Motion Sensor - Photocell only for dusk / dawn

[Jim.Lisiak]

Community,

I am looking best setting using the iOS app for the motion sensor to turn on lights around dusk and off around dawn. Has anyone found a good set of setting for this? I have everything linked and does work if motion is enabled, but I only wish light.

Currently the setting are:

Night Only - ON
Motion Countdown - 00:01:00
Light Sensitivity - 50%
Occupancy - Off
On Only Node - On

Thanks for any ideas,
Jim

[TFitzpatri8]

Sorry, the Hub apps don't yet support modifications to the motion sensor's dusk/dawn scene or low battery scene. You have to use the free HouseLinc program for Windows, an ISY, or another advanced Insteon link manager for those features.

[Jim.Lisiak]

So this does not sound right. Are you telling me that the motion sensor works via the iOS app but you cannot set the Photocell in the iOS app? I am not sure what you mean by dusk/dawn scene or low battery scene. What at they?

[TFitzpatri8]

Yes, that's right, the Hub apps only work with the motion scene. So far as other Insteon devices are concerned, a motion sensor is just a remote control that can control 3 different scenes. Devices linked to the first scene are sent an On signal when motion is detected and Off when the motion timer expires; devices linked to the second scene are sent an On signal when the dusk sensor triggers and an Off message at dawn; and devices linked to a third scene are sent an On signal when the motion sensor battery gets low.

You can use the free HouseLinc software with a windows PC to set up the other two scenes.

[Jim.Lisiak]

Thanks for the information. So there are three different scene types a motion sensor can control; Motion, Dawn/Dusk and Battery Low. Just that the iOS software can only control the Motion scene at this time. Are there plans for the other two in a new release? If I use the HouseLinc software does that requires me to have on the PC to actually make it work?

[TFitzpatri8]

Device scenes and settings are stored in the Insteon devices themselves, so they do not require HouseLinc to remain running. (Only HouseLinc Events require that, since they use the PC clock and calendar and microprocessor to analyze triggers and conditions to determine responses.)

I'm not sure what they have planned for future software versions, but supporting additional motion sensor features seems like a logical step. Unfortunately, they are a bit tight-lipped when it comes to future product plans, preferring instead to announce new devices and features only when they are about to ship.

[Butterfinger]

Am I understanding this correctly? You can use the HouseLinc software to configure the photocell in the motion sensor to control a Dawn/Dusk scene, then the PC and HouseLinc software can be turned off and the Dusk/Dawn scene will continue to work because the scene is stored in the motion detector itself?

[stusviews]

That's correct.

[Butterfinger]

GREAT! I prefer a photocell control to the Sunset/Sunrise times as the weather makes a difference in how bright it is at those times.

[Butterfinger]

Is it possible to have one scene created in HouseLinc using the photocell to turn the scene on and off and still have the same Insteon devices connected to a Hub for remote access via an iPhone?

[stusviews]

Yes, you can do that.