# Zone inactive for x minutes triggers, while there is motion, leaving me in the dark

**URL:** <https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657>\
**Category:** Flows\
**Created:** [May 10, 2024, 1:58pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657 "2024-05-10T13:58:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Rmb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rmb/32/79135_2.png) [@Rmb](https://community.homey.app/u/Rmb)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 6:12am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657/41 "2024-05-11T06:12:44Z")

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I am using simple flows.  
My problem is that sometimes the lights go out when I am still in the zone.  
By setting the zone inactivity from 1 to 2 minutes, I allow my motion sensors more time to send a “motion detected alarm”. I will have to see if that fixes my problem. Now I am logging all events, so when it happens I can see if it is due to the motion sensor.

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**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:** [May 11, 2024, 8:46am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657/42 "2024-05-11T08:46:54Z")

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Good work!

Phase A Motion travel  
One critical thing to understand is the time it takes from the moment you create motion to sensor activity in Homey. This depends on sensor hardware and network wifi/ZigBee/zwave. Imagine it’s 1 second.

Phase B Processing in Homey  
Motion sensor activity to zone activity. You’ve seen my measurements above for  
HP2023.  
In [HP2023 measurements](https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657/36) it’s about 100ms.  
In [HP2019 measurements](https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657/43) it’s about -5ms (minus 5ms)

CPU load dependent.

If during A and B, zone inactivity for xx minutes triggers, it’s too late and the light will go off.

xx=1 minute: 1.000-1.100s/60s chance  
xx=2 minutes: 1.000-1.100s/120s chance (smaller)

So naturally it’s best to set xx as high as possible.

So far I still do not see where Homey fails.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [May 12, 2024, 10:23am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/zone-inactive-for-x-minutes-triggers-while-there-is-motion-leaving-me-in-the-dark/109657/43 "2024-05-12T10:23:45Z")

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> [@Rrrr](#):
>
> Here are my measurements. I do not see where Homey fails (but I do not have the issue).  
> Homey: HP2023

Measurements for Homey 2019  
Homey: HP2019  
Sensor: **Hue motion sensor on Philips Hue app**

1. Zone activity is 1-5ms _before_ sensor motion
2. Zone inactivity is 1-5ms _before_ sensor inactivity.
3. Zone inactive for 1 min is 7-8ms _before_ 60s.

A surprising difference with the HP2023.  
Tested with both Simple flows and Advanced flows.  
It still does not mean there is an issue, though it would be useful to know if some of your motion sensors show motion for a full 60s before becoming inactive.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/3/2/32e1dd7a096eff01d9e04b2b19fb78b1e70befe6.png)

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