MrBill Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 I've been experimenting with lighting programs for an "away" mode. The goal being that it doesn't "look like" timers controlling the lights. (flashback to Joe Pesci in the first Home Alone pointing out whose Christmas lights in the neighborhood come on next...) Best I can come up with is something like below. It's not really a maintenance free solution tho because "Sunset" varies so much between Dec 21 and Jun 21. Only way I can find to use "random" is with "wait". Is there a better way? LR Lamp 2 - [iD 0010][Parent 000F]If Time is Sunset Then Wait 30 minutes (Random) Set Scene 'Living Room Lamp 2' On Wait 5 hours Wait 30 minutes (Random) Set Scene 'Living Room Lamp 2' Off Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Link to comment
oberkc Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Another option you might consider (hopefully less "maintenance": If Time is from sunset To 10:00pm <<<<pick a time to suit Then Wait 30 minutes (random) Turn on lights Else Wait 30 minute (random) Turn lights off Link to comment
andyf0 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Three rooms at the front of house, upstairs and downstairs. Each room is like this: !DR.RandomLights - [iD 006C][Parent 005A][Not Enabled] If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Repeat Every 0 seconds Wait 15 minutes (Random) Set 'DEVICES / SWITCHES / DR.(NC)_ZW' On Wait 15 minutes (Random) Set 'DEVICES / SWITCHES / DR.(NC)_ZW' Off Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') The three programs are invoked by this (plus my normal activity in the Living Room): Sunset.215930 - [iD 0070][Parent 005A] If From Sunset To 9:59:30PM (same day) Then Run Program '!GB.RandomLights' (If) Run Program '!GR.RandomLights' (If) Run Program '!DR.RandomLights' (If) Set 'DEVICES / SWITCHES / LR.(NC)_ZW' On Else Stop program '!DR.RandomLights' Stop program '!GR.RandomLights' Stop program '!GB.RandomLights' Run Program '!UP.AllOff' (If) Run Program '!LDR.AllOff' (If) Hopefully, it looks like folks are occupying the house, turning lights on and off as they use each room. Link to comment
stusviews Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Andy, "Repeat Every 0 seconds," causes the following statements to run once. I use that to end a Repeat statement when more statements follow after repeating. It's not needed in your program. Link to comment
andyf0 Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 That is incorrect. "Repeat 0 times" will allow you to add code following a Repeat that has an end like "Repeat 5 times". Repeat Every 0 seconds repeats without a wait since the wait is embedded in the repeat body. It will repeat the body forever until stopped. I did it this way because you can't do a "Repeat every x (random)". Link to comment
MrBill Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 Thanks! both of those examples are very helpful. Link to comment
HABit Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Andy, great technique - tip on the Repeat 0 seconds. I'll add that to my ISY programming "tool box". Thanks for that! Link to comment
larryllix Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Andy, great technique - tip on the Repeat 0 seconds. I'll add that to my ISY programming "tool box". Thanks for that! See post #5 Link to comment
larryllix Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I use a whole series of Wait X minutes Wait X minutes random to make the appearance of somebody walking throughout the house from my bedroom to the one end of the upstairs to the other end of downstairs, turning lights on and off as they go. The whole sequence is started at random times of the night and many of the individual gap times are random. I make sure a few porch light on/offs are included like somebody looking outside for a few seconds. One caveat and warning! I did this years ago with an X10 system, but when I got back from one vacation, a neighbour told me that a neighbourhood meeting took place in front of my home, one night. Knowing I was away they called the police that contemplated kicking my door in to gain access, and thankfully decided not to. Link to comment
andyf0 Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I use a whole series of Wait X minutes Wait X minutes random to make the appearance of somebody walking throughout the house from my bedroom to the one end of the upstairs to the other end of downstairs, turning lights on and off as they go. The whole sequence is started at random times of the night and many of the individual gap times are random. I make sure a few porch light on/offs are included like somebody looking outside for a few seconds. One caveat and warning! I did this years ago with an X10 system, but when I got back from one vacation, a neighbour told me that a neighbourhood meeting took place in front of my home, one night. Knowing I was away they called the police that contemplated kicking my door in to gain access, and thankfully decided not to. LOL! Link to comment
stusviews Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 One might consider having not so random times during the week and separate times on weekends. Most people have a pattern, that is, when they're in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc. that varies only a bit. Link to comment
larryllix Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Yes. In addition to my simulated walk-throughs in the middle of the night on 4 out of 7 days, I also simulate watching TV with a few 17 W LED lights on at about 10% for a random few hours each evening, then turn off and the bedroom lamp turns on for 10 minutes. A fairly usual pattern. Link to comment
phlash73 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I have 8 different lights (each has it's own program, and times) that I control when nobody is home. Here's an example of 1 of them: Bathroom - [iD 005A][Parent 0069]If $s.Random_Light is 5 Then Set 'Bathroom Light' On Wait 10 seconds Send Notification to 'Phlash' content 'Random 5 ON' Wait 1 minute Wait 10 minutes (Random) Set 'Bathroom Light' Off Wait 10 seconds Send Notification to 'Phlash' content 'Random 5 OFF' Else Set 'Bathroom Light' Off They also notify me (usually) that they are going on and off. The program to pick the random light is: New Variable - [iD 006D][Parent 0069]If $s.Me_Home is 0 And $s.Her_Home is 0 And From Sunset + 1 hour To Sunrise - 1 hour (next day) Then $s.Random_Light = Random 8 Wait 1 hour (Random) Run Program 'New Variable' (Then Path) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') This was in hopes of having a light "overlap" and come on while another is still on, occasionally. -- haven't seen it happen yet, (since I obviously ain't home), which is why I added the text notifications. To kill it all, I simply use this: Away Reset - [iD 00CC][Parent 0069]If $s.Her_Home is 1 Or $s.Me_Home is 1 Then $s.Random_Light = 0 Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Hope this helps. I am a newb, as well. so if any of you "vets" have better advice for me, I'm listening... Link to comment
KeviNH Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I put all my "Simulate occupancy" programs in one folder, and set folder conditions sort of like this: If $s.Me_Home is 0 And $s.Her_Home is 0 And $s.HouseGuests is 0 That way they only run when nobody is home, I don't need to remember to add all the conditions to the top of each program, and I can add additional conditions in a single place. Fake TV Seems silly, but it's small, and at about 3W, draws a lot less power than a real TV (and is easier to control via HA). The original Fake TV is just okay (mine burned out the power supply after a couple of years), they have since come out with an extra bright model, and a discount $20 mini unit, or you can build your own. I have found that the Fake TV suffers from the same problem that many LED lamps have -- some Insteon modules (e.g. Icon Relay) allow through enough current that the LEDs will sporadically "pulse" even when relay is switched off. Link to comment
toflaherty Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I put all my "Simulate occupancy" programs in one folder, and set folder conditions sort of like this: If $s.Me_Home is 0 And $s.Her_Home is 0 And $s.HouseGuests is 0 That way they only run when nobody is home, I don't need to remember to add all the conditions to the top of each program, and I can add additional conditions in a single place. Seems silly, but it's small, and at about 3W, draws a lot less power than a real TV (and is easier to control via HA). The original Fake TV is just okay (mine burned out the power supply after a couple of years), they have since come out with an extra bright model, and a discount $20 mini unit, or you can build your own. I have found that the Fake TV suffers from the same problem that many LED lamps have -- some Insteon modules (e.g. Icon Relay) allow through enough current that the LEDs will sporadically "pulse" even when relay is switched off. How do you control the variables, specifically the houseguests one? I've had this idea but haven't figured out a convenient way to turn the variables on/off. I basically want a "party" variable to disable my program that turns all the lights off late at night. Link to comment
paulbates Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 How do you control the variables, specifically the houseguests one? I've had this idea but haven't figured out a convenient way to turn the variables on/off. I basically want a "party" variable to disable my program that turns all the lights off late at night. I have a keypad key that says party. Its state (or a variable) can be used as a value by other programs. You could have a remotelinc that has utilitarian features like garage door, cancel sprinklers, party mode,.... etc Paul Link to comment
toflaherty Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I have a keypad key that says party. Its state (or a variable) can be used as a value by other programs. You could have a remotelinc that has utilitarian features like garage door, cancel sprinklers, party mode,.... etc Paul Keypad button that says party is so perfect. Good idea thanks. Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk Link to comment
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