Presence and absence – making sensors and switches work together

Choose how the room should behave

Presence control can activate a scene when someone is detected and release that scene after detection stops and the linger period expires. Absence control starts with the user switching on manually; the sensor later removes manual control. Other active automation may then affect the result.

Presence/Absence can change between an occupied scene and a different state after the room is vacated, such as task lighting and a low background level. Both scenes must contain the same luminaires. This differs from manual switch-on with automatic switch-off.

Understand which command takes control

Casambi uses a control hierarchy when several commands affect the same luminaire. An ordinary manual switch or app action normally has higher priority than a presence sensor. This applies even when the manual choice uses a lower lighting level.

For example, someone selects Presentation while the sensor continues detecting movement. Presentation may remain active until manual control expires or the user chooses Resume automation. Agree this return behaviour with the customer rather than leaving an unknown default timeout.

Keep the different time settings separate

Several different timing settings affect the room's behaviour. Record the actual chosen values in the commissioning record.

• The sensor's own detection and reporting: determined by the selected sensor design and profile.
• Linger time: the wait after presence is no longer detected.
• Fade time: how gradually the light changes after the linger period.
• Absence timeout: how long the absence scene stays active. Without a timeout it may continue to block lower-priority commands.
• Manual timeout: how long a user's switch or app action takes priority according to the network settings.

Configure and test in this order

This guide explains the principle. Select a specific compatible sensor before specifying its pairing method, coverage, mounting height or any electrical connections.

1. Create and test the scenes required for the room. Include luminaires that should be off at a level of zero percent.
2. Open More → Sensors, select the actual sensor and choose the required function. Enable the control hierarchy if prompted.
3. Assign scenes and time settings. Check how manual control will be released and whether the absence scene needs its own timeout.
4. Resume automation before testing. Programming and test actions in the app may themselves have left manual control active.
5. Test entry, seated occupancy, leaving, re-entry and a manual scene selection. Check the result after every configured delay.
6. Test with the phone disconnected. Document the customer's automation button and the agreed behaviour after a manual off command.

If the sensor appears to be ignored

Check that the sensor is actually detecting presence, that the correct scenes are assigned and that no higher-priority command remains active. Change one setting at a time and repeat the same test. Increasing sensitivity or replacing a sensor will not release a blocking manual command.

Next steps