Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jdacal]

(Originally posted to Yahoo forum, but posting here as well in case anyone has suggestions. )

Here is my issue:

I have a motion sensor in the bathroom, we'll call it B1 sensor which
triggers B1 macro to turn on bathroom light B3 and activate a 5 minute
delay before shutting it off. There's no way for me to position this
sensor to cover both the bathroom and the shower in the bathroom. So...

I have a second motion sensor we'll call B2 which triggers macro B2 to
trigger light B3 on for 30 minutes.

Problem: Shortly after activating B2, the B1 macro times out and turns
of light B3. Naturally this light stays off until B2 picks up
heat/motion again. Which is not always easy in a moist hot
environment. Ideally this sensor should turn on the light when you
enter the shower and start that 30 minute timer without further
interruption.

So my question is. How can I keep the orginal timer triggered by B1
from shutting of B3 light after B2 timer has been triggered?

Or is there a totally different way to do this that maybe I haven't
even considered? Oh, also - I'd like to do this without using flags if
I can avoid it. Using ActiveHome Pro software.

[Tuicemen]

There are a couple of ways you can do this If you have the smartmacros plug-in!
There is more of a problem here your sensors shouldn't be b1 and b2 as you'll have the sensor +1 issue which also can effect the b3 light!
Have your monitored house code "B" change your sensors to another house code and space them 2 apart eg: C1 and C3!
If you have the smart macro you can use the monitored house code and add conditions and set flags to only turn off the light if the condition is met.
 

[jdacal]

Hi Tuicemen, thanks for your reply.

I have SmartMacros. 

But as far as the +1 issue, all my sensors (MS16A's) have the Dusk to Dawn feature turned off, which should eliminate the +1 issue? Or doesn't it?  I ask because I've been going by what the instruction sheet says with the sensor, which doesn't always provide a wealth of information to make informed decisions.

What I think is happening is the 3 minute timer initiated when you first walk into the bathroom is turning the light off if you end up getting in the shower and initiating the 30 minute timer BEFORE the 3 minute timer times out.  When that happens the shower sensor is already clouded up from moisture and sometimes will not detect additional movement.  So after 3 minutes of no motion from the bathroom sensor the light gets turned off and effectively negates the still running timer from the shower sensor.

Just to use the correct terminology, when I say timers in this example I actually mean "Delays" in the macros that are triggered by the sensors.  Probably should have made that clear in my original post. Sorry.

[Tuicemen]

If your manuals state that you can turn off the Dusk/dawn setting then you should be OK! I don't own a MS16A or if I do it is filled in my box of extras!
For your macros you should add flags and watch for them as conditions
eg:

[li]B1 on triggers checks  if flag 3 is set then send B3 on and sets flag 2
don't add  "delay then  off"
.[/li]
[li]Set the motion sensor to trigger another macro with the B1 Off command if flag 2 set and flag 3 cleared delay(amount of time ) B3 Off
.[/li]
[li]B2 checks to see if flag two is set then sets flag 3 waits 30 min then clears the flags and turns off B3[/li]
[/list]
You may be able to fine tune this somewhat  but this should get you started!

[jdacal]

Thanks Tuiceman!

I was trying to avoid wasting a flag on this, but doesn't seem to be any way around it.

[Puck]

Although using a Flag is the cleanest way to do this, you could use the state of a dummy module on your monitored house code as a condition for you B1 OFF macro.

The B2 ON macro would turn on a dummy module and the B1 OFF macro would only turn the light off if the dummy module is off. And off course, the end of the B2 macro would turn the dummy module off.

The MS16A will disable the UnitCode + 1 if programmed as per the instructions. But it's always good to leave that address blank in case you ever want to use that feature (this way you wouldn't have to reprogram a bunch of modules).

[jdacal]

Thanks Puck I'll give that route a try in the next week or so and report back if my setup works.

[robster]

I have a somewhat-similar setup, and while macros are very cool, there is an easier solution that doesn't use macros at all.  Take both motion sensors and set them to B3, which is the address of your bathroom light(s).  Have them time out after several minutes.  As soon as anyone walks into the bathroom, the first motion sensor sends B3on and the lights are on.  Go into the shower, the second motion sensor continues to send B3on.  Once you have left the bathroom and there is no motion for a few minutes, the lights will be turned off (motion sensor sends B3off).

Or, just use one motion sensor, and set its delay for longer than you usually take a shower.  Now you only need one motion sensor and no macros!

Good luck!

Rob

[Puck]

As soon as anyone walks into the bathroom, the first motion sensor sends B3on and the lights are on.  Go into the shower, the second motion sensor continues to send B3on.  Once you have left the bathroom and there is no motion for a few minutes, the lights will be turned off (motion sensor sends B3off).

This will work, but when the first motion sensor timesout while you are in the shower the light will go out for a few seconds until the next motion on is send by the second motion sensor. Could have low WAF.