someguy

When I go to the admin console, on the "main" tab, I click on the thermostat on the left and the readout to the right has "current state" "setpoint" and "humidity". The readout for "setpoint" reads the last change that was made to the setpoint, but if the last setpoint change that was made was to the "cool setpoint", it will show that number, even if the thermostat is in "heat" mode. Would it be possible to have four readings ("current state", "heat setpoint", "cool setpoint", "humidity")? or does the insteon adapter for the thermostat not support this.

Here is my current idea. Anyone see a problem with this? I have the ISY set the cool setpoint AND the heat setpoint at various times. An example would be to set the main part of the house to 65 degrees heat setpoint AND 75 degrees cool setpoint when that part of the house is not in use. Then use a motion sensor to change both of these setpoints to better numbers when the area is occupied. I could then MANUALLY switch the thermostat from HEAT to COOL or vice-versa (in the fall or spring) when I feel it is necessary. Another option would be to put some kind of a parameter that changes from heat to cool if the inside temp gets greater than some certain temp and vice-versa. Using this strategy, I am changing the cool settings regularly in the winter (and the heat settings in the summer) but this information isn't accomplishing anything because the thermostat is only in cool (or heat) mode. One of the things that I am trying to avoid, during the spring and fall, is to be heating the house during the night and cooling it during the daytime.

I have a few comments: I am using a remote sensor on my thermostat. I have set the thermostat to use the remote sensor instead of it's own sensor. I would surmise that there would not be a way to have the ISY know what the temperature is in three different rooms where there are remote sensors in those rooms. My understanding is that, if you use three sensors, the thermostat averages these and would report to the ISY what this average is, not what the three different numbers are. As far as the thought that you buy the 7-day programmable thermostat so that it can run in program mode if the ISY fails: I believe that you could just use a 1-day for this. If you want to run the program, you run it, but otherwise you use the ISY. I'd suggest not being dissappointed by the fact that you can't run a program and run the ISY at the same time, because you can make your "program" in the ISY. Also: I believe that you need the 1800 or 1900 model to be able to use a remote sensor. Also: when you order the sensor(s), make sure you order a sending module.

this is different than what I have, but I believe that a person would still have the same dilemma (if you want to call it that). I thnk that this controller is just a toggle, so if you use automation to open or close them, the automation may do the opposite of what you intend, because the automation system will not know the status of the blinds/drapes.

My wife is actually against most automation ideas. She doesn't really see much use for it and seems to think that I'm wasting my time on it. I see it as a hobby. If the drapes are open or closed when they "shouldn't be", she probably wouldn't even notice it.

yes, I agree that a hard-wired sensor would be more reliable and that this would make sense for a garage door. It wouldn't really do any harm for my living room drapes to get out of sync, though.

I used these programs to run the 8 exterior lights and two sets of landscaping lights for my house. I modified them to use the light data cut-off point at 6 instead of 65. I chose this number by looked out my front door and deciding when I thought it was dark enough that it was worth lighting up the outside of my house. It has worked great so far. I find this stuff really interesting and fun to work on. Thanks alot, fellows. Also: I would just like to comment that the way that doing this is challenging and fun makes me return to smarthome's website on a regular basis, buying more switches, sensors, thermostats, and other things to further automate my house using the ISY. I hope that the people at smarthome realize that they should support Universal Devices wholeheartedly.

with these programs, I can call either "drapes open drapes" to open them or "drapes close drapes" to close them. If they are already closed and I call the program "drapes close drapes", nothing happens. I use this to open the drapes (only if they are closed) in the morning and vice-versa in the evening. also: I have these two programs set up to toggle the ISY to the other setting when I manually open or close the drapes: If Program 'Drapes are open' is False And ( Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched On Or Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched Fast On Or Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched Fast Off Or Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched Off Or Control 'Hearth-2-Controls Drapes' is switched On Or Control 'Hearth-2-Controls Drapes' is switched Off Or Control 'Hearth-3-West Light, by TV' is switched Fast On Or Control 'Hearth-3-West Light, by TV' is switched Fast Off ) Then Run Program 'Drapes are open' (Then Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') If Program 'Drapes are open' is True And ( Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched On Or Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched Fast On Or Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched Fast Off Or Control 'Remotelinc 3 - drapes' is switched Off Or Control 'Hearth-2-Controls Drapes' is switched On Or Control 'Hearth-2-Controls Drapes' is switched Off Or Control 'Hearth-3-West Light, by TV' is switched Fast On Or Control 'Hearth-3-West Light, by TV' is switched Fast Off ) Then Run Program 'Drapes are open' (Else Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

okay, I think I figured it out and it seems to work. I am using three programs. they are: the first one is called "Drapes are open": If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Set 'Hearth-6-Drapes I/OLinc' On Else Set 'Hearth-6-Drapes I/OLinc' On the next one is called "Drapes Open Drapes": If Program 'Drapes are open' is True Then Run Program 'Drapes are open' (Else Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') the next one is called "Drapes Closed Drapes": If Program 'Drapes are open' is False Then Run Program 'Drapes are open' (Then Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') I cannot take much credit for this line of logic. I nearly plagiarized it from "Sub-Routine" from this thread: http://forum.universal-devices.com/view ... highlight=

That sounds like the hard way. I was hoping one of you guys could come up with an idea of a program that toggles on and off that could somehow indicate whether the drapes are open or closed.

here is my set-up: I have a Somfy drape controller that is connected to an IOLinc. I have the IOLinc connected to a nearby Icon switch that I can use to open and close the switch. The system is like a garage door. Each press of the button either closes or opens the drapes completely (unless you press the button while it is moving and in that case, it stops the drapes). Let's assume that I never stop the drapes from moving while they are running. Is there a way to make a program or a setting that will allow my ISY to know if the drapes are open or closed so that when I want them to open in the morning and close in the evening, the opposite thing won't happen? thanks, someguy

I have a similar question: what should we set the "darkness sensitivity" to to make it not send commands as often? 0 or 255?

I currently have a dozen or so programs that run my thermostats. I suppose that I could turn the folder that the programs are in to "run never", and then walk over to the thermostat and turn it to a cold setting (in the winter), then get on the plane... but I'm hoping that there is an easier way to do it. I have seen other posts where people have the "vacation button", but I don't have a KPL to turn on for this and I'm reading posts where the KPL's have problems. Also: is there an easy way to have the thermostat switch from the winter heat settings to the summer cooling settings? (instead of "run never"ing the heat settings folder and removing "run never" from the cooling settings folder.) edit: I have a weatherbug module, so could I use the outside temp to help make the changes?

quick question, that tells you how much I really understand this: are all 3 of these programs "enabled" or should I disable the "wait to change" program.

allright! I've got my ISY set to the second and the sunset/sunrise to the second for my house. Great stuff, guys! thanks.

I actually don't want to use outside light, but the actual amount of light in the room. I'd like the room lights to go on when there is motion in the room, but only when the room isn't lit well from light coming in the windows. here is the program that I'm using to turn on the light: If Control 'Hearth-7-MS-NotBeta' is switched On And Status 'Hearth-5-Lamplinc' is Off Then Set Scene 'Hearth Room Light Scene' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') How could I modify this program to use the ISY's dusk/dawn? Can I just add "and status "hearth-7-Dusk/Dawn" is ON"

yes, the reason is very simple. I don't know what an NTP server is and don't know what time it would set my ISY to.

Here is how it is set up:

I can click "Synchronize the clock with computer's time" and it occurs, but within a day or so, the time goes back to about 3 minutes ahead of my computer's time. Why does this occur? any solution for this?

I'd like to use the dusk/dawn part of the 2420 to only turn on the lights in our living room when it is dark enough. I see that I can adust the sensitivity of the dusk/dawn sensor using the ISY. I'd like to know how this can be used. I'd suspect that I'd use it as ON means it is dark and OFF means it is light and adjust the sensitivity appropriately, but when I click on the dusk/dawn in the MAIN tab of the administrative console, there is no "status" for the device. Anyone know how to accomplish what I am asking?

Rand: I'll give your program a try. pls explain the logic of the IF part of the statement and how it works. I don't get the "switched on" and "not switched off" part. does the "not switched off" part stop the program from running once it is already running?

does anyone have details as to how to design a program to bail out this problem? Here is what I mean: If I put the motion sensor in "on only" mode, then what should my programs say to make the motion sensor work like it has a thirty minute off-timer?

Man, that is really short. I was going to set it to 30 minutes. I guess I'll have to think of some way to get the isy to bail me out of this one.

I am trying to get my ISY to modify the Off timer for my 2420M and I am able to get it to tweak the numbers, but it will only let me extend the off timer to 8.5 minutes. Could this be a bug in the ISY or the sensor? anyone else have this problem?

I'd like to get some advice / thoughts here. 1) It seems like it might be easier to NOT program the 2420 to a certain set of lightswitches, but to use the ISY to associate it, so I won't have to keep pressing and holding the programming button to make changes. Is there any problem with using the ISY this way? will there be a greater lag from when I walk in the room if the ISY is handling the light? 2) what is the best way to handle getting the light off? using the timer in the motion sensor or using the ISY? My understanding is that this motion sensor only send one ON command, so how do we make a program that handles the off? if we just wait 5 minutes from the on, then someone will could still be in the room. Does this mean that it is better to directly associate the light with the motion sensor? 3) I've noticed that when you do associate the sensor with a light switch, and you allow it the timer to run out and send an off command.. then if you move very quickly, the motion sensor turns the light back on (as it should) but the ISY doesn't get the correct staus update. This only seems to happen when you move within a few seconds of the off command. Anyone else have this problem?