UPB link 242/241 vs report light level

[rsw686]

Using PC Access I setup my HAI HLC switches. I noticed it sets up the top and bottom rockers to transmit status on link 242 and 241 respectively. As expected changing the top and bottom rockers to unused and pressing a button results in the OmniPro not receiving the status. I then tried the "Report light level after rocker switch is pressed" option, pressed a button, and the OmniPro received the status.

Is there any difference in these settings? The reason I ask is I am debating the best way to control two switches from one switch. It looks like I could either program the OmniPro to turn on the other switch when this switch on or have the switch activate one of the links defined in the HLC room.

 

[ano]

So you are not sticking with the HAI UPB control method, and trying your hand at UPStart? I can't speak for HAI UPB switches because I don't have many of those, but SA switches often use link 241. What that is is a type of loopback. Typically you can think of these switches having two parts, the toggle switch side, and the side that actually controls the light. If you want that switch to actually control itself, link 241 has to be there. The transmitting of the status is a different function. That is reporting back that the switch was changed, and its technically different than if the switch is actually on or off.

Now there is good news and bad news about switches that use link 241. With SA they have some that do and some that don't.

A switch can only transmit a single link with the top click and a single click with the bottom click. If you are using link 241, that means you can't use another as well. Also, I don't think link 241 goes between switches. SO if you want to control one light with two switches, change it to a different link both lights "receive."

 

[tmbrown97]

I wouldn't go as far as saying it's a loopback - that would imply that it's internal to just that switch; it's more a default configuration. If you have 3 switches that use 241 to activate themselves, what you'll find is that if you use any of those 3 switches, they'll activate all 3 loads. I ran into that when I was first figuring out UPB.

 

[ano]

I wouldn't go as far as saying it's a loopback - that would imply that it's internal to just that switch; it's more a default configuration. If you have 3 switches that use 241 to activate themselves, what you'll find is that if you use any of those 3 switches, they'll activate all 3 loads. I ran into that when I was first figuring out UPB.

Hmmm.. Is this with an HAI switch? The Simply Automated US2-40 doesn't operate like that. Simply Automated calls Link 241 an "internal link." If you only had these switches, then every switch in your house would turn on every other switch in your house. That wouldn't be very useful. Did you add a Link 241, which might have overridden the internal Link 241? As I remember these switches come factor programmed to receive their own Link 241, but I never remember seeing them receive a Link 241 from other switches. May HAI switches were different.

 

[JonW]

The link 241 issue is only for the US2-40 switch. Usually a UPB switch can receive links and transmit links, but not react to its own transmission - except for the US2-40 switch. The docs specify that the default config is that for local control, the US2-40 has link 241 set as both a receive and transmit link, but the transmit option is disabled. This causes it to NOT send 241 out on the network and to only send it to itself. You can change this link ID to be any one you want (which I'd suggest you do). Then, each switch can transmit their link out on the network as well as listen to it for local control without affecting other switches.

 

[tmbrown97]

I use all Simply Automated - but perhaps I had enabled Transmit. I know that when I added a new switch in the hall originally, it started operating the bedroom light automatically.

That was the first house... For the second I added 60+ loads rather quickly but had the process down by then.