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[KDR]

I'm putting this post here and if a CO wants to move it to a better spot feel free to do so. This problem started out as a PM communication with Puck on a problem that I felt should be on the main boards for others to offer input or learn from.

My setup is this...
I have 2 garage doors. I have a Universal Module set to momanteray operation to trigger opening and closing of the doors. Both are plugged into a short extension cord and that cord is plugged into an Appliance Module. I control the doors then by a keyfob or other palmpad device. AHP controls the ON/Off times for the Appliance Module to correspond to leaving or coming home from work. I can also turn On the Appliance Module anytime from my remote. I do it this way for added security that the doors won't open on there own by a stray signal. In AHP when you set up an Appliance Module it puts an On/Off switch on the screen. I can toggle the switch on and open the door then you have to toggle it Off then On again to close the door.

So what I did was...
Create a macro to turn On the Universal Module pause 2 seconds and then turn it off. This way it acts like a momentary push button since AHP doesn't have one I can put up on the screen.  I just use the Blue Run Macro button to open and close the doors. Now what would be really cool is to use BXVC and just tell the computer with voice command to "Door One On" or "Door Two On". Since I have his COOL software I set it up.

The problem...
The doors work when I press the Macro Button but when the Macro is triggered by BXVC the macro flashes but the doors don't open. I explained this to Puck and he setup a test with a Macro he manually triggers to turn off some cameras and found that if the macro he was using manually is triggered by another source it would not turn off his cameras. He also noted that there was time delays in the execution of the commands sent out. He added Zero second time delays in the macro between his commands and that solved the problem for him. Since there are some lags when using the Universal Module I started playing around with differant time delays and Bills BXVC but couldn't get it to work. By this time its late, the door is open and I'm going to sleep on it. So I go to close the door with just the switch in AHP as I have been doing and the Universal Module stopped working. I go out to the garage and found it is stuck again in the ON position.

Next problem...
I thought I had fixed the sticking On problem when its cold outside but guess not. If I go to the Module and press its On/Off buttons several times  it starts working again. (I have 4 of these Modules and have switched them out, same with all of them) I haven't looked yet to see if X10Pro makes a Universal Module, I don't think they do. Does anyone know if another brand that is X10 compatible is available? I don't have any Power Flasher Modules so I don't know if they would work in this application. And my one option I was thinking about was to replace the mechanical relay in the Universal Module with a solid state one. Current draw is very low so that won't be an issue as long as I don't move it to another application.

So until I can fix problem 2... Universal Module reliability I can't fix problem 1 making Bills BXVC open my doors. I may have found the right time delay to use but since the Module was acting up I don't know if I did or not. Going now to look for alternatives to the Universal Module.

Thanks Puck for doing your little experiment on your macro.

[Puck]

I have a Universal Module set to momanteray operation to trigger opening and closing of the doors.

KDR: Just to make sure I have a clear mental picture on this, you have the UM506 being used as a dry contact for you garage door... Possibly wired in parallel to the existing garage door switch?

I couldn't find a schematic yet on the Universal Module, but what you might want to look into is replacing the internal Mechanical Relay with a Reed Relay. I included a link to an example from a manufacturer here. They have many more types and hopefully one of them will be useable inside the UM506... and of course, meet your temperature requirements. 

This one here is good to -4F: Economy SIP Reed Relays

[KDR]

Yes using the dry contacts wired in parallel with the push button that came with the door.

Puck thanks for the link I will check them out. The UM506 uses a double coil on the relay One to pull it in the On position and another to pull it to the Off position. I have not found a wiring print on one yet. The 2 coils may be infact wired in series, (didn't pay attention when I had it apart).

Crude drawing:


                     l <--- arm that flips back and forth to open and close tips
-----XXXXX==0==XXXXX-------
        Coil     Rod    Coil

Rod slides back and forth, in coils on each end. 

Not that great of a relay design  Its actually more like a solenoid then a relay.

[Puck]

Crude drawing:


                     l <--- arm that flips back and forth to open and close tips
-----XXXXX==0==XXXXX-------
        Coil     Rod    Coil

Rod slides back and forth, in coils on each end. 

Not that great of a relay design

Hmmm Ok... It's NOT a relay, it's a Solenoid.
Similar in principal, but doesn't require constant current to keep the contact closed... but requires a seperate coil (or reverse polarity) to release it.

To replace this with a non-mechanical relay, becomes NOT as straight forward. It can still work though, but it looks like it would be a momentary contact only. (Which of course will be OK for your application here.) You would have to measure to see how long the ON Coil is active... but I suspect it would be long enough for a Reed Relay (if you wire it in where the ON coil is... and remove the existing coils).

[KDR]

Update since the weather warmed up and the UM506 is working...

UM506 is set to G2
Macro is H2

Inside the macro all it does is turn on G2. No delays no Off for the UM506... Just one On command.

When you manually press Run Macro it opens the door OK. Press it again and the door closes OK. Acts just like a momentary push button. Activity monitor shows the following...
Transmit G2 On
Transmit G On

However when the macro is triggered by another source, in this case Bill's BXVC, activity monitor show the following.
Transmit H2 On
Transmit H On
Transmit RF H2 On
Transmit RF H2 On
Receive H2 On
Receive H On
Macro G2 On
Macro G On

and the door does nothing.

Now I'm guessing at this point that the CM15A sends only power line signals when you manually run a macro but when it is triggered by another source it sends both power line and RF. In which case my V572AB picks up the RF and puts it back on the power line which is the Receive H2 I see above. This received H2 would cause the macro to try and fire again but its already running. It shows the Macro G2 On but the UM506 isn't seeing it. I am wondering if the power line signal "G2" is getting stepped on by what looks like it could be a loop but stops short of that because of signals colliding.

[Tuicemen]

KDR :
Since Bills program sends out both RF and PLC and you have a separate transceiver for your application I would also suspect some collision .

Many have had success adding a one second delay for macros that fail to run properly!

Since your using a  V572AB you may have to experiment with the delay duration but I suspect that will solve your problem!

Perhaps Bill can add the option so you can specify which transmition method to use when BXVC sends a command!
I know this is possible in the VB version he is currently working on!

Note: The Delay needs to be at the beginning of the macro!

[KDR]

Thanks Tuicemen I will give that a try. I should have thought of that already since I use 1 and up to 4 second delays at the beginning of some other macros to help stop collisions. Didn't realize that BXVC was programed to send both.

[Tuicemen]

Didn't realize that BXVC was programed to send both

Yes! It is a quick and dirty way of sending commands but for the most part isn't a problem!
 
As long as the CM15A is the only transceiver in the mix!

Perhaps you could PM or email Bill about adding the option to specify which method to transmit for his next release, and the reason for your request!

[-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)]

Didn't realize that BXVC was programed to send both

Yes! It is a quick and dirty way of sending commands but for the most part isn't a problem!
 
As long as the CM15A is the only transceiver in the mix!

Perhaps you could PM or email Bill about adding the option to specify which method to transmit for his next release, and the reason for your request!

Don't worry, Bill's listening (as always! ).  I did add "RF, PLC or Both" to event listeners because of AHP's wierd problems with RF signals, but I hadn't yet considered that sending both RF and PLC might be a problem.  My bad... will fix it (and some other things I'm already working on) in the next release!

Sorry,

[Tuicemen]

hey thanks Bill! 

saves KDR a PM!

[KDR]

Thanks Bill. No need to be sorry! The software is working great and I am certainly not in a rush. If you make any changes and need a tester for this I will be glad to help out. Just let me know.

[azzar0]

KDR - did you get it working?
I would like to setup something similar, but only to close the garage door, so that if I am at work and I forgot to close it, I can get in through MyHouse, click the Universal Module and close the door. Since I don't want one for the "open" position, is this posing a security threat?
What do I need to do to run this module in parallel with the push button? I still want to be able to use the regular garage door opener, but just sometimes I want to be able to close the door remotely (or schedule it to close every night when it gets dark, for instance).
Any pictures would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!
Azzar0

[HA Dave]

I want to be able to close the door remotely (or schedule it to close every night when it gets dark, for instance).
Any pictures would be greatly appreciated

azzar0, we are on a similar persuit! Although I am looking more for peace of mind more than function. I am thinking of using Tuicemen's AlertDialer to call my cell phone if I forget (memory isn't what it used to be) and drive-off without closing the door.

I think the AlertDialer's remote calling, mixed with "at home" Voice Announcements via BVC, would give me all that I might want. I have seen "automatic garage door closing devices" that sell for as much as I have in my entire Voice Command (BXVC/BVC) set-up.

I will be following your posts on this.

[KDR]

KDR - did you get it working?

Well its hard to say. When I was playing with this the weather was getting cold and I was having problems with the UM506 in cold weather things just didn't work right. Now the weather is warm again and the UM's are all working again I will be playing somemore. I have a few new ideas I am going to play with, including the doors closing at preset times if I can work out the bugs.

I also need to find an alternative to the UM506's. I purchased a few more but all of them work about the same. (not 100%) in the cold.

I use socket rockets and 7-1/2 watt bulbs to give me status on door condition. (a somewhat small indicator light setup) Just screw the socket rocket into a plug adaptor and plug it in anywhere in the house. Over all height of the bulb, socket rocket and adaptor is only about 3" and the bulb is no bigger round then a golfball which you can get in differant colors.

^{----------------KDR}

[JimC]

KDR,

when you set up an Appliance Module it puts an On/Off switch on the screen

I Just started to read this thread and wanted to mention that if you just need to send on commands without sending an off commands in between you could define a chime module in your setup instead of an appliance module.


This will not solve your problem but it might simplify your macro.

Jim