Question on Blinking Light Program

[GDavis01]

I have a boathouse at my vacation home, and in the winter I run bubblers to keep the water from freezing around the boathouse. This is necessary to avoid having the ice destroy the dock area. However because I am creating an open water situation, I am trying to take as many precautions as I can to make sure that people, out on the lake in the winter (snowmobiles), are aware that the open water is there. Aside from various signs physically out on the ice, I want the lights (with red bulbs) on the boathouse to blink from sunset to sunrise. As such I wrote a small program to have the lights ON for 4 seconds and then OFF for 4 seconds continuously from sunset to sunrise.

 

Here is the code I wrote:

 

IF

   From  Sunset

   To       Sunrise (next day)

 

THEN

 

   Send Notification to Me content 'Boathouse Warning Light Program Started'

   Repeat 7000 times

     Set 'Warning Lights' On

     Wait 4 seconds

     Set 'Warning Lights' Off

     Wait 4 seconds

 

ELSE

 

   Send Notification to Me content 'Boathouse Warning Light Program Stopped'

 

 

Notes:

 

- Set program to Run at Startup - in event of power failure this program will restart

- Program must be enabled

- Calculated that light turns on and off 7 times in one minute... Dec 21st (shortest daylight) has about 916 minutes of darkness

   therefore 6,412 times. Chose 7,000 for a cushion.

- Program should stop running at Sunrise, regardless of the number of 'Repeats' left

- Notifications are to alert me when the programs start and stop (to deal with my paranoia)

 

 

Does this make sense?

[stusviews]

That's a lot of Insteon traffic. Why not use red strobes?

[GDavis01]

What is the downside of having a lot of Insteon traffic?

 

Strobes could be an option.

[stusviews]

If turning the light on and off is all that the ISY does, then there should not be a problem. Otherwise, there may be signal collisions.

[jerlands]

Not only network traffic but all that cycling really affects bulb life..  you're gonna need something designed for flashing like strobes or rotating beacons

 

Jon...

[rlanza1054]

Hi,

 

I also wan to do something similar and did not want to start a new thread.

 

In my case, I have some spare buttons on my Keypadlinc.

 

I cannot find it again, but read something on the web where a user used his Keypadlinc to light up one of his spare buttons, he place a red defuser behind the button, so when lit it would glow red.

 

He had it light up only when there was an error.

 

I do not remember if this person had an ISY but is seems like he would have to.

 

My question is:

 

Besides running an error log to text file, is there a place on the ISY where a error variable is stored that I can tap into.

 

This way, if there is ever an error event on the ISY or maybe something being reported to the ISY, and when that happens turn on the LED on the spare button on the Keypadlinc.

 

I do know that if my motion sensor's batteries are low, I could easily do this and have the button turn on its led.  I have it presently sending out a email and text message.

 

But other than the battery low, I guess I want to know if there is a variable stored somewhere that a error event is happening or happened.

 

This person, also set the button that if it is tapped, it will reset the LED on the button and it will go off.  One must assume if he tapped the button to turn off the LED, he took care of the issue whatever it was.

 

And as far as GMD99, maybe instead of flashing a light, if possible just use a light fixture where you can install a RED light blub or put a red defuser on it.  This way if you see that lit up you would know that you have an issue.  Its a suggestion, that you might try instead of the flashing repeatedly.

 

Rob

[stusviews]

I use color KPL button diffusers to indicate various conditions (e.g., garage doors open, HVAC running, exterior light on, low battery, etc.), but that requires a scene or program for each and every condition.

 

And as far as GMD99, maybe instead of flashing a light, if possible just use a light fixture where you can install a RED light blub or put a red defuser on it.  This way if you see that lit up you would know that you have an issue.  Its a suggestion, that you might try instead of the flashing repeatedly.

 

But a simple red bulb may not be adequate as a warning for someone using a snowmobile around open water

[rlanza1054]

I use color KPL button diffusers to indicate various conditions (e.g., garage doors open, HVAC running, exterior light on, low battery, etc.), but that requires a scene or program for each and every condition.

 

 

But a simple red bulb may not be adequate as a warning for someone using a snowmobile around open water

Then maybe a blub that strobes as suggested. You don't have to get the ISY to do the flashing, just turn it on.

 

As a teenage, my first Heathkit was a strobe light, the box with the strobe light had one knob for adjusting the speed of the strobe and an on/off switch. Just leave the on/off switch on and have the ISY turn it on.

 

That might be what your looking for. That kit at the time (1971) was $30. They sell strobe lights on 14th Street lighting store between 5th and 6th ave. Ok, you might not live in NYC.

 

You can get these strobe lights online very cheap.

 

Again, this was only a suggestion for your needs.

 

I wanted to do some thing else.

 

Rob

[BCreekDave]

In the interest of reducing network traffic and wear and tear on an insteon equipment, it would be best to do the switching with an industrial timer such as this

http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/400790194690

 

Basically, this device is activated (energized) by a an insteon lamplinc or similar at dusk and de-energized at dawn. Turn the knob to adjust the on-off interval from 0.1 to 10 seconds on this particular model. It's a solid state relay internally so it should last a long time.

 

To connect to this, you will also need an 8 pin din socket such as this:

http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/381020969541

 

One other thing to consider for bulb life is going to a DC voltage to drive the bulb. A 12vdc bulb will all things being equal have a much longer lifespan in a high cycle setting and also have the benefit in this case of being safer around water.

 

 

 

 

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[stusviews]

Strobe lights can be found for $10-15. Canal St has some bargains, but that's just parts that you need to assemble--and not as a kit. Some electronic expertise is required.

[BCreekDave]

I don't have much experience with strobes. Do they thermally like being held on for 4 seconds?

 

 

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[jerlands]

I don't have much experience with strobes. Do they thermally like being held on for 4 seconds?

 

 

I've got the perfect solution for your boathouse...  construct a cupola on top the boathouse to hold a fresnel beacon ... it'll make it look like a lighthouse

That might be a little much but you can find all types of strobes or rotating beacons by googling, however.. warning flashers typically have a much faster rate than 4 seconds.. more like 100/min or so.. there's also low voltage (12-24v) but your choice will depend on how are you going to mount them? 

 

Jon...

[stusviews]

Strobe lights have a few millisecond duration. If you've ever been to a disco, the lighting is usually strobe lights. Flash bulbs (not flash lights) are, effectively, single use strobes.