ScottAvery Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 So, I was under the impression I could see the sense input as an event in the ISY, but I can't find it in the interface and there is no mention in the manual, wiki or forum that I can find. How do I use it? I have a conventional light switch (guest bathroom) attached to the sense input of the fan switch for that room, and want to modify the turn off time. The fan comes on when the light does, so the switch is receiving sense input. How do I distinguish? I intended to use these in all of my bathroom fans, and some flood lights as well. Hoping I didn't waste money on the switches. They are a pain to fit in to boxes due to all the bulky wiring.
LeeG Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 I'm afraid the SwitchLinc Relay w/sense does not function the way you hoped it did. There is not a separate "Sense Node" such as with an I/O Linc. The Sense line on the SwitchLinc works like the Sense line on the InLineLinc. It turns the SwitchLinc On/Off, not a separate node On/Off. Like the InLineLinc the Sense line can be overridden with a Fast On or Fast Off from another Insteon controller. Fast On turns the SwitchLinc On regardless of the state of the Sense line and Fast Off turns the SwitchLinc Off regardless of the state of the Sense Line. In fact the SwitchLinc w/sense User Guide section on the Sense line was patterned after the InLineLinc, even to the point where one sentence refers to the InLineLinc rather than SwitchLinc.
ScottAvery Posted March 13, 2012 Author Posted March 13, 2012 Ugh. Is there any way to distinguish at all? Can I program the local button to do fast on/off? This must be why the inlinelincs are preferable to the switch, if you have to use another controller to distinguish the on/off type. @!^&@$ Would it be against code to stick the switch in a box like an inline? Would it function if i took the button plate off?
LeeG Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 The basic On/Off commands from a paddle press cannot be changed. The SwitchLinc User Guide even notes that the paddle itself cannot be used to generate a Fast On/Fast Off to override the Sense line. The Fast On/Fast Off has to come from another Controller. There are sequences of SwitchLinc Set button taps that will Enable and Disable the Sense line. The SwitchLinc sends an On command when it turns On but there is no way to distinguish whether that was from a paddle press On or the Sense line turning the SwitchLinc On. Same with Off. I don't think it would be against code to take the paddle off and stick it inside a box. At that point it would be much like an InLineLinc. Never done that but so long as nothing electrical is exposed I don't see the harm. Smarthome has a 30 day return policy so perhaps you could return the SwitchLincs in favor of InLineLincs.
ScottAvery Posted March 13, 2012 Author Posted March 13, 2012 Can I write a program to look for On, and then send a Fast On from ISY to disable the off that comes from the sense line? (I assume yes) In that case, if someone manually turned it on, it would still be replaced by fast on, but they could still manually turn it off, right? I can set a timer when I send the Fast On, to later send the fast off?
LeeG Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 Yes to all three. As an FYI about the number of different Scenes a device supports, the User Guide for the device would provide instructions for linking responders to different Scenes if such capability exists. The same thing applies to whether a device is a Controller Only, Responder Only or both. The User Guide provides information about linking as a Controller or as a Responder or both. What instructions are in the User Guide, or not in the User Guide, can help clarify the capability of any given device.
ScottAvery Posted March 13, 2012 Author Posted March 13, 2012 Well that sounds like a solution for the fans at least. I will need to think about the floods. I wanted local control at the pole the floods are mounted on, for just that light, and the motion detector to turn on all the other floods as well if the local switch hasn't been turned on. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Back to the other. Can the ISY know when the Off command is attempted from the sense line after a Fast On? I'm guessing not since there would be no reason for the switch to broadcast a local command. But if that is the case, how would I know the On was sent to begin with? Are local On commands broadcast? or is it a status change thing?
LeeG Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 No. If the Sense line has been temporarily overridden with Fast On/Fast Off changes to the Sense line voltage have no affect on the SwitchLinc itself. The SwitchLinc will send On/Off commands from a manual paddle press.
ScottAvery Posted March 13, 2012 Author Posted March 13, 2012 So now my fan button is effectively a 20 minute timer, triggered by button or light activation. Not ideal, but better than nothing. Thanks for the explanation.
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