Is a "wait" necessary as the first Run Then comman

[Rich]

Hi,

 

I'm just starting to play with my i99 and am not sure if i'm hitting a bug, an insteon thing or if there's something up with my device(s)

 

I want to turn the family room stairs lights on when the family room main light is switched off. I tried the following program.

 

if

Control 'Family Room Light' is switched off

then

Set Scene 'Family Room Stairs' On

else

- No Actions

 

now i think this should just work if i turn off the 'family room light' then the 'family roon stairs' light should turn on, but it doesn't. If I run (then) then the 'family room stairs' light turns on, but run through the program it doesn't, unless....

 

i add a "wait 1 second" before the "set scene..." to the "then" clause, and then it does work, it also works if i add a "repeat 5 times" before the "set scene...".

 

So my questions are - is this an insteon thing in that it can't cope with running 2 things in quick sequence?, is it a i99 program thing or is it a device thing? and as a best practice should I always put a delay in sequenced commands in the then and else branches?

 

I know 1 second isn't long to wait but the point of the program would be to turn on all the lights to the bedroom when I turn off the family room light after 10:30pm and i'm already tripping up the stairs while the "family room light' is dimming and the stairs light is ramping (I've left out the schedule code from the stuff above)...

 

Amy help would be very much appreciated!

 

Thanks, Rich.

 

p.s. I have about 10 devices and 2 accesspoints - not sure if the i99 is on the same or other phase of the house.

[MikeB]

I have lots of scenes that I trigger from switches like that, and I haven't had to add any waits.

 

Is "Family Room Light" a controller of a fairly large scene by chance? If so, maybe there's a considerable amount of traffic going on that's drowning out your scene command.

 

But if it's a standalone switch, or maybe a controller in a 2 or 3 switch scene, I'm surprised you're having that issue.

[Rich]

Thanks Mike, the family room light controls 2 outletlincs for 2 table lamps and the family room stairs light only controls itself (insteon'ed 3 way switch) - i'd be interested to know if anyone else has had this issue and figured out why...

 

Thanks! Rich.

[IndyMike]

Rich,

As Mike B has indicated, I have not needed delays when using Insteon only Scenes. I have required delays when mixing Insteon and X10 protocols.

 

It's possible that one or more of your devices have "stray" X10 codes left over from factory testing. This might interfere with your scene execution (your Family Room Light or outletlincs may be communicating X10 when your scene is activated).

 

You can check for X10 activity within the ISY admin console. Go to "tools" and select the "event viewer". Activate your "Family Room Light" and watch for X10 communications.

 

I am very curious whether this is the cause. I would expect that the PLM would "hold off" communication while X10 is present. I am sure, however, that there is a limit to this hold period. If you had two or more devices with X10 codes transmitting, you might exceed a timeout period.

 

Please get back with us. Regards,

IM

 

 

Thanks Mike, the family room light controls 2 outletlincs for 2 table lamps and the family room stairs light only controls itself (insteon'ed 3 way switch) - i'd be interested to know if anyone else has had this issue and figured out why...

 

Thanks! Rich.

[Rich]

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for the reply - this is what i get (I set the logging level to 2)

 

With no wait in the program;

 

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 00.00.01 C7 13 00 LTOFFRR(00)

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D 2F BB 1] DOF 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D 2F BB 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ E 5 1D 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 00.00.12 CF 11 FF 06 LTONRR (FF)

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ E 0 DF 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D F D 1] ST 127

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D 12 8F 1] ST 127

2008/09/11 00:28:25 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 0E.DB.76 41 13 01 LTOFFRR(01)

 

 

And with a 2 second wait as the first command in the then clause;

 

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 00.00.01 CB 13 00 LTOFFRR(00)

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ D 2F BB 1] DOF 0

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ D 2F BB 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ E 5 1D 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ E 0 DF 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:29:19 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 0E.DB.76 41 13 01 LTOFFRR(01)

2008/09/11 00:29:20 : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 00.00.12 CF 11 FF 06 LTONRR (FF)

 

 

The first logs fails to turn the family room stairs light on when the family room light is switched off, the 2nd log does turn the family room stairs light on when the family room light is switched off.

 

Not sure what it all means so any help deciphering them would be appreciated

 

The program I'm running is very simple;

 

If

Control 'Family Room Light' is switched Off

And From 10:30:00PM

To Sunrise (next day)

Then

Set Scene 'Family Room Stairs' On

Else

- No Actions -

 

If it helps, the addresses for the devices invloved are;

 

Family Room scene;

Family Room Lamp (Left) 0E.05.1D (is controlled by Family Room Light)

Family Room Lamp (Right) 0E.00.DF (is controlled by Family Room Light)

Family Room Light 0D.2F.BB

 

Family Room Stairs scene;

Family Room Stairs (Bottom) 0D.0F.0D

Family Room Stiars (Top) 0D.12.8F (Controls load)

 

Thanks! Rich.

[Sub-Routine]

Something looks wrong. I don't have any waits in the few programs I have like that.

 

Hopefully the UDI team can help you.

 

Rand

[Michel Kohanim]

Rich,

 

At the first glance, the logs might seem wrong but, when you get to understand our code, then everything makes sense.

 

The priority for the updater task is much higher than the priority for the reader task. So, when you add a wait, you are just basically telling the updater to "wait". While the updater is waiting, the reader continues to read.

 

In English: if you look at your logs, they both have the same lines but in different orders. The order MAKES sense based on what you have.

 

What I can conclude from the logs are:

1. ISY senses the family room light has turned off (accurate)

2. ISY activates the scene (accurate)

 

Would be kind enough to do the following experiment:

1. Use the Family Room Stairs scene with any other switch except the Family Room Light. See if it has the same problem

2. Do the reverse, use any other scene with Family Room Light and see if has the same issue

 

Please let me know of the outcome as this will tell me where the problem is originating from.

 

Thanks and with kind regards,

Michel

 

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for the reply - this is what i get (I set the logging level to 2)

 

With no wait in the program;

 

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 00.00.01 C7 13 00 LTOFFRR(00)

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D 2F BB 1] DOF 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D 2F BB 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ E 5 1D 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 00.00.12 CF 11 FF 06 LTONRR (FF)

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ E 0 DF 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D F D 1] ST 127

2008/09/11 00:28:24 : [ D 12 8F 1] ST 127

2008/09/11 00:28:25 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 0E.DB.76 41 13 01 LTOFFRR(01)

 

 

And with a 2 second wait as the first command in the then clause;

 

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 00.00.01 CB 13 00 LTOFFRR(00)

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ D 2F BB 1] DOF 0

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ D 2F BB 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ E 5 1D 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:29:18 : [ E 0 DF 1] ST 0

2008/09/11 00:29:19 : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 0D.2F.BB 0E.DB.76 41 13 01 LTOFFRR(01)

2008/09/11 00:29:20 : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 00.00.12 CF 11 FF 06 LTONRR (FF)

 

 

The first logs fails to turn the family room stairs light on when the family room light is switched off, the 2nd log does turn the family room stairs light on when the family room light is switched off.

 

Not sure what it all means so any help deciphering them would be appreciated

 

The program I'm running is very simple;

 

If

Control 'Family Room Light' is switched Off

And From 10:30:00PM

To Sunrise (next day)

Then

Set Scene 'Family Room Stairs' On

Else

- No Actions -

 

If it helps, the addresses for the devices invloved are;

 

Family Room scene;

Family Room Lamp (Left) 0E.05.1D (is controlled by Family Room Light)

Family Room Lamp (Right) 0E.00.DF (is controlled by Family Room Light)

Family Room Light 0D.2F.BB

 

Family Room Stairs scene;

Family Room Stairs (Bottom) 0D.0F.0D

Family Room Stiars (Top) 0D.12.8F (Controls load)

 

Thanks! Rich.

[Rich]

Hi Michel,

 

Thanks for the reply. I spent a couple of hours reading through a few of the other forums this weekend (probably should have done that first) and have done the following;

 

1) Moved my accesspoints so that one is on the same circuit as the PLM and the other is as close as it can be based on my houses wiring -- This actually got things going sporadically, which is better than it was before...

 

2) I noticed that a switchlinc connected to a set of floodlights on my deck outside was randomly turning on/off with the familyroomlight, I factory reset it, unwired it and it was still randomly doing stuff, so I swapped it for another new switchlinc (the old one is being RMA'd). This helped a lot, so I'm guessing this was sending randomness over the wire and confusing other devices but it didn't 100% solve the problem as the program still wouldn't execute consistently (it was better though)...

 

3) After much trial and error it looks like my outside lights (all CFL's) that illuminate my house and driveway are causing the inconsistency.... well it's either the bulbs or the timers that they're wired to. If I switch them off I get 100% success with running the program, if they are on it randomly works about 70% of the time....

 

So... I think I have 2 last questions...

 

Does anyone have any recommendations for CFL's that are happy outdoors and are Insteon friendly? I have many other CFL's indoors and they don't seem to cause an issue... and lastly, does it really help to have more than 2 accesspoints?

 

Thanks for you help.