Using Faradite Motion Sensors with Loxone
The Faradite Motion Sensor 360 range is compatible with several home automation systems including Control4, Crestron, Lutron and Loxone. In this blog we take a detailed look at integrating our Motion Sensor 360 range with Loxone.
The Faradite Motion Sensor 360 Volt Free provides a volt free contact closure and provides a pulse when motion is sensed. This pulse acts as an input into the Loxone system and can then be utilised in Loxone config to provide a nearly endless range of functionality, we will look at the range of functions later in this blog.
Our Motion Sensor 360 (0-10V) has the added benefit of a brightness sensor which provides a LUX reading of the room brightness. This LUX level can be used as a parameter for logic that we may wish to create in the Smart Home. We will cover exactly where this can be used later in the blog but lets start by looking at how to connect the sensors to a Loxone system.
WIRING THE SENSORS
The Motion Sensor 360 Volt Free provides a normally open contact which should be connected to a digital input on the Loxone system. There are a number of digital inputs available on a Loxone system on DIN rail devices in the panel, Tree devices and Air devices. So, whether the Loxone system is star wired, Tree wired or Air we have options on where the Faradite Motion Sensor 360 Volt Free will be connected.
When wiring the Faradite Motion Sensor 360 (0-10V) we will need both a digital input for motion sensing and a 0-10V analogue input for the brightness sensor. The Miniserver has 4 x 0-10V analogue inputs and the Extension has 4 x 0-10V Analogue inputs. There are currently no options for connecting 0-10V sensors via Loxone Air or Tree. Check out the handy table below for a quick guide to Loxone connectivity.
CONNECTING - MOTION SENSOR 360 - VOLT FREE
CONNECTING - MOTION SENSOR 360 - (0-10V LUX)
When using the AI extension, both the analogue 0-10v output from the Motion Sensor 360, and the digital motion sensor output can be connected. These should be connected to individual inputs and in Loxone config the motion sensor input should be set to 'use as digital input' in the extension settings menu.
CONFIGURING THE MOTION SENSOR 360 RANGE IN LOXONE
Faradite sensors provide a normally open output with a 1 second timeout, for more information on the type of output provided check out our earlier blog here.
First, we are going to look at where to connect the motion sensing digital input within the Loxone config software. As the Motion sensor provides a pulse when motion is detected technically this can be connected to any function block in Loxone config that is looking for a pulse/digital input. We will look at 2 of the most commonly used function block connections: Lighting Controller and Burglar Alarm. We will look at where to connect the Motion sensor inputs to these blocks for some of the most commonly used functions and what properties of the function blocks we need to be aware of.
LIGHTING
Digital input / Motion Sensor
Once we have found the digital input in the periphery tree that has the Faradite Motion Sensor wired to it we should name it and assign it to the room in which it is located. Once we have done this, we can grab the input and drag it on to the page and connect it to the function block input required. On the Lighting controller function block the input we want to connect this to is the ‘Mv’ input. This will bring on the lights to the lighting scene configured (there are several ways of setting which scene comes on automatically on motion, some further reading on this is available here: https://www.loxone.com/enen/kb/lighting-controller-v2/)
0-10v sensor / Brightness detector
The Faradite Motion Sensor 360 (0-10V) has the added benefit of a brightness detector which gives us an analogue value that provides LUX level. As detailed earlier in this blog, the 0-10V sensor is wired to an analogue input on the Loxone system. To ensure the 0-10V value correctly correlates to the LUX level we need to adjust some properties of the analogue input that has the brightness sensor connected. Select the Analogue input in the periphery tree the adjust the correction values so that the ‘Target Value 2” is 1000. What this does is make a reading of 10V from the sensor equate to a 1000Lux brightness reading.
SECURITY
The motion sensor can also be connected to the Burglar Alarm function block to provide a security alarm. To connect the Motion sensors to this function block we must take a digital input from the periphery tree and connect it to the ‘I1’ input on the Burglar Alarm function block. When the burglar alarm is set, any motion sensor that is triggered will trigger the burglar alarm. By default at least 2 motion sensors must be triggered for the alarm to sound.
If there are multiple motion sensors we wish to connect to the Burglar alarm, we connect them all to the ‘I1’ input.
For further information on the Burglar Alarm function block check out Loxone Documentation.
Motion sensing can be used to trigger many things in a Loxone Smart Home. Whilst the most common examples are for lighting and security alarm, it is possible to use the motion sensor to trigger anything that requires a digital input pulse.
Please check out the video for more information:
We would love to see examples of things you are automating from a Faradite Motion Sensor 360.
Why not share an Instagram story with us of what you have automated using our sensors…?