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[daveraab]

Here is my setup:

1. House code A
2. CM15A
3. AHP version 3.316
4. Outside light using non-softstart switch (porch light)
5. Outside light using socket rocket. (curb light)
6. Activity Monitor on screen
7. Using dusk, no "ON" codes show up on activity monitor.  Off codes will show up as they should

I can get both lights to turn on and off reliably if I set the start time. If I try and use the "dusk" feature, neither light will turn on.  Dusk delay or just dusk, no go.  Again, if I use dusk, no ON codes show as being sent on the Activity Monitor.  Using set start time, ON codes show up.  Off codes always show up.

Did that all make sense?  Thanks in advance for everyone's help.  I am having fun playing with all this, my wife on the other hand has no patience and I may be sleeping on the couch soon.

[Noam]

Did you set your location in the "Hardware Configuration" screen?
If you go into the settings for the timer, the times should be greyed out (if you have it set for dusk/dawn activation). However, the time in the box should be the next scheduled time (based on the Dusk/dawn tables for the location you selected). Make sure those look correct.

Once you set your location (and remember to download to the CM15A if the timers are stored in the interface), you can see the Dusk/Dawn tables for each date (or range, depending on the setting you chose for Dusk/Dawn resolution).
Make sure those times are close to the ones for your area.

[daveraab]

thanks...

1. I did set the location in "Hardware Configuration" screen and I click "Update Interface"
2. If I click "ON" at dusk, the time is grayed out
3. Off time is not dawn, set for 3 minutes later to check
4. Store in interface is checked
5. I have been setting the system clock on the computer to 3 minutes before "dusk" time, double checking PM and time, saving, downloading to CM15A
6. No "ON" codes show up on Activity Monitor. Off codes show up 3 minutes later just like it should.
7. Resolution is set to every 8 days
8. Status time bar on bottom of AHP shows phony time I set for testing purposes.
9. Codes always go somewhere between 30 to 45 seconds after the set minute....normal?

I think you are on to something that the Dusk/Dawn settings are not getting to the CM15A (I guess that is a stupid statment, cause if they were there, the codes would be sent, right?)

[daveraab]

one more thing...
When I click on "Hardware Configuration" it shows Memory usage as Macros .55%, Timed Events .25% and Dusk/Dawn 1.75%.  Don't know if those are acurate or if that information even comes directly from the CM15A?

[Noam]

1. I did set the location in "Hardware Configuration" screen and I click "Update Interface"

Did you verify that the times in the Dusk/Dawn tables look correct? Those are the times you should expect the timer to fire. Make sure that the time zone settings in Windows are correct, too. That has been known to throw off the AHP times, too.

2. If I click "ON" at dusk, the time is grayed out

That's what is supposed to happen. It won't let you set the time, because it is set for you. However, have you verified that the "Dusk Offset" is set to "0"?

3. Off time is not dawn, set for 3 minutes later to check

To make sure I understand this, for example, if Dusk is at 7:00 PM, you are setting the "off" time to 7:03 PM"?
You're basing it on the Dusk time listed for the current date range in the Dusk/Dawn tables in the Hardware Configuration, right?

4. Store in interface is checked

Sounds right.

5. I have been setting the system clock on the computer to 3 minutes before "dusk" time, double checking PM and time, saving, downloading to CM15A

That should work, especially considering that you said the "off" time is working.

6. No "ON" codes show up on Activity Monitor. Off codes show up 3 minutes later just like it should.

Does ANYTHING show up at that time? Did anything show up from the time it should have fired the timer until it got to the "Off" timer? As another test, you might want to set up a timer (on a separate module  of the same type - can be a "dummy" code you aren't using), and hard-set the time to what the Dawn time should be. See if that does anything.

7. Resolution is set to every 8 days

Make sure you are looking at the correct Dusk time, then. For whatever reason, the Dusk/Dawn tables have overlapping dates (the end date of one group is the same as the start date of the next). I don't know which one it uses if you are on that overlap date. Check both.

8. Status time bar on bottom of AHP shows phony time I set for testing purposes.

good.

9. Codes always go somewhere between 30 to 45 seconds after the set minute....normal?

That's normal. They changed that a few years ago. You used to be able to set a specific second to do stuff, but it was causing problems. There is a cycle, which is actually based on when (during the minute) it finished downloading to the CM15A. Each time you download, you should see that "trigger" time shift within the minute. Sometimes, if it finished toward the end of the minute, timers won't fire until the NEXT minute.

I think you are on to something that the Dusk/Dawn settings are not getting to the CM15A (I guess that is a stupid statment, cause if they were there, the codes would be sent, right?)

Maybe, maybe not. It could be that the settings are getting there, but they aren't what you think they are.
Check all the stuff I pointed out above, and then try it again and see what happens.

one more thing...
When I click on "Hardware Configuration" it shows Memory usage as Macros .55%, Timed Events .25% and Dusk/Dawn 1.75%.  Don't know if those are acurate or if that information even comes directly from the CM15A?

Those are actually provided by AHP, based on how much space it calculates those items take up.



Here are a few more tests:
a) Try using the "dawn" times, and see if those work for you at all.
b) Try changing the module to an Appliance module. That should eliminate any SoftStart questions.
c) Try working in this order when testing:
Change the Pc time, allowing enough time to do the rest of the sequence, with at least one minute to spare
Open AHP (AFTER you change the time)
Clear interface memory
Re-download
Test

Keep us posted.

[daveraab]

brilliant!  I think you hit the nail on the head with, "Maybe, maybe not. It could be that the settings are getting there, but they aren't what you think they are."

When I clicked Dusk and the numbers got grayed out, I was taking that as the Dusk time when it was actually a different number per the table.  I will also admit and a little embarrassed that there are 2 columns of times...Dawn first then Dusk in 24 hour format. I was looking at Dawn.  It was only after I looked and wondered how could the dusk times be getting later when they should be getting earlier this time of year, then AH HA wrong column! So I did a test changing the computer clock to phony time, correct column, etc etc. and everything worked!

Now I hope I have everything set up back to the real time and the way it should be.  I am going to give it 2 nights to cycle and I will report back.  If all goes well, I won't have to sleep on the couch and just possibly my wife won't think I am an idiot, stop complaining and all that other stuff.

Well that was easy now that I know the answer, but I guess everything is easy once you know the answer.  Thanks a ton!!!

[Noam]

I'm glad to hear it was something simple. (I was running out of ideas).
In case you aren't aware, you can also set an "offset", to have things happen a certain amount of time before or after Dawn or Dusk. For example, my outside lights come on 30 minutes before dusk, and go off 30 minutes after dawn.
When you go into the timer, the time in the grey box should be the next dawn/dusk based iteration of the timer. It will take into account the offset, if you have one set.

I also made up a chart of the Dawn and Dusk times for my area, to use for handy reference when checking the system.