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leak sensor out of range


aweber1nj

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Posted

Just installing some of these 2852-222 sensors in my house (the How To post in the other forum is excellent!).

 

I configured one and left it in my living room for a few days to see that it was sending heartbeat, etc.  All good.

 

I moved the sensor to its actual, intended location behind my boiler (near my sump pit), and it has started missing heartbeats.  Pretty obvious "out of range" issue here, I think.

 

My question is whether plugging-in an unused, dual-band outdoor module like the 2634-222 near the sensor will help the sensor bridge/repeat to the ISY controller?  (I also have an unused indoor module - probably a LampLinc dual-band, if that would be better.)

 

From the specs, the 2852-222 uses the 915Mhz band (only).

 

Thanks for any advice,

AJ

Posted

Just installing some of these 2852-222 sensors in my house (the How To post in the other forum is excellent!).

 

I configured one and left it in my living room for a few days to see that it was sending heartbeat, etc.  All good.

 

I moved the sensor to its actual, intended location behind my boiler (near my sump pit), and it has started missing heartbeats.  Pretty obvious "out of range" issue here, I think.

 

My question is whether plugging-in an unused, dual-band outdoor module like the 2634-222 near the sensor will help the sensor bridge/repeat to the ISY controller?  (I also have an unused indoor module - probably a LampLinc dual-band, if that would be better.)

 

From the specs, the 2852-222 uses the 915Mhz band (only).

 

Thanks for any advice,

AJ

 

Any dual band module will do the job. I had the same problem you have and used a dual band lamplinc to relay the leak sensor signal.

Posted

@Techman:  Thanks for the feedback.  I plugged-in the outdoor module very close to the sensor around lunchtime, but haven't seen the heartbeat update since then.

 

Do you know how often those sensors send a heartbeat signal so I can keep a lookout?

 

Thanks again!

 

-AJ

Posted

@Techman:  Thanks for the feedback.  I plugged-in the outdoor module very close to the sensor around lunchtime, but haven't seen the heartbeat update since then.

 

Do you know how often those sensors send a heartbeat signal so I can keep a lookout?

 

Thanks again!

 

-AJ

 

Which outdoor module? The earliest were not dual-band.

Posted

Hmm.  According to the "Last Changed" time on the variable used in the program, it's been about 36hrs since the sensor missed the heartbeat. :(

 

The dual-band on/off module is literally 8ft away (with clear line-of-sight), so I'm not sure my plan worked...why not?  I'm not sure.  I can communicate with that on/off module (I can query it and control it from the ISY Admin Console), so I assume it would be able to repeat any received broadcasts?

Posted

Tap the Set button on the Leak Sensor.   The Green LED should blink and the Leak Sensor sends a Dry On message.  That will test if any Leak Sensor traffic reaches ISY.   Need Tools | Diagnostics | Event Viewer at LEVEL 3 running to see Insteon traffic.

 

Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:20 AM : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 31.CD.35 00.00.01 CB 11 01    LTONRR (01) - Dry On message
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:20 AM : [std-Group   ] 31.CD.35-->Group=1, Max Hops=3, Hops Left=2
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:20 AM : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [31 CD 35 1] [DON] [1] uom=0 prec=-1
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:20 AM : [  31 CD 35 1]      DON   1
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 31.CD.35 00.00.01 CB 11 01    LTONRR (01)
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [std-Group   ] 31.CD.35-->Group=1, Max Hops=3, Hops Left=2
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [iNST-DUP    ] Previous message ignored.
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 31.CD.35 22.80.0B 41 11 01    LTONRR (01)
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [std-Cleanup ] 31.CD.35-->ISY/PLM Group=1, Max Hops=1, Hops Left=0
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [iNST-DUP    ] Previous message ignored.
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 31.CD.35 11.01.01 CB 06 00           (00)
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [std-Group   ] 31.CD.35-->11.01.01, Max Hops=3, Hops Left=2
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:21 AM : [iNST-INFO   ] Previous message ignored.
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:22 AM : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 31.CD.35 11.01.01 CB 06 00           (00)
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:22 AM : [std-Group   ] 31.CD.35-->11.01.01, Max Hops=3, Hops Left=2
Wed 02/17/2016 10:21:22 AM : [iNST-INFO   ] Previous message ignored.
Posted

OK, that was an excellent idea, thank you.

 

I received almost exactly that output in my console log.  So comms are good.

 

I just realized a difference in my program from the How To (http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/11566-leak-sensors-a-suggested-complete-program-package/)...

 

Program "...Control 2" I had:  If STATUS '...Heartbeat' is On

The how-to actually says to use:  If CONTROL '...Heartbeat' is switched On

 

I guess the status condition does not update unless it explicitly changes, but the "Control" condition changes each time the heartbeat sends an update?

 

-AJ

Posted

OK, that was an excellent idea, thank you.

 

I received almost exactly that output in my console log.  So comms are good.

 

I just realized a difference in my program from the How To (http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/11566-leak-sensors-a-suggested-complete-program-package/)...

 

Program "...Control 2" I had:  If STATUS '...Heartbeat' is On

The how-to actually says to use:  If CONTROL '...Heartbeat' is switched On

 

I guess the status condition does not update unless it explicitly changes, but the "Control" condition changes each time the heartbeat sends an update?

 

-AJ

 

 

Yes . . .

Posted

As Teken has already indicated, agreeing with your last post, "If Status" requires the Status to change to trigger Program.  Where as "If Control" triggers the Program based on when the command is received from the node.

Posted

Newer Leak Sendors only send heartbeart 'On' signals.

 

The status will never change so the signal needs to act as the trigger using 'Switched'.

Posted

v. 5+ use 'Switched'

v.4+ use 'Control'

Posted

Just to close the loop for those still following this thread with a little more detail. The Leak Sensor program indicates a person should monitor both *On & Off* conditions.

 

I personally never saw much value in doing so because all of the heart beats have always come in as *On*. Having said this, I found several new (to me) Open-Close sensors that always send a *Off* heart beat signal?!?!

 

This is why its doubly important to monitor both control states . . .

 

Its safe to say a few years back such a condition wasn't very common. But since Smartlabs seems to be on the war path to change long time (existing) behavior almost anything goes! 

Posted

I appreciate all this feedback.  It's great info!

 

After correcting my program, I'm waiting for the next time I see the heartbeat update my variable and will also close the loop on this from my side.

 

BTW: Will the ISY update the "Last Changed" timestamp on a variable if it is explicitly set by a program - but the variable doesn't actually change values?  I'm hoping so, because it's what I can track pretty easily unless I leave device-level logging on for 24hrs and try to comb through that.

Posted

I appreciate all this feedback.  It's great info!

 

After correcting my program, I'm waiting for the next time I see the heartbeat update my variable and will also close the loop on this from my side.

 

BTW: Will the ISY update the "Last Changed" timestamp on a variable if it is explicitly set by a program - but the variable doesn't actually change values?  I'm hoping so, because it's what I can track pretty easily unless I leave device-level logging on for 24hrs and try to comb through that.

 

Could you expand on that comment again I don't believe I fully understood what you meant? If you set up a (separate) variable outside of the leak sensor program just to track the heart beat the system will indeed show the change in value and the ISY will show the time stamp to the right.

 

The only caveat about the time stamp is the 994 Series Controller will upon reboot show that time. This is why its important to have a email sent out about any of the conditions. In the past I had asked the forum members of a method to force the controller to remember those time entries.

 

Thus far no one has come up with a working idea to do so.

 

For me it was a way to track energy, power, voltage, temperature, low battery, and leak sensors. Knowing the exact date and time of these conditions was important to me which had to survive a reboot / firmware update process. 

Posted

Right, so I had to reboot the ISY last night (was setting-up the ISY Portal module and Amazon Echo - really cool).  So the timestamp on the external/global variable is now set to the time I rebooted the ISY.  The variable is also now set to the init-value, which is 1 and that is "normal operation" for these programs.  

 

The program, when it gets a heartbeat control signal (since it's been corrected to "control", not "status") will explicitly set that variable to 1.  My question is, since the current value is already 1, when the program sets the variable to 1 (same value), will the timestamp on the right update?  Even if the value did not change?  The naming of the column is "Last Changed", but does that really mean "last updated" or the last time the value of the variable changed?

Posted

"Will the ISY update the "Last Changed" timestamp on a variable if it is explicitly set by a program - but the variable doesn't actually change values? "

 

Unfortunately no.  The field is "Last Changed", not "Last Set".   Setting to x as a new value will update the Last Changed field. Setting the variable to x again some minutes later does not change Last Changed field.   At least the field does not change on 4.4.3 RC1. 

Posted

To finish this and truly "close the loop" on the OP: Once I corrected the program and gave the sensor time to broadcast a heartbeat (according to great info I've learned in this thread, it's roughly every 24hrs), I am receiving the heartbeat updates now.

 

Makes me wonder if my problem was actually the program and not the "out of range" in the first place.  I guess I can go unplug that extra module I added for a bridge/repeater and leave it for a day or two and see...but I might just "leave well-enough alone". 

 

Thanks again everyone!

Posted

Hmm. OK, maybe I'll set the variable manually so it has to be updated on heartbeat. Thank you for those details (that's exactly what I was asking)!

I use a spectrum of variable controlled scenes in my ISY.

 

When I need to ensure changing a variable triggers it's programs to turn a scene on I always use this.

 

$sVariable = -1

$ sVariable = Trigger.value

 

This way I know if the value didn't change the program still gets triggered.

 

My programs are always looking for positive values.

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