). You might also want to try disconnecting it via the app and resetting it up again as if it's a new PIR device, if you've had it a while.
Also, has the ambient lighting device (bulb(s)) ever been disconnected and reconnected to the system or switched off for a few seconds? There might be something somehow getting a bit laggy. And have you tested the PIR with another wifi light system in another room? Just to try to zoom in on what's a bit laggy.
Also, has the ambient lighting device (bulb(s)) ever been disconnected and reconnected to the system or switched off for a few seconds? There might be something somehow getting a bit laggy. And have you tested the PIR with another wifi light system in another room? Just to try to zoom in on what's a bit laggy.
21TonyK said:
Did think about that but its for the kitchen with 3 doors going in so it really needs to be in the room.
Dont think theres an answer really, hence looking for another idea before it ends up witht he rest of the junk i buy.
I found our Google compatible Sonoff sensors to be slow, so I have them activate rooms ahead. We have two halls between the living room and the kitchen. So a detection in hall 1 also triggers hall 2 lights. Hall 2 sensor also triggers the kitchen lights. I then have custom YAML automations that will shut of the lights if no detection in the room happens (if say you didn't go into the space that was triggered ahead). It works really well for us.Dont think theres an answer really, hence looking for another idea before it ends up witht he rest of the junk i buy.
It would mean you need multiple sensors on the wrong side of the kitxhen doors, and maybe a presence sensor in the kitchen. Fortunately Sonoff kit is cheap and the motion sensors are battery powered.
Inbox said:
Wow, Alexa can track you around your house.
The Echos (not echo dots) actually have decent motion sensors in them. Our kitchen one always says good morning when you enter the kitchen in the morning and it could switch on the lights. Issue is it has a 30 minute cool down between activations so cant switch on and off more frequently. Hence the separate PIR.ETA: they also have temperature sensors in the full Echos.
21TonyK said:
Inbox said:
Wow, Alexa can track you around your house.
The Echos (not echo dots) actually have decent motion sensors in them. Our kitchen one always says good morning when you enter the kitchen in the morning and it could switch on the lights. Issue is it has a 30 minute cool down between activations so cant switch on and off more frequently. Hence the separate PIR.ETA: they also have temperature sensors in the full Echos.
Maybe put the pir sensor 3 seconds walking distance away from the kitchen.
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