How to: Home and Away for an extended period

[DBaldwin]

I've been following the thread regarding KPL loss of status of the switchs following the 3am query. I would think that this loss of status information would be true for any kind of Insteon switch or control which are the means of communicating to the ISY.

 

One of my main purposes of Home Automation is to make the home look lived in when I am gone on a lengthy trip.

 

The more of the threads that I read and the testing that I have done makes it look like a power failure or power bump will cause the loss of any and perhaps all status inputs to the ISY. If that is the case, what could I use to provide a home/away status input to the ISY that would survive a power outage and allow the ISY to recover without human intervention? Any one with some ideas?

 

I suppose the answer is a plain on the nose on my face but without a mirror, I can't see the nose on my face.

[d_l]

You can set some or all of your regular programs to Run at Reboot on the program summary page or you may restrict this option to only run a special set of post-power recovery programs.

 

This should be able give your home a lived in look following a power outage.

[Mark Sanctuary]

Gosh, I really don't see that much issue with this.

 

It only affects the secondary buttons on the Keypadlincs LEDs. So if you're doing some kind of vacation button you will have an issue otherwise the ISY does fine.

 

And this will have a workaround in the future when variables come out for the ISY.

 

d_l is correct too there is the run at reboot option too.

[DBaldwin]

At this time I do not have any KPLs as much of my lighting is LV or Flourescent so I've been waiting (and waiting) for KPL relay controls. I've been planning on implementing a couple of the KPL buttons as home and away (vacation) but I didn't realize until recently that there isn't any status available from the KPL buttons when queried by the ISY. At least that is how I read the discussion regarding the Query issue. Michael indicated that they might consider going with remembering the last status or perhaps a better word would be the last command received from the KPL. I'm assuming that the KPL relay will operate the same with the same lack of status as the present dimming KPL.

 

What I was hoping for was to implement a switch that I could energize that would provide the Home or Away status input that would inform the ISY as to which programs to run. But when I think about it, most of the Insteon controls are like magnetic starters and when there is a power failure they tend to restart in the off position, except for three of my togglelincs which usually restart in the on postion and they aren't consistent in that regard. I'd thought about the start at reboot but that doesn't really tell the ISY that I am home or away. I've been trying to come up with some sort of a no load switch that I can connect through an Insteon query that would maintain it's on/off status through a power failure.

 

 

Gosh, I really don't see that much issue with this.

 

It only affects the secondary buttons on the Keypadlincs LEDs. So if you're doing some kind of vacation button you will have an issue otherwise the ISY does fine.

 

And this will have a workaround in the future when variables come out for the ISY.

 

d_l is correct too there is the run at reboot option too.

[aLf]

DBaldwin:

 

I hope this helps...

 

I too had your problem. Easy fix.

 

I set one KPL button to control an ApplianceLinc. Then set ISY to "monitor" that KPL button as follows;

 

IF KPL "H" is off

or ApplianceLinc XXX is off

 

Then Run:

 

(Your program)

 

Else:

 

None

 

This way you can run any program you can think of while away, with the security of the KPL button or the ApplianceLinc. I have the program as Run at Reboot, and if the KPL works as advertised, it will come on as OFF after a power outage. The ApplianceLince also comes on as Off (only late ApplianceLinc's) after an outage. So far I've had zero problems with the vacation mode. Since I've installed Internet and can monitor the "status" of my network, all has shown me nothing but a warm fuzzy knowing that the lights are finally where I want them. I have many power outages.

 

Hope this helps,

 

aLf

[Mark Sanctuary]

alf has the idea. This will later be able to be done with variables too but for now this it a great workaround for this.

[DBaldwin]

Thanks guys.

 

I knew that someone else had to have had to deal with this one.

 

Thanks again for your help

[Chris Jahn]

In the next release, you will be able to use a program to set another program to 'Run/Not Run At Reboot'. This way, you no longer have to depend on the settings of your insteon devices to "remember" if you are away.

 

Here is a simple example:

 

Sets the 'Away Flag' program True immediately, and sets it True if the ISY is restarted:

 

If
       Control 'KPL D - Away' is switched Fast On
   And Control 'KPL D - Away' is not switched Fast Off

Then
       At Reboot Run Program 'Away Flag'
       Run Program 'Away Flag'

Else
       At Reboot Do Not Run Program 'Away Flag'
       Run Program 'Away Flag' (Else Path)