New to UPB

I just installed my first Simply Automated UPB device, a rocker switch, and was surprised to learn that you can not program the switch to go on and off automatically based on time of day. I assumed that there would be a time of day clock in the devices. Am I correct about this or is the switch capable of going on and off automatically?
 
I do plan to control the UPB from my Elk but don't have the ELK-M1PCSPIM interface yet.
 
Mike.
 

The switches themsleves do not include a clock or astronomical calendar. 
They only respond to links and other commands.
You need a UPB timer or other controller to send time based or other condition based commands.  
Some have countdown timers that will turn off automatically after a pre set period of time.  But they must be turned on manually or via a link form another source.
 
The ELK can do this with no problem.

Desert_AIP said:

The switches themsleves do not include a clock or astronomical calendar. 
They only respond to links and other commands.
You need a UPB timer or other controller to send time based or other condition based commands.  
Some have countdown timers that will turn off automatically after a pre set period of time.  But they must be turned on manually or via a link form another source.
 
The ELK can do this with no problem.

Click to expand...

 
Yes I'mgetting familiar with Elk rules and have no doubt that I can do what I want when I get the Elk - UPB interface. I wasn't aware of a UPB timer, good to know.
 
Mike.

One of the little handheld UPB timers also has a vacation mode which isn't inherent in the M1 and could be handy; in addition you could intall Elve for free if you have a machine running and hook up your PIM and it can do time of day schedules and automatically adjusting schedules based on your GPS coordinates so it automatically adjusts for sunset and sunrise year round.

Work2Play said:

One of the little handheld UPB timers also has a vacation mode which isn't inherent in the M1 and could be handy; in addition you could intall Elve for free if you have a machine running and hook up your PIM and it can do time of day schedules and automatically adjusting schedules based on your GPS coordinates so it automatically adjusts for sunset and sunrise year round.

Click to expand...

The Elk is also capable of determining sunrise and sunset which is the first funtion that I will use with some exterior lights. I also want the UPB to turn on lights in an alarm situation. If there is a violation in the garage I plan to open all three bay doors and flood the place with light in addtion to making a lot of noise. Then a few minutes later I can have the doors close again. Other than that I don't plan to get too fancy with lighting automation.
 
Mike.

I don't know if opening up the OHD's in the event of an alarm is a good idea....all it's doing (although lighting is coming on) is providing a large view and access to the space. If I caught a system that did that sort of action upon an alarm, then that would be the route I would access the space....it made it that much easier to move materials in and out faster. Foam the outdoor horn and for most intents and purposes, it's a done game, even with a cell (just bought a little time).
 
I put outdoor sounders within the realm of the car alarm....people ignore them 99% of the time (not discounting an overly nosy neighbor) until they impact the quality of life, so to speak.

Once they are inside they can open the doors themselves anyways

I'll just say I believe that to not be a good idea to use in practice.
 
Just need to cause an alarm and the system opens the OHD's.....with enough (say 5 mins worth of time) it's easy enough to coorelate the two and then it's easier to negate the system so the outward appearance looks normal to anyone responding. There were a huge rash of break ins via OHD's a couple of years back in your general area, and the national's were installing PIR's in the spaces like they were going out of style. They also falsed a lot! The responding areas would suspend any form of dispatch unless there were perimeter based sensors installed and monitored or the system was verified for response.
 
The perps were either breaking out the window at the top of the OHD or using a coathanger to grab the emerg release cord and forcing the door open. In your case, that's what I'd do if the alarm went off and the OHD's opened, assuming I tripped a contact (but I believe you were installing motions). Wait for OHD to open, then pull emerg release and then I'm in and the responders will chalk the alarm up to a false based on the motions within the garage.
 
Usually the last thing you want to do is open or expose more items than you are intending on securing. All it takes is a single inadvertent false on your behalf and you negated your own security system.

mikefamig said:

The Elk is also capable of determining sunrise and sunset which is the first funtion that I will use with some exterior lights. I also want the UPB to turn on lights in an alarm situation. If there is a violation in the garage I plan to open all three bay doors and flood the place with light in addtion to making a lot of noise. Then a few minutes later I can have the doors close again. Other than that I don't plan to get too fancy with lighting automation.
 
Mike.

Click to expand...

Yes - I do this today and didn't mean to imply it couldn't be done otherwise.

I use the little wall timer as a vacation timer too.
You can program in a separate set of commands to simulate the manual on/off of activity.
Each command can have different times and days (up to 99 entries) and there is a random number generator that will offset the program by a different random period each day + or - up to 20 minutes.
Once programmed you just activate or deactivate vacation mode.
 
I've since replaced it with a RUC which has the same functions as the timer, plus many additional functions.
But the wall timer is very useful for the vacation function.