X10 Community Forum
🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Wish List => Topic started by: steven r on December 03, 2004, 09:33:45 AM
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Is there away to program AHP software to
detect a power restoration? Are any
internal flags set when switching to and
from battery backup or is that just a
hardware function?
I'd like a way to restore default settings
after a power is restored. I believe that
this will require external hardware but I
thought I'd ask. (I've already built my
smart macro for the restoration.)
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There are at least two other threads on
this. I would like the same thing, but I'm
working on a hardware "trigger" for this
(based on a modified mini-controller)
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How about this for an idea - based upon
another thread "Phantom Loads". Put
together a module that you could program
any address into and when the power goes
off it reverts to a known address - when
power is restored it would send a "POWER
ON" command that we could use. Note power
interuption interval should be programable
since short interuptions might not change
anything on the various modules.
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One possible solution would be to wire a
DPDT relay as a latching relay through one
set N.O. contacts. Connect the second set of
contacts - N.C. to a Power Flash module.
Once the relay is latched the Power flash
will see an open circuit. When power fails
the relay unlatches and gives a closure to
the Power Flash. When power coms back the
Power Flash will send its code. The relay
will have to manually relatched, unless you
used a time delay on a Universal Module to
relatch after a couple of minutes. Just a
thought.
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Dave W
While I believe there may be a more solid
state solution, your's is the best apoarch
I've heard yet. Working out a way to reset
is important to me. Plugging the relay into
an appliance module would work if the
appliance module could be hacked to return
to an off state when power returned.
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It's a bit complicated but this might work
without a relay.
I just triggered my Universal Module in
latch mode and then unplugged it. It reset
to off!
This means a Power Flash module could close
the contacts on the Universal Module
directly. The Universal Module in mode 1
sends an "ON" signal to its set House/Unit
code as well as an "All Lights ON" for the
house code. When power is restored, the
contact will be open. When the contact is
opened, lights are left on but the
House/Unit code setting is turned OFF. In
AHP you would need to build your "Power
Restoration" macro to trigger on the OFF
for that House/Unit code. The macro would
be responsible reseting the Power Flash
module as well as cleaning up for the "All
Lights On" command if you were using house
code for this that had light modules.
I still believe a solid state approach
would be cheaper than buying a Universal
Module and a Power Flash module (around
$50).
The catch is this should work and I don't
know how to build a solid state detection
device.
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Hey guys look at the "Phantom Lamp" Thread
in Smart Macros. Take a motion sensor and
modify it to accept power from a wall wart
(power cube(. Program in a different
address. When the power is interupted the
motion sensor reverts to the A1 address.
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"...Take a motion sensor and modify it to
accept power from a wall wart (power cube
(. Program in a different address. When
the power is interupted the motion sensor
reverts to the A1 address."
I thought of that but it still would need
motion to send the "A1" signal.
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If someone out there with more electrical
theory than me would like to design a
device to detect power restoration, here's
what it needs to do.
Upon restoration of power for a period of
at least a minute, it needs to send a
momentary X10 signal. It would then reset
for the next power recovery. i.e. No more
signals unless power is lost again.
It would be fine with me if this were made
by modifying a controller.
It's important that the device wait at
least a minute to make sure power has
returned and not just flickered on and off
again.
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OK, latchng relay is out, 555 timer is in.
Go here
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill
_Bowden/page9.htm
Use a 555 timer to trigger the POWER FLASH
after a 1,2,3, minute etc delay. The 555 is
wired as a one shot with the output fed
directly to Power Flash module.
Power returns, the 555 times out as one shot
and the output goes high to Power Flash
which sends out one HC UC.
Does X10 still make Power Flashes?
The best solution would be an internal flag
set by the CM15 which would trigger the
macro. Until that time try a trusty 555.
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One way to accomplish the power on command
is; if your computer is not on an UPS it
can generate the code for you. When
windows or DOS starts it executes a start
up file. This can run a DOS batch file
that could send a command to whatever
address(s) you want. There are many DOS
programs that will take a command line
command to do this. To my knowledge these
do have a draw back and use the old
interface but you probably have one laying
around anyway.
Gil
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Anyone interested in this topic please also
see the General topic "P16".