running tasks while Elk is armed

Am I missing something, or is it not possible to run tasks from the keypad while the unit is armed? I frequently find myself at home, armed to night mode, and can't access tasks from the keypad without first disarming the system.

Using an Elk Touchscreen, I just armed my system to night mode and then tried a few tasks (sprinklers, garage door, strobe) and everything works fine. I didn't need to disarm the system to run any of them.

I only have m1kp touchpads. I can execute tasks from the java control panel while armed, just not the m1kp. I hit the "Elk" menu button and nothing happens. I am not sure if the "f" keys work since I can never remember what I programmed them to do :unsure:

Lou Apo said:

I only have m1kp touchpads. I can execute tasks from the java control panel while armed, just not the m1kp. I hit the "Elk" menu button and nothing happens. I am not sure if the "f" keys work since I can never remember what I programmed them to do

Click to expand...

As per Elk tech support, the ELK buttons are disabled as soon as the panel is armed to meet UL certification. They have no plans to change this. The only way around it is to use touchscreen controls, the virtual keypads or a smart-phone app.

Eric

I believe the function keys are still active when armed.

Eric B said:

Lou Apo said:

I only have m1kp touchpads. I can execute tasks from the java control panel while armed, just not the m1kp. I hit the "Elk" menu button and nothing happens. I am not sure if the "f" keys work since I can never remember what I programmed them to do

Click to expand...

As per Elk tech support, the ELK buttons are disabled as soon as the panel is armed to meet UL certification. They have no plans to change this. The only way around it is to use touchscreen controls, the virtual keypads or a smart-phone app.

Eric

Click to expand...

OK, thanks for the info. I am sure UL has a reason for that rule, don't know what it is though.

Interesting - every day I hit Armed Away and then the F key that opens the garage door. Very convenient. So I just ran a test - put the system into "Stay" and waited for exit delay. I was able to use the F key that opens the garage with no problem. I'm running what is probably old firmware - 4.5.20.

-Chak

Eric B said:

Lou Apo said:

I only have m1kp touchpads. I can execute tasks from the java control panel while armed, just not the m1kp. I hit the "Elk" menu button and nothing happens. I am not sure if the "f" keys work since I can never remember what I programmed them to do

Click to expand...

As per Elk tech support, the ELK buttons are disabled as soon as the panel is armed to meet UL certification. They have no plans to change this. The only way around it is to use touchscreen controls, the virtual keypads or a smart-phone app.

Eric

Click to expand...

This does not seem right to me. If you are armed stay you would still want your panics to work. Not sure why UL would not permit that. You now have a key labeled Fire or Police panic and when you press the button it does not work if you are armed stay.

Obviously you dont want a false alarm if you push a function key and open the garage door if you are armed.

Digger said:

This does not seem right to me. If you are armed stay you would still want your panics to work. Not sure why UL would not permit that. You now have a key labeled Fire or Police panic and when you press the button it does not work if you are armed stay.

Obviously you dont want a false alarm if you push a function key and open the garage door if you are armed.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure about the F keys, but I assume that they still work. Elk only mentioned the ELK key - nothing about the F keys.

From ELK:
"Once the system is Armed UL mandated the “ELK†button be disabled which ELK can’t change without resubmitting for UL Testing."

Thanks,

Eric

Eric B said:

Digger said:

This does not seem right to me. If you are armed stay you would still want your panics to work. Not sure why UL would not permit that. You now have a key labeled Fire or Police panic and when you press the button it does not work if you are armed stay.

Obviously you dont want a false alarm if you push a function key and open the garage door if you are armed.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure about the F keys, but I assume that they still work. Elk only mentioned the ELK key - nothing about the F keys.

From ELK:
"Once the system is Armed UL mandated the “ELK†button be disabled which ELK can’t change without resubmitting for UL Testing."

Thanks,

Eric

Click to expand...

Ok if it is just the ELK Button it makes sense. You dont want the ability to change a system configuration with the system armed. Its similar to you would not want the ability to download to an armed panel and change the configuration.

When you had stated "buttons" and said F Keys I put one and one together and got three

It was before morning coffee

The "ELK" Key does not work when armed, so you can not access the end user or installer menus.

The Function keys 1-6 work all the time. They must work for panic alarms. You can program them as tasks to do things like open the garage door, etc.

Spanky said:

The "ELK" Key does not work when armed, so you can not access the end user or installer menus.

The Function keys 1-6 work all the time. They must work for panic alarms. You can program them as tasks to do things like open the garage door, etc.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation. It would be nice, however, if the "elk" key wasn't universally disabled. In other words, it would be nice if it let you scroll through all the menus and execute items that aren't system configuration things.

This is how I extended the capabilities of the keypad beyond the six function keys, regardless of arm state. It requires external automation. It works for me but it will not suit everyone.

Here is how it works. At the keypad, enter a numeric function code followed by a designated function key. When you do this, it activates the task or function associated with the numeric code. The function code list is on a small card inside the KP1 drop-down cover.

Here is how it is implemented. Entering the numeric code (the codes necessarily must be chosen not to match any user codes) generates an "invalid code" ASCII message (code=IC) which your automation code must trap and decode. Then, pressing the function key generates another ASCII message (KC) which is the signal to execute the code previously entered.

Lagerhead said:

This is how I extended the capabilities of the keypad beyond the six function keys, regardless of arm state. It requires external automation. It works for me but it will not suit everyone.

Click to expand...

What do you use for your external automation? HomeSeer? Something else?

Thanks,

Eric

Eric B said:

What do you use for your external automation? HomeSeer? Something else?

Click to expand...

I use a Barix Barionet with 100% homebrew custom code. It is described [topic="14064"]here[/topic]. You probably won't want to do exactly that. I share the concept knowing that many here are into the innards of their off-the-shelf HA systems and can adapt the idea.