Motion Sensors

Motion sensors add intelligence to your smart home by automatically controlling lights based on movement. We Love Lights provides comprehensive configuration options for Philips Hue motion sensors and compatible Zigbee sensors.

What Are Motion Sensors?

Motion Sensor Basics

Motion sensors detect movement and can trigger actions:

Motion Detection: Infrared sensors detect body heat and movement
Light Level: Measure ambient light (some models)
Temperature: Monitor room temperature (some models)
Battery Powered: Wireless, place anywhere
Automation: Trigger lights without manual control

Why Use Motion Sensors?

Convenience

Hands-free lighting
Lights turn on automatically when entering
No need to find switches in dark

Energy Savings

Lights turn off when no motion detected
No forgetting to turn off lights
Timeout-based automation

Security

Deter intruders with automatic lighting
Illuminate paths automatically
Welcome lighting when arriving home

Supported Sensors

Philips Hue Motion Sensor

The most common sensor:

Motion detection: 160° field of view
Light sensor: Measures ambient lux
Temperature sensor: Monitor room temperature
Battery: 2x AAA batteries, ~2 years life
Range: Up to 5m (16ft) detection distance

Third-Party Zigbee Sensors

Compatible sensors may include:

IKEA Trådfri motion sensors
Other Zigbee-compatible PIR sensors
Feature set varies by model

Check supported devices for compatibility.

Viewing Sensor Status

Quick sensor status view:

Click We Love Lights icon
Look for Sensors section
See current status:
- Motion: Detected / Clear
- Light level: Lux value
- Temperature: Current temp
- Battery: Percentage remaining

In Studio

Detailed sensor information:

Open Studio window
Go to Sensors section in sidebar
Select your sensor
View comprehensive details:
- Current motion state
- Last motion detected timestamp
- Light level (lux)
- Temperature
- Battery level and status
- Model and firmware info
- Configuration status

Motion Detection

How Motion Detection Works

Sensor active: Constantly monitoring
Movement detected: Sensor triggers
Rules evaluate: Configured rules check conditions
Actions execute: Lights turn on based on rules
Timeout period: Motion clear for X seconds
Lights turn off: After timeout expires

Detection Range

Position sensors for optimal detection:

Distance: Most effective within 5 meters (16 feet)
Angle: 160° field of view
Height: Mount 1-2 meters (3-6 feet) high
Line of sight: Best with clear view of movement area

Sensitivity

Some sensors allow adjusting sensitivity:

High: Detects small movements, more triggers
Medium: Balanced detection (default)
Low: Only larger movements trigger

Adjust based on false positives or missed detections.

Configuring Motion Rules

We Love Lights offers multiple ways to configure motion sensor automation.

Rule Types

Time-Based Patterns

Different actions based on time of day
Example: Bright in morning, dim at night
Multiple time periods in one rule

Generic Patterns

Custom condition-based rules
Advanced logic and conditions
Maximum flexibility

Configuration Wizard

The easiest way to set up motion rules:

Select sensor in Studio
Click "Configure Rules" or "Setup Wizard"
Choose pattern type:
- Simple on/off
- Time-based lighting
- Light-level conditional
Follow wizard steps:
- Select which lights to control
- Set brightness and color
- Configure time periods
- Set timeout duration
Test and save

Time-Based Motion Rules

Control lights differently based on time of day.

Creating Time-Based Rule

Select sensor in Studio
Go to Rules section
Choose "Time-Based Pattern"
Configure time periods:

Example: Bathroom Motion Rule

Daytime (6:00 AM - 10:00 PM)

Turn on: Bright white, 80%
Light level condition: Only if dark (below 50 lux)
Timeout: 3 minutes

Nighttime (10:00 PM - 6:00 AM)

Turn on: Warm white, 10%
Light level condition: Always trigger
Timeout: 2 minutes

Time Period Configuration

For each period, set:

Start time: When period begins
End time: When period ends
Lights to control: Which lights activate
Brightness: Light intensity (%)
Color/Temperature: Light color settings
Conditions: When rule activates
Timeout: How long until lights turn off

Multiple Time Periods

Create as many periods as needed:

Morning (6:00-9:00): Energizing bright white
Day (9:00-17:00): Natural white, only if dark
Evening (17:00-22:00): Warm, medium brightness
Night (22:00-6:00): Very dim, warm/red tones

Light Level Conditions

Use ambient light sensor to trigger only when needed.

Lux Threshold

Set minimum darkness level to trigger:

Always: Trigger regardless of light level
Dark (< 50 lux): Only in dark conditions
Very Dark (< 10 lux): Only at night or very dark
Custom: Set specific lux threshold

Why Use Light Level?

Save energy: Don't turn on lights during daylight
Natural light preference: Use sunlight when available
Seasonal adaptation: Works year-round despite changing daylight

Example Use Cases

Hallway

Threshold: < 30 lux
Reason: Only need lights when dark, plenty of natural light during day

Bathroom (no windows)

Threshold: Always
Reason: Always dark, always need lights

Garage

Threshold: < 50 lux
Reason: Some natural light, but supplement when dim

Timeout Settings

Control how long lights stay on after motion stops.

Timeout Duration

Configure how many minutes without motion before turning off:

Short (1-2 min): High-traffic areas, quick visits
Medium (3-5 min): Standard rooms, general use
Long (10-30 min): Rooms with subtle movement
Very Long (30+ min): Areas where you stay still

Timeout Best Practices

Short Timeouts

Hallways and corridors
Bathrooms (quick visits)
Closets
Stairways

Medium Timeouts

Kitchens
Bathrooms (with consideration for showers)
Home offices
Living rooms

Long Timeouts

Bedrooms
Media rooms (minimal movement while watching)
Reading areas
Workshops

Retrigger Behavior

Motion detected during timeout:

Extends timeout: Resets countdown
Lights stay on: As long as motion continues
Smooth experience: No flickering

Generic Motion Rules

Create custom rules with advanced conditions.

Generic Rule Structure

Trigger: Motion detected
Conditions: When to activate
- Time of day
- Light level
- Day of week
- Other sensor states
Actions: What to do
- Turn on specific lights
- Set brightness/color
- Activate scene
Turn Off: What happens when motion stops
- Turn off lights
- Return to previous state
- Activate different scene

Advanced Conditions

Combine multiple conditions:

Time AND light level: Motion during evening AND dark
Day of week: Different on weekends
Multiple sensors: Require multiple triggers
Other device states: Only if other lights are off

Example Generic Rules

"Welcome Home"

Trigger: Front door motion
Condition: Between 5 PM and midnight
Action: Turn on entryway, hallway, and living room to 60%
Timeout: 15 minutes

"Security Lighting"

Trigger: Outdoor motion
Condition: Between 10 PM and 6 AM
Action: Full brightness outdoor lights + flash indoor lights
Timeout: 10 minutes

"Pet-Friendly Night Light"

Trigger: Hallway motion
Condition: 11 PM to 6 AM AND light level < 5 lux
Action: 2% red light (won't disturb sleep)
Timeout: 1 minute

Multiple Sensors

Use multiple sensors for comprehensive coverage.

Placement Strategy

Coverage Areas

One sensor per room (standard)
Multiple sensors for large rooms
Hallway: One sensor per section
Stairways: Top and bottom sensors

Coordination

Sensors can trigger same lights
Overlapping coverage ensures no dark spots
Each sensor can have different rules

Cross-Room Rules

Create rules that span multiple areas:

Sensor in Room A triggers lights in Room B
Useful for:
- Illuminate next room when approaching
- Create lighting paths
- Anticipatory lighting

Example: Garage sensor turns on kitchen lights when arriving home

Testing Motion Rules

Test Your Configuration

Before relying on rules, test them:

Save rules in We Love Lights
Trigger sensor by walking in detection zone
Observe behavior:
- Do lights turn on?
- Correct brightness and color?
- Appropriate for time of day?
Wait for timeout:
- Do lights turn off after specified time?
Adjust as needed