larryllix

If you look in the Alexa app under routines and try to create one it will become clearer. Routines allow you to create a Routine trigger from many different stumuli, and cause resultant actions of many different types, including speaking custom phrases. To get an ISY program action into an Alexa Routine, the ISY Portal has a conversion table entry that can convert a STATE variable into a pseudo-Motion Detector or pseudo-contact status. This is backwards to the usual direction of control and the vocal phrase is what shows up inside the Alexa app as a device name. Don't forget to "discover". The fake contact can then be used as a trigger in Alexa Routines.

Well, I was absolutely wrong on this one!! It does work. I confess, I had to test it for myself before realising how it works. Each trigger line depend on the other line to be True during either trigger event. Trouble is the logic is convoluted using all negative states and it makes it hard to understand but.... ….It is ingenious and it works with "Enable run at startup" ! If device is switched On OR device is switched Off a simpler logic, works as well, but will not self start with the "Enable run on startup" option. Thanks for your persistence and patience! I learned something new today!!!! Well done!

Your program has no triggers that run Then. "Not switched" only runs Else. Checked the icon status of this program to see if Then is actually running.

I also use ecobee thermostats and for the most part they do everything very well. I do not control temperatures from ISY, however I do control their "climate schedule" somewhat. I pre-empt the night time climate schedule change early, when needed. IOW I implement Adaptive Intelligent Setback, which no thermostat I have ever heard of has. Many have Adaptive Intelligent Recovery. Eg: Today it was about 32 degrees C and my A/C is schedules to setback at 10:30 PM. My ISY detects the outside effects upon the HVAC system and sets the ecobee stat to "Sleep" climate about 8:30 PM so that the house is getting somewhat cooler by the time I get into bed. If I changed the climate schedule on the stats to 8:30 PM I would be watching TV with a blanket on cooler days outside. I do the same thing with heating by letting the temperature "drift" down to the desired temperature for bedtime based on how fast the house will cool down. I also assist cooling with my HRV ventilation system. You need some fresh air in a well sealed home and you may as well get it when it is efficient to use. For my external house effects I incorporate windspeed as well as air temperature. Soon I will add solar heat gain to my calculations. So my HA plays with climate schedules but never setpoints. I tried it for a while and it is too dangerous, as you can cause setpoint runaways, and I did a few times. ecobee stats do have security options so that stats can never be adjusted remotely outside of a locally programmed range allowance.

I forgot the follow up information. To detect a heartbeat that only ever sends "On" a status based trigger cannot work. You would require "switched" to detect the signal, since the status would not change after the first time. Also, since some heartbeats may send alternating On/Off signals, we typically include both so we don't care what it sends. If XXXXX is switched ON OR XXXX is switched OFF Then Wait heartbeat period less about 10% Do heartbeat failed things Else ------

Until the device tells ISY something there will be no status shown. Leak detectors only send a heartbeat once every 24 hours and then it is only On each time so they never register Off status.

You will require ISY Portal to make the connection easily.

In the ISY Portal you have to specify what analogue value is considered an MS 'On' for the Alexa app. Values of 0, 2 and 4 should not trigger the On status of the pseudo-MS. BTW: Only State variables will work for this. Most like to mark their State Variables with an "s" prefix to avoid confusion. eg: $sVariable or $s.variable.

Get the 3-prong to 2-prong adapter with the little green ground wire on it. Connect the ground wire to the receptacle ground screw. Make sure it is a clean metal to metal contact. If this is a device outside, within reach, with a metal shock hazard metal case, I wouldn't do it though. Get a PVC receptacle box, with a micro Insteon module and a short 3-prong plug & cord, with a rubber sealing grommet, and plug the device into the short extension cord you just made.

He has his ISY IP address locked down and his router may not even allow access to out-of-range addresses inside his LAN.

I can think of a few ways to get connected and control of your ISY. Modify your router temporarily to the old IP address block range, edit ISY to DHCP option and then switch your router back to 192.168.x.y Direct connect a cable between a laptop and ISY but you will need to set the IP address in the laptop to 10.x.y.z subnet address to match ISY's locked subnet address. Factory reset you ISY and use Password/Password admin/admin for security. You will require a good backup to restore or you will lose. Call support at UDI for remote access.

Use Alexa "Routines". The setup page is in the mobile Alexa app. You add a trigger, select vocal, custom. Hit next and use American spelling. No On/Off required, just a phrase/sentence but you will have to make two for open/close or on/off etc. Can be just "Kiss my butt" and "Don't kiss my butt" For the "Action" select control a device and select a device. Can be a pseudo device that is really translated to a variable in ISY Portal. Note: In ISY Portal you can lie to the Alexa skill by telling it anything is a light, switch, etc. in the ISY Portal vocal table. The entry will require a vocal phrase which really becomes the name of the device in the Alexa app. That is where the trick comes in allowing Alexa to operate a variable. Don't forget to "Discover" in Alexa or it will not be found in the app.

Sorry. That is not quite correct. An Alexa routine can cause a program, listed in the ISY Portal table, to run that can operate a variable value. Look in the app on a mobile device, under "Routines". Any trigger can cause almost any action in Routines. I don't see variables under the Smart Home venue.

Tag range is amazing. I have detected my vehicle from over a km away. However you would have to make the tag report every minute maximum and the battery would be dead inside a month or two.

The only hole in my idea is that on high, there isn't likely to be a capacitor in series. However on your theory the fan on high would generate a much larger voltage spike starting from a standstill. This may take some spike suppression across the motor to kill it before it destroys the fanLinc also. At least an experimental install to help find the problem. I would try a 130vac MOV of 10,000 joule rating or more and twist it into the fan motor to fanLinc connections, leaving it hanging in the air for the trial. Large heat shrink over the whole live part and leads later, if permanent install works.

Possibly a bad fan capacitor arcing through, and disrupting the initial Insteon signal response.

Most smart bulbs have a set of effects built in. If you can access these, flashing a lamp or two with them takes the load off ISY doing it in a program. Other than simple one colour flashes I find the rest of the effects mostly useless though. Sent using Tapatalk

I use a plug-in dimmer outdoors, under my deck. The deck is semi-protected from rain and snow depending on the wind direction. I bent a piece of metal into a V shape and mounted it under the deck. The LampLinc is mounted on the end of an extension cord under the piece of bent metal to avoid rain dripping into it and a bal of white plastic tape is wrapped around the connections at both ends. This has functioned just fine for about three years now without any problems. I live in Ontario at the base of the Bruce Penninsula and likely get a lot more snow than Montreal area on our small mountain, typically over my head snow banks by the spring. Just protect the things from any water dripping into it and use a LampLinc.

IIRC it started out as a Motorola vs. Intel CPU variable storage format fight.

Haven't done that specifically but.... You can have any trigger cause anything to operate using the Alexa routines. I would have a vocal expression operate a variable. Then I would have a program triggered by the variable open the garage door and reset the variable. A second copy of this path would close the garage door. Then I would create another variable to report the change in status when detected. I don't operate my garage doors with ISY at all but I detect their positions and have Alexa report "A garage door has opened" or "Both garage doors are closed". In conjunction with that I have a corner lamp flash red while any door is open and if all lights are turned off and bedroom motion is detected, the bedroom table lamp flashes at full intensity so I have to go to the garage entrance and close the door or not get any sleep. All variables used with ISY Portal must be State Type.

I doubt this will ever happen for decade or so. (not referring to the ISY control). These developers have taken a lot of effort to make sure nobody, but nobody gets access to their local API methods. There seems to be a universal "keep control" to make people depend on each's technology via their server cloud services. They "want it all" but may not even know what "all" is but whatever is to come they want to control it. ISY tries to be different, so far.

These guys have been awesome for prices blinds.ca and blinds.com. While I have dealt with them for blinds, not motorised ones.

Sorry to sidetrack the thread somewhat but... "short cut commands" is that GH Routines?

You can with Alexa routines. I assume GH routines can do the same. See another thread going on right now. Basic process...ISY sets a state variable. ISY Portal tells Alexa it is an MS based on a particular value...Alexa routine uses it as a trigger...routine says something you decide. Sent using Tapatalk

I imagine both systems are mostly the same now. Alexa routines allow you to trigger many things as well as put out vocals. All in all I try to avoid any smart things and prefer ISY to do everything. Sent using Tapatalk