Random Lighting with rules?

[opie]

Has anyone been able to create random lighting using ELK M1 rules only?

I need to be able to have the M1 control lights at random intervals while the system is in "Armed Vacation" mode. It seems like this should be doable but I can't seem to come up with anything more dynamic than using Sunset.

Any ideas are welcome.

 

[bfisher]

I don't own an ELK (I have Homevision Pro) but essentially what I did:

- Random +/- around the sunset time, kick off a timer with random length
- when timer expires, check current time.
= If it's before 11:15 - check the status of the light. If it's on, turn it off. If it's off, turn it on. Reload the timer with a random length.
= If it's after 11:15, turn off the light and do not reload the timer.
- When the timer expires, it follows #2 (checks status and time, toggles light, reloads).

I do this for 5 lights in the house. The random lengths could anywhere from 1 minute to ~30 minutes.

 

[opie]

Thanks for the reply Bfisher.

The problem is I don't see any random command in the rule sets for the M1. I'm not saying it's not there, I just have never seen the option for anything random. I am hoping someone has a work around for creating a random number.

The situation is a vacation home that spends most of it's time empty and only has an M1 and will not have anything else like a PC so I am limited to the M1's built in rules. I may just have to make it appear random by writing a lot of rules to vary the time and which lights go on each day.

 

[rfdesq]

Since you are using UPB why not add a TEC (timed event controller) to control your lights. That way you free up the M1 for more important work.

 

[opie]

Since you are using UPB why not add a TEC (timed event controller) to control your lights. That way you free up the M1 for more important work.

Actually, this system is using Insteon and not UPB. I should have mentioned that in the original post. The system in my signature is what I currently have in my home and is primarily for testing purposes. I am limited to doing this with the M1 and still have plenty of space for rules. The primary mission of this system is to baby sit a vacation home and monitor temperature, water, etc....

 

[mdesmarais]

I haven't used the Elk, so I'm not sure how useful these ideas are, but here they are anyways. . .

1) Use seconds field as minutes for a delay (does sunset have seconds??)

2) use the date multiplied by the sunset time?

3) Using a little hardware- add a photo sensor or a noisy resistor circuit and read it with an analog input, use that value to branch through a table, or directly to load a timer?

Any use? Or is the Elk too limited?

 

[rfdesq]

Actually, this system is using Insteon and not UPB. I should have mentioned that in the original post.

Sorry, I went by your signature. Never mind the interruption .

 

[opie]

I haven't used the Elk, so I'm not sure how useful these ideas are, but here they are anyways. . .

1) Use seconds field as minutes for a delay (does sunset have seconds??)

2) use the date multiplied by the sunset time?

3) Using a little hardware- add a photo sensor or a noisy resistor circuit and read it with an analog input, use that value to branch through a table, or directly to load a timer?

Any use? Or is the Elk too limited?

I think idea number three has some potential. Perhaps I could tie photo sensors to a few different zones and allow a task to be triggered when both zones are satisfied. Should be fairly random.

Thanks

Actually, this system is using Insteon and not UPB. I should have mentioned that in the original post.

Sorry, I went by your signature. Never mind the interruption .

Not a problem, I appreciate the input.

 

[sandman]

I struggled with the same issue and decided to use Homeseer (HA Package) to manage the random lighting control for the ELK. I couldnt work out a way to do this in ELK and I did try. The scheduling engine in HS is fantastic and its just so simple.....

Cheers..Pete

 

[opie]

I struggled with the same issue and decided to use Homeseer (HA Package) to manage the random lighting control for the ELK. I couldnt work out a way to do this in ELK and I did try. The scheduling engine in HS is fantastic and its just so simple.....

Cheers..Pete

Well, at least I'm not missing something obvious. I guess pseudo random will have to do for now.

Thanks for the input.