X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: mitch5252 on December 18, 2006, 09:53:53 PM
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I've read most all that I could find here about ABSOLUTE vs. RELATIVE dimming on light modules and there is still mostly confusion for me...here's my problem (I run AHP not connected to the computer.)
Hallway lights (3-way) and Guest Bathroom lights (I think just "regular" is called 2-way?) were recently X10'd. No problem.
Let's assume overnight guests with weak bladders. It's middle-of-the-night. I would love to rig a motion sensor to turn on the hallway lights and bathroom lights already dimmed so as not to blind our overnight guests as they shuffle to the bathroom. I've already written the macro with a flag so as they return to their bedroom, the macro is not triggered again. (I just learned to use flags yesterday (in a rudimentary way, of course)!!! Ain't progress wonderful! :) )
So, I guess I have a multi-part question...and you have to speak slowly and simply since I haven't grasped ABSOLUTE, RELATIVE, and 2-WAY PRESET DIMMABLE...
Can I turn on my 2 sets of lights in an already dimmed state? I think the answer is no, but I want to make sure.
Secondly, is there a hard-wired 3-way wall switch (any manufacturer) that will accommodate the preset dim?
Thirdly, can someone please explain a 2-way X10 module and how it might be used?
Thanks once again for your help.
Regards,
Michelle
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I can help answer the ABSOLUTE & RELATIVE parts of your questions. I don't use 2-way dimmers so someone else can explain them.
ABSOLUTE will put your light level to the percentage you selected.
RELATIVE will dim or brigthen the light the amount of the percentage FROM where it already is (unfortunately not from off).
Assuming you are using regular X10 dimmer switches, what you can do is set a Timer to turn the lights on to an ABSOLUTE value of say 1% at night. Then your motion sensor's ON signal can brighten the light to a RELATIVE value of say 50%. The motion sensor's OFF signal can dim the lights to a RELATIVE value of 50%.
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Hey, Puck!
Thanks once again! You're the guy who helped me figure out flags yesterday...I told you it would click on eventually!!! Flags and phantom modules...
A follow-up question - is there no danger in keeping a bunch of ceiling can lights (4) dimmed down to 1% for long periods of time? I should have no need to feel nervous about that, right? :)
Regards,
Michelle
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Hey, Puck!
Thanks once again! You're the guy who helped me figure out flags yesterday...I told you it would click on eventually!!! Flags and phantom modules...
Good to hear you got them figured out. :)
A follow-up question - is there no danger in keeping a bunch of ceiling can lights (4) dimmed down to 1% for long periods of time? I should have no need to feel nervous about that, right? :)
No danger at all. The triac in the dimmer just sends very little power to the light.