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Author Topic: ActiveHome timers  (Read 8130 times)

kk

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ActiveHome timers
« on: December 29, 2005, 12:41:40 AM »

Is there a way using ActiveHome software to
have my porch light come on at dusk and
stay on for a certain length of time?
Unless I'm overlooking something, I can't
find a convenient way to do it.  Let's say
I want the light to burn for 30 minutes
after dusk.  If I use the "on" setting as
dusk, then the off setting has to be a
specific time or a time related to dawn,
doesn't it?  If that's the case, it won't
work year-round without adjustment.  Thanks
in advance.
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Brian H

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2005, 06:21:12 AM »

If the on is at dusk. Will the software let
you set an off at dusk +30 minutes?
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kk

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2005, 09:56:08 AM »

No, I don't think so.  That's what I'd like
to do, but if you use the "dusk" setting
for the on, the off has to use "dawn",
unless I'm missing something.  If you use,
say, 13 hours BEFORE dawn to turn it off,
it will still need to be changed throughout
the year.  I guess I can deal with making
maybe 4 to 6 changes in a year.  (otherwise
it will end up going off before it comes on)
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Brian H

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2005, 11:05:52 AM »

I don't think so, but since I no longer use
Active Home as I have a different brand
controller now. Maybe you are correct.
Though I stil have AH on the computer and it
did give the option to set an off at dusk +
what ever.
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Brian H

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2005, 11:33:37 AM »

In the help area of AH. Look at Timed Events
From what I see you can set an on or off
with either Dusk or Dawn and offset it + or -
a set amount of time.
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kk

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2005, 02:53:09 PM »

Yeah, you're right, but I think you only
get one "shot" at dusk +- offset, so if you
use dusk for "on", you can't use it
for "off" also.  I'll look at it again.
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stephane

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2005, 01:02:47 PM »

You could use the macro instead of using
the timer of the switch.
You can program the macro to run at dusk.
In the macro, you turn on all the lights
that you whant, then put a timer for the
amont of time that you want the lights to
remain on, then you turn these same lights
off.
It should be quick and easy.
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kk

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2005, 01:45:42 AM »

OK, great, I'll try that.  I really haven't
done any macros, because I have a lot of
dusk to dawn settings that seem to use a
lot of the memory in the interface.  I was
actually a bit surprised at how quickly the
memory filled up.  Thanks.
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stephane

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #8 on: December 31, 2005, 01:54:46 AM »

Do you have the new USB unit or the old
Serial unit?  The old one didn't have a lot
of space, but you should have plenty of
room with the USB version.
If you dont have enough memory, just lower
the Dusk/Dawn resolution to something a
little less frequent and you'll save on
memory.
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kk

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Re: ActiveHome timers
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2005, 10:56:08 AM »

PERFECT!  A macro is going to work like a
charm!  Also, now I can press only one
button on the remote at any time I want to,
and have the porch light come on and burn
for 20 minutes.  Great.  Thanks Stephane.
Yeah, I've got the old serial unit, because
I got it in a kit on eBay.  I've found
that lowering the resolution helped with
the memory a lot, because I haven't had any
errors since I lowered it.  I guess I had
just not done any macros because I didn't
know what to expect with the memory.
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