Detect if X10 device is on

[Vortec4800]

I see a few programs that check if an Insteon device is turned on as part of the condition, but I can't tell how to do this with an X10 switch. I tried the status = on X10 command but it didn't do anything. Basically I have a motion detector I'm hooking up to a light on X10 but if the light is already on I don't want the program to run.

[d_l]

Most X10 devices aren't two-way as the Insteon devices are so they won't respond to a request for a status.

 

So you have to write programs to keep track of the status of all your X10 devices if this is important to you. I have a whole series of "X10 status " programs. They all are simple like this example:

 

If

X10 'F11/On (3)' is Received

Or X10 'F11/Off (11)' is not Received

 

Then

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

 

Else

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

 

If the device is on, the program will read True and if off, it will be False.

 

BTW, because I have a lot of these type programs, I designated them with an asterisk at the start, e.g. "* Guestroom Fan", of the name. This enables the Program Summary tab to sort all of them to the top when I want to check the X10 programs.

[Vortec4800]

Interesting, so those programs basically act as Boolean variables for the X10 devices. Sounds good to me, thanks!

[d_l]

I pretty much use those programs as the X10 equivalent of the Main tab.

 

I believe that Universal Devices has plans for some firmware additions to the ISY that will help keep track of the X10 device status similar to the function of my programs.

[johne]

hmm. I have set up status_scripts for all of my X10 devices, but they don't seem to be tracking the status very well. I turned the Event Viewer tracking to 0 and it's not showing any X10 traffic. The funny thing is I have Homeseer running on one of my computers and its interface is plugged INTO the ISY-99 PLM, and Homeseer is seeing lots and lots of X10 traffic.

 

Here's a copy of one of my status_scripts:

 

 

If

X10 'M3/On (3)' is Received

Or X10 'M/All Lights On (5)' is Received

Or X10 'M3/Off (11)' is not Received

Or X10 'M/All Units Off (13)' is not Received

 

Then

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

 

Else

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

 

 

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. I haven't moved the ISY/PLM yet since Homeseer is seeing traffic, but I'm considering it.

 

-John

[Algorithm]

hmm. I have set up status_scripts for all of my X10 devices, but they don't seem to be tracking the status very well. I turned the Event Viewer tracking to 0 and it's not showing any X10 traffic. The funny thing is I have Homeseer running on one of my computers and its interface is plugged INTO the ISY-99 PLM, and Homeseer is seeing lots and lots of X10 traffic.

 

Here's a copy of one of my status_scripts:

 

 

If

X10 'M3/On (3)' is Received

Or X10 'M/All Lights On (5)' is Received

Or X10 'M3/Off (11)' is not Received

Or X10 'M/All Units Off (13)' is not Received

 

Then

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

 

Else

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

 

 

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. I haven't moved the ISY/PLM yet since Homeseer is seeing traffic, but I'm considering it.

 

-John

Hello John,

 

Please change your program to:

 

If
    (
            X10 'M3/On (3)' is Received
        Or X10 'M/All Lights On (5)' is Received
    )
    And X10 'M3/Off (11)' is not Received
    And X10 'M/All Units Off (13)' is not Received

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

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

which should reflect the correct status.

 

In the Event Viewer, please try changing the Level to 1 or 2, and you should see the X-10 traffic.

[johne]

Beautiful! Both suggestions were spot on. Thanks Darrell!

[Algorithm]

Beautiful! Both suggestions were spot on. Thanks Darrell!

My pleasure! Thanks for the update; I'm so glad it is what you needed.

[johne]

I have been fairly successful with the ISY-99 running 2.6.6 code, and I'm able to monitor X10 traffic using the Event Viewer set to level 2. HOWEVER, not all of the X10 traffic is getting logged at the ISY-99 and I'm not sure why.

 

I'm trying to migrate to the ISY-99 from Homeseer, and right now I have the Homeseer communication module (CM11A) plugged into the back of the PLM that connects to the ISY-99. The funny thing is that Homeseer is seeing (and logging) X10 traffic that never appears in the ISY-99 Event Viewer, specifically traffic from my X10 wireless remote that I use to turn on/off the lights on my main floor.

 

Given that the traffic has to flow through the ISY-99 PLM to get to Homeseer, I don't understand why the ISY-99 isn't logging it. Is there something else I can do on the PLM or ISY-99 to see more information about the X10 traffic that is flowing?

[d_l]

John, is it missing X10 traffic from specific modules or are the missing commands randomly distributed across all your units?

[johne]

hmm. so far it's just that one remote/module which I find completely odd... I figured that since Homeseer was seeing it, then it's clearly on the "wire" and the PLM should be catching it too. I'll break out my old (ugly) x10 remote as well as a different X10 transceiver to see if that makes a difference.

[johne]

Son of a gun. I found an extra X10 receiving module, and set it to the same house code as the other one, and now the PLM/ISY-99 is seeing the X10 commands from the remote control. I guess this is one of the reasons why SmartLabs came up with Insteon, eh?

[d_l]

Yeah, X10 (and Insteon too sometimes) can give quirky results.

[IndyMike]

Johne,

 

I'm curious what model transceiver you replaced (TM751?) and what you replaced it with. It's possible that your "old" device was not allowing a 3-cycle gap between X10 transmissions.

 

My Smarthome "Testerlinc" regularly flags X10 brand devices for not providing the correct gap between successive X10 commands while my Switchlinc devices (X10 mode) do not generate this error.

 

I have read that certain Elk devices will completely ignore "X10 brand" communications for the same reason.

 

IM

 

 

Son of a gun. I found an extra X10 receiving module, and set it to the same house code as the other one, and now the PLM/ISY-99 is seeing the X10 commands from the remote control. I guess this is one of the reasons why SmartLabs came up with Insteon, eh?

[johne]

Hi IM,

 

The old unit was the X10-branded "Transceiver Module RR501" and the unit that ended up working is the "IBM Home Director HD501 02K1040". I actually have both plugged in right now, using the same house code; I figured it wouldn't hurt to have them both working at the same time, however the ISY picks up the signals just fine if I only use the IBM module. It doesn't pick up the signals if I just use the X10-branded module.

 

-John

[Brian H]

I believe the HD501 is the OEM module made by X10 that is like the RR501.

I have had an RR501s power supply fail and do strange things.

I rebuilt mine and again it is fine.

[IndyMike]

johne,

 

As Brian indicated, I believe your transceivers are both manufactured by X10. That being the case, my theory of the "3 cycle gap" protocol doesn't hold water. It is possible that your "old" RR501 is in fact dying, as Brian has suggested.

 

You mentioned that you had "both devices" installed and that things were functioning. Could you possibly plug your "old" unit into the "new" unit location? If your system works with this configuration, I'd suggest that you have a new signal absorber in your home. In my experience, the PLM does a pretty good job receiving X10 signals (sensitivity). The CM11a may, however, have better X10 sensitivity (or AGC) that allows it to receive when the PLM cannot.

 

IM

[Algorithm]

Most X10 devices aren't two-way as the Insteon devices are so they won't respond to a request for a status.

 

So you have to write programs to keep track of the status of all your X10 devices if this is important to you. I have a whole series of "X10 status " programs. They all are simple like this example:

 

If

X10 'F11/On (3)' is Received

Or X10 'F11/Off (11)' is not Received

 

Then

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

 

Else

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

 

If the device is on, the program will read True and if off, it will be False.

 

BTW, because I have a lot of these type programs, I designated them with an asterisk at the start, e.g. "* Guestroom Fan", of the name. This enables the Program Summary tab to sort all of them to the top when I want to check the X10 programs.

Dave,

 

Thanks so much for this. I have written it up for the wiki: Tracking X-10 Device Status.