What do i need to get the blinds close automatically?

Hi,
What hardware do i need to make shutter relay to be “smarter”? I mean if blinds are open at night to get them close automatically.
is there any sensor that can be connected with cbus like light meter and control the blinds automatically?
I do not own a wiser so i don’t know if this can be done with wiser.
I assume that the night autoclose can be done with simple schedule on touch screen. Correct?
I also have the homebridge on PI if this can be done thru homebridge.
Thanks

 

One to the PIRs has a light level sensor in it which could be used as a trigger but that’s a pretty crude method and could lead to the blinds operating randomly due to shadows and cloud pass.

You would probably want a mix of schedules and logic to make it more sophisticated and less prone to random operation.

eg:

if time >= sunrise + X and light level > Y then open blind

 

You need a scheduling device like a Wiser, touchscreen or shac. Using light level is an exercise in frustration.

 

If you are using homebridge you can set up automations in your iphone/ipad to do things at Sunrise/Sunset like open/close a blind. It won't cost anything and you can try it in homekit while you read this message...

It may not be as bullet proof as a c-bus logic implementation, but its the best price for a proof of concept.

Cheers

Jason

 

i have installed only one 5751L in my system and it does not give any light level options in toolkit. There is a manual adjustment on the unit about light sensitivity so it seems not possible to configure the blinds to be controlled this way.
EDIT. i just found the option sunset to sunrise in toolkit, so i have to experiment how this can be done to close the blinds when it goes dark.

 

i have homebridge on PI and using the apple homekit to control my lights but i don’t know how to configure the automation you suggest. Any guide?
Thanks

 

On the iPhone in the Home app itself is an automation builder

 

Automation is on the home screen of your Home app on your iphone/ipad:


Just choose it and start an automation based on a time of day event...

Follow the walk through and choose your accessory that you want to manage.
i.e. at Sunset set my cbus blind to close. Test it and then wait until sunset!

Cheers

Jason

 

ok guys, because i do not have any compatible (4rth generation) apple tv or ios 10+ ipad at home that is the reason that i do not have the automation function.

So the best way is to buy at least an apple tv to get more option with automations

thanks

 

Any of the above or a Apple HomePod speaker will suffice but they are expensive and no where as functional as a google/Alexa so stay with an Apple TV.

The automations will work fine in the home app once you set them up, but you get what you pay for. If something goes wrong anywhere between CBus<->Pi<->homebridge<->HomeKit you should expect to lose the CBus accessories/automations in the app and have to recreate them.

This won’t happen if you do something in logic with a C-Bus Wiser/PAC/C-Touch but the HomeKit automation costs much less! I have both C-Bus Wiser and Homebridge setups running with Apple TV/HomePod (and a google home).

You also won’t be able to have the granularity of managing a schedule like you do in a C-Touch where you can choose lots more “time of day” variables, special days, times of year and other exceptions.

Anyway, now you have an excuse buy an appleTV and have automations with your CBus! Get a 4K one.
Post back and let us know how you go and If we can help anymore.

cheers

Jason

 

Yes i can understand that as this way is not officially supported any moment it may stop working. My ctouch is without logic so money wise there is a big difference between this way and wiser
I own an old apple tv 3rd generation so i have to find a new one for this.
Thanks

 

I also run 2x original B&W C-Touch's without logic but I have a Wiser 1 unit. Programming the scenes/schedules in the C-Touch's and then the logic in the wiser is tedious. (The schedules are in the C-Touch so I can manage them easily).
At least an AppleTV investment will get you automations plus a plethora of other value added entertainment.

A wiser investment will only get you a Wiser...

 

Guys, just to confirm... with apple tv at home i will be able to use HomeKit remotely so to access my cbus thru PI?

 

100% Confirm it!

Cheers

Jason