Motion detector question

[tbradnc]

Well.. I'm still chugging along with the home automation project. I think I'm giving my family PTSD though... ;-)

I have some X10 motion detectors and they all send an ON signal to the next unit code higher than what they're set on. I can't find a way to disable that and I need to.

I want to turn on my office light when I walk in the room - that's L10. So, the motion detector is set to L10. When I walk in my office the light comes on (as it should) but so does the kitchen light - that's L11. And that's not good.

Short of assigning my office light a house/unit code with nothing above it is there a way of defeating this "feature"?

Thanks everybody,
Thomas

 

[electron]

You could put some black tape over the light sensor itself. I usually 'reserve' 2 codes for each motion sensor, so even if it is active, it won't interfere.

Here's a good link on how to disable the dusk/dawn sensor:
http://www.geocities.com/ido_bartana/modif...wkey_sensor.htm

 

[tbradnc]

It's not a daylight/dark problem. The sensor can be configured to work 24/7 or only when it is dark. In my case I want it to turn on my office light when I walk into the room if it is dark. This part works great.

It's when it flips on the kitchen light that I have problems. This is the part when it sends an ON to the next unit code higher than what the motion detector is set for.

I would like to eliminate that if at all possible. I don't want the motion detector to send any signals except for an ON to whatever house/unit code the motion detector is set on.

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[TCassio]

I am assuming you have either the HawkEye or EagleEye motion sensor. These have 2 functions. 1. detects motion. 2. detects light (usually refered to as dusk to dawn feature). Each feature uses a differend code, so 2 codes are used by 1 motion sensor. If you assign the code A1 for the motion sensor portion, A2 is automatically assigned to the dusk/dawn function. As Electron mentioned, you can open the sensor and cover the light sensor, or allocate 2 address in your adressing scheme. There is a thire choice. There is an ActiveEye motion sensor that allows the dusk/dawn feature to be turned of thru programming.

 

[tbradnc]

What I'd like is a motion detector that detects light and if dark sends an ON command to a single house/unit code.

All I want is for the light in my office to come one when I walk in - if it's dark.

If I cover up the light sensor the office light will come anytime someone walks in. There are so many windows in my office that you don't really need a light on a sunny/partly cloudy day.

Maybe I'm just not being creative enough. ;-)

Thanks
Thomas

 

[TCassio]

WHat HA software are you suing. Homeseer has daytime and nighttime functions built in to determine when its dark. There are other ways of doing this, but requires some sort of logic. Again what HA software are you using.

 

[nsisman]

Quote "I would like to eliminate that if at all possible. I don't want the motion detector to send any signals except for an ON to whatever house/unit code the motion detector is set on."

Easiest method for what you want is to cut one leads of the light sensor (as per the picture posted above - it is a little thingy that sticks into the frosted glass part of the motion sensor after you open the sensor - just snip one of the 2 leads and separate the 2 cut ends by 1/8 " and then put the motion sensor back together).
I didn't do any of the resistor stuff he talks about !

This way you can use every code instead of every other code.

I like to mark mine (magic marker) with a big "C" for "converted" so I know which ones are done.

You can stick a non-converted one outside and use the second code from it to determine darkness or you can use a condition in your software to determine darkness "night time"

Hope his helps.....

Neil

 

[tbradnc]

Neil -

Great! Now it works exactly like I need it to work. I can be dense at times - it took me a while to get the connection that the dusk/dawn feature had to do with my problem.

Tassio -

Until last week I was using a great program for the Mac program called Indigo (which would be stellar if it had a real web interface). For the next several months I'll be working on a PC and I have only started to evaluate software.

I'm using a 1132CU which doesn't work with Homeseer. I've downloaded a couple of programs but nothing really struck my fancy. Sure wish there was an Indigo for the PC.... (but I'd rather have a lighted remote with all house code capability....<g>)

Thanks everyone for your tips and suggestions. This forum is a great resource for us beginning automators.

Thomas

 

[TCassio]

The 1132CU DOES work with Homeseer. I am using it along with a large number of HS users. It works very well. Did you install the Powerlinc plugin for it.

 

[nsisman]

Are you sure about the 1132CU ? Hands on ?

quoting Homeseer (but it's an old thread !)

"No, sorry. HS does not support this device. We do support the powerlinc USB, but only the model 1132U, not the 1132CU.

-Rich
__________________

-Rich (HomeSeer Tech)"

 

[TCassio]

Absolutly, Positivly, does work. When I first got into HA I purchased the 1132 CUP. (1132CU with Smathome manager (P)lus software). Wanted more and eventually wound up with Homeseer. Maybe what they meant was that Homeseer cannot download any programming to the 1132CU. 1132CU can run as a stand alone device (no PC running), But with Homeseer the PC must run 24/7.

 

[tbrad]

All I know for sure is that Homeseer does not recognize the 1132CU when the program starts. I don't think there is anything wrong with my 1132 - Indigo, Smarthome Essentials and a few others I've tried have no problems with it.

There's also a blurb in the Smarthome help section that mentions the 1132CU not working with Homeseer.

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[TCassio]

Well maybe you should give it another try. Just make sure you have the "Smarthome Powerlinc USB" plugin installed and enabled.