M1 Gold Email alerts to phone (self-monitor)

[hotpuppy]

I'm looking for some help in teaching my Elk it's first dog trick.  I am still in the process of wiring the house, but I'd like to start self-monitoring.  I am an IT Manager by trade and can program and do PCB design/fab as well.
 
I currently have an M1 Gold with XEP connected to the network.
I have it configured with gmail and it can send test emails to me.
 
I have checked manuals, searched this site, and googled but cannot locate information on how to configure it to send me alerts/alarms.  What am I missing?
 
If someone knows of a post or instructions on how to do this I'm open to a link.
 
Thanks

 

[sda]

You're missing a rule.

Whenever any alarm any area turns on
  then send email message 1 to [email protected] (email 1)
 
email addresses and messages are defined in xep config

 

[hotpuppy]

Ah, thank you.  I'll look at that today.
 
I disabled all the rules in the "example" template to avoid any surprises.  
 
In the XEP config, how do people typically use the "messages".
 
In my mind there should be two semi-definable variables.
Subject: <Alarm ID> <Alarm Summary>
Message: <Alarm Zone> <Date/time> <duration if repetitive> <photo or other meaningful data>
 
From the looks of it, Subject is the name of the alarm
Is message really just whatever is typed in... i.e. "Aliens have landed, they took the cheese." followed by a zone ID / name?
 
I think maybe this is my programming and IT background that is accustomed to sophisticated alerts from servers and hardware.
 
example IT alert:
Subject: Server room high temp alarm, 4th floor
message: 90 degree condition, 85 degree threshhold, duration 2 hours.  Climbing.
 
Thanks again - this points me in the right direction.  
 
So far yesterday we got 16 zones hooked up and labeled.  Took a bit to get our heads around EOL resistors.  Only thing that stopped us was that my input expander is sitting at Automated Outlet in Houston.    I need to pick it up this week, didn't make it by there Friday.
 
I did get a Remote Power Supply installed with a battery and on the bus.  That was simple and easy.  I'm using it as a supervised auxillary power supply.  I anticipate having a good number of toys / devices / etc and want the system to run properly.  The ethernet interface is powered from the control in order to ensure it has battery and doesn't go offline during a power event.  Yes, the rest of my network will be hardened.  I use TrippLite 1200-1500VA UPS units.  My network closet will have one in it to run my Intel NUC ESX server, a hub or three, and the router and modem.  All of that should run for at least an hour on a UPS.  

 

[tmbrown97]

The Elk's built in email functionality is extremely limited.  It can't even do a dynamic zone definition... you can pre-program 16 emails but they're 100% static - the recipient and all the content.  It's a shortcoming of the system.
 
Re: EOL resistors... I hope you're not bothering with them in the panel... if they're not properly installed at the sensor, then just disable them per zone.  To be honest, most residential installs don't use EOL - but if you can do it, then it's certainly not a bad thing to include them as long as you do it right.

 

[hotpuppy]

The Elk's built in email functionality is extremely limited.  It can't even do a dynamic zone definition... you can pre-program 16 emails but they're 100% static - the recipient and all the content.  It's a shortcoming of the system.
 
Re: EOL resistors... I hope you're not bothering with them in the panel... if they're not properly installed at the sensor, then just disable them per zone.  To be honest, most residential installs don't use EOL - but if you can do it, then it's certainly not a bad thing to include them as long as you do it right.

Haha, no my EOL's are at the sensors.  All the walls are open.  It's mainly to be able to sense wiring faults.  I thought about the tamper config and decided it was way more hassle.  While my house is precious to me, I don't have stacks of gold in the basement.  Heck, I don't even have a basement.  lol.
 
I would have gone wireless if I wasn't already opening the walls and re-wiring.  It was just convenient to put a sensor on every window because they were being replaced.  Of course, I also like to do things right.... and I like control and lots of information.  I had a DSC 832 with X10 integration in my last house.  This is a pretty big leap forward in terms of programming and management.
 
Too bad the XEP is such a primitive device.  Embedded automation is one of my interests and I've commercialized a couple of projects, I understand why Elk is using the Digi port and config they are using.  

 

[video321]

FWIW... I have my emails going to my cell via text.
I also have the system send me a notification every morning at 8 as a way to make sure it's always working.

 

[hotpuppy]

Great idea Video321.  
 
I'm really disappointed that for $250 all Elk can deliver is canned email.  Heck a stupid RasberryPi has more computing horsepower and a serial port for under $50.
 
I am also a tad bit irritated that the rules capability doesn't allow access to data or system variables.  The lack of "OR" is annoying too.
 
Example rule I would write:
 
Whenever the time is 0800 OR 1600 OR 2300
then send an email to email1 with {KP1:Temperature}
 
Yea, I know it's strange to monitor the temperature..... but right now I'm working on the house and I'm really curious what the temperature swings are in the house.    
 
It just means that the Elk is a good security system with some home automation dog tricks.  I'll still wind up building some custom stuff to do what I want for Aquarium and Pool management.  
 
If you want to check out my projects you can visit www.nanohawk.com  It's mothballed until I finish the house.  I work with the Arduino platform and run my development as openhardware and opensource.  My next objective in Nanohawk is to make Tinytimer have an ethernet interface.

 

[ddennerline]

Elk does support an "OR" rule - just not in same way as high level language. The "OR" clause can be replicated multiple times.
 
ElkRP is a simple Boolean language, and it does require some creativity when writing rules. Rules must be broken into inputs/outputs. Multiple rules may be required to achieve a specific goal.
 
As a side-bar, ElkRP has a few programmable counters which support comparison operators, so a temperature value can be transferred to counter. Then subsequent math/compare operations performed on value.

 

[tmbrown97]

There are simple solutions; Elve is now free and can do a ton of automation; or as you mentioned, the RPi...  I'm actually waiting for one of us to get fed up and write some stuff so a Pi can hook to an M1G and add in a new web interface and a whole lot of dynamic email notification capabilities.  Adding iOS push would really be the cherry on top too.  Unfortunately with busy work and young kids, I don't have the time to put into it right now.