How to Tune Your EPL Sensor
How to Tune Your EPL Sensor
How to Tune Your EPL Sensor
How to Tune Your EPL Sensor
The EPL mmWave sensor is highly sensitive compared to traditional PIR motion sensors. To ensure accurate occupancy detection and reduce false triggers, follow this guide to adjust its placement and settings.
New to presence sensors? Check the Glossary of Terms for explanations of common terminology.
Sensor Placement
Proper placement is crucial for reliable performance. Consider the following guidelines:
Mount on a sturdy surface: Attach the sensor to a wall or a stable object like a shelf or cabinet. mmWave sensors can detect extremely fine movements, so an unstable surface may introduce false detections.
Avoid vibration sources: Do not place the sensor on objects that may vibrate, such as an air-conditioning unit. Even small vibrations can be detected as movement.
Keep away from moving objects: Placing the sensor near frequently moving objects, such as curtains, plants, or ceiling fans, can lead to unintended detections.
Be aware of penetration effects: The mmWave sensor can detect motion through thin walls. If placed too close to a thin partition, it may pick up activity from an adjacent room.
Adjusting Detection Distance
After placement, adjust the sensor's detection range:
Match distance to room size: Set the Max Distance to approximately the size of your room. If set too short, you'll miss detections. If set too long, you may detect through walls.
Avoid excessive range: The maximum range is 6m, but detection of subtle movements decreases at longer distances.
Use a rough estimate: A general approximation within 0.5m is sufficient.
Tuning Occupancy Off Delay
The Occupancy Off Delay controls how long the sensor waits before reporting "clear" after losing detection.
Recommended settings:
15-30 seconds: Good starting point for most rooms
60+ seconds: For areas where people sit still for long periods
5-10 seconds: Only for high-traffic areas where quick response is needed
If lights turn off while you're still in the room, increase the Occupancy Off Delay.
Using the Zone Configurator
The Everything Presence Zone Configurator is invaluable for tuning. Use it to:
See real-time tracking - Watch where targets are detected
Identify problem areas - See if detections occur outside your room
Set up zones - Create detection areas for specific locations
Configure masks - Exclude areas causing false positives
Open the Zone Configurator while tuning to see exactly what the sensor detects in real-time.
Excluding Problem Areas with Occupancy Masks
If you have areas causing false triggers (ceiling fans, windows, adjacent rooms through walls), use Occupancy Masks to exclude them:
Open the Zone Configurator
Identify the problem area coordinates
Set up an Occupancy Mask covering that area
Detections in the masked area will be ignored
See Occupancy Masks for detailed setup.
Adjusting Installation Angle
If your EPL isn't mounted parallel to the wall (angled up, down, or sideways), use the Installation Angle setting to compensate:
Adjust from -45° to +45°
This virtually rotates the sensor's coordinate system
Essential for accurate zone positioning when the sensor is tilted
Adjust this setting while watching the Zone Configurator to see the effect in real-time.
Handling Stale Targets
Sometimes the sensor "holds onto" a target after they've left, especially if they exit through a blind spot.
Enable Stale Target Reset:
Turn on the Stale Target Reset switch
Set Stale Target Reset Timeout (default: 3 seconds)
Targets that don't move for this duration will be cleared
Don't set the timeout too low, or you may clear targets that are genuinely still (e.g., someone reading quietly).
Reducing Home Assistant Load
If the EPL generates too much data for your Home Assistant instance, adjust Tracking Behaviour:
Setting | What it reports | Use case |
|---|---|---|
None | Only main occupancy | Simplest, lowest load |
Targets Position | X/Y coordinates | Required for zones |
+Zone Count | Above + zone counts | Zone automations |
+Targets Active | Above + target status | Debugging |
+Distance/Angle | Above + distance/angle | Advanced tracking |
+Speed/Resolution | Everything | Full diagnostics |
Recommendation: Use "Above + Zone Count" for most users with zones configured.
Recommended Tuning Process
Start with placement - Mount securely, away from moving objects
Set Max Distance - Match to your room size
Open Zone Configurator - Watch real-time detections
Identify problems - Note any false detections or blind spots
Add Occupancy Masks - Exclude problem areas
Set up Zones - If needed for specific area detection
Adjust Off Delay - Increase if clearing too quickly
Enable Stale Target Reset - If targets get "stuck"
Related Resources
Home Assistant Entities - All EPL entities and settings
Automation Examples - Create automations with your tuned sensor
Zone Configurator - Visual zone setup and debugging
Technical Entity Reference - Complete list of all EPL entities with defaults and ranges
Best Practices: Room-by-Room Setup Guide - Recommended settings for different room types
Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
If You Still Need Help
If you're still having trouble tuning your device, join us on Discord to discuss with the community.