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Author Topic: dimming lights from motion sensor  (Read 3894 times)

craig

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dimming lights from motion sensor
« on: February 14, 2006, 11:05:30 PM »

i have my system set up for the hallway
light to dim at 50% if the motion detector
senses movement at nightime only.  my
problem and question is, the light kicks on
FULL BLAST 100%, then dims to 50%, then
kicks up to 100%, then dims to 50% again.
the whole idea was to give my girls a
nightlight if they wander out of bed.  is
there anyway to do this so that it turns on
at 50% and not full power??
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john s

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Re: dimming lights from motion sensor
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2006, 10:59:58 AM »

Craig, I assume you are doing this with an
ActiveHome Macro. Try starting with the
light turned Off then go to 50% instead of
turning it On then going to 50%
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thomas

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Re: dimming lights from motion sensor
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2006, 11:32:52 AM »

Craig,

I had the same problem.  For a solution to
the first part of your question, you could
try dimming the lights by 99% three or four
times, instead of turning them off.  Then,
when the detector is triggered, brighten the
light by 50%.  This should take care of both
of tyour problems.

In case it doesn't take care of your second
problem too, tell the 'on' macro to do this,
only if the light is off.

Hope that helps.
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ryan b

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Re: dimming lights from motion sensor
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2006, 11:23:36 PM »

I have another idea... you could try either
the SwitchLinc wall switch or LampLinc lamp
modules from SmartHome. They will fade up
from 0% when an "on" command is sent. Or if
you wanted to just come on to 50% they will
fade up from 0%. You can also adjust the
fade ramp rate, so you can have a long or
slow fade. They are nice! I have started to
incorporate them into my system.
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craig

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Re: dimming lights from motion sensor
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2006, 12:27:25 AM »

all wonderful ideas, however i have tried
all of them.  the strangest part is once in
a while it will work the way i want, then
when i run the macro again it will not work
the way i want it too.  i have made no
changes it just seems to have a mind of its
own.   just for more info, incase someone
else can help.  i just bought all of this
ahp with all wall switches and some motion
detectors.  it doesnt matter if i run it
from the pc or the interface i have the
same issues.  just running my lights from
the palm remote controls everything works
fine, but if i try to run macros,
everything goes to SH*T.  the motion
detectors will kick on the light, but the
program will not run the way i set it up.
sometimes they will run for 3 minutes like
my delay timer is set up, other times they
run for 30 seconds.  stupid stupid stupid,
i have been messing with this for a couple
weeks now, and if i just wanted a remote
control for my lights i would be
satisfied.  but trying to run conditionals
and macros is something totally different.
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Thomas351

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Re: dimming lights from motion sensor
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2006, 12:45:32 AM »

Hi,
I might be able to help with part of it.

The motion sensor is the main culprit of the bugs....it senses the movement, then re-triggers the macro each time. SO you need to add a loop (or condition to check if this macro is in use).

As part of the conditional on the macro, check to see if a flag is set, if not, run macro. (Choose a a flag number that makes sense to you...)

First step in the mnacro, after sensing movement, is to set the flag.
Then turn on lights and dim.
After 'x' number of minutes, turn off lights.
After another 'y' number of minutes, clear the flag.

Thus ends the macro and resets the system for next use.

Now about the part of starting the lights from low and dimming up... wish I knew how. I've tried all typoes of solutions, but no joy. I haven't tried the SH stuff... maybe I should.

Hope it helps,
TC
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