Using motion sensor to create "passing through" light zone

[starmanj]

I'm trying to use an Insteon motion sensor to turn on a local light for 15 seconds, as I'm "passing through" at night. So it turns on when motion is sensed, waits 20 seconds, then turns off.

 

Problem: It works the first time, turns off, but then won't turn on again. Does the ISY have a program delay once a program is triggered? I would think as soon as the wait period is over, and lights turn off, the ISY would be armed for the next motion sense. Or maybe the Insteon has a delay between active triggers?

 

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Starmanj

[LeeG]

Not a Program issue. The Motion Sensor will not send another Motion On until the Timeout delay has expired. The exception is to put the Motion Sensor into Occupancy mode where it sends an On command for every motion detected. For the ISY Occupancy mode is set using the Sensing Mode option check box under Set Options.

[Xathros]

I think the problem is the motion sensor has not turned off yet. Unless it's in occupancy mode then there is a timeout that needs to run out before it turns off and becomes capable of sending "On" again.

 

LeeG has an excellent understanding of these beasts and will hopefully chime in here.

 

-Xathros

[starmanj]

I set the sensing mode option to avoid the countdown. But it still won't run the program again unless I manually run the program (run the if statement)-- then the light turns on with no delay. The program is active (green icon), but it won't execute automatically.

[starmanj]

 

I attached a picture.

[LeeG]

If Status cannot be used for this scenario. If Status triggers a Program only when Status changes. The Motion Sensor is sending On command followed by On command which is not a "change" in Status.

 

Use If Control to trigger on each Motion On message.

[starmanj]

Thanks Lee. What is the difference between "control" and "status"? I thought if status was on, then the light would turn on, and stay on as long as status stays on. If status turns off, then the wait timer would expire and the light would turn off. When I move in front of the sensor immediately after, status becomes on...?

Starmanj

[LeeG]

If Control is monitoring the commands coming from the Motion Sensor. An If Control xxxxx On triggers the Program anytime a Motion On message is received. If the next Motion On is received before the Wait completes the Program starts over from the beginning of the Then clause without executing the statements after the Wait. Only when no Motion On messages are received for the full Wait duration will the Wait complete and execute the statements after the Wait.

 

Status is what the ISY considers the current state of the device. "If Status" triggers a Program only when Status changes, from Off to On or On to Off for example. When Status changes and the Program is triggered, the Then or Else clause runs depending on the True/False evaluation of the If statements.

 

In a scenario where all motion needs to be detected (no Timeout delay) the Motion Sensor very often sends Motion On followed by Motion On followed by Motion On. Since the Status changes from Off to On only for the first Motion On message, the Program is not triggered for subsequent Motion On messages. Normally when running Occupancy mode the On Only mode is also used so Off commands are never sent.

 

The UDI Wiki has a good description of If Control versus If Status and the effect Wait/Repeat statements have on Program execution.

[starmanj]

So the If Control is a better way. It now works correctly with no delay.

Thanks, I'll look at the Wiki again-

Starmanj