# Advanced flow for lights **URL:** \ **Category:** Flows\ **Tags:** advancedflow\ **Created:** [April 11, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065 "2024-04-11T20:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LasseRy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/lassery/32/104532_2.png) [@LasseRy](https://community.homey.app/u/LasseRy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/1 "2024-04-11T20:25:54Z")
Hi, I’m new to this and like to have som help to get started. Want to turn lights on when motion is trigged and keep them on when someone is in the room, but when they leave the room the light should turn of after 3 min, don’t’ understand how to do the countdown. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Dijker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dijker](https://community.homey.app/u/Dijker)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/2 "2024-04-11T21:08:01Z")
> First of all, welcome to the Homey Community! > > To make sure you are aware of the forum rules, please read the _ **Welcome to the forum!** _ post [here](https://community.homey.app/t/welcome-to-the-forum/31). ---
**Author:** ![Dijker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dijker](https://community.homey.app/u/Dijker)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/3 "2024-04-11T21:09:53Z")
Please look at fe [[Tutorial] Simple movement-triggered automatic light with zone activity cards (just 2 flows!)](https://community.homey.app/t/tutorial-simple-movement-triggered-automatic-light-with-zone-activity-cards-just-2-flows/39651) ---
**Author:** ![Rrrr](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rrrr/32/629_2.png) [@Rrrr](https://community.homey.app/u/Rrrr)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 6:16am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/4 "2024-04-12T06:16:09Z")
Amazing example, I like it! Here is the short advanced flow format for your question. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/f/b/fbb2e03be493abcdc20f087a54dea1ed984d527b.png) ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_McAtear](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/jim_mcatear/32/96184_2.png) [@Jim\_McAtear](https://community.homey.app/u/Jim_McAtear)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 7:54am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/5 "2024-04-12T07:54:29Z")
Hi try watch this video, it very good and your lights will work well . Works using the countdown app as shown in the video or the chronograph app, which is what I use. [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/9/d/9d040438027e1cdcab16d3a5fa02c9d390711df1.jpeg "Motion sensors the right way - Smarter Homey") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VYkhSW5NTU) ---
**Author:** ![LasseRy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/lassery/32/104532_2.png) [@LasseRy](https://community.homey.app/u/LasseRy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/6 "2024-04-14T14:02:46Z")
@Jim_McAtear Thanks, it was exactly that I was looking for. ---
**Author:** ![newhouses](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/newhouses/32/39553_2.png) [@newhouses](https://community.homey.app/u/newhouses)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/7 "2024-04-17T16:06:27Z")
Hi Jim, Tom here. Keep in mind that a hue sensor only reports the lux value every couple of minutes! This is because the battery will be empty soon. So for this i use a sensor that can use a power adapter. Then you can set the report time to seconds if you want. Furthermore keep in mind that if you turn on a light the lux value will increase. This can also be an issue in combination with the report time. I prefer using the activity function of homey. This means you will have to make zones or rooms in your house. No countdown app needed. Less traffic on homey, always better. The delay can be set within homey but with 0, 1, 5 minutes etc. So 2 minutes is not possible. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_McAtear](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/jim_mcatear/32/96184_2.png) [@Jim\_McAtear](https://community.homey.app/u/Jim_McAtear)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/8 "2024-04-17T16:22:51Z")
Hi Tom . Yes I use zone became active and zone became inactive for in my flow for my living room lights.really need to use a presence sensor instead of motion one. ---
**Author:** ![LasseRy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/lassery/32/104532_2.png) [@LasseRy](https://community.homey.app/u/LasseRy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/9 "2024-07-31T13:16:39Z")
Hi again, Is there any other timers that I can use instead of the CountDown? Like to try other ways to do the same thing and see if it works better. For me the CountDown works almost every time, but sometimes the light wont turn off after the zone have been inactive, so therefore I would like to try another way. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 2:23pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/10 "2024-07-31T14:23:59Z")
> [@LasseRy](#): > > light wont turn off after the zone have been inactive When you use the “zone inactive for x minutes” card, it is buggy. Not for everyone, but I’ve had the same issue as you mentioned. I use “zone is inactive” + Chronograph timers with almost no issues: > [@The Flow Exchange(r) - Exchange Your Flows with Others!](https://community.homey.app/t/the-flow-exchange-r-exchange-your-flows-with-others/68981/8): > > ![Screenshot from 2022-09-21 00-48-34](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/2/a/2aa742727e50bc75f1e9b207663d1b8b84560c32.png) ---
**Author:** ![LasseRy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/lassery/32/104532_2.png) [@LasseRy](https://community.homey.app/u/LasseRy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/11 "2024-08-05T21:39:40Z")
@Peter_Kawa Thanks I’m starting all over and is trying your suggestion with “zone is inactive” and Chronograph, so far it has done what I want. - Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Blebbens](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/blebbens/32/79404_2.png) [@Blebbens](https://community.homey.app/u/Blebbens)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 7:36am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/advanced-flow-for-lights/108065/12 "2026-05-25T07:36:49Z")
Which presence sensor works fine for this situation ?