Lightwand by Pythm

an Appdaemon app for extensive control of lights via Home Assistant or MQTT. Set light data based on time of day or use Mode Change event in Home Assistant to set your light, in addition to lux, rain and multiple motion, presence, and media player sensors.

Installation

1. Download the Lightwand directory from inside the apps directory here to your Appdaemon apps directory.
2. Add the configuration to a .yaml or .toml file to enable the Lightwand module. Minimum required in your configuration is:

nameyourRoom:
  module: lightwand
  class: Room
  Lights:
    - lights:
      - light.yourLight

App usage and configuration

[!TIP] All sections and configurations except the minimum above are optional, so you use only what is applicable. Each app contains one Room with all of the sensors you want to use for that room and define all the lights to automate.

Lights

All lights for the room is configured as either MQTTLights to control lights directly via MQTT or Lights as Home Assistant lights/switches. Optionally as Home Assistant switches you can configure ToggleLights if you have lights/bulbs that dim with toggle. Each of the different light types can have multiple -lights as lists with the lights / switches. Each set containing the same settings including automations, motions, modes, lux on/off/constraints and conditions.

MQTTLights

Developed for zigbee2mqtt. There you can control everything from switches to dimmers and RGB lights to Philips Hue. Just define light_data with the brightness, color, effect you want to control. Check your zigbee2mqtt for what your light supports. Brightness is set in range 1-255.

Can be used with zwaveJsUi. Only tested with switches and dimmable light. Brigtness is set with 'value' in range 1 to 99.

Mqtt light names are full topics for targets excluding /set, case sensitive.
Zigbee2mqtt should be something like: zigbee2mqtt/YourLightName
Zwave could be something like: zwave/YourLightName/switch_multilevel/endpoint_1/targetValue
App will set up subscription to MQTT topics.

[!TIP] I recommend MQTT Explorer or similar to find Zwave topic.

Home Assistant Lights

Is configured with Lights and can control switches and lights. Use entity-id including type as name. Check your entity in Home Assistant for what your light supports as data like brightness, transition, rgb, etc.

ToggleLights

ToggleLights is Home Assistant switch entities. Toggles are configured with a toggle number on how many times to turn on light to get wanted dim instead of light_data for dimmable lights. Input num_dim_steps as number of dim steps in bulb.

Mode change events

[!IMPORTANT] This app listens to event "MODE_CHANGE" in Home Assistant to set different light modes with 'normal' mode as default setting. The use of events in Appdaemon and Home Assistant is well documented in Appdaemon docs - Events

To set mode from another appdaemon app simply use:

self.fire_event("MODE_CHANGE", mode = 'your_mode_name')

Or define scripts in Home Assistant and activate with automation or in lovelace:

day:
  alias: "your_mode_name"
  sequence:
    - event: MODE_CHANGE
      event_data:
        mode: 'your_mode_name'

[!TIP] Check out ModeManagement example code if you want to automate some default away/morning/night modes.

Mode names

[!IMPORTANT] When an event with "MODE_CHANGE" is triggered, it will check thru all defined modes for all lights in the app/Room.
- If mode is defined in room and for light it will update light with state/data defined in mode.
- If mode is not defined in light but is present in room, light will be set to normal mode.
- If mode is not defined in room, the lights will keep existing mode.

Predefined mode names

All mode names except 'custom' can be defined in 'light_modes' with your own configuration.

[!NOTE] Setting mode to 'custom' stops all automation like mediaplayer, motion or lux control.

The predefined mode names with default turn on/off:

Mode names that defaults to off:
- away
- off
- night
Mode names with default full brightness:
- fire
- wash

Other modes with additional behaviour:
- 'morning' behaves as 'normal' mode with conditions and Lux constraints. Useful for some extra light in morning during workdays.
When 'morning' mode is triggered, mode will be set to 'normal' if not defined in room and after media players is turned off.
- 'night*' and 'off'
In addition to 'night' mode you can configure modes beginning with 'night', for instance 'night_KidsBedroom'.
All modes starting with 'night' in addition to 'off' will disable motion detection.
Set room in off mode with 'off' + app name.

'custom' mode will disable all automation and keep light as is for all lights. Useful for special days you want to do something different with the lights.

[!TIP] You are free to define whatever you like even for the names with default value. Useful for rgb lighting to set a colourtemp for wash or keep some lights lux constrained during night.

Automating lights

Setting up automation is configured by time with a state and/or light data.

Defining times

Automations contains a set of times for each set of light and is activated with mode 'normal'. If you only want lux control on/off, you do not need to set up any time automations.

[!NOTE] Both Lux constraint and your conditions need to be meet before lights turns on in normal automation.

Automations are based on time, which can be either solar-based (using sunrise/sunset times) or clock-based. Optionally, in addition to time, you can also specify orLater to combine solar and clock-based times for more accurate control over when lights change depending on the season. If orLater is defined, it will shift all subsequent times by the same timedelta as long as not fixed or changed from sunrise to sunset time. In the example under with clock-based time at 08:00:00 and a solar-based time at sunrise + 00:15:00 defined with orLater, the clock-based time at 20:00 will shift by the same amount as the time difference between 08:00 and sunrise + 15 minutes. However, if you use a sunset time instead, the timeshift will stop at the first sunset time. A new timeshift is introduced every time orLater is used.

App deletes automations that have a time that are earlier than previous automation time if a time with solar-based and clock-based time is mixed in automations and the orLater is not used.

You can in prevent shifts and deletions with a fixed: True, which locks the time from being moved or deleted. I use this to make sure the lights in children's rooms turn off at bedtime, even when the sun sets after.

      automations:
      - time: '08:00:00'
        orLater: 'sunrise + 00:15:00'
      - time: '20:00:00'
        fixed: True
        state: turn_off

[!TIP] There are ready logs inn the python file commented out with # to easily log changes to times done by the app. Search code for: Check if your times are acting as planned. Uncomment line below to get logging on time change. Just uncomment the log line to see what changes the app does to your timing.

Chosing between state and light_data

Each defined time can have a state and/or a light_data.

State defines behavior.

• turn_off: Turns off light at the given time. Can also be defined in motion lights to turn off and keep the light off after the given time until the next time. E.g., turn off at kids' bedroom at 21:00.
• adjust: Does not turn on or off the light but adjusts light_data at the given time. Turn on/off with other modes or manual switch. Not applicable for motion.

Light data contains a set of attributes to be set to the light, such as brightness, transition, color temperature, RGB color, effect, etc. Light data must have either brightness (HA or Zigbee2Mqtt) or value (zwaveJsUi). Other attributes are optional.

Use dimrate to set brightness transition -/+ 1 brightness per x minutes. Dimming from previous timed brightness until brightness is met.

[!NOTE] If '00:00:00' is not defined a turn_off state will be default at midnight if other times is configured in automations or motionlights for lights.

If you only provide time in automation, the state will be set to none and the light will turn on if conditions are met. However, if you do not provide any light data it will not adjust anything. If you do not provide time you must specify state.

Motion behaviour

Configure motionlights to change light based on motion sensors in room. A minimum configuration to have the light turn on if lux constraints and conditions are met is:

  motion_sensors:
    - motion_sensor: binary_sensor.yourMotionSensor
  Lights:
    - lights:
      - light.kitchen
      motionlights:
        state: turn_on

You can provide offset to dimmable lights to increase compared to light_data in automation for normal light. Insted of state you can define light_data, or even input your automations here with times if you want different brightness during the day for motion lights.

Automations example:

      motionlights:
      - time: '00:00:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 3
      - time: '06:50:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 160
      - time: '08:30:00'
        orLater: 'sunrise + 00:15:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 180
      - time: 'sunrise + 01:30:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 120
      - time: '20:00:00'
        orLater: 'sunset + 00:30:00'
        dimrate: 2
        light_data:
          brightness: 3

[!NOTE] When motion is active the light will not dim down. Motion detected will also not turn down brightness to set motion, in case other modes sets brightness higher e.g. wash active and set to 255 and motion only set to 125, light will stay at 255 brightness.
If media players is on or night* / off mode is active motion lighting is deactivated.

State with offset example:

      motionlights:
        state: turn_on
        offset: 35

Configure mode light

You can create as many modes in light_mode as you are able to have the time to configure, and they can be defined with automations for different light settings during the day, light_data for one fits all setting or with a simple state: turn_on, lux_controlled, turn_off or manual.

automations is configured and functions the same as automations for normal with lux and conditions constraints. light_data can be used if you only want one setting to turn on light with given data. This is Lux constrained but Conditions do not need to be met. state defines behaviour as in normal automation and can be turn_on, lux_controlled, turn_off or manual.

• turn_on turns on light regardless of Lux and Conditions
• lux_controlled only turns/keeps light on if lux is below lux_constraint
• turn_off Turns off light
• manual Completly manual on/off/brightness etc.

offset can be provided to state lux_controlled or turn_on to increase or (-) decrease brightness based on light_data in normal automation.

An example :

      light_modes:
        - mode: morning
          light_data: # Define specific light attributes for given mode
            brightness: 220
            transition: 3
            color_temp: 427
        - mode: decor
          state: turn_on # Turns on regardless of Lux constraints or defined conditions
          offset: -20 # Optional offset from brightness defined in normal mode
        - mode: tv
          state: turn_off
        - mode: away
          state: lux_controlled # Follows Lux Turn on/off
        - mode: nightKid
          state: manual # Disable all automation when this mode is active
        - mode: night
          automations: # Define own automation for mode. Lux constraints and defined conditions must be meet.
          - time: '00:00:00'
          - time: '03:00:00'
            state: turn_off
          - time: '23:00:00'

Sensors

MQTT sensor names are full topics for targets excluding /set, case sensitive. App will subscribe to MQTT topics. Home Assistant sensors uses entity-id as sensor name.

Motion Sensors and Presence trackers

You can define time after sensor no longer detects motion before it turns light back with delay in seconds, and define constraints to each sensor as an if statement that must be true for motion to activate. Inherits Appdaemon API to self.

Trackers will trigger 'presence' mode when new == home and sets 'away' mode if all trackers defined in room is not home. When presence is detected it will go to 'normal' mode if old state is 'away' and 'presence' is not defined in light_mode. Trackers will not change mode unless it is normal or away.

  motion_sensors:
    - motion_sensor: binary_sensor.yourMotionSensor
  MQTT_motion_sensors:
    - motion_sensor: zigbee2mqtt/KITCHEN_sensor
      delay: 300
      motion_constraints: "self.now_is_between('06:50:00', '23:00:00') and self.get_tracker_state('person.wife') == 'home' or self.get_state('switch.kitch_espresso') == 'on' "
  presence:
    - tracker: person.wife
      tracker_constraints: "self.now_is_between('06:30:00', '23:00:00') "

[!TIP] Tracker will set mode as away when not home but there is no restrictions on calling new modes or normal when away.

With bed_sensor light mode will stay at nigth mode until bed is exited, to then turn on normal operations when bed is exited.

Media Players

Sorted by priority if more than one media player is defined in a room. Can be any sensor or switch with an on/off state. Define the name of the mode for each sensor and define light attributes in light_modes. The "media mode" will set the light and keep it as the media mode when motion is detected, as well as during morning, normal, and night modes. Calling any other modes will set the light to the new mode. If any of the morning, normal, or night modes are called when the media is on, the media mode will be active again.

[!TIP] Input delay option when a TV reports a 'on' state shortly after being turned off and then reported a 'off' state again to avoid lights dimming up and down and up again.

  mediaplayers:
    - mediaplayer: binary_sensor.yourXboxGamerTag
      mode: pc
    - mediaplayer: media_player.tv
      mode: tv
      delay: 0

Weather sensors

You can configure two outdoor lux sensors with the second ending with '_2' and it will keep the highest lux or last if other is not updated last 15 minutes. There can only be one room lux sensor but it can be either MQTT or Home Assistant sensor. Rain sensor can for now only be Home Assistant sensor.

  OutLux_sensor: sensor.lux_sensor
  OutLuxMQTT_2: zigbee2mqtt/OutdoorHueLux
  RoomLux_sensor: sensor.lux_sensor
  RoomLuxMQTT: zwave/KITCHEN_sensor/sensor_multilevel/endpoint_0/Illuminance
  rain_sensor: sensor.netatmo_rain

Custom options

Create a list of options with choises to make for each room.

[!TIP] Enable motion detection during night mode with night_motion

[!TIP] exclude_from_custom will exclude the room from 'custom' mode and 'wash' mode. Can be useful for rooms you forget to adjust light, like outdoor lights and kid's bedroom.

Conditions and constraints

You can use Lux sensors to control or constrain lights. Optionally you can provide IF statements to be meet for light to turn on at normal/morning/motion mode or with automations defined. Inherits Appdaemon Api as ADapi.
I use this on some of the lights in my livingroom and kitchen for when my wife is not home but without using the presence sensor because I do not want to set my rooms as away. You can define any statement you want so I have not figured out a better way than to create a 'listen_sensors' list for the sensors you use in statement so light can be updated when the condition changes.

  listen_sensors:
    - person.wife
  #Some light data...
      conditions:
        - "self.ADapi.get_tracker_state('person.wife') == 'home'"
      lux_constraint: 12000
      lux_turn_on: 10000
      lux_turn_off: 12000
      room_lux_constraint: 100
      room_lux_turn_on: 80
      room_lux_turn_off: 100

Manual changes to lights

If you manage to configure every light to your liking, normal automation should be sufficient for day-to-day use without intervention. However, there are days when you'll need something else. To avoid creating a mode for every possible scenario, I've tried to keep the automations so that if you set or adjust lights manually, they will stay until: -Motion inclusive given delay has ended -Lux levels go from below to above lux constraint. They will remain on if turned on when lux is above. -Mode is changed -Time automation is executed when conditions are met (e.g., if lux is above the constraint, automation will not execute)

Persistent storage

Define a path to store json files with 'json_path' for persistent storage. This will store current mode for room and outdoor lux, room lux, and if lights is on for lights that has adjust/manual states and MQTT lights. Toggle lights will store current toggles.

Namespace

If you have defined a namespace for MQTT other than default you need to define your namespace with MQTT_namespace. Same for HASS you need to define your namespace with HASS_namespace.

Get started

Easisest to start off with is to copy this example and update with your sensors and lights and build from that. There is a lot of list/dictionaries that needs to be correctly indented. And remember: All sections and configurations are optional, so you use only what is applicable.

App configuration

your_room_name:
  module: lightwand
  class: Room
  # Configure path to store Json for mode and lux data. This will give you some persistency when restarted. Adds 'your_room_name' + '.json' to the json_path
  json_path: /path/to/your/storage/

  # Namespaces for MQTT and HASS if other than default.
  MQTT_namespace: mqtt
  HASS_namespace: hass

  # Lux sensors for lux control and constraint
  OutLux_sensor: sensor.lux_sensor
  OutLuxMQTT_2: zigbee2mqtt/OutdoorHueLux
  RoomLux_sensor: sensor.lux_sensor
  RoomLuxMQTT: zwave/KITCHEN_sensor/sensor_multilevel/endpoint_0/Illuminance

  # HA sensor for detection of rain. If rain is detected, it will raise lux constraint by * 1.5
  rain_sensor: sensor.netatmo_rain

  # Listen to sensors to update Lights when there is a change
  listen_sensors:
    - person.wife

  # Exclude the room from custom mode or allow motion detection during night
  options:
    - exclude_from_custom
    - night_motion

  # Motion sensors.
  # Input delay in seconds before light turns back from motion to 'mode' light
  # motion_constraints takes an if statement that must be true for motion to activate. Inherits Appdaemon API to self
    # Example from my kitchen:
    # "self.now_is_between('06:50:00', '23:00:00') and self.get_tracker_state('person.yourwife') == 'home' or self.get_state('switch.espresso') == 'on' "
  motion_sensors:
    - motion_sensor: binary_sensor.motion_sensor_home_security_motion_detection
      delay: 600
      motion_constraints: "self.now_is_between('06:30:00', '21:00:00')"
  MQTT_motion_sensors:
    - motion_sensor: zigbee2mqtt/
      delay: 600
      motion_constraints: "self.now_is_between('06:30:00', '21:00:00')"

  # Presence detection. Configuration is same as motion sensors
  # Sets mode as away for room if all trackers are not equal to 'home'.
  # Sets mode to presence if defined in light_modes or normal if not defined when returning home
  presence:
    - tracker: person.yourwife
      delay: 600
      tracker_constraints: "self.now_is_between('06:30:00', '22:00:00') "
    - tracker: person.yourself
      delay: 600
      tracker_constraints: "self.now_is_between('06:30:00', '22:00:00') "

  # Media players. Sorted by priority if more than one mediaplayer is defined in room. Can be any sensor or switch with on/off state
  # Define name of mode here and define light attributes in 'light_modes'
  mediaplayers:
    - mediaplayer: binary_sensor.yourXboxGamerTag
      mode: pc
    - mediaplayer: media_player.tv
      mode: tv

  # Configure lights and switches as Lights. Lights that dim with toggle is configured with 'ToggleLights' insted of 'Lights'
  MQTTLights:
    # Configure as many light with different settings you wish in a room and each lights configuration can have many lights/switches
    - lights:
      - zigbee2mqtt/hue1
      - zigbee2mqtt/hue2

      # Configure default light behaviour for 'normal' mode with automations. Not needed if you only want lux control on/off
      # Both Lux and Conditions need to be meet before lights turns on
      # 'time' can be both time with sunrise/sunset +- and fixed time
      # 'state' defines behavior:
      #     adjust: Does not turn on or off light but adjusts light_data on given time. Turn on/off with other modes or manual switch
      #     turn_off: Turns off light at given time
      #     No need to define 'state' in 'time' for the times you want light to turn on
      # 'light_data' can contain a set of attributes to be set to light: brightness, transition, color_temp, rgb_color, effect, etc
      automations:
      - time: '06:30:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 255
          effect: sunrise
      - time: '09:15:00'
        orLater: 'sunrise + 00:20:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 255
          effect: colorloop
      - time: 'sunrise + 01:30:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 120
          transition: 3
          color:
            x: 0.5075
            y: 0.4102
      - time: '22:00:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 80
          effect: fireplace
      - time: '22:01:00'
        dimrate: 2 # Will start to dim from previous brightness (80) - 1 per x minutes. In this case every 2 minutes.
        light_data:
          brightness: 10
          effect: fireplace
      - time: '23:00:00'
        state: turn_off

      # Configure motion lights same way as normal automations
      motionlights:
      - time: '06:30:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 160
      - time: '08:30:00'
        orLater: 'sunrise + 00:30:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 120
      - time: 'sunset - 00:30:00'
        orLater: '19:00:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 140
      - time: 'sunset + 00:30:00'
        light_data:
          brightness: 110
      - time: '23:00:00'
        state: turn_off # Turn off at given time even when motion.
        fixed: True

      # Define light modes to change light accordingly.
      # Modes can be configured with automations, light_data or state: turn_on, lux_controlled or turn_off
      # 'automations' is configured and functions the same as automations for normal with lux and conditions constraints
      # Most common use for automation in mode is 'normal' mode turn_off and 'motion' containing automation
      # 'light_data' can be used if you only want one setting to turn on light with given data
      #      Lux constrained but Conditions do not need to be met
      # 'state' defines behaviour:
      #     'turn_on' turns on light regardless of Lux and Conditions
      #     'lux_controlled' only keeps light on if lux is below lux_constraint
      #     'turn_off' Turns off light
      # 'offset' can be provided if state 'lux_controlled' or 'turn_on' is defined to increase or decrease brightness
      #      based on 'light_data' in normal automation
      light_modes:
        - mode: night_kid
          light_data:
            brightness: 10
        - mode: presence
          state: turn_on
        - mode: motion
          automations:
          - time: '00:00:00'
            light_data:
              brightness: 100
          - time: '04:00:00'
            light_data:
              brightness: 110
          - time: sunrise - 00:10:00
            light_data:
              brightness: 160
          - time: sunset + 00:30:00
            light_data:
              brightness: 60
        - mode: pc
          state: turn_off
        - mode: tv
          state: lux_controlled
          offset: -50

  ToggleLights:
    - lights:
      - switch.toggle_bulb
      toggle: 2 # On toggles to get desired dim
      num_dim_steps: 3 # Number of dim steps in bulb
      toggle_speed: 0.8 # Set time in seconds between each toggle
      light_modes:
        - mode: night
          toggle: 3
        - mode: gaming
          state: turn_off

      # Lux constraints will only check when a new update to light is sent, like motion/presence, media player on/off or normal mode
      # Lux turn on will send a new update to light if new lux detected is below set target
      # Lux turn off will send a new update to light if new lux detected is above set target
      lux_constraint: 12000
      lux_turn_on: 10000
      lux_turn_off: 12000
      room_lux_constraint: 100
      room_lux_turn_on: 80
      room_lux_turn_off: 100

      # Conditions as if statement to be meet for light to turn on at normal/morning/motion mode or with automations defined
      # Inherits Appdaemon Api as ADapi.
      conditions:
        - "self.ADapi.get_tracker_state('person.kid') == 'home'"
        - "self.ADapi.now_is_between('06:50:00', '23:30:00')"

Key definitions for defining app

Key definitions to add to motion and presence sensors

Key definitions to add to Lights