WAF aceptable automated lighting

[tshephard]

The only problem I have with links, like double tapping to carry out extra commands is that its not intuitive for a high WAF. I use them and enjoy the features it provides. I guess the fix for that is use a scene switch and some training.

I'm trying to setup a link plan for all my switches. I have the following links set up.

Whole House Leaving - Switches that monitor this will turn off when we leave and the alarm is set.
Interior lights - Only inside lights respond
Exterior lights - Only outside lights respond
Whole House - All devices respond
First Floor - First floor lights respond
Second Floor - Second floor lights respond
Whole house revert - Sets lights to revert to their previous state

I was thinking of doing a flashing link for when the alarm goes off, but I haven't done that yet. Maybe just of the lights come on for an alarm. Maybe omit the kids rooms since most of the time the alarm goes off is a false alarm when we open a door with the alarm set.

I need to consolidate these links a bit, I was making tons of them before I really understood how they worked. Pretty powerful feature for UPB.

I just got the bathroom fan working right. This is an event in HomeSeer. It was set to turn on when the bathroom light had been on for 5 minutes, but if you turned the fan off with the light still on, it would immediately turn the fan back on! Low WAF!

Had to add a flag that was set when the light is switched on, and off with the light off or fan off. This keeps the fan from turning back on, by changing the trigger to if light is on for 5 minutes and fan flag is on, and fan has been off for at least one minute, then turn the fan on. Funny how these little details make a difference.

I try to add these things and test them before discussing them with the rest of the family. I think thats a good policy!

 

[tenholde]

One of the problems with using links to flash a lot of lights when the alarm sounds, is what to do when the alarm is reset. What state should all of the lights now be set to? I have two homeseer scripts that save the state of all lights that will be affected by a specific link (reads the .upe file to determine the link targets) and saves their states before activating the link. The second script restores all of the lights to their pre-alarm state. I'd be glad to share if anyone is interested.

tenholde

 

[drozwood90]

Ten,

I would, even if it is just to see how to parse the upe file.

Right now, my wife does not do the "alarm" stuff. So, I am working on doing something more automated. That is, she does not want ONE more thing to do as she is leaving the house.

--Dan

 

[Desert_AIP]

If you plan out your links you won't notice them.
That's why I suggested sitting down and thinking about how you use you lighting every day.

Just think about your daily routines.

 

[tenholde]

http://www.tenholder.net/temp/SaveRestoreLinkTargets.txt

tenholde

 

[Mr Spock]

I'm wondering how people are dealing with motion or occupancy sensor time delays to activate their lights.

Long ago I tried to get the X10 RF hock-eye sensor to trigger some hallway lights through Homeseer (all X10). The delays made it unworkable: by the time the lights came on I had already walked through the hallway. I used a stopwatch and found the delays to be around 3 seconds from the time I saw the sensors LED light up indicating it had tripped until the hallway lights came on. I had to go through Homeseer to apply time of day rules (don't activate during the day and stuff like that). I had all the HS re-triggering problems others have mentioned.

I'm guessing hardwired sensors to an Elk or HAI panel and UPB switches are the answer? How much delay are people in this realm experiencing?

 

[tmbrown97]

Hardwired it's pretty quick. Honestly even with wireless door sensors there's only the slightest delay. I use a few areas where opening a door turns on the light (garage, pantry, closet). For the garage, it's hardly noticeable. For the closet you stand there for half a second kinda waiting. For entry into the house, as I open the door and the kids stumble in front of me to come in, I see the lights flicker on through the house.

Previous house was all wired - response then was even faster - by the time the garage door was 1/4 open, the lights were on (in whichever direction you were going).

I do use the W800RF32 with a cheapo X10 transmitter currently in the downstairs bathroom for the kids - I get halfway across the bathroom before it kicks the lights on. I notice my daughter walks in and waves her hand right in front of it to turn the lights on. It has a 2-3 second delay most of the time - that said, when the light on the front goes on, the lights start ramping up immediately.

 

[tshephard]

I agree, a combination of hardwired PIR's and a faster light protocol will help. Wireless PIR's are pretty slow to conserve their batteries and try to prevent false alarms, on top of that X10 is fairly slow itself so you have two things against you there.

I use a wired PIR and I made a special UPB link to trigger the light. The UPB link ramps the light on much quicker than when using the switch. I can still get three or four steps in a room before the light comes on. Its OK for us since we know the light would come on. For anyone visiting its too slow because it would make them pause for a light switch.

This is another reason why I want to really look at an occupancy sensor as opposed to a security PIR that I have now.

 

[Desert_AIP]

I'm wondering how people are dealing with motion or occupancy sensor time delays to activate their lights. Long ago I tried to get the X10 RF hock-eye sensor to trigger some hallway lights through Homeseer (all X10). The delays made it unworkable: by the time the lights came on I had already walked through the hallway. I used a stopwatch and found the delays to be around 3 seconds from the time I saw the sensors LED light up indicating it had tripped until the hallway lights came on. I had to go through Homeseer to apply time of day rules (don't activate during the day and stuff like that). I had all the HS re-triggering problems others have mentioned. I'm guessing hardwired sensors to an Elk or HAI panel and UPB switches are the answer? How much delay are people in this realm experiencing?

Did you happen to read the first 2 pages of this thread?
There are some good links to motion/occupancy sensors.

My personal experience is similar to Work2Play's.
There is a brief delay in our laundry room using an occupancy sensor. Hardly noticeable.
I also use the door contacts to turn on lights, with different behavior depending on whether or not the system is armed.

I tried to use the security motion sensors for lighting, but their response is too slow.
I get halfway across a dark room before the lights come on.

 

[nlaredo]

My wife's favorite automation rule: turn all the lights and any other automated devices off in the house at half past midnight, every day except new years day.

We have two kids so we're nearly always asleep before midnight, and when we're not, it's a good reminder, "hey, you should be sleeping now or you will regret it tomorrow"

This is also nice when you have a toddler that likes to go to bed with the light on dim, you don't have to leave it on while he's asleep all night long since it will just turn off at half past midnight.