One button for garage open/close indicator and control?

[Dimarc67]

So, I've installed my I/OLinc 2450 and garage door sensor, and the garage door can now be opened/closed, along with a door status indicator showing open or closed.

 

I've created two scenes on my ISY994i, respectively setting buttons G and H of a KeyPadLinc 8-button panel to be the open/close actuator (button G), and the open/close indicator (button H). The result of this is that button G is lit when the garage door is closed, and button H is lit when it's open. (I've colored button G green and button H red for clarity and distance visibility.)

 

However, this configuration can be thrown out of whack if someone happens to press either button at the wrong time. Press the G button to open/close the door, and then press it again before the door finishes opening/closing will reverse the door, and reverse the light indicator. Even worse, pressing the H button at any time reverses its light indicator, making the open/close status of the garage door unknown without actually looking in the garage.

 

Is there a better or more straightforward solution for this scenario? Is there any ability to control a button light independently of pressing the button? In a perfect world, this would be done with a single button light to indicate the door/open status, and pressing the same button to open or close the door.

 

What have others done?

 

Thanks.

 

Dimarc67

Frederick, MD

[oberkc]

This is a pretty common topic. If you haven't, it is worth searching the forums under "garage". Also check under the wiki for a good article on this.

 

I prefer to have a single button to control the door AND display status. This requires no program. Install the sensor in such a way that the sensor is ON when the door is open. Create a scene with the sensor as controller and button as responder. Then create a scene with same button as controller and relay as responder. Configure the button as NON-TOGGLE-ON.

 

I assume you have the relay configured for momentary, responding to ON commands.

 

Keep in mind that recent sensors shipped as part of the garage kit will be ON when the magnet is close. Earlier versions gave both options.

 

This requires pretty close attention to details, so check back if you have difficulty.

[Dimarc67]

Thanks much! This sounds exactly like what I was looking for. Let you know if anything goes awry.

 

Dimarc67

Frederick, MD

[Dimarc67]

Just finished the setup you provided on both of our garage doors. Operation looks pretty good, but I have some minor question marks, mainly to do with activating the doors outside of the Insteon system (e.g., with the door opener's original remote control), and with using Mobilinc with this configuration.

 

You mentioned to "have the relay configured for momentary, responding to ON commands". Can you say what scenario this setting covers? When I first set it up as you described, I inadvertently neglected this step, leaving the relay set to respond to both ON and OFF commands, and everything seemed to work well. I understand the setting difference, but I'm not certain what the purpose of choosing that setting might be.

 

Separately, can you say what would be the best method of controlling the doors in Mobilinc such that the door status and door control indicators are always synced and correct?

 

Thanks for any further help you provide!

 

Dimarc67

Frederick, MD

[Teken]

The method he describes will always display the true GDO state. If the door is open, the KPL LED will remain lit.

 

If the door is closed the KPL LED will be unlit. With respect to the relay being programmed for ON / OFF.

 

The door would activate with either command which is not ideal.

 

Teken . . .

 

 

Encrypted By: Phoenix Security Solutions

[oberkc]

The door would activate with either command which is not ideal.

 

The keypad button is set to non-toggle ON. ON will be the only command sent to the relay. Unless you have another way to send commands to the relay, the momentary mode chosen should not matter. If this concerns you, set the relay to be in momentary mode, responding only to ON commands.

[Teken]

The door would activate with either command which is not ideal.

 

The keypad button is set to non-toggle ON. ON will be the only command sent to the relay. Unless you have another way to send commands to the relay, the momentary mode chosen should not matter. If this concerns you, set the relay to be in momentary mode, responding only to ON commands.

 

My reply was to address the 3 AM query. But, maybe I am thinking about this all wrong!

 

Teken . . .

[oberkc]

I understand that the query can be a problem if one uses the sensor reverse option on the ioloinc. That is, however, a good point that I did not remember.

[Dimarc67]

Hmmm...

I think I follow what you're describing here... or perhaps I'm completely lost. Ultimately, this may actually be a question about Mobilinc rather than the IOlinc.

 

I have the KPL button configured for "Non-Toggle-ON", which definitely works nicely for this purpose.

 

My question, and perhaps this is what you were both trying to describe for me, is about configuring the IOlinc for what Oberkc described as "momentary, responding to ON commands". In the ISY Options screen for the IOlinc, this is a radio button labeled "Momentary A: Triggered by either On or Off". (Once that option is selected, configuring the ON choice is done by linking the IOlinc while it is switched ON.)

 

Having first neglected this setting when I configured the scene, the IOlinc was set to its default "Momentary B: Triggered by both On and Off", and everything seemed to operate as desired. So, I'm hoping to understand what scenarios are not covered by configuring the IOlinc to respond to both on and off commands. (Apologies if you've already tried to explain this.)

 

With the IOlinc configured for responding to ON commands only, I find that Mobilinc doesn't seem to be aware of this, and changes the IOlinc's ON/OFF status with every action. This means that to open/close the garage door, you need to hit it twice in Mobilinc--once to turn it "On", and then again to turn it "Off". (For lack of a better dscription, perhaps Mobilinc lacks the ability to also be configured to Non-Toggle-ON like the KPL?)

 

And, one additional challenge is that I'm having difficulty testing the two different configurations (triggered by ON and OFF vs. triggered by ON only) because the IOlinc won't change back to "triggered by ON and OFF", despite making the change in my ISY, and despite unlinking/relinking it. Guessing I'll have to try to do a full reset on it, which is a major PITA since it's plugged into the 10'-high ceiling outlet above the GDO.

 

Hoping to be set straight so I can stop pestering everyone.

 

Thanks.

 

Dimarc67

Frederick, MD

[LeeG]

Dimarc67

 

I think there is confusion due to the differences between how Scenes work with the I/O Linc Relay and how Direct commands work with the I/O Linc Relay.

 

The variations of which commands control the I/O Linc Relay based on Momentary mode apply ONLY to Scenes. Using Momentary A where the Relay responds to either On or Off command but only one command applies when a Scene is driven such as when the KeypadLinc button is pressed.

 

Using a Direct On command either from the Admin Console or from MobiLinc to the I/O Linc Relay always turns the Relay On. It does not matter which Momentary mode is being used. A Direct On command always turns the Relay On. Because any Momentary mode turns the Relay Off automatically the Direct Off command has no affect. A Direct Off command to the Relay turns it Off but since Momentary mode has already turned the Relay Off a Direct Off command is essentially a NOP.

 

If you want MobiLinc to work the same as pressing the KeypadLinc button the Scene has to be turned On from MobiLinc

[Dimarc67]

Thanks, LeeG. Very good explanation. Controlling the scene from Mobilinc seems to work correctly.

 

However, we now have a new curious behavior on the KPL button. When closing the door with the KPL button, the button light correctly stays lit until the door sensor magnet is nearest the sensor, meaning the button light correctly stays lit until the door is fully closed. When closing the door by activating the scene through Mobilinc, however, the KPL button light turns off immediately -- before the sensor magnet is anywhere near the sensor -- instead of waiting for the door to finish closing.

 

My concern is that the button light ALWAYS be correct under any circumstances since this is intended to be the primary method of confirming the door status.

 

Any further insights?

 

Thanks.

 

Dimarc67

Frederick, MD

[LeeG]

Either the MobiLinc is sending a Scene Off which turns the KeypadLinc button Off immediately or if a Scene On is issued the KeypadLinc button as a Responder to the Scene name is set to 0% On Level. If a Scene On is being issued click the Scene name under the Admin Console and check the KeypadLinc On Level.