FAQ - Dynamic Lighting Settings
This option aims to make continual adjustments in your lighting setup by modulating brightness according to floating lux values or adapting colour temperature and brightness based on the sunâs changing elevation. Choose from nine preset options available in the dropdown menu.
1 - Lux Controlled Brightness
2 - Lux Controlled Brightness Inverted
3 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Colour Temp
4 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Brightness
5 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Brightness Inverted
6 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Colour Temp + Brightness
7 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Colour Temp + Brightness Inverted
8 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Colour Temp + Lux Controlled Brightness
9 - Sun Elevation Lighting - Colour Temp + Lux Controlled Brightness Inverted
Please note:
-
Dynamic lighting options are designed specifically for light entities within the light domain. Switches, scenes, and scripts are not compatible with the dynamic lighting options.
-
When using dynamic lighting, the standard âLight Control Optionsâ are available based on your selections in the âLight Control Optionsâ. For example, selecting â1 - Lux Controlled Brightnessâ enables brightness control, while âColour Temperatureâ, RGB, RGBW, RGBWW and âTransitionâ remain active if also chosen. Note that âTransitionâ is always operational if selected, but âBrightnessâ, âColour Temperatureâ, RGB, RGBW and RGBWW may be inactive depending on your dynamic lighting choices.
Below are three expandable sections depending on what information you are looking for.
Lux Controlled Brightness Settings for Options 1, 2, 8 & 9 (Click Here to expand)
Option 1 & 8 âLux Controlled Brightnessâ
This will constantly adjust your lighting brightness percentage to a floating lux value. For example, when it gets darker, your brightness will increase, and as it gets lighter, your brightness will decrease, as shown in Figures 1-1 and 1-2.
Option 2 & 9 âLux Controlled Brightness - Invertedâ
This will constantly adjust your lighting brightness percentage to a floating lux value. For example, when it gets darker, your brightness will decrease, and as it gets lighter, your brightness will increase. It works the opposite way to options 1 and 8. In the graphs shown below, rather than going from high to low, it will go from low to high, as shown in Figure 1-3.
HOW IT WORKS
Figure 1-1
The graph below (Figure 1-1) shows the default settings. As the lux value decreases, the brightness increases, and vice versa.
With this setup, when motion is detected and the lux value is equal to or above 400 lux, the lights will turn off (if they were on) or remain off when the automation is triggered because the brightness is set to 0%. As the lux value decreases, the brightness will increase. The lights will start to come on at around 399 lux. I say âaround 399 luxâ because some lights may require a 1% to 10% brightness setting to turn on, depending on your lights and controller. At 40 lux or below, the lights will be set to 100% brightness
The blue dotted line shows how to read the graph. At 200 lux, the brightness will be around 55%.
- Max lux = 400 lux
- Min Lux = 40 lux
- Max Brightness = 100%
- Min Brightness = 0%
Figure 1-2
The below graph (Figure 1-2) shows a different setup. In this example, are setting are:
- Max lux = 500 lux
- Min Lux = 200 lux
- Max Brightness = 100%
- Min Brightness = 60%
With this setup, when motion is detected and the lux value is equal to or above 500 lux, the lights will turn on at 60% brightness. As the lux value decreases, the brightness will increase. When the lux value is equal to or below 200 lux, the lights will be set to 100% brightness.
The blue dotted line shows how to read the graph. At 350 lux, the brightness will be around 80%.
Figure 1-3
The graph below (Figure 1-3) shows a different setup, specifically when using option 2, âLux Controlled Brightness - Inverted.â In this example, are setting are:
- Max lux = 60 lux
- Min Lux = 20 lux
- Max Brightness = 100%
- Min Brightness = 20%
With this setup, when motion is detected and the lux value is equal to or above 60 lux, the lights will turn on at 100% brightness. As the lux value decreases, the brightness will also decrease. When the lux value is equal to or below 20 lux, the lights will be set to 20% brightness.
The blue dotted line shows how to read the graph. At 40 lux, the brightness will be around 60%.
Sun Elevation Settings for Options 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 (Click Here to expand)
Below, youâll find graphs illustrating the Sun Elevation feature within Dynamic Lighting. These visuals aim to provide a clearer grasp of the settings. As the saying goes, âa picture is worth a thousand words.â
By manipulating the proximity between the start and end points, youâre essentially altering the progression of colour temperature or brightness percentage along a linear path from their minimum to maximum values on sun rise or from their maximum to minimum on the suns descent until they reach the rising endpoint or descending endpoint. Changing the closeness or distance between these points adjusts the slope of the linear progression concerning sun elevation. In simpler terms, it influences how quickly or gradually the colour temperature or brightness changes as the sun rises or descends.
"The settings showcased in these graphs were as follows:
- Max Brightness Value = 100%
- Min Brightness Value = 30%
- Max Colour Temperature = 6500 K
- Min Colour Temperature = 2000 K
- Sun Elevation Rising - Start Point = - 1.5 degrees
- Sun Elevation Rising - End Point = 35 degrees
- Sun Elevation Descending - Start Point = 35 degrees
- Sun Elevation Descending - End Point = - 4.0 degrees
These settings were crafted as an example, demonstrating a transition from a warm, dimly lit ambiance to a brighter, cooler ambiance during the sunâs ascent. Conversely, during the descent, the settings showcase a shift from the brighter, cooler ambiance back to the initial warm, dimly lit ambiance. Itâs crucial to note that these values are provided as an illustration, encouraging users to customize settings according to their preferences and unique requirements
The lowest possible start point for the Sun Elevation rising phase and the lowest end point for the Sun Elevation descending phase is set at -10 degrees. Below these specified points, the settings utilize their minimum configured values.
This is how it looks in a sensor card
If you chosen to select âBrightness Invertedâ in an option then the graph below also show how the brightness will be as inverted apposed to just selecting âBrightnessâ.
The Settings (Click Here to expand)
THE SETTINGS
The default settings are just random numbers I used. You will have to adjust them to suit your site conditions and to your liking. Play around with it and try different settings to make it work for you. Donât forget you still can also use the âtransitionâ and âcolour temperatureâ in âLight Control Optionsâ. Only âbrightnessâ in the âLight Control Optionsâ will be disabled if your use brightness in âDynamic Lightingâ. Transition is a nice way to smooth out your lights.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Ambient Light Sensor
This is the ambient light sensor that will be use. You can have a local light sensor in the same room as your lights or you can use and outside sensor.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Max Lux Value
You can see in the above graph (Point B) the maximum lux value is set to 400 lux.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Min Lux Value
You can see in the above graph (Point A) the minimum lux value is set to 40 lux.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Max Brightness Value
You can see in the above graph (Point A) the maximum brightness value is set to 100%.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Min Brightness Value
You can see in the above graph (Point B) the minimum brightness value is set to 0 % If setting the brightness to 0% then the light will turn OFF.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Toggle Helper
When you set up dynamic lighting with a brightness level of 0%, the light will turn off. Dynamic lighting relies on the state of the lights being âONâ to function correctly. If the lights are not detected as âON,â dynamic lighting stops, which is not desired. By using a toggle helper, dynamic lighting will monitor the toggle helperâs state instead, ensuring it continues to run. This is why the toggle helper is necessary only when setting a brightness level of 0%. Toggle helpers in Home Assistant are reliable and donât get lost on the network. If a light drops off momentarily when dynamic lighting checks the state, it can cause dynamic lighting to stop. Using a toggle helper ensures consistent functionality without relying on network connections.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Heartbeat
This is the speed it will run at. At each heartbeat it will check your lux value and change the brightness if necessary. Every Lux sensor report differently so you will need to adjust this to suit your lux sensor. There is no point checking every minute if your lux sensor reports every two minutes.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Step Value
With every heartbeat, the system evaluates the lux value, light brightness, and the targeted brightness. If the targeted brightness surpasses the predefined step value, the system applies the set step value to gracefully moderate the rate of changes, facilitating a smoother transition in light brightness.
To understand its function, consider this scenario: Imagine dynamic lighting aims to set your lights at 44%. If your actual light brightness is at 96%, and with a Step Value set at 4%, instead of applying the full 44%, it adjusts to 92%. This adjustment pauses, allowing the LUX sensor time to adapt before proceeding to the next step, synchronized to your heartbeat setting. As your actual light brightness reaches 92%, the target value may be adjusted to 50%. This process repeats with each heartbeat until the target value aligns with your actual light brightness. The introduction of the Dead Zone comes into play when the target value approaches the brightness of your lights.
-
Dynamic Lighting - Dead Zone (±)
With every heartbeat, the system evaluates the current light brightness and the targeted brightness. If the targeted brightness falls within the defined dead zone, the system maintains the current light brightness. This prevents minor fluctuations in light intensity that could be bothersome to the eye.
To understand its function, consider this scenario: suppose dynamic lighting aims to set your lights at 88%. With a Dead Zone set value of 7%, if your actual light brightness falls between 81% and 95%, there will be no alteration to the brightness value. Although a 7% Dead Zone might initially seem substantial, testing has shown that it is actually considerably less than 7% of the intended value.
Trouble Shooting & Testing
In order for dynamic lighting to work well, it needs data from your lux sensor. Having a lux sensor that reports every 5 - 10 min + or on 5% change will not work well. The more data we can have the sensor provide the better it will work. Dynamic lighting only works with light (domain) entities. It will not work with switches and scenes.
A good way to test it is to add your motion sensor, light and lux sensor into a dashboard. This way you can see what is happening. Reduce your heartbeat to the minimum 0.25. If possible make your lux sensor report every 20 seconds. Now you will have a fast reacting dynamic lighting. From there you will then need to expand out your settings until you find what works for you. Below shows the dashboard.
Enjoy
Blacky
Back to FAQ: Click Here
Back to âThe Settings & Best Practice Guidelinesâ Click Here