MOTION SENSOR 360 - KNX: TIMEOUTS

One of the very core concepts that it is essential to understand with our Motion Sensor 360 - KNX is the concept of a ‘timeout’. On a very basic example, where we have a single switched lighting circuit on a 5 minute timeout, what this means is; as soon as there is a gap of 5 minutes with no motion detected, the sensor will turn the lights off. Simple right… well, as ever, there is important detail in the technicalities at play, so let's take a closer look. 

When motion is sensed by the Motion Sensor 360 - KNX, the sensor will perform the configured "On Motion" action and also start a virtual ‘timer’ running. Every time the sensor detects motion, this timer is reset. If the room is then vacated, and the timer counts all the way down to zero, the sensor will then perform it’s ‘On Timeout’ action. 

On a basic configuration this might be to turn a single lighting circuit ‘off’ but as the Faradite Motion Sensor 360 - KNX is a very powerful device, a timeout elapsing may, in some instances, do something a little more interesting. 

The end of a timeout could revert a HVAC system to the ‘economy’ mode to save energy in empty rooms. When using the powerful ‘Constant light control’ function at a timeout elapsing the dimmer can be set to a standby dimming level for a set period of time before turning “OFF”, this creates a two stage timeout approach that gives a beautiful, ambient set back lighting scene in the room. Advanced users of KNX can also us the ‘advanced’ function type where any data type can be sent "On motion" and "On timeout", the various advanced data types are:

1Bit
1 Byte  unsigned
1 Byte percentage
1 Byte signed
2 Bytes unsigned
2 Byte signed
2 Byte DPT9 float
RGB 1 X 3 Byte object DPT 232.600
HVAC

So, although the Motion Sensor 360 - KNX is a powerful option for basic lighting control, consider also the many other options that can be sent on motion and importantly, after the timeout elapses.

The Motion Sensor 360 - KNX also supports setting a different timeout during the night compared to the day using the integrated day / night functionally. This can be useful in a bathroom where during the day you might want a 10 minute timeout but during the night this could reduce to say 2 minutes.