Gradually increase light level via automation block

[grawil]

Does anyone have an elegant way to gradually increase the light level over a period of 10 minutes in an automation block? The idea is to turn on the bedroom lights in my kids room gradually when their alarm starts in an effort to get them to wake...

 

[drvnbysound]

I don't have the programming experience with PC Access to know what's specifically available, but I'll give a psuedo idea: 
 
Whenever 6:45AM set Wake Counter to 1
 
Whenever Wake Counter is 1
- Then Turn on light to 25%
 
Whenever every second
- And wake counter not = 0 
- Increment counter 
 
Whenever wake counter is 600
- Turn light on to 35% 
 
Whenever wake counter is 1200
- Turn light on to 45% 
 
Whenever wake counter is 10,000
- set wake counter to 0

 

[ano]

If you have UPB, that can do everything for you. Set a link to turn on a light over a 10 minute period in the light switch. then the Omni just sends one simple link, and the light switch does the rest. 

 

[Desert_AIP]

Came to post ano's answer.
 
It's really simple and really works well.
I use it in our Master Bath to ramp up the lights as I'm showering because I hate the shock of the instant bright lights when I first wake up. 

 

[grawil]

Excellent. I just installed some new UPB switches and have not played with the 'links' yet.
 
Can anyone describe in more detail how to set this up in upstart/pca?

 

[ano]

Excellent. I just installed some new UPB switches and have not played with the 'links' yet.
 
Can anyone describe in more detail how to set this up in upstart/pca?

So with UPB, and an Omni controller, there is really two ways it can work.  Straight UPB or Leviton's modified UPB called HLC (HAI Lighting Control)  If you do have Leviton UPB switches, you should at least investigate HCL.  If not, regular UPB works, but HCL is nice if you set it up like it was intended. UPB switches are normally programmed with UPStart, and get your free copy from PCS as its the most current. (They do make you register for free.) In HCL, the Omni can actually program the switches, and UPStart is used after to make tweaks.

 

[drvnbysound]

ano, 
 
Can you go into detail as to how this would be programmed via PC Access and/or UPStart? 
 
Obviously, UPStart is used to program/modify the UPB network, but what parts of this (turn lights on and ramp) would you do in UPStart vs. PC Access? 
 
Is it: Program Link w/ ramp time in UPStart, and program trigger (WHENEVER 6:45AM) in PC Access? Something different? 

 

[grawil]

I have upstart and I've used it to make minor modifications to the switch settings (i.e. single/double tap, Report light level after rocker switch is pressed) but nothing more at this point. I've not played with 'links' in either upstart or PCA.
 
I found some info on the Simply Automated regarding Controlling and updating status of non-HLC UPB devices (pdf) that may be related as it shows how to setup rooms/links in upstart.
 
I'm not desperate for this, but if anyone has some time and is willing to write out some examples of working with upstart and PCA I'd really appreciate it. The little I can find online is out of date.

 

[ano]

ano, 
 
Can you go into detail as to how this would be programmed via PC Access and/or UPStart? 
 
Obviously, UPStart is used to program/modify the UPB network, but what parts of this (turn lights on and ramp) would you do in UPStart vs. PC Access? 
 
Is it: Program Link w/ ramp time in UPStart, and program trigger (WHENEVER 6:45AM) in PC Access? Something different? 

Lets look at your dimming example.  First you have to use UPStart to program a switch so that it responds to a link.  This requires two things.  First create the link name in UPStart, then program the switch to respond to the link by dimming up for 10 minutes. UPStart call llinks "scenes" so use UPStart to create a new scene we will called wake. These scenes are just names for the 250 or so numbered links.  Lets say we name scene 100 the name "wake." 
 
Scenes/links by themselves don't do anything, so you have to program the switch what to do when it is told to perform a scene.  For the switch you want to program, go to the area called "Receive Components" in UPStart for the switch you want to program.  You will see 16 scenes that the switch can be programed to receive.  On the left of the first scene, select the "wake" you created previously. On the right pick what the switch should do when it receives it.  Form "level" put 100%, for "fade rate" put 10 minutes. For "timer" put off.  Now program the switch with this information.  Once programed you are done with UPStart. 
 
So now go to PCAccess. If you want the Omni to send the scene/link to the switch you have to create some programming to do so.  First, make sure the UPStart settings of UPB network and UPB password are the same in the Omni as they are in UPStart and make sure the Omni has these set in setup.  Next since you use scene/link 100 in UPStart, you have to tell the Omni as well that scene/link 100 is your wake link. You do that in PCAccess in setup, scenes, UPB links.  Go to 100 and name it Wake. 
 
So you defined scene/link 100 in UPStart as wake. You have programmed the switch to brighten the light up for 10 minutes when it receives "wake." Then you have programmed in the OMNI the link "wake."  Finally in your OMNI programming, you have to have the OMNI send the "wake" link.  You do that with the action "UPB link"  Send a "UPB link" on, and the switch will receive it and brighten for 10 minutes. 
 
This may seem complex, but its not that bad. Just remember that the switches and the OMNI have to be programmed before they will work.

 

[drvnbysound]

Wow, wasn't quite thinking/asking for detail down to that level, but thanks! I'm sure that those who have never done this will appreciate it. 
 
I have an Elk panel, but I can certainly glean insight from what you provided and likely apply that as I'm probably going to go with UPB in our new [to us] home.