Control dimmer using push button

Flows
1

Hi everyone, newbie here! Got my Homey Pro working with a bunch of switches, made a few simple flows that actually work and make me feel happy.

Now I’m experimenting with a Robb smarrt 4 button wall unit. Works fine for switching things on and off. But I now want one pair of buttons to control a dimmable light, using an Everspring AD147 dimmer plug (and later maybe a Fibaro dimmer for another light).

For each of the buttons In the wall unit’s ‘Scene activated’ card I can choose between

  • ‘pressed once’-
  • ‘pressed longer’
  • ‘released’.

I want to dim, so I go for ‘pressed longer’. But what to do next? In the ‘Then…’ section the dimmer gives me five cards to choose from:

  • Dim to…
  • Relative dimming level…
  • Switch on
  • Switch off
  • Switch on/off

Should be the first or second, I presume. But in both I have to enter a number. And what I want is the value to step up or down until the button is released. Can’t think of a way to get that done…

Help very much appreciated!

(All options mentioned I have translated from Dutch; don’t know the English versions. Let me know if you want to help me and need screenshots.)

2

Have a look here:

3

Er is ook een Nederlands deel op dit forum: 🇳🇱 Nederlands (Dutch) - Homey Community Forum voor alleen Nederlands, maar dan mis je alle niet Nederlandse commentaren.

4

Short version without extra apps:

Create a variable “DimmingStatus” with YES/NO.

Flow 1:
IF
pressed longer
THEN
Start Flow2

Flow 2:
IF
Flow is started
AND
DimmingStatus = NO
THEN
Set relative dimming level -5% (or -10% if you want to dim faster)
Start Flow2 (so the same flow) after 1 second
ELSE
Set relative dimming level +5% (or +10% if you want to dim faster)
Start Flow2 (so the same flow) after 1 second

Flow 3:
IF
Released
THEN
Stop/Disable Flow 2
Toggle variable DimmingStatus YES <> NO
Enable Flow 2 after 2 seconds

1 Like
5

Thank you! So this brings me to the next level: multiple interacting flows…

I’ll certainly try this as soon as I get the chance, will post results.

6

This next level can become complexe. Some time ago I shared how I structure my flows in such a way that you be able to keep an overview even with interacting flows.
Hope it helps…

7

another thread:

8

Well, I tried but the results are not ideal. After a few steps the dimming stops. Then for a while the dimmer (Fibaro) quits responding at all, cannot even switch it off, and Homey starts throwing error messages. Looks like it cannot keep up with all these commands.

For now I’ll keep using my phone to change the dimming level. Don’t need to do that very often so it’s not a real problem.

9

It’s true that you have to give it some time so switch it’s variable. So it’s not the same like when the button is directly connected the dimmer in which case you can push the button and release and push it immediately again. Maybe share your flows here so we can have a look at it?
I’m not sure if the Robb smart button and your dimmer are both Z-wave? Because then you could also use associations (I think). But let’s start of with sharing them flows :slight_smile:

1 Like
10

Hi Didier, thanks for reacting so quickly (faster than Homey…)! Sharing the flows will take a little time since I have deleted them – the dimmer kept giving trouble and I suspected the flow(s) just wouldn’t quit anymore. I’ll post them when I got the time to make them again!

In the meantime I can assure you the button unit and the dimmer are both Z-wave. Here’s the descriptions from the shop where I got them: