Keep Lights on Question

[mdepauw]

I have just joined the home automation world and am enjoying it so far. I have been looking for a way to keep my patio lights on even if somebody (like my 4 year old daughter) decides to turn them off at some point after the sunset program has run. I basically want my ISY994i to query the switch every few minutes and turn the patio lights on if they are off during the nightime hours. Does anybody know if this is possible? I can't seem to find any query selection available as an action under the "then" section of my program. Or maybe there is a different way....Thanks in advance for any help on this.

 

Mike

[madcodger]

Welcome to the addiction - it can be expensie, but at least it's occassionally productive.

 

I sometimes confuse Elk or Homesser rules with ISY when I'm not at my computer (using Tapatalk right now) but basic concept I envision is:

 

- Every x minutes

- If Device Status (Patio lights) = Off

- AND time is nightime

- Then turn on patio lights

 

Could run every minute if you wish. You will likely need to clean that up, but hopefully the concept of checking every few minutes instead of trying to detect her cutting them off will help. You could just detect a "control off" but that might cause her to think it's a game and just keep playing with it (off / on, etc).

 

Others may have better or more specific rules...

[LeeG]

It is not necessary to Query the lights. Use something like this

 

If

From Sunset

To Sunrise (next day)

And Status 'patio light' is Off

Then

Set 'patio light' On

Else

 

 

It seems like once something is implemented there are usually more 'well can this also be done' changes so the above it likely only a starting point.

[mdepauw]

Thanks guys, worked perfectly. I have to think more about using my "if" conditions better to setup the "then" actions. My thinking prior was to just have it do a series of actions to accomplish the same thing. Very cool stuff so far, and I only have one switch installed! I will be installing more stuff tomorrow and may have even more questions.

 

Thanks again!

[arw01]

If your daughter does decide it's a game to watch the lights go off and back on, then toss a wait 30 or 60 in there. I find young children loose their patience pretty fast!