Light schedule - Dusk/Dawn

Owned by Katarzyna Stodolny
Last updated: May 13, 2024 by Joanna Kozakiewicz
3 min read

Define actions based on pre-defined schedules using the Light Scheduler node. This functionality is based on astronomical hours of dusks and dawns.

Import the ready made flow using the instructions here: or follow the instructions below.

[{"id":"2dd64d2ffc858f6c","type":"light-scheduler","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","settings":"b17a207d2a6309f3","events":"[{\"start\":{\"dow\":1,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":2,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":2,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":3,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":3,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":4,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":4,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":5,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":5,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":6,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":6,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":0,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":0,\"mod\":1270},\"end\":{\"dow\":1,\"mod\":0}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":1,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":1,\"mod\":365}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":2,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":2,\"mod\":365}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":4,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":4,\"mod\":365}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":3,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":3,\"mod\":365}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":5,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":5,\"mod\":365}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":6,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":6,\"mod\":365}},{\"start\":{\"dow\":0,\"mod\":0},\"end\":{\"dow\":0,\"mod\":365}}]","topic":"","name":"","onPayload":"100","onPayloadType":"num","offPayload":"0","offPayloadType":"num","onlyWhenDark":true,"scheduleRndMax":"","sunElevationThreshold":"-18","sunShowElevationInStatus":true,"outputfreq":"output.statechange.startup","x":740,"y":340,"wires":[["4aef42ead51468c5"]]},{"id":"5f0490d247784132","type":"vertex cluster","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","rate":90,"x":1250,"y":340,"wires":[]},{"id":"2e6a0a7c7e7138e4","type":"comment","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","name":"Setting shedule","info":"","x":740,"y":300,"wires":[]},{"id":"c0276ce44e5a63dc","type":"comment","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","name":"Direct value","info":"","x":990,"y":300,"wires":[]},{"id":"4aef42ead51468c5","type":"vertex action","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","name":"","typeButton":"directv","bPayload":{"action":"setbrightness","group":"3f27ccfea1c114f791557e1328f9d924","param":0,"priority":"254"},"bState":"","defaultpriority":true,"x":990,"y":340,"wires":[["5f0490d247784132"]]},{"id":"1d0882e570252d87","type":"inject","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","v":"","vt":"date"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":true,"onceDelay":"10","topic":"","payload":"light-only","payloadType":"str","x":320,"y":340,"wires":[["2dd64d2ffc858f6c"]]},{"id":"6652701141623cd0","type":"comment","z":"ab392f0dc3f60eae","name":"Inject with light-only payload and timestamp topic","info":"","x":420,"y":300,"wires":[]},{"id":"b17a207d2a6309f3","type":"light-scheduler-settings","name":"test","latitude":"50.049272","longitude":"19.957367"}]

Step-by-step instructions

Find the following nodes in the palette on the left side of the Node-RED, drag them to your workspace and connect them as shown.

  • Light Scheduler

  • inject

  • vertex action

  • vertex cluster

 

Configure Light Scheduler settings:  

a. Global settings: select the icon with a pen [1] and set the name, longitude, and latitude of your location [2].  

 

 

b. Output settings: Mark "Output," "On Payload," and "Off Payload" as shown below [3]. Make sure to mark the type of variable as number [4].  

 

 

c. Only When Dark: Enable the "Only When Dark" option [5].  

d. Threshold: Set the threshold to -18° for astronomical dusk/dawn [6]. 

 

 

Go to the inject node and set payload to “light-only”, topic to “date” [7] and set the repeat interval to your desired frequency [8]. 

 

 

Go to the vertex action node and choose direct value [9] mode with action set brightness (scale percent) [10]. Specify the group of lights you want to control [11].

Link all the nodes and select the Deploy button.

Light Scheduler sends it’s message on every vertex in cluster. When there is lot of vertexes on site it could cause heavy traffic on dali bus. So in this situation remember to use Filter by Vertex node before the Vertex Cluster node. It will limit message from scheduler to one vertex using the provided MAC address.