Outdoor Ceiling Fan Program

[jmed999]

I'm wanting the ceiling fans on my deck to turn on when the outdoor temp is over 80F and when occupied. The fans are controlled by a switchlinc. I'm thinking about using the Insteon motion detector but i'm not sure how to program it to do so. I thought about using this program...

 

If
       Module 'Climate' Temperature >= 80 °F
   And Status  'Deck Motion-Sensor' is On

Then
       Set 'Deck Fan' Fast On

Else
       Set 'Deck Fan' Fast Off

 

I'm just not sure how to make the program such that the fan can be turned on manually without the program turning it off. Any ideas? Any recommendations to my program are welcomed. Thanks!

[oberkc]

I'm thinking about using the Insteon motion detector but i'm not sure how to program it to do so. I thought about using this program

 

That approach will work with a motion sensor. The motion sensor will need to be configured to send an OFF command, and the time-out period set, but otherwise that will work.

 

I cannot say how the temperature condition will react or trigger (don't use the climate capability).

 

just not sure how to make the program such that the fan can be turned on manually without the program turning it off

 

This is similar to your vacation/guest problem earlier, with the difference that your fan goes off not after a preset time, but when motion is no longer sensed or the temperature drops below a certain value. I would use the same concepts to define a manual override condition. Then, create a couple of programs (conceptual syntax):

 

if 
temperature is over 80
and control motion sensor is on  <<then
turn fan on

 

if
(
temperature is below 80
or control motion sensor is turned off
)
and manual override is not on
then
turn fan off

[jmed999]

I'm not sure what "manual overide is not on" means. Keep in mind my deck lights (all of them including the ones on the ceiling fans) are controlled by 1 switchlinc and the ceiling fan speed is always set to high but turned on and off via a switchlinc. So I have the following two programs now...

 

If
       Module 'Climate' Temperature >= 80 °F
   And Control 'Deck Motion-Sensor' is switched On
   And Elk Area 'Home' 'Armed State' is Disarmed

Then
       Set 'Deck Fan' Fast On
       Send Notification to 'My text' content 'Deck Fan'

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

 

If
       Module 'Climate' Temperature < 80 °F
    Or Control 'Deck Motion-Sensor' is switched Off

Then
       Set 'Deck Fan' Fast Off
       Send Notification to 'My text' content 'Deck Fan'

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

 

Since Deck Fan is a switchlinc I'm not sure it will know when it's turned on manually or via the program. If it doesn't know the difference then I'm not sure how I would disable the first program. Ie. if I manually turn the fan on but it's only 77F it may turn off prematurely (when the motion sensor turns off after the set amount of time.) Can I get around this?

 

Thanks for your help!

[oberkc]

I'm not sure what "manual overide is not on" means.

I would use the same concepts to define a manual override condition.

"Manual Overide" was my generic term for whatever method you choose to manually turn on the fan and check for this condition, whether a program, variable, or other method. it seems to me that if you found a method that you liked with your motion sensor problem (you chose to define a variable for this did you not?), you would duplicate that method here.