A few issues with the Motion Sensor

[Kev1000000]

I am new to Insteon/ISY and I am having trouble figuring out how to perfect my automated staircase light.

 

Essentially, I want to...

 

• 
  [*:125jw7to]When motion is sensed only when dark, instantly turn on my master dimmer (another dimmer is hooked up in a 3-way virtual).
  [*:125jw7to]After 10 seconds, slowly fade out the light for 10 (ramp rate) seconds.
  [*:125jw7to]If any additional motion is sensed inside of the 10 second window, restart the 10 second timer.
  [*:125jw7to]Double tapping (fast on) any of the two dimmers will override the motion sensor and keep the light on indefinitely.
  [*:125jw7to]Double tapping (fast off) any of the two dimmer will return control to the motion sensor, restart the 10 second countdown timer.

 

I tried to set this up, but I am having some issues.

 

First issue: The timer never restarts. Regardless of what I try, the lights dim after 10 seconds, even I am jumping around by the MS.

Second issue: After the light turns off, I have to leave the area for the light to come back on. It's almost as the MS still thinks I am near it, and won't resend the ON command. This is uber annoying.

Third issue: As I am using the built-in photcell of the MS, I think that sometimes the MS thinks its light enough only because the stairway light is on. Is the MS smart enough to know when the load is on to not take any new photocell values?

 

Here is my setup. Where have I gone wrong?

 

First, I have a scene named "FirstFloorStaircaseThreeWay." That scene has the two dimmers and the MS as controllers.

 

I have 4 programs to try and achieve my results.

 

Program 1 - 1stFlrStrCaseDetect

If
       Control '1stFlrStrwayMotSens-Sensor' is switched On
   And $FirstFloorStrCaseManualMode is 0

Then
       Stop program '1stFlrStrCaseTurnOff'
       Run Program '1stFlrStrCaseTurnOff' (Then Path)

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Program 2 - 1stFlrStrCaseTurnOff

If
  - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition')

Then
       Wait  10 seconds
       Set Scene 'FirstFloorStaircaseThreeWay' Off

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Program 3 - 1stFlrStrCaseManualMode

If
       Control 'Bottom Stairway Dimmer' is switched Fast On
    Or Control 'Top Stairway Dimmer (Master)' is switched Fast On

Then
       $FirstFloorStrCaseManualMode  = 1

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

Program 4 - 1stFlrStrCaseManualModeOff

If
       Control 'Bottom Stairway Dimmer' is switched Fast Off
    Or Control 'Top Stairway Dimmer (Master)' is switched Fast Off

Then
       $FirstFloorStrCaseManualMode  = 0

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

[LeeG]

The Motion Sensor options need to be On Only Mode and Occupancy Mode. Sounds like you do not have Occupancy mode set. Without that the Motion Sensor will not send another On command until the Motion Sensor timeout value has expired, which continues to be restarted for each new motion detected even though no On command is sent.

 

 

“Is the MS smart enough to know when the load is on to not take any new photocell values?â€

 

No. The Motion Sensor is simply looking at ambient light. However, the ambient light has to exist for 3.5 minutes before for it affects Dusk/Dawn.

[Kev1000000]

The Motion Sensor options need to be On Only Mode and Occupancy Mode. Sounds like you do not have Occupancy mode set. Without that the Motion Sensor will not send another On command until the Motion Sensor timeout value has expired, which continues to be restarted for each new motion detected even though no On command is sent.

 

Any chance I can set occupancy mode from ISY?

[LeeG]

Yes. Click on Motion Sensor node in My Lighting tree and select Set Options in right pane. The Motion Sensor has to be in linking mode (Set button pressed for 4 seconds) so options can be read and written.

 

EDIT: Jumper 5 has to be in place to be able to set Motion Sensor options programmatically. The Motion Sensor Quick Start Guide describes this and how to have it active.

[Kev1000000]

Lee, I've tried setting the device in Occupancy only mode (which I believe is unchecking the first checkbox in Set Options for the MS. I've also enabled "On only" mode (both on the jumpers and through ISY), and still, it my MS will not resend ON commands every time motion is sensed.

 

[LeeG]

Sensing Mode (Occupancy Mode) should be checked; On Only Mode should be unchecked. Probably Night Only should be checked based on initial post.

 

Jumper 5 must be installed. The other Jumpers (except sensitivity) do not matter when Jumper 5 is installed. Occupancy Mode has to be set with the ISY (programmatically). None of the jumpers specifically controls Occupancy Mode. After setting the options and clicking OK, if Set Options is clicked again are the correct boxes checked?

 

EDIT: correction to which boxes to check. This post first said On Only mode should be checked. I changed that to unchecked. On Only mode should be unchecked to suppress the Off command.

[Kev1000000]

Lee, first off, thank you for the continued help. I really appreciate it.

 

It looks like I have successfully enabled occupancy mode. Checking the event viewer, I see events hit on every LED blink. Success!

 

However, my programming must not be correct, because my 1stFlrStrCaseDetect program does not fire every time the MS blinks, which I assume it should.

 

Any ideas?

[LeeG]

Assuming the Program is Enabled and the version posted has been Saved, the Anded variable value is in question if the Program really is not being triggered versus not doing what you want. Simple way to determine which is to add an X10 On as the first Action statement in the Then clause. An X10 device is not needed, in fact better to use an X10 House/Unit that does not exist. The X10 activity will be traced in the Event Viewer. If there is an X10 event after each MS On then the overall logic needs to be checked. If there are MS Ons with no X10 then the value in the Anded variable is in question.

[Kev1000000]

Ahh, very nice way of debugging!

 

Alas, I have see no X10 events in the event viewer. It seems the ISY is getting the events from the MS, but for whatever reason, ISY thinks the MS in question is not the same one I named and using in my program. I only have 1 MS.

[LeeG]

Or the variable does not have a value that supports the AND condition.

 

The ISY does not make mistakes about devices. Click on the Mostion Sensor Sensor node and look at the Insteon address shown at the top of the right pane. Compare that to the Insteon address in the trace.

 

If the Programs are in folders the folder condition is also a question.

[Kev1000000]

Well, I deleted the device and re-added it, and it seems to have fixed the problem. The timer is now getting reset, and things seem to be working as they should. Haven't had too much time to test all scenarios yet though.

 

Thanks again, Lee.