Hi everyone,
I’m working on an outdoor wall light for my own home automation setup. The project started because I couldn’t find a fixture that combined straightforward architectural lighting with sensors that were actually available to the local automation controller.
I specifically didn’t want another Wi-Fi light or a fixture that keeps its motion sensor internal and only switches its own LEDs. The current concept uses a separate 24 V DC supply and wired RS485/Modbus connection. It has independently dimmable warm-white up and down light, with optional addressable RGB effects. The planned sensor set includes radar, PIR, ambient light and outdoor temperature, all exposed separately instead of being tied to one built-in lighting routine.
The housing and electronics are split into replaceable modules. Hardware documentation and firmware are intended to be open, although the exact scope is not fixed yet.
This is my own early-stage hardware concept, not a finished product. Before taking it much further, I’m trying to find out whether anyone else actually has the same requirements—especially for a new build or major renovation where 24 V and a bus cable can be planned.
I would be interested in how Home Assistant users would approach it:
- Would you prefer direct Modbus support, a Modbus-to-MQTT gateway, or a native Home Assistant integration?
- Would requiring 24 V plus a wired bus be reasonable in a new build, or already a deal-breaker?
- Would native KNX or DALI support matter more to you than Modbus?
- Which sensor values would genuinely be useful at an outdoor wall light?
There is an interactive model of the current design here:
The page also has an optional interest form. I’m using it only to understand whether further development makes sense. Critical feedback on the architecture is just as useful as interest.