Aeotec Nano Dimmer compatibility with standard motion detector

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Paul1977

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#315233 24-Jun-2024 18:24

I have an outdoor light that operates on a motion sensor, or can be manually set to on. I’d like to hook up an Aoetec Nano Dimmer to be able to turn the light on and off via phone, but when it’s “off” I’d like it to still be triggered by the motion detector (standard HPM brand).

Does anyone more clued up on these things know if this is possible?

gehenna

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#3252784 24-Jun-2024 19:56

You'll need a hub that connects to both the dimmer and the sensor to control them, and the app on your phone for creating the routines. SmartThings is compatible with the Aeotec devices you mentioned. Alexa and Google Home hubs may be, but I'm not sure

Paul1977

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#3252786 24-Jun-2024 20:06

Using Home Assistant and have several Nano Dimmers already, but all just to standard switches without any kind of motion sensor.

Motion sensor isn’t “smart”, so not controllable in that sense. Just the kind that turns the lights on for a few minutes when motion is detected.

I was hoping it might be possible to set it up like a standard on/off with the Nano Dimmer, but with the “off” reverting to the behaviour of the “dumb” motion sensor.

Would get a sparky to do the wiring, but want to know what’s possible before getting someone in.

Ge0rge

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#3252843 24-Jun-2024 22:15

I have a motion sensor that, when triggered, closes the switch contacts on a Shelly 1. That turns the light on via motion, but I can also control the Shelly via HA to turn it on with either automations or manually.

I'm not familiar with the Nano Dimmer, is something similar possible?

phrozenpenguin

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#3252845 24-Jun-2024 22:37

I have a "dumb" setup that I think indicates it is possible to do what you want.

I have an outdoor sensor and light (combined, not smart). When it is dark and motion detected, it comes on for short (adjustable) amount of time. I have a normal switch in the hall that over-rides the sensor and turns the lights on. When the switch turns off, it reverts back to motion sensor mode. I'm not sure where the "dimmer" comes into your scenario, but in theory I could control the hall switch with a smart device, and it would achieve what you want - I think? This was all wired when I moved in so I'm not sure what was involved, but I don't think it is particularly special.

Related - I want to be able to disable the sensor totally via switch - but I'm not sure how to do that!

Ge0rge

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#3252847 24-Jun-2024 22:48

phrozenpenguin:
Related - I want to be able to disable the sensor totally via switch - but I'm not sure how to do that!

Most switches like this are of the three-way variety - off, manual (light on), or auto (works via sensor). Is yours only a two position switch?

phrozenpenguin

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#3252848 24-Jun-2024 22:50

Ge0rge:
phrozenpenguin:

Related - I want to be able to disable the sensor totally via switch - but I'm not sure how to do that!

Most switches like this are of the three-way variety - off, manual (light on), or auto (works via sensor). Is yours only a two position switch?

The wall switch is just on(light on, override sensor)/off(sensor active). Might the light have three options - and all I need to replace is the actual switch?

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Ge0rge

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#3252849 24-Jun-2024 23:00

Yup - third position provides no power to the light at all. Be interesting to know why someone chose to wire it like that.

There could be other jiggery-pokery going on, but you'd need to pop the switch open and have a look in the back to determine that - or have your friendly sparky do it for you.

richms

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#3252885 25-Jun-2024 08:57

You would have to see what the smart dimmer does if the input and output are bypassed with a switch, old triac based things were fine with that, but newer IGBT based ones have smarts in them to monitor what is going on to deal with horrible loads like LEDs and "dimmable" CFLs and the software might freak out when it sees the output has voltage and its not triggering it.

Otherwise get a different motion sensor and do it in software to bring the brightness up on motion and back to a low level when the sensor times out. I have done this between some cheap wifi filament bulbs in carrage lights, and a bunnings motion sensor light. At dusk the lights come on set to a low level warm white, and when the motion sensor triggers it sets them to full brightness nice white, and when the sensor goes off it sets them back to dim crusty white. Light group is set to go off at sunrise but sometimes if the sensor was triggered just before sunrise it will turn them back on to dim orange when it goes off. Solvable but not worth the time right now.

Richard rich.ms

Paul1977

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#3253019 25-Jun-2024 13:47

Thanks for the replies. In this instance the "dimmer" part can be ignored, as it will be used solely as a smart switch with the dimmer functionality disabled.

Paul1977

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#3253028 25-Jun-2024 13:55

Ge0rge: I have a motion sensor that, when triggered, closes the switch contacts on a Shelly 1. That turns the light on via motion, but I can also control the Shelly via HA to turn it on with either automations or manually.

I'm not familiar with the Nano Dimmer, is something similar possible?

That sounds like what I want, I just don't know if it will work like that. I'll look up a wiring diagram for the Shelly 1 and compare, you'd think they'd be similar.

richms

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#3253090 25-Jun-2024 15:12

I did have a tuya wifi relay behind a sensor light before, and had the input from the sensor going into where the toggle switch went into on the wifi relay and that would then trigger the light. Problem came when things got out of sync so the light was on and then the sensor would trigger and that would make the light go out for the timer duration on it. I was wanting to get the relay to work with many paralleled up sensors and back to the lights on all of them so that there were not lights popping on and off all the time when walking back and forth around outside. Never got around to further deployment of it.

I played with the idea of esp home on the switch and changing to use the timer on it instead, but then bunnings/deta came out with their new model of sensor light that was actually somewhat smart so I just put those in instead of the cheap dumb ones that I had bought for the purpose, and didnt need any more wires between the sensor light locations to carry the seperate feed to the lights or from the sensor back to the tuya relay.

If you are not worried about dimming then you probably want to get a relay switch instead of a dimmer one, as that way you know its a contact and will be fine with having it bypassed with another relay (the one in the sensor)

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Paul1977

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#3253141 25-Jun-2024 19:05

richms:

I did have a tuya wifi relay behind a sensor light before, and had the input from the sensor going into where the toggle switch went into on the wifi relay and that would then trigger the light. Problem came when things got out of sync so the light was on and then the sensor would trigger and that would make the light go out for the timer duration on it.

Yeah, I think that’s what will probably happen with this one. Not something I’m wanting to spend money on, I just have some spare nano dimmers so thought if I could use them I would since I’m getting a sparky in for something else anyway.