ulrick65

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Can you post the program and we can take a look? To be honest, I have never posted a program in here but many people do so I assume cut and paste works somehow...but I can't easily see how to do it right now?? Good point Mike, actually this is something I have done in some cases and if memory serves me right, you pointed this out to me when I was starting out!

One other thing that I forgot to mention that caught me as well (I finally found the answer here on the forum somewhere) is that using STATUS for Dimmers does not always give you what you think. Status Is On is not a true statement for a dimmer that is on. If you use this to trigger the THEN statements, it will not work because the dimmer status is a percentage of brightness not ON or OFF. In order to get around this use Control instead. For example: Status LIGHT1 Is On (this will not work, it will run the ELSE statements Control LIGHT1 Is Switched On (this will work when the light is turned on) If you want to check to see if the light is already on (control only works when it is switched on or off), then you have to use the > with the Status like this: Status LIGHT1 > 1% Sorry so long winded...but I wished I had learned this stuff quicker in the beginning myself so I figured I would pass along what I know. Eric

I am fairly new to all this and I am sure someone will jump in to correct me if I am wrong, but I have studied this quite a bit and this is what I know. Programs get triggered when one of the conditions "changes" state. If the conditions are TRUE it will execute the THEN statements if the conditions are FALSE then it executes the ELSE statements. Critical to remember is that the program will only process the TRUE statements as long as the condition remains TRUE. So, for example if you have a wait in your THEN statements and one of the conditions changes such that overall the condition is no longer TRUE, it will immediately jump and execute the ELSE statements. So: 1) Without conditions the program will only run when called since there is nothing there to change. However, I am not sure what happens on power up...it may run once, but I have not verified that. My guess is that it will not run at all. 2) It runs when the state of any of the conditions changes. So, yes it will run when one of the devices are switched on or off. Key to remember is what I said above though. Let's say two of your switches are ON and one is OFF. If you have all 3 in your conditions set to STATUS = OFF then you go and turn one of them (making it two off and one on) then the program with run the ELSE statements. I reiterate this because it has caught me several times. 3) They all run concurrently. The order of events sequential from top to bottom in the THEN and ELSE sections. In your example, when the first action changes the status of a switch that action will trigger the other program that is watching for it IMMEDIATELY. Key to note here is that you can not CALL another program...if you trigger a program from within a program, the second program just runs and the first ones just continues on the next line. If you have nested programs that are not acting as you expect, I suspect this is the reason. I am an experienced PLC programmer as well as a basic VB programmer. My PLC thoughts get in the way sometimes with ISY...but after I got my head wrapped around it I have found it to be very simplistic and yet very powerful. Many people do some cool stuff with it...and yet it is simple enough for most to understand. Eric

Good points. I guess I need to get finished with the hardware installs of all these switches and keypads and get into some of that scene creation. Right now, other than turn on all the outside lights at once, I haven't done much to impress her! Eric

Thanks for the feedback Mike, much appreciated. I sure want one of those touchpads...maybe Santa will be nice to me this year and get me one! Probably not though... Santa doesn't think I need to play with toys, she thinks this whole home automation thing is a waste of time and money! Silly Santa... She does want a security system though...so the Elk may be in the cards in short order! Thanks. Eric

There is a good "how to" that Darrell wrote on motion sensors (based on using X10...but it may be helpful for you with the Insteon ones just the same). http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?t=1353 Eric

Just a thought, but perhaps the motion sensor is going off after 1 minute? I am relatively new to this so I might be off base, if so someone can jump in and correct me, but I am pretty sure if the condition changes state while you are in a "wait" status in the Then....the program will immediately run the Else command and terminate the wait. This is why it works fine up to one minute but will not longer, because the motion sensor is no longer on. Eric

I assume you have one Mike, I read about your Halloween project and you mentioned the ELK-124 sound module. Can you (or anyone else) give me any pointers on how to get started with it? I would like to have wireless sensors so I don't have to run wires all over the place. However, it seems that it only supports the GE sensors...I dont know if that is good or bad? Is wireless a good approach? If not, how do you go about installing sensors in a finished house in any easy fashion? I got my start as an Electrician...moved into Electrical Engineering from there...so I know how much fun it is to fish wires inside walls! I am not clear if the ELK M1G is wireless capable out of the box or if you have to purchase the wireless expander. I thought maybe it could do some wireless zones out of the box with the expander. I want the ethernet module so I can connect via network and I assume this is how the ISY talks to it as well? Do I need a PLM or PLC in order for it to communicate with Insteon or do I just let it talk directly to ISY? Any other modules I should buy for it right off the bat that you know I will need? What about keypads...is one better than the other? I've been eyeballing your touch screen software for a while. It appears to me that the ELK can work with that touchscreen as well...is that the case? Thanks for the feedback. I know this is not an ELK forum, but I wanted to make sure it is ISY capable...and this place is more Insteon knowledgable than anywhere else in my opinion!

I am wanting to go down the road of a DIY security system to go along with my ISY Insteon system I am working to complete. Any suggestions on what to get? Nothing in the 1,000's of dollars range mind you... ISY and Insteon type budget! I want something that will integrate nicely, have expandability, wireless capability, voice announcements, etc. Elk seems like a good thing...but I don't know much about security systems yet. Thanks. Eric

I have lots of KPL's, SLD's and a few SLR's that I bought used as well as quite a few new SLD's (I say lots, like probably 50 or more KPL's and the same of the SLD's). They came out of demo home's where the buyer wanted a different control scheme. They where all tested prior to me getting them, but I have setup a test bench to test them out before I begin selling them on ebay (after keeping what I want for myself obviously). I currently have the following versions installed and working fine (ISY version shown, I don't have the SH version written down but I can go and find out if that is important to somebody). I could setup some other versions for testing on my test bench as well...just give me an idea of what test you think I should run on them. SLD's (2476D): v.22, v.24, v.27, v.35 SLR's (2476S): v.28, v.2C KPL's (2486D): v.26, v.29, v.2D KPL's (2486DWH8): v.2D Eric

As I said...I will believe it when they ship. I got an email yesterday that says the ship date is now 10/31/08. Maybe by Christmas...if were lucky. Of course some people were lucky enough to get betas (not mentioning names...but the initials are MB with an IKE in the middle).

That would be great...a single device that was a switchlink dimmer with a motion sensor built in (I've seen them as standard switches). Setup with two addresses would be best...one for the switch, one for the motion sensor. Great idea...

Smarthome agreed....they are sending a replacement thermostat and remote control module to...just for good measure! Thanks.

Yea, I think you are right. I will call them and see. It is worse now...happens quite a bit and nearly everytime you query it. Thanks.

I just setup the Thermostat that I got from Smarthome along with the Inteon module and it works great...with one exception: Two or three times a day it seems to lose its mind for a minute. The temperature reading goes to either 36 or 37 degree's, I haven't written down what the setpoint changes to. After a minute or so it goes back to normal. I have mine setup similar to the way MikeB has his. I query it every 15 minutes to get status updates. I have it send me notifications when the temerature is below 50 or above 90 (so I get a notification everytime it screws up and loses its mind for a minute because the temperature reading goes to 36 or 37). I was able to catch the display on the thing once when it happened, nothing unusual...just the temperature was reading 37 and I don't recall what the setpoint was. Anyone seen this before? Perhaps a bad unit? Thanks.

This one caught me as well...probably does a lot of folks. I wonder why they designed them that way? Seems silly...

I am hooking up a thermostat right now...just taking a break to eat. Even if you could do this (which from what I read, you can't) how would know what the temperature is set to since there is no way to get feedback to the remotelinc anyway? Would you want to just push the button and lower the temperature one degree for each press? This would be a cool feature, but I am not sure it would be very usefull if you didn't have someway of know what the temperature setpoint is.

I'll believe when they ship...

Thanks. Sorry for the late response, out of town. I was hoping that wasn't the case. I am waiting patiently (like everyone I guess) for the Insteaon Motion sensors, so I can get rid of the local motion sensor on the flood. I don't have a spare 2476S to use...and once I want to be able to dim the floods (end state). So I guess I just have to live it for now... Thanks.

I have a 2476D controlling an outside flood light has a built in motion sensor (if Smarthome will ship me the new motion sensors I have on backorder I wouldn't need it anymore!) but I am having an issue with it. Before installing the switchlinc, the old toggle switch would power the light...but it would not come on unless it sensed motion (then off in 4 minutes). If you turned it off, then on again right away it would come on permanently (regardless of motion and never shut off). If you turned it off for a minute, then on again...it reset to motion mode. Now, it comes on whenever the switchlinc is turned on and ignore motion all the time (stays on). I figured it was the ramp rate, but I have tried fast on and setting the ramp rate as fast it will go to no avail. Anyone know how to fix this? Seems to me I read a post here about this...but I can't remember where. Thanks

Thanks for the info....and good point on the reset. Someone pointed that out to me already once, but to be painfully honest, I forgot about that already and since these are all in boxes, I probably would have just went on with setting them up! That will be a good habit to get into, even on the new ones. Thanks.

What is the difference in versions? I searched all over Smarthomes website and can't find anything that speaks to version differences, firmware, etc. I bought 23 2476D's off ebay last night....which is why I was wondering. These are used units, but were only used in a builders show demo home. In the box, wire nuts, instructions, etc.

Anyone know if there is a list somewhere of version numbers of devices? I am guessing that there are differences in firmware, revs, etc. I am particularly interested in the 2476D and what version (if any) I should stay away from and what the differences are. Thanks.

Thanks for all the replies and good ideas. I sort of like the device first followed by a . etc. Also, I struggled with the KPL's as well, renaming them a couple of times... I did not have any system before, so this is a brand new install for me. I went with the 99/IR-Pro and have been adding devices a few at a time. I have some old X10 stuff that I never really used to much because it was very unreliable...so far the Insteon has been flawless. Thanks for the help...and I welcome any other tips or tricks. I have been trying to read through this forum, but there is a lot to take in!

Thanks for clarifying for me. This also helps me understand why I was seeing some other things act and makes sense now that I think about it.