Newbie Question on First Program

[Crusty]

I'm new to the forum and to Insteon and to using the ISY. A few months back I had a local electrician/Insteon installer put in a security light system around my home with Insteon flood lights, controlled by two keypads, linked to two LampLinc modules, and incorporating my front entry lights by replacing the regular switch there with an Insteon switch.

 

I've been thrilled with the products and the system. For what I consider a reasonable expense, I now have a world-class security lighting system.

 

I didn't opt for a controller at the outset, but have since bought, installed, and played a little with the ISY. There's not a lot of programing I want to do with it just yet, but there are one or two improvements that I want make to how the system works which I believe can only be done via programing.

 

Problem is; I don't really understand the process of programing yet. I have years of creating Excel IF/THEN formulas, but this is something different. I hope that maybe I can get a little help to start.

 

Here's the first thing I want to do...

 

I have the following scene -

 

FrontFloods_On/Off_Sensor
18.73.50.1
18.77.28.1
1stFlr_ExtFloods_Keypad
1stFlr_ExtFloods_Keypad.A
2ndFlr_ExtFloods_Keypad
2ndFlr_ExtFloods_Keypad.A
Front_EntryLights_Switch
Front_ExtFlood

 

This links the two LampLincs, the front entry light switch, and the keypads to the front flood light sensor. Here's the problem: when that sensor is tripped, it turns on the all the associated lights, and keeps them on for 5 minutes after the last movement is detected (as set from the flood lamp control). I control my entry lights manually at present, even though they are on an Insteon switch. The problem is that if the entry light switch is already on and the flood sensor detects something, when the floods switch off after their 5 minute run, so do the entry lights. I want them to stay on until I manually trip the switch when I retire for the evening.

 

So as simply as I can put this, I want to program the following...

 

If the entry light switch is on AND the flood light sensor comes on, THEN keep the entry light switch on after the floods time out. If the entry light switch is off AND the flood light sensor comes on, THEN turn off the entry light switch after the flood lights time out.

 

Make sense? (the second statement would seem to be unnecessary, as that's it's normal state)

 

I'm betting this is all quite simple and has been dealt with here before. I'll just say thanks in advance to anyone who can help point me in the right direction.

[oberkc]

I'm betting this is all quite simple and has been dealt with here before. I'll just say thanks in advance to anyone who can help point me in the right direction.

 

You are mostly correct. It has been dealt before (a lot). Whether it is simple I will leave for you to decide.

 

You will probably need an insteon program or two to make this work and make a few changes to your scene. My suggestion is to first look over the wiki articles on this subject. I have found them useful. The link below uses an X-10 motion sensor, but the logic is valid regardless. There is also a wiki article on using motion sensors in a bathroom. Much of this is applicable to you, as well.

 

http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:Using_X-10_Motion_Sensors

 

If your question is more basic (how do I write a program with the ISY), I expect the wiki to be a good place to start, also.

 

http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:How-To_Guide#Programs'>http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:How-To_Guide#Programs

 

or the user manual;

 

http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:How-To_Guide#Programs