noob- ISY programming backlight on KPL??

[ixlr8]

Hi,

I just received my ISY/Insteon items, I managed to get most hooked up and running the way I want, much easier than the x-10 system I had. I have a 6 button KPL and I am trying to get the light on one of the buttons to reflect the status of the garage door sensor. I can get the button in question to open and close the door... but I can't figure out how to get the button lamp to reflect sensor status. The ISY is seeing the change in sensor state. I did a search.. didn't find anything to help. I read through some of the programming examples... all I can say is; this programming stuff is totally foreign to me. Any guidance you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

TIA- Jim

 

PS- Is there an easy way to copy/paste my 'program' so I can post what I have tried?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Jim,

 

The easiest way is to make the sensor also a controller in the same scene. In short, both are controllers in the same scene.

 

Yes, right mouse click and then choose Copy to clipboard.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ixlr8]

Hi Jim,

 

The easiest way is to make the sensor also a controller in the same scene. In short, both are controllers in the same scene.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

Michel, the only issue is... I have no idea what you are talking about... or how to do it. I meant it when I said this programming stuff is totally foreign to me. I have made a few 'programs' but so far I am clueless setting up 'scenes'. Back to the Wiki.

 

Jim

[oberkc]

I don't know which garage door "sensor" that you are using, or the device you are using to actually control the door, itself. It sounds, however, as if you have at least added all these devices to your ISY, correct?

 

Scenes are in inherent part of insteon, made easier to create with the ISY. In the admin mode, with your device list on the left, there is a little icon along the top to add a new scene. Choose that icon, give your scene a name ("garage", for example). Click and drag your devices (keypad, sensor) into the scene. When prompted, make both a controller.

 

One thing that is unclear to me...how did you get the door to respond to the keypad? Did you create an ISY program? Did you manually link the sensor and keypad (in which case, you have already created a scene)?

 

You will definitely want to read up on scenes, both here, and at smarthome. "Scenes" are nothing more than a term used to describe two or more insteon devices linked to each other.

[ixlr8]

Hi,

Well... I put the KPL and the garage door sensor in a scene.. and it works.. I have no idea why... but it does work.

 

Thank you- Jim

[oberkc]

Well... I put the KPL and the garage door sensor in a scene.. and it works.. I have no idea why... but it does work.

 

That is good news. Still, you will serve yourself well to understand scenes, controllers, and responders. In the manuals of the various insteon devices, they speak of things such as linking and cross linking. When one links devices, one is creating scenes.

 

To link a device to another, first puts a device into linking mode. This first device will be the controller. Then, when putting a second device into linking mode, it creates a link to the first. The second device is the responder. This means that the first device will control the second, and the second will respond to the first. At this point, the second device will not control the first, nor will the first device respond to the second. This is a scene containing two devices, with device one being a controller of that scene

 

If one wants both devices to act as controllers for the other, one must cross link. This would be done by repeating the steps, above, except in opposite order of devices....start with device two, then add device one. You now have a scene with both devices being a controller.

 

The ISY can make this job a little less tedious and time consuming. Remember one difference, however. with the ISY, controllers are, by definition, responders to a scene. While not terribly important, note also that the ISY (technically, the PLM) is also a controller and responder to this and all other scenes created by the ISY. If you have an ISY in your system, I recommend creating all scenes/links using the ISY. If you manually created links before, you may be better off long term is you re-create these on the ISY. In your case, your scene should show two devices, both being controllers.

[aLf]

Oberkc:

 

Quick question.

 

I have a SWL that controls an outlet (low voltage transformer). I'm adding another transformer for phase 2 of my landscape. In doing so, I plan t have on another 110 circuit an InlineLinc. Than INL will control another outlet. What I want to see happen is the original SWL when turned on, also be linked to the ne INL. What is the best way to do this? The original SWL is a part of a very complicated scene in which many other outdoor lights are set to pre-determined levels. My first thought was to just put the INL in the scene and when everything else came on, so would it. Problem is, sometimes I just turn on the low voltage SWL controlled transformer. If the new INL and that SWL aren't linked, I will only have phase 1 of the lv stuff come on.

 

Thnaks,

 

aLf

[oberkc]

My first thought was to just put the INL in the scene and when everything else came on, so would it.

 

That would be simple and effective.

 

Problem is, sometimes I just turn on the low voltage SWL controlled transformer.

 

If you WANT to be able to separately control them, you have a couple of options. You could leave the inlinelinc separate and turn them both off and on at the same time using programs. Downside: you have no manual control over the inlinelinc. You could also create a new scene with the inlinelinc and switchlinc as responders and use a program to turn this scene on. Still no manual control.

 

If you want manual control over both SWL and ILL while still maintaining individual control over the first trasformer, I believe you will need another switch somewhere. Perhaps you should replace the SWL with a keypad and control each separately?

[aLf]

Maybe best to just make a scene with the SWL as controller, and the INL as a responder. Then to manually control, just switch on the SWL. In the "scene" for all the outdoor stuff, just include the SWL as an entry and the new INL and they both should come on at the same time. Initially I wanted to just plug the new transformer into the original outlet, but I think its probably too much amps for the SWL.

 

aLf

[ixlr8]

Hi,

Thanks for all your help, I have been reading and reading, still have 2 questions. I have a 6 button KPL, ISY99 and the Smarthome garage door sensor with I/O Link kit. Adding the scene, I now have the garage door button, "scene D" lighting when the door is open, off when closed... this is what I want. But the light on the button also goes on and off with button presses. My question is, is there a way to set up that button light so it does not respond to button presses, only to the garage sensor? The other question is, is there a way to reduce the brightness of the OFF button on the KPL. I found how to adjust the brightness of the 'scene' buttons, but I haven't found a way to adjust the brightness of the ON and OFF buttons. Keep in mind, all my programming has been done via the ISY, I have not done any manual linking yet.

 

TIA- Jim

[oberkc]

What is supposed to happen when you press button D? Anything? Nothing? Is it an indicator only or do you want to be able to control scene D?

 

I have not tried this to confirm, but you could put your button into toggle-off mode. I am thinking that one can still turn it on remotely (in your case, from a garage sensor), but manual presses will only send off commands. Would something like this work?

 

Background lighting levels can be adjusted manually (I would have to look at a manual to confirm steps). Newer devices can be controlled by the ISY, I recall. When a device is selected from your list, do you not see an option for this?

[ixlr8]

Hi,

What I want to happen is, pressing 'scene D' button will open or close garage door. I wrote a program so that if 'scene D' gives an ON or OFF signal.. the door will activate. Light on 'scene D' button to indicate if door is open or closed, light on equals door open. This all now works, thanks to some suggestions from folks here. But the light also goes on/off with the pressing of the 'scene D' button. So if door is open, light is on, I press the 'scene D' button and the door starts to close.. but light goes off immediately, not waiting until the door actually closes.

KPL OFF light illumination- I read what little info that came with the KPL, I have read the Wiki, but I can't find any info on dimming the ON/OFF buttons on the KPL. I did find out how to dim the Scene buttons using the ISY, but not the ON/OFF buttons.

Since I have the ISY now doing what I want it to.. maybe it would be more appropriate to ask over on the Insteon forum about KPL setup.

 

Jim

[oberkc]

KPL OFF light illumination- I read what little info that came with the KPL, I have read the Wiki, but I can't find any info on dimming the ON/OFF buttons on the KPL. I did find out how to dim the Scene buttons using the ISY, but not the ON/OFF buttons.

 

My versions of KPL are relatively old (six button), but my recollection was to simultaneously hold buttons a and d. It is probably better and easier to do with the ISY. I don't have mine currently available to confirm, but I believe there is a keypad backlight brightness option when you have selected a given keypad device from your device list.

 

Regarding your scene, forgive me but I am still a little confused.

 

What I want to happen is, pressing 'scene D' button will open or close garage door. I wrote a program so that if 'scene D' gives an ON or OFF signal.. the door will activate. Light on 'scene D' button to indicate if door is open or closed, light on equals door open. This all now works, thanks to some suggestions from folks here.

 

So you have a program that is working that, when you press the scene D button opens and closes the garage door and the button indicates door status. Great.

 

But the light also goes on/off with the pressing of the 'scene D' button. So if door is open, light is on, I press the 'scene D' button and the door starts to close.. but light goes off immediately, not waiting until the door actually closes.

 

This looks like the same thing as previous, but now it doesn't work?

 

I think my temptation would be to experiment with some options. Perhaps putting button D into non-toggle on mode and using a program to open or close the door any time an on signal was sent, then use a program to turn the button D off when the door sensor senses closed. Normally, a button is always lit in non-toggle on mode, but I understand they can still be controlled as part of another scene.

 

Sorry about my confusion. I can be a little slow at times. I am getting old.