Home automation scene limited to turn off after maximum 4 hours. Is there a workaround to make this a specific time?

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Level 1

5 points

Home automation scene limited to turn off after maximum 4 hours. Is there a workaround to make this a specific time?

Anyone got a work around for this? I want a scene to turn on 4 smart plugs for lamps at sunset, but want them on for more time than the 4 hour limit, eg off at 2300. I’ve tried setting the on time to sunset with off time as never, and then setting another automation to on at 2300 and off a minute later (I can’t find a setting that is just off - you have to set on first as far as I can see) but they just stay on and never turn off.

Why is automation limited to an arbitrary 4 hours only?
Will Apple ever allow a random on off function to make the lamps appear to be more human controlled?
Is there a work around that allows switch on at sunset, then switch off at a specific time later on that day?

Thank you everyone in advance!

iPhone 15 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on Nov 1, 2024 1:30 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

274,264 points

Nov 1, 2024 9:57 AM in response to chapelbarn

You should be able to use multiple automations, each of which sets a scene with no later on or off time. I have one that sets a particular scene at sunset (wish I could do sunset - 30 mins for example because I don't think it happens early enough), another that changes the colours later in the evening at a fixed time (but not if I'm home, and again I agree that adding some randomness to this would be nice) and finally one that turns the lights off later on if I haven't come home, but which roughly corresponds to the time I would turn them off if I were.

tt2

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Answer 2

chapelbarn Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 6, 2024 12:49 AM in response to turingtest2

Thank you. I will try setting the automation scene to on at sunset, off never and will add a new one to be off at specific time later on (more than 4 hours after the previous) and off to never. It doesn’t work if I use the test facility (they switch on when I test the sunset function, but stay on when I test the second (off) automaton, but Ill let you know if this works when I run both scenes. Many thanks

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

274,264 points

Nov 6, 2024 2:00 AM in response to chapelbarn

You're welcome. In lieu of the ability to add some randomness to the off time you can again create more than one of these and assign them to different days of the week, e.g. leave the lights on longer on say Friday & Saturday nights.

tt2

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