How Would You Do It?

[zerop]

Did a quick search and couldn't find a discussion on this exact topic.  It's a bit of a preference and I'd like to hear your thoughts.

 

Scene versus Program....

 

I have a hidden door sensor in the door that leads into the garage (or into the house hallway in the other direction).  I want the hallway lights to turn on when entering the house from the garage.  The downside is that with a scene the lights ALWAYS turn on.  I would like them not to turn on during the day (the hallway is light enough I don't need them).  I want it to turn on only during later in the day/ night time hours.  I can do two things.

 

Scene:

Let the door sensor ALWAYS turn the lights on and then use a program to turn them off during the lighter parts of the day.

 

Program:

Will let me be very specific on when the hallway lights turn on.  Sometimes they will turn on when the door is opened and sometimes they won't.

 

Program sounds better but I really like the almost instantaneous on I get from using scenes versus using programs.  There's a 2-3 second delay when using programs which is a BIT long when entering the house and it is totally dark.  What are your thoughts/preferences.  It seems a bit weird for lights to turn on and then off during the day (when using a scene).

[Techman]

It's probably best to  use a program with a time condition.  Don't know why you're seeing a delay, do you have the ramp rate for the lights set to "0"

If you're light is intermittent you may not have good communication between the door sensor and the ISY, Do you have a dual band device close to the sensor?

 

    IF

            time is between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm

           and control door sensor is on

 

   THEN

           turn on lights

 

  ELSE

[zerop]

Programs are always a little sower than scenes.  If I'm not mistaken scenes communicate directly between device to device, no ISY required.  With programs the device has to communicate with the ISY, the ISY has to go through all the programs waiting to trigger, trigger the correct program, send a command to the second device ( the hallway lights) to turn on.  The back and forth communication and code execution in the ISY creates more of a lag than a scene alone.  Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here.

 

I have a dual band device within 3 feet of the door sensor and another 5 dual band dimmers within 10 feet as well.  I have the ramp rate set to 0.1 sec (the lowest it can be).  The door sensor is in a wood door frame.  It gets good communication as it turns on other lights as well which works fine.

 

 

It's probably best to  use a program with a time condition.  Don't know why you're seeing a delay, do you have the ramp rate for the lights set to "0"

If you're light is intermittent you may not have good communication between the door sensor and the ISY, Do you have a dual band device close to the sensor?

[Jimbo.Automates]

I prefer a scene because I want it on instantaneously, then use a program to adjust the device on value to zero in the scene when I don't want it to turn on.  I can post my programs if you are interested.

 

But this would be easier if we could disable a device in a scene:  http://udi.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Allow-disabling-a-device-in-a-program/83037-32911

[zerop]

I prefer a scene because I want it on instantaneously, then use a program to adjust the device on value to zero in the scene when I don't want it to turn on.

 

I don't think you can do this with this type of sensor as you can only adjust the scene when it is in linking mode which has to be done manually.

[Jimbo.Automates]

I don't think you can do this with this type of sensor as you can only adjust the scene when it is in linking mode which has to be done manually.

 

When you adjust the scene it doesn't need to update the sensor, only the device that it controls.  I know it works because that's how I do it. 

[zerop]

When you adjust the scene it doesn't need to update the sensor, only the device that it controls.  I know it works because that's how I do it. 

 

I did not know this.  Thanks, I'll give it a try!

[Techman]

If I'm not mistaken scenes communicate directly between device to device, no ISY required.  please correct me if I'm wrong here.

 

I have a dual band device within 3 feet of the door sensor and another 5 dual band dimmers within 10 feet as well.  I have the ramp rate set to 0.1 sec (the lowest it can be).  The door sensor is in a wood door frame.  It gets good communication as it turns on other lights as well which works fine.

 

You're correct in that scenes operate independently from the ISY. The scene data is stored in the PLM. If you want a time condition you'll need to use a program.

If the sensor is intermittent you still need to get to the source of the problem. Set your event viewer to level 3 then trigger the sensor and post the results.

[zerop]

When you adjust the scene it doesn't need to update the sensor, only the device that it controls.  I know it works because that's how I do it. 

 

Maybe you could provide your setup for this because I can't seem to get it to work.  The door sensor is a controller in a scene (it has to be to turn lights on when it opens).  I can adjust the "scene" using a program such as on level for different lights in the scene but I can't adjust the on levels that the controller of the scene (the door sensor) turns on when activated.

[LeeG]

Click on the Red door sensor below the Scene name.   The On Level and Ramp Rate values apply to when the door sensor is the Controller.

[Jimbo.Automates]

In the adjust scene, select the sensor in the top selection, not the scene itself. I can post a pic when I'm at my computer.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Jimbo.Automates]

Here is my program.  The s.MS.FRO.Dark is 1 when I want the light to come on,  Also, the door sensor is a open/close sensor with the jumper removed (2 scene mode) so it only turns the scene on, not off, and I have a separate timer program to turn the light off.  The only issue with this that I have found is if it's light and I do turn the light on, the sensors will turn the light off.  I'm trying to perfect the programs, but not quite there yet...

AL FRO Enable Auto On - [ID 0008][Parent 0017]

If
        $s.MS.FRO.Dark is not 0
 
Then
        In Scene 'Z-Motion / FamilyRoomOutsideMS-Senso' Set 'Outside / BackYard / FamilyRoomDoorOutside' 100% (On Level)
        In Scene 'DoorsAndGates / FamilyRoomDoor-Opened' Set 'Outside / BackYard / FamilyRoomDoorOutside' 100% (On Level)
 
Else
        In Scene 'Z-Motion / FamilyRoomOutsideMS-Senso' Set 'Outside / BackYard / FamilyRoomDoorOutside' 0% (On Level)
        In Scene 'DoorsAndGates / FamilyRoomDoor-Opened' Set 'Outside / BackYard / FamilyRoomDoorOutside' 0% (On Level)