Please I need help with this programming.....long time user, getting old and have no clue!

Tank level sensor closes contact – Insteon 2450 IO  (which 2450 mode?)

Then wait 10 minutes

Turn on fill pump (Insteon- micro on, with power relay)

Keep pump running until tank level sensor open contact – Insteon 2450 IO

Turn off fill pump (Insteon- micro off, with power relay)

 

Thank you for your help

Karl

If sensor is off/on (whichever means not full)

Wait 10 minutes

Set micro relay on that turns on pump

Else

Set micro relay off that controls pump

Will be easier with 3 programs IMO

Program 1: Fill

If

FillPumpSensor switches on

Then

Wait 10 minutes

Set FillPump On

Program 2: Stop

If

FillPumpSensor switches off

Then

Set FillPump Off

Program 3: Deadman switch

If

FillPumpSensor is on (NOT switched)

Then

Wait XX Minutes. (You decide, see note below)

Set FillPump Off

Program 3 is in case the messaging to/from the iolinc is missed, it can happen. Pick a number of total minutes you think a cycle should be, maybe add 1 minute to it and assign that to XX. The first program use If Switched and the last uses If status

When your program has a Wait statement, make sure it's triggered by a static condition, like a status change. Looking for control events ("is switched on") won't work because it doesn't remain true other than the first time it's detected.

One effect is that if the detector turns off before the 10 minutes is up, then the pump won't turn on at all, which is what you might be wanting here.

7 hours ago, kvolger said:

Please I need help with this programming

It might help to describe what it is you are trying to do, under what conditions cause the tank sensor to open and close, and what it is that the program is, or is not, doing that you expect it to do. It is also helpful to see the exact program rather than a paraphrase. Control (switched on) versus status conditions behave differently and can affect how programs work and it seems unclear to me which type of conditions you have in your program.

Having said all that, I suspect Guy Lavoie has identified the most likely problem, short of a communication problem between devices.

Edited yesterday at 02:14 AM1 day by oberkc

Thank you guys for all your input,

paulbates suggestion was my first thought.

oberkc What I am trying to do, if my pressure pump takes water out of the tank (the tank sensor is open when tank is full) the sensor goes closed then. I like for the fill pump to wait 10 minutes before starting to pump water back into the tank. The runtime of the fill pump should be variable, controlled by the Insteon 2450 IO - when its sensor input goes open depending on the full tank - tank sensor is open.

I have not written that program yet, as I am not sure how to imbed a secondary condition for the 2450 IO when its status changed from ON to Off. The completion/end of that program should be dictated by the status change of the 2450IO device.

Guy Lavoie One effect is that if the detector turns off before the 10 minutes is up, then the pump won't turn on at all, which is what you might be wanting here.

The detector (tank sensor) can't turn off before the ten minutes are up, as only the running fill pump (after Wait) can top off the water level in the tank, and change then the status of the tank sensor.

1 hour ago, kvolger said:

I have not written that program yet, as I am not sure how to imbed a secondary condition for the 2450 IO when its status changed from ON to Off. The completion/end of that program should be dictated by the status change of the 2450IO device.

Well your secondary condition is actually taken care of automatically by the status change of the same input that triggers the program. In essence, if the triggering condition is detected as a status, it remains true until the status chnges again (level sensor closes again). If you hadn't wanted the 10 minute delay, it would be a straight if/then like this:

• program 1

If Status level sensor is ON

Then Turn on pump

• program 2

If Status level sensor is OFF

Then Turn off pump

The desired 10 second wait before turning on the pump is done by adding a line to program 1:

• program 1

If Status level sensor is ON

Then Wait 10 minutes

Then Turn on pump

That works because the status of the level sensor will remain at ON during the time that the program is waiting 10 minutes before continuing and turning on the pump. Adding a wait like that is a good practise, it adds hysterisis to the control system, preventing short run cycles of the pump.

Unless I am missing something, I see no reason to put this into two programs. Assuming the wiring to the IOLinc is correct and tested, and assuming that the relay is in the correct mode (latching), and assuming that the low- and high-water sensors are the same sensor, and assuming the sensor will not trigger except at the high and low marks (and not somewhere in-between) I am failing to see why the single program would not work. Use "STATUS" condition for the water level sensor (IOLinc sensor wired to something, I assume). As GuyLavoie points out, the low water sensor will remain set until the water reaches the high point where it will trigger the sensor to the opposite state. Adding the 10 minute wait would not get interrupted as near as I can tell. The only way for the wait to get interrupted would be for the pump to turn on and fill the tank to the high water mark.

I agree also with paulbates: I would include a backup plan. It is not worth risking overflow of the tank.

I would also be surprised if there is not a standard commercially-available solution to this problem. What is the "tank"? An aquarium? Sump? Water storage? Other?