How to get an email when synchrolinc goes on/off

[JoeA]

I'm new to ISY so sorry if this should be obvious.

I want to receive one email when my sump pump goes ON and one email when my sump pump goes OFF. I'm using a synchrolinc module and my "ON" program is:

 

If

Status 'synclinc' is On

Then

Send Notification to 'Joe' content 'Sump On'

Else

- No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

My OFF program is identical except for testing for OFF with related OFF message. When the sump pump starts a pumping cycle, I get a repeating pair of ON and OFF emails every 4 to 5 seconds until the pump is done with the current cycle. Is there a way to just get one ON message and one OFF message?

 

thanks!

[TJF1960]

Give this a try. Create an Integer variable (such as iSump). Then add it to the program as such:

 

If

Status 'synclinc' is On

And iSump = 0

Then

Send Notification to 'Joe' content 'Sump On'

Set iSump = 1

Else

- No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Do the same for the off program but reverse the Integer values.

[jedubin]

I'm having the same problem, but this solution didn't work for me.  I tried using the Control setting, so my program is:

 

If

     Control 'Sump' is switched On

Then

     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump on'

Else

     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

My "Off" program is the same, but switching the control and message.  I get about 5 "On" and 5 "Off" notifications when it is running.

 

I think there's a way to tweak the settings in the Synchrolinc, but my problem is that I want a notification when it first turns on but when it turns off for good.  So if I increase the delay (a.k.a. Holdoff) setting, I won't get the notification when it first turns on.  Anyone successfully set this up?

[oberkc]

If you think that this could be solved by adding a time-out period (perhaps a little longer than the overall typical cycle time) in your program, you could try something like:

 

if

control sump is switched on

and

status ON program is false

then

run ON program (then path)

else

nothing

 

ON program:

 

if

nothing

then

send notification

wait 3 minutes<<<adjust time period to suit, currently assuming the sump pit is cleared in less than three minutes

run ON program (else path)

else

nothing

 

A similar thought process could be used to send the OFF notification

[jedubin]

Thanks oberkc,

 

I feel like there should be a solution that doesn't require me to guess how long the pump takes to empty the pit - part of the motivation of this is that we recently had the pump go nonstop for a day before becoming overwhelmed, and had I gotten a warning that it was running for so long, I could have fixed the problem before it overflowed.

 

I did some reading up on the "wait" command, and I think it can do what I want.  According to what I've seen, if the "If" condition triggers while a program is waiting, it will reevaluate the program - so if the condition stops being true while a program is "wait"ing, it will not keep waiting (I think).

 

The goal here is to have the "On" message sent as soon as it goes on, but only have the "Off" message sent when it switches off for 5+ seconds.  In my tests, the time between on/off cycles the synchrolinc was picking up was on the order of 1.5 seconds or so, so 5 seconds seems safe.  I much prefer guessing this value (since it seems consistent) rather than the time it takes the pump to empty the pit, which can depend on conditions like weather.

 

Here's what I'm trying:

--------------------------------

On program:

If

             Status 'Sump' is On

     And $Sump is 0

Then

     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump on'

     $Sump = 1

Else

     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Off program:

If

             Status 'Sump' is Off

     And $Sump is 1

Then

     Wait 5 seconds

     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump on'

     $Sump = 0

Else

     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

-------------------------

Anyone see a problem with this?  I'll test it out next time it rains (and if I remember, I'll post an update).

[apostolakisl]

The program you first wrote will trigger every time the status of the synchrolinc changes.  So if you are getting more than one email, then the synchrolinc is flipping on/off somewhere in there when it shouldn't.  This could be a result of variations in the pump current draw.  You can change the time out period on the synchrolinc and you can change the wattage trigger threshold.  These might prevent it from reading on/off changes when none occurred.  On the ISY, there is an "options" button at the bottom of the page for your synchrolinc where you can change those.  

[jedubin]

Hi all,

 

Just to close the loop on this.  I haven't had any luck with tweaking the settings on the synchrolinc itself.  If I set the trigger/delay too short, I get lots of messages; if i set it too long, I miss some notifications if the cycle is very short.  But the programs I've used do seem to work.  Just for the record here's what seems to be doing the trick:

--------------------------------

On program:

If

             Status 'Sump' is On

     And $Sump is 0

Then

     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump on'

     $Sump = 1

Else

     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Off program:

If

             Status 'Sump' is Off

     And $Sump is 1

Then

     Wait 5 seconds

     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump off'

     $Sump = 0

Else

     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

[apostolakisl]

You could do the same thing without the variable.  You are effectively using the variable to disable the program's back and forth.

 

You would also get the same result using the 5 second delay on the synchrolinc itself, except that an on cycle that lasts fewer then 5 seconds would just get ignored.  Since your original stated goal was to know if the pump was running continuously for a long time, then you would still be achieving your end goal.

On program:
If
     Status 'Sump' is On
Then
     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump on'
     enable program "off program"
     disable program "on program"
Else
     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 
Off program:
If
     Status 'Sump' is Off
Then
     Wait 5 seconds
     Send Notification to 'Default' content 'Sump off'
     enable program "on program"
     disable program "off program"
Else
     - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')