Motion sensor settings question.

[ingeborgdot]

What are the most common settings you have found to work with your skylink motion sensor? Can anyone guide me? I am just learning and did my triggerlinc with a little help but could use a little more now. Thanks

[C Martin]

What interface are you using to connect your skylink motion sensor to your ISY?

As far as I know, the skylink Motion sensor is a proprietary system and not Insteon compatable without some kind of contact closure interface.

 

Clarence

[Brian H]

Skylinc makes the Insteon Motion Sensor for Smarthome/Smartlabs.

[C Martin]

I didn't know that. You learn something new everyday.

Look at this post:

http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?t=2922

There are a lot of other post on this subject matter - it is very popular.

So there is a lot of good information about Motion Sensors, both X10 and Insteon.

 

Clarence

[ingeborgdot]

I have a question on jumper settings.

1. I will keep as default, on one wire.

2. It is outside so the lights don't bother me so I will keep that default (unless the batteries will last longer with it on two pins)

3. I want it to work in the daytime also because I am using it as an alert to company coming, so default it stays.

4. I don't understand this one. Feel kind of stupid but could someone explain it to me. What automatic countdown? Do I need it on or off? Default or two pins.

5. Do I have this on two pins or not. I am using the isy so you tell me.

 

I am asking all this because my programs work with the sensor but they work and then don't work for a short period of time then they work again.

Anyone? Thanks.

[C Martin]

Pins 1,2 & 3 can be left in their default settings.

 

pin 4 controls whether the M.S. gets an "Off" signal from the M.S (Countdown Timer). If you leave it "Off" after a set amount of time, the M.S. gets an off command from it's internal circuitry.

The Status of the M.S will always be "On" after it is first triggered if you use this jumper. But, it will re-trigger after the internal countdown timer resets - even though it does not turn the M.S. status to off.

 

Pin 5 is to be used to enable the M.S. to be programmed externally. As far as I know, ISY can't use this option, while it is said that some other Home Auto programs can.

 

Clarence

[ingeborgdot]

What would you do with pin 4? I just don't know.

[ryarber]

Here is an example of how I use my motion sensors with the 4th jumper on (both pins connected).

 

I have outside lights that I want to come on instantly with the motion sensor so I have the motion sensor set up to control a scene (setting programs to turn on a scene based on a motion detector leads to a delay of 0.5 - 2 seconds). However, I don't want the motion sensor's off command to turn the scene off, I'd rather the ISY do that. So this way, I have the motion sensor trigger the scene to turn on, but not off. If the motion sensor sent an off command, the scene would turn off. Having the ISY do this, I can be much more flexible about how long I want things to stay on and which lights I want to turn off and when.

 

I also want to add a word of caution and make you aware if you put a motion sensor under an eave, it will often think it is dark before it is actually dark. I don't use the dark only jumper because I find the ISY much more accurate by specifying sunset and sunrise times rather than lumens at the motion sensor.

[C Martin]

ryarber,

Good explanation!

I have had some of the same experiences that you had. I finally settled on Not using a Scene for my Closet M.S. because I have two different scenarios - one for daytime with a higher light level and one scenario for the late night where I only have the lights come on to 30%.

I originally used a Scene set to 30% and then the program would ramp up to 95% for daytime. The night time Scenario would just stay at the lower level. I am also using a 2-wire Kit with a Dimmerlinc and a Companion Switch and that creates a whole other can of worms.

So I have settled on using two different programs - one daytime and one for night time.

 

ingeborgdot,

I was about to send a similar posting to you but the posting by ryarbar should do the trick.

 

PS.

My biggest complaint about the Insteon M.S is the fact that you need to open it to program it.

My biggest complaint for the X10 M.S is the fact that it cannot be part of a scene.

 

Clarence

[ryarber]

CMartin:

 

You should read http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?t=2922

 

This is something I hadn't considered until learning about it recently. You can just have your motion sensors trigger the scenes, but adjust the scenes according to the time of day by running the "Adjust Scene" action via programs in the ISY. That way, you have the best of both worlds.

[C Martin]

Thanks,

I will read that.

 

Clarence

[ryarber]

Another thing I have done is created a distinct scene for the motion sensors apart from the usual controlling switches. That way it doesn't interfere with the normal operation of the switches that normally control the scene.

 

I also use the controlling switches for the scenes as indicators of the status of those scenes. So if I have a scene already on and the motion sensor triggers the scene, the program that turns off the devices won't turn them off if it sees the dummy (controller) device on.

 

If that doesn't make sense, I'll try to post the code and make it clearer.

[C Martin]

ryarber,

 

please post the code.

 

Thanks,

 

Clarence

[ryarber]

If
    Control 'Back Patio-Sensor' is switched on
 AND Status 'Back porch dummy' is off

Then
   Wait 20 minutes
   Set Scene 'Back Patio Motion' Off

Else
    No Action

 

I have a scene called Back Patio that is controlled by the 'Back Porch Dummy' switch (named as such because it is a non load switch used only as a scene controller). I have a second scene called Back Patio Motion that is controlled by the motion sensor. They have the same responder devices (two flood lights and some can lights).

 

If I switch the Back Patio scene on, then the 'Back Porch Dummy' switch is on. I use the status of the 'Back Patio Dummy' switch to tell the ISY the status of the Back Patio scene. Therefore, if I want the lights to come on and stay on, I make sure that I turn on the Back Patio scene. That way the motion sensor will not be able to override and turn the lights off.

 

If this dummy switch is off, the motion sensor program should work normally to turn off the lights after 20 minutes.

[C Martin]

Very clever - Indeed!

I like what you have done.

I need to think about this - it puts another perspective on things.

And I thought that I had an abstract thought process - this beats it all to hell.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Clarence

[ryarber]

One of the main obstacles in my thought process I had to overcome was thinking I wanted to keep my number of scenes to a minimum. These devices will allow more scenes than you will ever use, so why not take advantage of it to make programming easier and more flexible. Using scenes also makes things work much quicker and you don't have to worry about signals colliding. It opens up a whole world of possibilities.

 

Bottom line, don't be stingy with scenes.

[ingeborgdot]

I have been at this for about 4 days now and reading your stuff makes me sick. I want to be able to do what you are doing but I have a LOT to learn. Would you come over and help me out?

[ingeborgdot]

With my MS what is the best way to decrease sensitivity? It goes a little too far and gives to many false alarms.

I also want my MS to respond quicker after it has been activated and the light is on. After it shuts off it takes too long for it to be responsive again. I really appreciate the help. Thanks.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi ingeborgdot,

 

Click on any one of the sensor nodes (on the left) and then click on the Set Options on the mid/bottom of the right panel. You will see a Darkness Sensitivity field which you can adjust.

 

Unfortunately, when the sensor is off, you cannot communicate with it simply because it goes to sleep mode. This is required otherwise you would run out of batteries every few weeks.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ingeborgdot]

What number should I set the darkness to? It is at 35 right now.

[ingeborgdot]

Should it go up or down?

[Sub-Routine]

I think Michel is referring to the darkness sensativity. This will only change the Day/Night level.

 

You want to put the jumper on pin 1. See the QuickStart Guide.

 

Should it go up or down?

[ingeborgdot]

Oh, I guess I misunderstood. He just mentions setting the set options etc.

[Illusion]

If
    Control 'Back Patio-Sensor' is switched on
 AND Status 'Back porch dummy' is off

Then
   Wait 20 minutes
   Set Scene 'Back Patio Motion' Off

Else
    No Action

 

I have a scene called Back Patio that is controlled by the 'Back Porch Dummy' switch (named as such because it is a non load switch used only as a scene controller). I have a second scene called Back Patio Motion that is controlled by the motion sensor. They have the same responder devices (two flood lights and some can lights).

 

If I switch the Back Patio scene on, then the 'Back Porch Dummy' switch is on. I use the status of the 'Back Patio Dummy' switch to tell the ISY the status of the Back Patio scene. Therefore, if I want the lights to come on and stay on, I make sure that I turn on the Back Patio scene. That way the motion sensor will not be able to override and turn the lights off.

 

If this dummy switch is off, the motion sensor program should work normally to turn off the lights after 20 minutes.

 

Damn you ryarber!

 

I now have to completly reconsider my whole approach to my outdoor motion activated lighting. I thought I had this all figured out, and then you come along with that little jewel...

 

Up til now I have been using programs to disable other programs when I manually activate the outdoor lights. This method of yours may be vastly better. I will have to give it great thought...

[ryarber]

The main caveat that you will see with my method is that during the daytime, by adjusting scene levels, activation of motion sensors will turn the devices off. I haven't really tried using the night only jumper with my scenes yet because I have only a need to turn lights on at night and I don't want them coming on at all during the daytime (outside lights). I have another MS inside that this may be an issue with. I may play with setting it up like this to see if it will work, but with indoor use, the motion sensor's day/night settings will be off.

 

Here's a question for Michel. By adjusting the day/night sensitivity settings, are you actually changing the time the motion sensor can be triggered if you have the jumper set to only send on commands after dark?