Timeouts - Room by room examples of timeouts.
Motion sensors can drastically enhance how we enjoy our homes and are capable of so much more than just lights on/off with a timeout. They can be used to speak to the buildings HVAC, shading systems, AV and much more. However, quite often the primary function of our motion sensors is based around automating lighting. To deliver the optimal performance, two vital factors to consider are the motion sensor placement and the timeout duration. With both of these correctly considered, we can create beautiful lighting automation in the home.
You can think of a timeout as the amount of time the lights will remain on after the last motion is detected in the room. If we have a 5 minute timeout set, the lights will stay on for 5 minutes after the room has been vacated then turn off. Each time movement is detected in the room, the 5 minute timeout restarts. So provided there will be movement in the room to re trigger the sensor within the timeout period, the lights will not turn off. In rooms where there is lots of movement a shorter timeout can be ok, but in rooms where we may sit still for extended periods of time, we should consider longer timeouts to avoid unwanted timeouts.
In this blog we are going to look at an example floorplan with a number of rooms drawn. For this example we have also detailed which location has our standard Motion Sensor 360 - Volt Free (red) and which we would advise the Motion Sensor 360 - IP67 - Volt Free.
So let's take a look at each of the 12 motion sensors and explain some example logic that could be considered, discuss sensor positioning and what a suitable timeout might be.
1 - Porch/Entrance
This M360-IP-VOLF covers the entrance porch, and turns on the outdoor lighting. This is mounted directly in the ceiling to provide good coverage for people approaching / leaving the front door. We don’t need a particularly long timeout here as people tend not to dwell in this area for longer than a quick chat. A 5 minute timeout will be plenty.
2 - Bathroom (Bedroom 1 ensuite)
Another IP67 sensor ensures no wayward water jets damage the sensor and as this is a small bathroom, the sensor can be located centrally in the space to cover the entire room. As it is a small space, 10 minutes is enough time on the timeout to avoid unwanted light outs.
3 - Wardrobe
Positioning is important here, as the wardrobe has no door, we have tucked the sensor tight around the corner meaning it will not detect movement in the master bedroom. As soon as someone walks past the threshold of the wardrobe, the sensor can trigger the lighting. This is a small, task based room so a timeout of 10 minutes will be plenty.
4 - Great room / Living area.
In this space, we decide to use the motion sensor only as vacancy detection. In essence the motion sensor will not trigger the lights to automatically come on, but instead it will turn the lights off if it has not sensed motion for a time, typically quite a long time. For this vacancy detection we will set the timeout to 3 hours. This will avoid any lights being left on accidentally throughout the day but still allow the user freedom and control over the lighting.
5 - Master bedroom.
Once again we will opt for vacancy detection only in the bedroom. In this way we do not risk any unwanted lights coming on when entering, but the sensor can be used to monitor if any lights have been left on accidentally and turn them off if there is no motion. We will set the vacancy timeout to 2 hours.
6 - Bedroom 1
We will copy the vacancy detection parameters seen in the master bedroom. Vacancy detection only, 2 hours timeout.
7 - Bathroom (Master)
This small bathroom can be covered by a single sensor mounted in the middle of the ceiling. Instead of the 10 minute timeout we used in the other bathroom, we will opt for a longer 30 minute timeout in the bathroom to ensure we don’t have any unwanted timeouts if someone is in the bath.
8 - Bathroom (bedroom 2)
We will treat this the same as we treated the automation parameters in the bedroom 1 Ensuite (sensor #2) As it is a small space, 10 minutes is enough time on the timeout to avoid unwanted light outs.
9 - Bedroom 2
As this is also a bedroom we will use vacancy detection automation so no lights come on automatically, but will make sure lights are turned off if no one is in the space for 2 hours.
10 - Dining
In the dining room we will use automatic lighting so lights will turn on when we enter the space. As we may be sitting still for quite some time during dinner we will make sure the timeout is long enough to avoid unwanted lights off. We will use a 2 hour timeout here.
11 - Kitchen
We have placed this sensor tight to the wall, round the corner from the living area. This way we can avoid the lights being triggered from movement in the living area, but as soon as someone is seen as they approach the kitchen the lighting can be brought on. Kitchens see a lot of movement, so we don’t need a timeout that is particularly long. We will use a timeout of 30 mins here.
12 - Patio
An outdoor wall mounted sensor (SWMA-W) with an M360-IP-W-VOLF detects anyone opening the back door to step outside and brings on the outdoor lighting. We have set a 30 minute timeout for the outdoor lights. Of course there may be other automation throughout the property that brings lighting on and off. For example, in the garden there may be a night time lighting scene with some perimeter lighting on. The patio motion sensor brings on some overhead security lights for the configured timeout.
So there we have it, with some thought given to the room use we can ensure the timeouts that we configure provide practical and convenient lighting automation and avoid unwanted light timeouts.
If you have any questions please contact Faradite today.