X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: dipdog on August 21, 2006, 09:35:24 AM
-
Is there an x10 compatible software that will allow you to fade a light in and out gradually over several minutes?
Also, it's been a while since I've checked up on x10, but have they come up with a way to gradually fade on a light that is currently off without first turning it on to 100 percent (I recall that you could dim down a light that was turned on but you couldn't dim up a light that was turned off).
Thanx
- Scott
-
FWIW
Standard X10 modules still require a 100% start up and can then dim down. Smarthome.com has modules which will come ON at the same level they were turned OFF at. X10 2-way lamp modules have a soft start and I believe the ramp time can be adjusted. And as always, one can use the AHP or other software to dim a lamp to 0% to extinguish it, then use AHP to brighten it when you want to turn the lamp on.
AHP macros will allow you to brighten a lamp over several minutes, by sending one BRI command at a time, over several minutes.
-
Thanx for your reply. I found the smarthome switches you were talking about. In fact, if anyone's interested, this link is a good chart of switches and shows which ones have soft-start and which don't
http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Common/switchguide/smart_switch_selection_guide1.htm
I was wondering if you could clarify the last comment that you made, though. Did you mean you can dim a lamp to "0%" to extinguish, and then use AHP to dim back up. Or did you mean to dim the lamp to "1%" to extinguish, and then dim it back up. I've heard of turning the lamp "off" at 1% and then dimming back up. Haven't tried it because I was worried about possible electrical hazard and energy use. But I haven't heard anything about dimming to 0%, and then dimming back up.
Appreciate your help.
- Scott
-
dipdog
I have not used AHP in a while, I am using Homeseer now, so I may be confusing the levels I can dim a light to (0% OR 1%).
I have several lights which I want to go from "dark" to some level of dim when triggered by a motion detection. Example is rope lights hidden under a bed, and bathroom lights coming ON at a very, very, low level when making a late night bathroom run (57 year old prostate...need I say more?)
In AHP, I believe I dimmed the lights to 0% or 1% and let them idle at that level until motion is detected. This level maintains a minimum current through the Lamp Module triac, but the lights are completely dark. When motion is detected, AHP brightens the lights to 30%. In AHP you must use the "relative" Bri/Dim levels in your macros.
I have been using this "dim to 0" technique since 1988 and have never had a problem. The lamp modules are barely conducting so there is negligable "hazard". Technically the module and lights would consume slightly more power than if turned OFF.
Does this clarify anything?
-
Yes, it does. Thank you very much for your help!
And I like your ideas with the motion detectors and rope lights. Now I have something else to drive my wife nuts with :)