Home Automation

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Discussion about general home automation ideas and projects, home automation protocols like Z-wave, Zigbee, Matter, etc, and home automation software and hubs like HomeSeer, Home Assistant, OpenHAB, Homey.

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Advice for making entryway light motion sensing? 3-way switch and two ceiling fixtures. (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I'd like to make our front entryway lights motion sensing. However the wiring is a little complicated. And I'd like the lights to be operable normally if the automation doesn't work for some reason.

There are three light switches: one by the front door, one up the staircase at the landing, and one at the back of the entryway at another interior door. My favorite switch is the CloudFree motion sense switch, running Tasmota, but I don't see it or a similar switch available for three-way wiring.

There are two light fixtures: One hanging lamp, and one track light. The bulb in the hanging lamp is hidden, so although I could swap it out with something smart, it wouldn't be easy to just put a motion sensing bulb in there. And the bulbs in the track light are some small/unusual base, not something I can upgrade.

How would you automate the lights? Grateful for any ideas!

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Are you looking for a system that is strictly motion sensors, or do you have a smart assistant that supports other wireless protocols than Wifi?

My strategy as a home assistant user has been to lean on smart switches and dumb bulbs to the extent that I can, so that I can locally control fixtures without having to rely on the assistant being awake and healthy. I do have a few instances where I have dumb switches and smart bulbs, but only where I also want to control the light colors and where the bulb is controlled right at the fixture.

That said, there does appear to be a tasmota 3-pole switch by Martin Jerry on Amazon. You'd probably just replace one of your 3-pole switches with the Tasmota and leave the other switch alone. You could pick up one of the Everything Smarthome presence kits and use that for your motion sensor.

Hope any of this helps!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Ditto this. I use zwave motion sensors and in-wall zwave switches

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Nice, ordered one of those switches!

Yeah, I like the smart switch/sensor + dumb bulb approach too.