How do I bypass a zone while the system is armed?

[hagak]

So I want to bypass my Front door zone based on an Insteon switch status. The idea is I do not have an Alarm Keypad near the front door nor do I want one (Front door is only used for strangers ). However when we do have someone approach the front door I would like to quickly be able to bypass that door while the alarm is in Stay mode.

 

I have the Elk module for ISY however ISY can not bypass a zone while the alarm is in an armed state.

 

I know I can make Elk rules to bypass a zone while armed, how can I send a signal from ISY to the Elk to trigger the Elk rule?

 

Do I need a serial port interface from ISY to the Elk to do this?

 

Thanks

[sanders2222]

This is a good question. I have a patio door I would like to open in the evenings after my ELK is armed in the stay mode. Without a keypad nearby, it would be nice to use an Insteon device/scene to do this.

 

I currently use a button on a KPL to arm the system when I leave through my garage. But if you are correct that the ISY cannot disarm an 'armed' zone, can you use an Insteon command to run an ELK rule?

[apostolakisl]

Elk zones can be bypassed from Elk rules while the system is armed. Here is an example I have:

 

Dog Bypass F4
70WHENEVER  KEY F4 ON KEYPAD8 ACTIVATES
            THEN TOGGLE Output 100 
71WHENEVER  Output 100 STATE IS TURNED ON
            THEN TURN Output 101 ON FOR 15 MINS, RESTART TIMER IF RUNNING
            THEN BYPASS Back Door (Zn 29) 
72WHENEVER  Output 101 STATE IS TURNED OFF
            THEN TURN Output 100 OFF 
73WHENEVER  Output 100 STATE IS TURNED OFF
            THEN TURN Output 101 OFF
            THEN UNBYPASS Back Door (Zn 29)

 

That program allows me to push f4 button at the back door to let the dog out without turning the system off. I have all the output stuff there to keep the f4 backlight synced with the status of the zone bypass. In my program f4 turns on/off output 100 which sets into motion the bypass, you could just as easily have ISY turn on/off output 100.

 

I am not certain if ISY programs can directly execute a bypass while armed. Never tried it.

[hagak]

iSy can not directly control bypass if the system is armed. I have a very similar "let the dogs out" elk program even tied to f4.

 

I did not think of using an output to trigger it. Will have to try that.

[hagak]

Using the output on the Elk as a means to trigger the Elk program works great. Thanks.

[sanders2222]

One more thought, has anyone used a simple toggle switch at the door to bypass the alarm? It would seem this would be an easy method to effectively 'close' the door circuit even if the door is opened. The only draw back I can see is there would be no indicator light at the switch to tell you wheather the door is 'armed' or bypassed.

[hagak]

One more thought, has anyone used a simple toggle switch at the door to bypass the alarm? It would seem this would be an easy method to effectively 'close' the door circuit even if the door is opened. The only draw back I can see is there would be no indicator light at the switch to tell you wheather the door is 'armed' or bypassed.

 

If you are referring to a toggle that taps into the zone circuit, that would mean you would have to ignore EOL resistors. This would also not work for wireless sensors.

 

Using Insteon as describe above is very simple and since it is a software trigger, it is easy to have to auto-reset back to armed. Which is how I have mine setup. You click the insteon button to bypass the front door, after 2 minutes it announces that it is about to re-arm the front door and then 30 seconds later the front door is re-armed. I have the announcement happen because if you have left the door OPEN then when it re-arms the alarm will go off.

[apostolakisl]

One more thought, has anyone used a simple toggle switch at the door to bypass the alarm? It would seem this would be an easy method to effectively 'close' the door circuit even if the door is opened. The only draw back I can see is there would be no indicator light at the switch to tell you wheather the door is 'armed' or bypassed.

 

I agree with Hagak. I would not put a physical bypass at the door. While it is possible to do a work-around on the eol resistor issue, it is still a bad idea. There would be no indication that the door is bypassed and would thus be easy to forget. Plus it is a lot of work to put such a switch in while it is but a few minutes to copy the program I showed above into your own Elk.

[bipto]

Elk zones can be bypassed from Elk rules while the system is armed. Here is an example I have:

 

Dog Bypass F4
70WHENEVER  KEY F4 ON KEYPAD8 ACTIVATES
            THEN TOGGLE Output 100 
71WHENEVER  Output 100 STATE IS TURNED ON
            THEN TURN Output 101 ON FOR 15 MINS, RESTART TIMER IF RUNNING
            THEN BYPASS Back Door (Zn 29) 
72WHENEVER  Output 101 STATE IS TURNED OFF
            THEN TURN Output 100 OFF 
73WHENEVER  Output 100 STATE IS TURNED OFF
            THEN TURN Output 101 OFF
            THEN UNBYPASS Back Door (Zn 29)

 

That program allows me to push f4 button at the back door to let the dog out without turning the system off. I have all the output stuff there to keep the f4 backlight synced with the status of the zone bypass. In my program f4 turns on/off output 100 which sets into motion the bypass, you could just as easily have ISY turn on/off output 100.

 

I am not certain if ISY programs can directly execute a bypass while armed. Never tried it.

Thanks for posting this apostolakisl...

 

I had been trying to program a bypass via the ISY triggered by multiple presses of my outdoor floodlight SwitchLinc only to conclude (as hagak points out above) that the ISY cannot bypass a zone if the system is armed. These rules (along with one added to turn on my outdoor flood lights if it's dark) work perfectly!

[mkg]

I am pretty new at this. This information is very useful.

 

I would also like bypass a zone when system is armed. I have defined all the rules. However, the F4 key is disabled.

Nothing happens when I press that key. How to I enable that key to bypass a zone? Thanks!

[apostolakisl]

I am pretty new at this. This information is very useful.

 

I would also like bypass a zone when system is armed. I have defined all the rules. However, the F4 key is disabled.

Nothing happens when I press that key. How to I enable that key to bypass a zone? Thanks!

 

You set the F key info in Elk RP under the "keypad" section.