Start flow if %cloudyness is more than 80% after checking 3 times with 5 min in between each time

Flows
1

I want my Somfy sunscreen to close if the cloudyness is more than 80% during a timeframe. Is it possible to let Homey check this % multiple times, for example:

If
cloudyness more than 80%
After 5 minutes
cloudyness more than 80%
After 5 minutes
cloudyness more than 80%

Then
Close Sunscreen

2

Why not use the countdown timer app for 15 mins ?

If lower then 80% : turn hourglass 900 secconds

If hourglass is empty close sunscreen .

The hourglass wil be empty at 80% + because it will not be turned around.

Is there an app that updates cloud % accuratelly every 5 mins anyway ?

3

Thanks, I made an hourglass which starts a countdown from 600 seconds to 0 when cloudyness is 80%+. Then I made a second flow which closes the sunscreen when the hourglass reaches 0 AND cloudyness is still 80%+.

I use openweathermap to check for clouds.

4

Openweather is never accurate for me ( various locations near amsterdam)

Also its not updated in short timeframes. Meaning it can show 70% clouds … but raining with your sunscreen out.

I think you can better buy and use a light sensor.

5

I think a light sensor won’t fit the job. Determining the weather just can’t be done with a single light variable. For now, openweathermap, seems to predict the weather accurately enough for Zoetermeer. I also use data from buienradar and buienalarm for rain data and I installed the Somfy Eolis 3d for unpredicted windyness. I am thinking about adding a rainsensor for more accurate rain data. If needed I can add my garden doorsensor and garden movement sensor to the sunscreen flow so that the sunscreen won’t go out when no-one is in the garden. Do you know how many times per hour openweathermap updates it’s values? And did you try darkskyweather?

6

Sounds good :slight_smile:

Not sure how often … but actual in hillegom is now 7 mins old … lots can happen in 7 mins :slight_smile:

Never tried darksky … but openweather is highly inaccurate in predictions also. Temperature is always 3 to 6 degrees off in the 12 hour prediction for example. The warmer it actaually will become for real … the larger the difference… when it actually will be 30 degrees at schiphol predicted … OWM predicts it will be 23 degrees. Meaning a totally different result using it for my blinds for example.

1 Like
7

That’s a big difference indeed. For a sunscreen to work correctly, a prediction of the following ten minutes will be enough. I will check the following days how accurate the predictions are but my experience so far is positive.

8

Well now is a nice example :slight_smile:

Completely overcast but “actual” open weather is saying 40% clouds. Thats overcast … not a few scatered big clouds but here its completely packed and one closed sky. Also wheather pro is saying “zwaar bewolkt”

But you are correct and you should check how it works for you

9

I have a Netatmo rain gauge. This does not the job you want. It takes time to get a signal it is raining. It is accurate but to slow reporting it’s raining. At the point you get a notification, your screens are slightly wet. Not very, but for me that does not match my commands.