detecting sunlight via sensor

[yvr76]

I've read some recommendations on this and a few different options have come up.  Basically I want action my blinds / lights during the daytime based on the amount of sunlight.  Looking at 3 options:

 

1. Open Weather Agent driver.  This is easiest, but weather forecast isn't always entirely accurate
2. Axxess Wireless Motion Sensor.  How sensitive is the lighting sensor on this?  i.e. I don't want my lights to go off in the morning on a cloudy day but if the sun is glaring then I would and to lower some blinds
3. Tempest Weather System w/WeatherFlow Tempest Control4 driver.  This is a pretty pricey option.

 

Any recommendations or other ideas?

[zaphod]

What about a temp sensor between the blinds and the window?  If it is about 20 degrees open the blinds (I am assuming that you use Celsius as you seem to be in Vancouver).

[South Africa C4 user]

Tempest is great but expensive if this is all you will use it for!

[jimbones]

If you're already in the Philips Hue ecosystem, then the Philips motion sensor does motion, temperature, and light intensity (lux). The driver seems well supported and the sensors can be found for ~$40. I've used them for this EXACT scenario: when light intensity reaches a certain level then draw the shades. Pretty easy peezy.

[Cyknight]

On the axxess - it has a good range on sensitivity settings. It'll take a bit of tweaking to get it to the level of your chioice - and yes that can be done using HE as the sensitivity setting is exposed there.

[Gary Leeds UK]

Hue motion sensor work great ~ we have 5 number