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    Lights to stay on in different rooms when reading

    I have different rooms setup to turn lights on with motion. However, if someone is reading in a room and not moving, the light will turn off. I have setup the master bedroom to set a virtual device to on when we say "Alexa, I'm reading". So that works for that room. However, it could get very confusing to setup different phrases for Alexa for every room to trigger a virtual device so that the lights don't turn off. So, I want to know if there is a better way to do this so that we just have to say one phrase and it will keep the lights on in the room that we are in? Hope this makes sense.

    #2
    perhaps keep an eye on the last time there was motion. So if after 15 minutes the light shuts off in a room but if there was no motion elsewhere or in a connecting room you could keep those light on till a new motion either in that room or somewhere else. Then either restart the timer or shut the lights on in the room.

    Stuart

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      #3
      I am not sure that would work. For example, all rooms have no motion. Someone goes in one room and lights turn on. Then they say the are reading. The virtual device turns on. Their lights stay on. Then someone enters another room and lights go on. They leave that room a couple of minutes later but the lights stay on because the virtual device is on. So what you are saying is that if I have an event checking for motion in any of the rooms that we want the lights to stay on and there is motion then the lights stay on in all rooms but if there is no motion then they turn off. But the lights would stay on in the other rooms that they turned on in but the people left. I am wondering how other people are handling this?

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        #4
        I think that was he is saying is this.

        Motion in a room, then turn light on.
        Motion after that in a connecting room and no longer motion in the first room, means turn the light off in the first room.
        However if there is no motion in any other room, then you must still be in the first room, so keep that light on.

        While that could work well if there is only one person in the house, I think it would work pretty badly if there is more than one person in the house.

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          #5
          You could put a pressure mat connected to a door sensor underneath where you normally read, especially if it's a chair- use that to determine if the light should be turned off or not.

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            #6
            Is there a zwave mat type sensor for under mattresses?

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              #7
              The person could toggle the light switch on-off-on to set the virtual device so the light doesn't turn off. I know that means you actually have to go to the switch and can't use Alexa for it but just an idea.

              I do something a bit different. When the light turns off automatically due to a timer and the light is turned back on within 30s then I will not automatically turn off the light until it has been manually turned off.

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                #8
                pcgirl65 Instead of using Alexa you could do the same thing with a single button remote. Have the motion sensor turn on the light and then use the single button remote to toggle the virtual switch which keeps the light on and press the button once more to change the virtual and allow the light to go off. A different one button remote in each room separates the rooms so they don't interfere with each other.

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                  #9
                  One remark
                  >However, it could get very confusing to setup different phrases for Alexa for every room to trigger a virtual device so that the lights don't turn off.


                  Based on the location of the Alexa that received this command you know wich room it is in. No need to make differnent phrases

                  I had the same problem and tried to solved it with a fibaro universal sensor and a cheap pressure mat underneat the cushion where i sit and read.
                  That worked well but it drains the batterij to fast. Now i use a x10 door sensor (DS10 security sensor) and i hook up the (removed) magnetic switch to the pressure mat.
                  Batterij life is about 2 years so that is okay
                  - Bram

                  Send from my Commodore VIC-20

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by cowinger View Post
                    pcgirl65 Instead of using Alexa you could do the same thing with a single button remote. Have the motion sensor turn on the light and then use the single button remote to toggle the virtual switch which keeps the light on and press the button once more to change the virtual and allow the light to go off. A different one button remote in each room separates the rooms so they don't interfere with each other.
                    cowinger This is an interesting idea! What type of remotes work this way? I have hues bulbs. Is there remotes for these?

                    Based on the location of the Alexa that received this command you know wich room it is in. No need to make differnent phrases
                    AshaiRey I wish it was that easy except I don't know how I could still use just one virtual switch.

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                      #11
                      The problem is that you are expecting to detect occupancy with motion detectors. The occupancy part is still difficult. The best I have seen is two infra red light beam sensors at entrances. You detect in and out motion and user that to determine if someone is in the room. Of course, they COULD be asleep... I believe this is discussed in the mcsMQTT manual. I intend in testing this using a slightly modified sensor setup for the garage and walk-in closet.

                      Some setups using motion sensors first dim the light(s) before turning them off, giving an occupant a few seconds to do the motion sensor wakeup wave. There are a few old threads here where this is mentioned.
                      Karl S
                      HS4Pro on Windows 10
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                        #12
                        Originally posted by pcgirl65 View Post

                        cowinger This is an interesting idea! What type of remotes work this way? I have hues bulbs. Is there remotes for these?.
                        I use the hue dimmer switches (remotes) which can easily be turned into a 4 button remote. I label the buttons using a label maker. I am sure there is a way to use the remote to toggle the VS so the lights stay on until a button is pushed to reverse the VS and allow the lights to go off. You probably could get alexa to announce after you pressed that button to say "you are now in reading mode".

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                          #13
                          If you search enough through the forums there is a way for voice-activated commands to be room specific for Echo's or Google Home devices, so that when you walk into a room with an Echo and say "I'm reading" it'll know which room the command came from. You could then set a room specific event, virtual device, etc in order to keep the lights on.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by TC1 View Post
                            If you search enough through the forums there is a way for voice-activated commands to be room specific for Echo's or Google Home devices, so that when you walk into a room with an Echo and say "I'm reading" it'll know which room the command came from. You could then set a room specific event, virtual device, etc in order to keep the lights on.
                            This would be perfect if it works like that. Now to find this info in the forum

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                              #15
                              With an Amazon Echo, you just set up a routine in the app's menu to run the appropriate HS event.

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