jp2510 Posted January 1, 2008 Posted January 1, 2008 Probably straight forward, but Is there any way to set an on level from within a program? For example, i would like a bathroom light to come on at 20% if switched on after midnight...or is there a better way to achieve this? Thanks
Sub-Routine Posted January 1, 2008 Posted January 1, 2008 If the switch you intend to use as a trigger is directly controlling the light then you would want to set the local level to 20%. Then construct a program that will bring it to a brighter setting during the hours before midnight. If From 6:30:00AM To 11:59:00PM (same day) And Control 'Bathroom' is switched On Then Set 'Bathroom' 80% Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Better than just setting the device on would be to use a scene so that you can set the ramp rate for the action. Rand
jp2510 Posted January 1, 2008 Author Posted January 1, 2008 Thanks Rand - thats an interesting way to do it I hadnt thought about doing it 'in reverse' like that. The delay that results though is annoying (and my wife hasnt even seen it - there's no way she'll go for it) - its kind of like going back to X10 lol. Any other way?
Sub-Routine Posted January 1, 2008 Posted January 1, 2008 I knew you were going to say that. The fastest method is, of course, direct control. You could have the light come on bright and then dim, but I don't think that is what you want. You could show her the double-tap for FastOn You could set a long enough ramp rate at the bright setting. With some experimenting the ISY could react before the light gets too bright. You could hold the On paddle to ramp the light to the level you want in the middle of the night. In our kitchen we have two switches. One quick and bright and the other slow and low. Hers and mine. Dinner or munchies For multiple button controllers you could use a KeypadLinc or you could put ControLincs or RemoteLincs on the nightstands. ControLincs would be my choice. Link the bathroom, bedroom, hallway, etc. Five scenes should work very well in a bedroom. When a SwitchLinc is on at it's local level another press On will brighten the light to 100%. Another On will return the light to it's local level. Rand
jp2510 Posted January 1, 2008 Author Posted January 1, 2008 Thanks for all the options Rand. Fast-on works for me but lowers my WAF. Looks like I'll have to stick with the present tap-n-hold at night. If only 'if status is off and control switched off' would work - i could find a thousand uses for that Re your last suggestion - I do have a remotelinc (w/ hall, bathroom stairs/bedroom lights/all house off) stuck above our headboard and it is great - though it was more 'sightly' with the old X10 slimline stick-a-switch. Just out of curiosity, why do you prefer the controlinc? I thought about getting one for each bedside table but they're so damn big. I moved the one I have out of the bedroom altogether in the end. Jake
Algorithm Posted January 1, 2008 Posted January 1, 2008 Just out of curiosity, why do you prefer the controlinc? I thought about getting one for each bedside table but they're so damn big. I moved the one I have out of the bedroom altogether in the end. If you can tolerate the delay of X-10 (which may be acceptable on a night table), and if the X-10 signal from there will reach your ISY, the X-10 mini-controllers might be a good option. Four button pairs may well be enough for a bedroom. I really like the Stanley mini-controllers; they have white buttons for On and Off, grey buttons for Bright and Dim, a Black button for All Off and a red button for All Lights On. The red button is lit, making it easy to find if one's bedroom is very dark, so it can be used to trigger a bathroom light or a good-morning scene, etc. Now as to light levels after dark, I really like to have bedroom lamps and ensuite lights come on to lower levels, just as you requested. But I like to have them ramp up slowly, which is much easier on the eyes when it is dark. I use incandescent bulbs in the ensuite bath for this low-level fade-up effect. But I really like Rand's suggestion of having a bit of a ramp rate for the bright level. I use fluorescent lights in the main bath to save energy, and since they take a short amount of time to reach full brightness anyway, I might not notice a great deal of difference between those, and setting a short ramp rate for the bright level in the ensuite bath. If the ISY can react quickly enough to halt the ramp at your desired level after dark, that might be a great solution. If you do try this, let us know how it works.
Chris Jahn Posted January 2, 2008 Posted January 2, 2008 If only 'if status is off and control switched off' would work - i could find a thousand uses for that Jake Not sure if you are joking, but that should work. For example, you could write a program such that the light is set to 20% when pressing Off when it is already off.
jp2510 Posted January 2, 2008 Author Posted January 2, 2008 Not sure if you are joking, but that should work. For example, you could write a program such that the light is set to 20% when pressing Off when it is already off. No, i was serious - i tried it, nothing happened and presumed that no signal was sent from the switchlinc if already off. I will have to revisit this and try it again.
Chris Jahn Posted January 2, 2008 Posted January 2, 2008 Yes, give it a try because this should work. For debugging your programs, you can log the keypresses and other events as they happen in the Java Console, as shown in this thread: http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?t=346
Sub-Routine Posted January 2, 2008 Posted January 2, 2008 YES! If Status 'Basement Stairs' is Off And Control 'Basement Stairs' is switched Off Then Set 'Basement Stairs' 30% Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Jake, 1001 uses I don't have any Insteon in the bedrooms/bathrooms, yet, but this might push me to use at least a few switches. The Off/Off could be very useful for the bedroom lights as well. I recommended the ControLinc because it is inexpensive. It also doesn't have status lights which seem to drive everyone to madness And it can't be easily moved so the buttons can be more localized. We have one in the living room, the size is not an issue. But if you have a RemoteLinc that will certainly work as well. Rand
jp2510 Posted January 3, 2008 Author Posted January 3, 2008 Yes thats exactly the code I tried (the idea came to me while reading your second response for some reason) but it isnt doing anything for me I'm going to have to try the Java console as Chris suggested when i get home tonight and figure out why this isn't doing the trick..... Rand - the other problem I have (or rather my wife has) with the controlinc is that the status light is extremely bright. Its amazing how much it lights up the bedroom at night. It does 'anchor' the device to one spot well though: no matter how many times I tell her, all the cordless phones in the house are lying her bed by the end of each day!
MikeB Posted January 3, 2008 Posted January 3, 2008 It does 'anchor' the device to one spot well though: no matter how many times I tell her, all the cordless phones in the house are lying her bed by the end of each day! Funny... I have that same problem here at home.
yardman 49 Posted January 3, 2008 Posted January 3, 2008 Rand - the other problem I have (or rather my wife has) with the controlinc is that the status light is extremely bright. Its amazing how much it lights up the bedroom at night. Hello JP: Both the beeper and the status light on the Controlinc can be disabled. Well, the status light doesn't really go "out", but it can be dimmed way down. This is from page 8 of the manual: Turning the Status LED On and Off This procedure toggles the white Status LED OFF or ON. The factory default is ON. 1. Simultaneously press and hold the ALL ON and DIM Buttons for 3 seconds. ControLinc will beep once and its Status LED will begin blinking slowly. 2. Release the ALL ON and DIM Buttons. 3. Press and release the ALL OFF Button. ControLinc will beep twice and its Status LED will either be off or illuminate steadily. Best wishes,
jp2510 Posted January 3, 2008 Author Posted January 3, 2008 Thanks Frank i thought I had read about it in a forum a while back but never got around to it. First on my list when I get back tonight.
SpaceCowboy Posted May 24, 2008 Posted May 24, 2008 So I'm slightly confused yet - see if I have this right. I'd like to walk into my bathroom at night and when I tap 'on' have the light dim up slowly to 50%. What I see as options are: 1) Use the 'if off' and 'switch off' turn on to 50% - the only issue with this is that I have to train everyone to use the light switch "backwards" at night when the brain is on auto pilot. 2) Use a scene (which I may be understanding wrong) So I created a new scene and put the bathroom light in it as a responder. I then set teh max light level and dim arte for the scene. Then a wrote a proram that says between a certain time, if control is on then scence is on. If Control '03.EB.D2.1' is switched On Then Set Scene 'BathroomNight' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') This doesn't seem to work though as the scene reports 50% in the ISY inetrface but the light is actually on to 100% - what did I do wrong? Can I not separate rate the local load control and have it trigger a scene on the same switch? Thanks for the help getting started. I'm sure a few programs in I'll "get it".
Sub-Routine Posted May 24, 2008 Posted May 24, 2008 So I'm slightly confused yet - see if I have this right. I'd like to walk into my bathroom at night and when I tap 'on' have the light dim up slowly to 50%. What I see as options are: 1) Use the 'if off' and 'switch off' turn on to 50% - the only issue with this is that I have to train everyone to use the light switch "backwards" at night when the brain is on auto pilot. No, everyone else can use the bright light 2) Use a scene (which I may be understanding wrong) So I created a new scene and put the bathroom light in it as a responder. I then set teh max light level and dim arte for the scene. Then a wrote a proram that says between a certain time, if control is on then scence is on. If Control '03.EB.D2.1' is switched On Then Set Scene 'BathroomNight' On Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') This doesn't seem to work though as the scene reports 50% in the ISY inetrface but the light is actually on to 100% - what did I do wrong? Can I not separate rate the local load control and have it trigger a scene on the same switch? The local load and rate will apply first. The scene you are calling will override the local settings. If you are using a long ramp rate it will take some time to change the level from 100% to your desired 50%. You might rather set the local level and rate to the dimmer, slower settings (remember to power cycle the SwitchLinc) and use the ISY to brighten the lamp quickly during daytime hours. Or let the users learn to click twice for full on. When the light is set to default level another tap on will change it to 100% at push and hold speed. Be aware that the status a dimmer reports is the level it is aiming for even as it ramps to that level. You light may appear to be 100% but be 99% and dropping. Thanks for the help getting started. I'm sure a few programs in I'll "get it". It is a lot of fun! Rand
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