sn0cr4sh Posted December 6, 2016 Posted December 6, 2016 I may not be doing this the smartest way, but I'm trying to set up programs for turning on several lights an hour before sunset, then turning them off an hour after sunrise. It was working for a while until I added another light to my "Then" statement. Now the program doesn't run reliably. Some of my lights don't come on, and some don't turn off with the Program. If I have a bunch of statements sending out instructions to devices, does that sudden flood of commands all at once cause some of them to not work? Is it better to insert a pause between the commands like my code here, or is there a smarter way to do it? Without the pauses, it has been flaky. Outdoor Lights On - [ID 0007][Parent 0011] If Time is Sunset - 1 hour Then Set 'Outdoor Lights / Front Door Light' On Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Garage Main Lights' On Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Front Porch Outlet' On Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Holiday Lights' On Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Garage Flood Lights' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Outdoor Lights Off - [ID 0008][Parent 0011] If Time is Sunrise + 1 hour Then Set 'Outdoor Lights / Front Door Light' Off Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Garage Flood Lights' Off Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Garage Main Lights' Off Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Front Porch Outlet' Off Wait 2 seconds Set 'Outdoor Lights / Holiday Lights' Off Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
KeviNH Posted December 6, 2016 Posted December 6, 2016 Not sure if there is an ETA on Z-Wave scene support on the ISY? --Edit--- If you change the If schedule to a "From" statement, you can put the "off" commands into the Else and do everything with a single program and a single scene. I may not be doing this the smartest way, but I'm trying to set up programs for turning on several lights an hour before sunset, then turning them off an hour after sunrise. It was working for a while until I added another light to my "Then" statement. Now the program doesn't run reliably. Some of my lights don't come on, and some don't turn off with the Program. If I have a bunch of statements sending out instructions to devices, does that sudden flood of commands all at once cause some of them to not work? Is it better to insert a pause between the commands like my code here, or is there a smarter way to do it? Without the pauses, it has been flaky. In general your program should be fine without the need for the extra delay, unless there are some unusual communication errors.
andyf0 Posted December 6, 2016 Posted December 6, 2016 This post is in the Z-Wave forum so safe to say they're all Z-Wave devices.
KeviNH Posted December 6, 2016 Posted December 6, 2016 Any known issue with sending Z-wave commands quickly one after the other from ISY? I usually just have 1-2 zwave devices controlled in any one program, but not by design.
sn0cr4sh Posted December 7, 2016 Author Posted December 7, 2016 I haven't seen any issues running the program manually. I have been running my 2-second delay version of the program for a day here - so far so good. Since its sunrise / sunset, can only see it twice a day. But this morning everything was off like it should have been. I need to test the other version of the program that KevinH suggested. Maybe that works better?
sn0cr4sh Posted December 7, 2016 Author Posted December 7, 2016 Spoke too soon. My "on" program failed to turn everything on today - it was missing a device. I'm definitely going to need to rethink this program. The other option is to do each device individually right?
oberkc Posted December 7, 2016 Posted December 7, 2016 Have you tried adding the zwave devices to a scene, then controlling he scene via program? While I have no pure zwave scenes, I certainly have mixed scenes with several zwave devices. They never miss a beat.
stusviews Posted December 7, 2016 Posted December 7, 2016 Have you tried adding the zwave devices to a scene, then controlling he scene via program? While I have no pure zwave scenes, I certainly have mixed scenes with several zwave devices. They never miss a beat. I was unaware that Z-Wave device could be activated from a scene.
oberkc Posted December 8, 2016 Posted December 8, 2016 I was unaware that Z-Wave device could be activated from a scene. Based on my experience, one can add z-wave devices to a scene, yes. They respond to scene commands, whether initiated by the ISY or by another insteon controller within the scene. Since, obviously, Z-wave and insteon cannot communicate directly, I assume it is the ISY that is enforcing these scene relationships. I have attempted to put a Z-wave device into a scene as controller. This has not worked for me, but I have tried it only with one Z-wave device. I consider is possible that, with the right z-wave device, even this could work. In my setup, I have a couple of scenes that include z-wave outlets (plus a bunch of insteon devices). I have a scene also that includes a couple of z-wave plug-in modules.
PLCGuy Posted December 9, 2016 Posted December 9, 2016 In my experience, NOT controlling z-wave devices via a ISY scene is a recipe for frustration. I had discussed my Zwave issues in http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/19578-z-wave-frustration/ and had just about given up on ever getting my Zwave locks to report reliably when I decided to replace individual device commands like sn0cr4sh uses with ISY scene commands. Device level logic like that shown below simply did not work reliably - my Lock All Doors program always caused at least one of my locks to disappear and not be communicated to until I did a Network Heal. And the status of the locks were almost always wrong, even if the ISY had just successfully commanded them to lock. The locks would be locked in real life (as commanded), but any ISY logic based on the locks status would not trigger. I have no idea why this was happening, but perhaps it was due to Zwave timing issues. Lock All Doors If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Set 'ZW KtchDr_Lock' Lock Set 'ZW ShopDr_Lock' Lock Set 'ZW BsmtDr_Lock' Lock Set 'ZW GrgDr_Lock' Lock Run Program 'Query Locks' (Then Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Query Locks If Time is 8:00:00AM Then Set 'ZW BsmtDr_Lock' Query Set 'ZW KtchDr_Lock' Query Set 'ZW ShopDr_Lock' Query Set 'ZW GrgDr_Lock' Query Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') But move all my locks to a "ZW Locks" scene and then changing to this logic was magic: Lock Doors 2 If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Set Scene 'Door Control / ZW Locks' On Set Scene 'Door Control / ZW Locks' Query Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') I have no idea what is happening "on the wire", but I am glad my Zwave logic can now be reliably used in ISY programs. Hopefully that is a bit of help.
stusviews Posted December 9, 2016 Posted December 9, 2016 I tried this program. All the locks remain unchanged when I run THEN. Turning the scene on or off has no effect on the locks. The locks are Schlage. If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Set Scene 'House / Locks / Locks' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Am I missing something? (Release 4.5.4)
PhanTomiZ Posted December 9, 2016 Posted December 9, 2016 I tried this program. All the locks remain unchanged when I run THEN. Turning the scene on or off has no effect on the locks. The locks are Schlage. If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Set Scene 'House / Locks / Locks' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Am I missing something? (Release 4.5.4) I use a Kwikset lock and have always been unsuccessful in using them with scenes (no control). Programs are the only things that controls them. I use scenes for status indicators on my Keypadlincs.
PLCGuy Posted December 9, 2016 Posted December 9, 2016 I need to eat some crow - a lot of crow in fact. After I saw stusviews post on ZWave and scenes I thought I'd check my system one more time and make sure it was working for the reasons I thought. It wasn't and now I need to change my position on scenes for Zwave control. It seems that I had forgotten about an old test program that was triggered by my Elk system - it was what was actually controlling the locks and not the scene commands. When I deleted it, the locks stopped functioning. Sending a Scene On command results in lots of Zwave chatter and the status of each lock seems to update, but the locks don't change state. I'm still not clear what fixed the earlier Zwave comms problem that seemed to disappear once I put the locks into a Scene. It definitely wasn't a change to the ZWave topology. I'll keep digging. Bottom line - scenes can't be used to control Zwave locks
oberkc Posted December 10, 2016 Posted December 10, 2016 I have never used locks...only outlets and plug in modules. I assume mu results with locks would be the same. Perhaps this is a security feature?
cowinger Posted December 16, 2016 Posted December 16, 2016 I thought I would come in here and try to explain z-wave programming. It uses scenes. I have been using it for a long time. The following is how a scene is created in z-wave. Devices: the device(s) you wish to control (designate whether you want them on or off) Triggers: this can be for example a motion detector when it detects motion, a door/window sensor opened, certain time of day, etc Conditions: this also can be a time of day, between two times of the day (between 1pm-3pm for ex.) or sunrise or a virtual device or day of the week, etc So however this conforms to the IF, THEN, ELSE IF: seems like a condition and/or trigger Then: seems like the device(s) Else: not sure if that is used here Example of a scene in z-wave: Add Device: Select Living Room Light, Select 'on' bubble so it goes on Add Trigger: Select Motion Detector, Select 'Detect Motion' bubble so it's looking for motion Add Condition: Select Time, specify after 6pm Hope this helps.
Teken Posted December 16, 2016 Posted December 16, 2016 I thought I would come in here and try to explain z-wave programming. It uses scenes. I have been using it for a long time. The following is how a scene is created in z-wave. Devices: the device(s) you wish to control (designate whether you want them on or off) Triggers: this can be for example a motion detector when it detects motion, a door/window sensor opened, certain time of day, etc Conditions: this also can be a time of day, between two times of the day (between 1pm-3pm for ex.) or sunrise or a virtual device or day of the week, etc So however this conforms to the IF, THEN, ELSE IF: seems like a condition and/or trigger Then: seems like the device(s) Else: not sure if that is used here Example of a scene in z-wave: Add Device: Select Living Room Light, Select 'on' bubble so it goes on Add Trigger: Select Motion Detector, Select 'Detect Motion' bubble so it's looking for motion Add Condition: Select Time, specify after 6pm Hope this helps. Just so everyone is on the same page what firmware are you using? I ask because some are still using 4.XX vs others are using 5.XX which offers many no features and abilities not currently available to those using 4.XX. Z-Wave Multi-channel support and other hardware like the Insteon alert module / siren are some of the features included only in the 5.XX branch.
cowinger Posted December 16, 2016 Posted December 16, 2016 Teken, I must confess that I currently do not have an ISY. I am in the process. I just thought I would try to help clarify the z-wave side of it for everyone. I had hoped it would help with the programming of the ISY for the IF, THEN statements based on how the z-wave scenes are constructed. Maybe it is of no help but I saw where there were people who were not sure how z-wave scenes work. Perhaps I can add more when I get the unit.
Teken Posted December 17, 2016 Posted December 17, 2016 Teken, I must confess that I currently do not have an ISY. I am in the process. I just thought I would try to help clarify the z-wave side of it for everyone. I had hoped it would help with the programming of the ISY for the IF, THEN statements based on how the z-wave scenes are constructed. Maybe it is of no help but I saw where there were people who were not sure how z-wave scenes work. Perhaps I can add more when I get the unit. Well, all of us look forward to seeing more of you when you do own one! Ha . . . Regardless, I appreciated the insight about the Z-Wave scenes and how they relate.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.