Light and Door Sensor

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
1

I had this in the General Forum, but deleted it there to post it here.

I have my garage door set up to open and close and it works fine (door sensor, Evolve LMF, and Garage Door App). One added item I have is a light module set to turn on when the door is open and then turn off when the door is closed. This way we can see it is open if the light is on.

When I open and close the door, it works. However, if I go to open the door again withing 60 seconds, the light does not come on. It seems that if I wait a 60 seconds to open the door, the light comes on. I assume this has something to do with the door sensor setting, but I am not sure what setting it is.

Also, I have the light set to come on with a scene. Is there a better way to do this so if the sensor is in the open setting, the light comes on and is off if the sensor is closed?

Any ideas?

2

[quote=“rinconmike, post:1, topic:186563”]I had this in the General Forum, but deleted it there to post it here.

I have my garage door set up to open and close and it works fine (door sensor, Evolve LMF, and Garage Door App). One added item I have is a light module set to turn on when the door is open and then turn off when the door is closed. This way we can see it is open if the light is on.

When I open and close the door, it works. However, if I go to open the door again withing 60 seconds, the light does not come on. It seems that if I wait a 60 seconds to open the door, the light comes on. I assume this has something to do with the door sensor setting, but I am not sure what setting it is.

Also, I have the light set to come on with a scene. Is there a better way to do this so if the sensor is in the open setting, the light comes on and is off if the sensor is closed?

Any ideas?[/quote]

I’m a bit confused here a bit, so guide me if I go down the wrong path.

I guess you using Richards Garage Door Plugin for Vera right. It should display a lock and unlock when the door is opened or closed.

I’m assuming you mean that the above is working fine.

Then you have a scene that says (confused here) if the garage door plugin is open? or if the door sensor? (not sure which way you have it) then turn on the garage lights.
I would go straight off the door sensor here and a scene should be fine (I personally only use PLEG now, but that would totally be overkill for only this).

The only problem I might see has to do with Polling maybe? When you open the garage does sensor display correctly in the web UI? Do you see any delay or anything? VERA scene should get its info straight from what you see. If you see the sensor not opening and closing correctly or in a timely manner then you can focus on the sensor and why. I would base your scene (if your not already doing this) on the door sensor not on the lock and unlock icons of the plugin.

3

thanks. I am using the garage door app.

I then have a scene that goes of the door sensor to turn the light on and off. Scene is set to when the sensor is open, the light turns on. Scene 2 is when the sensor is closed, the light goes off.

when I open the door, the light comes on. When I close the door the light goes off. However, if I open the door again 30 seconds (anything less than 60) the light does not come back on.

I just checked the sensor in the UI, and on the second open (30 seconds after a close, the sensor shows it is still closed but it is not. and the garage door app says it is locked, but it is not. So it must be with the sensor. It is a schlage sensor.

Any settings I can try?

The wakeup interval is set to 3600. Not sure if I should change that.

thanks

4

[quote=“rinconmike, post:3, topic:186563”]thanks. I am using the garage door app.

I then have a scene that goes of the door sensor to turn the light on and off. Scene is set to when the sensor is open, the light turns on. Scene 2 is when the sensor is closed, the light goes off.

when I open the door, the light comes on. When I close the door the light goes off. However, if I open the door again 30 seconds (anything less than 60) the light does not come back on.

I just checked the sensor in the UI, and on the second open (30 seconds after a close, the sensor shows it is still closed but it is not. and the garage door app says it is locked, but it is not. So it must be with the sensor. It is a schlage sensor.

Any settings I can try?

The wakeup interval is set to 3600. Not sure if I should change that.

thanks[/quote]

ok I understand now and yes the sensor seems to be the problem. I don’t have any history with that sensor myself so I’m probley not of much use to you. Setting the wake up sensor a bit lower is probley not going to help you. The that’s just when the sensor wakes up and checks in. It’s currently set to 3,600 seconds. Setting it lower will decrease your battery life. Besides this routine wake up and check in the sensor is supposed to wake up when the sensor is tripped or untripped. (which seems to be where the problem is)

I would have to google the sensor more to see what other settings it has if any. Battery sensors do what they can to reduce battery drian. And some sensors do this by tripping repeatedly. Once they go untripped it remains that way for some time or sleeps. Battery motions do the same. This is because they are made for alarm tripping more then anything. And once armed and sat closed for some time they wake fast to trip if the door opens and sets off the alarm, but after that it doesn’t care much to keep notifying you over and over again. It sleeps for periods of time to conserve battery and reduce nuisance tripping.

So my suggestion is to google the sensor and it’s normal behavior patterns and options if it has any. If you can adjust the trip time, that’s what you need. If not swaping the sensor out for another might be in order. Or just stop opening and closing your garage so fast. LOL