Need help with automation rules

[mishab]

Hi. For a second time in a row the rule which is based on sunrise/sunset did not get activated. I have no idea what is going on simply because i tested the rule by changing M1 time from the PC and simulating sunrise and sunset times.

First of all, correct me if i am wrong here. Due to Daylight Saving Time the sunset time should be padded by 1 hour, which means if sunset is at 6:20pm then the rule will actually get triggered at 7:20pm. Yes / No?


Well here is what i have now:
- I need to turn the output 8 on one hour after the sunset:
When time is sunset + 2:00 hours then turn output 8 on
and
- I need to turn the output 8 off at sunrise:
When time is sunrise + 1 hour then turn output 8 off

For some reason this is failing. I do not know of a good way to troubleshoot other then call my cellphone when this rule is triggered, but the phone did not ring so i guess the rule never got triggered.

I guess what i want now is this:
check every 15 min.
if the time is one hour past sunset then turn output 8 on

also
check every 15 min
if the time is equal to sunset then turn output 8 off

this rule seems to be more reliable, but i read somewhere[i think it was the elk newsletter] that the sunset values are only valid till midnight and noon.

anyhelp on troubleshooting and rules is appreciated.

thanks

 

[cliffs]

You set the date of daylight savings time with global G05 within ElkRP, so no need to fudge the times. Be sure you have set the Sunset-Sunrise times for your location.

I use the Sunrise and Sunset time to trigger several events and they seem for work just fine. The day changes at midnight so none of the values will carry over to the next day. In other words "after 10 pm and before 6 am" won't work because the condition will never be satisfied. They will have to be written a two separate rules. The same applies for sunrise and sunset. The only one that covers both cases is the command "Dark". Although you could have "after Sunrise and before Sunset" which would occur within the same day.

Cliff s

 

[Steve]

First of all, correct me if i am wrong here. Due to Daylight Saving Time the sunset time should be padded by 1 hour, which means if sunset is at 6:20pm then the rule will actually get triggered at 7:20pm. Yes / No?

Yes. The Sunset time will show under Sunset at 6:20, but if DST is on then the rule will trip at 7:20 PM.

So if you want Output 8 on 1 hour past sunset, the rule would be

WHENEVER THE TIME IS 1 Hour AFTER SUNSET
THEN TURN Output 8 ON

and that should fire at 8:20 pm with DST on.

and

WHENEVER THE TIME IS SUNRISE
THEN Turn Output 8 Off

should fire at approximately 7:20AM.

I also have several rules like turn light on 15 minutes before sunset and they come on at 7:05 in this example.

 

[mtwalsh367]

I also use similar sunrise and sunset rules and they work great.

I don't remember the exact details but isn't there a situation where if you turn the system off and back on or if you change the time you have to wait for the next day for the sunrise/sunset rules to work. Its been so long since I played around with these rules I forget the specifics. I think there is something on the Elk forum about this.

 

[gcimmino]

This was reported fixed in FW 4.4.2. From the release notes:

Day/Nite status for the rule engine gets set upon power up.

p.s. I believe the thread refered to was this one.

Edited to add p.s.