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[cpapjack]

I successfully installed my first X10 components two nights ago. I installed a WS467 and an MS12A in my pantry, as my wife or one of my children are always leaving the light on. I have both of them set to House Code P and Unit Code 1. I'm attaching a log from this morning when I was fooling around with AH Pro. My question is, what the heck is P2? I don't have any other X10 modules anywhere else. Also, I created a macro to turn the light off after 15 sec. This macro is obviously triggered by the MS12A. So why is it that the light goes off after 62 seconds instead of 15?

One other question I have regarding the CM15A. Is it OK to have it plugged into the same breaker/circuit as my laptop?

Jack

Event   Date/Time   Action            Data
0   2/8/2007 7:35   Receive RF      P1 On
1   2/8/2007 7:35   Receive           P1 (Pantry Sensor)
2   2/8/2007 7:35   Receive           P On (Pantry Sensor)
3   2/8/2007 7:36   Receive RF      P2 Off
4   2/8/2007 7:36   Receive           P2
5   2/8/2007 7:36   Receive           P Off
6   2/8/2007 7:37   Receive RF      P1 Off
7   2/8/2007 7:37   Receive           P1 (Pantry Sensor)
8   2/8/2007 7:37   Receive           P Off (Pantry Sensor)
9   2/8/2007 7:37   Receive RF      P2 On
10  2/8/2007 7:37   Receive          P2
11  2/8/2007 7:37   Receive          P On

[Puck]

cpapjack: Welcome to the forum.

All MSxxA motion sensors have a built in light detector. (All except the security version MS10A that is). This light detector sends a signal on UnitCode + 1. It is basically a dusk / dawn sensor. As you can see from your activity monitor, when the pantry light goes on P2 goes OFF (it's dawn...I.E. light is present). When the pantry light goes off P2 goes on (it's dusk... no light detected).

This can be an useful tool... see TakeTheActive's [TTA TIP] 1½-Way Status Reporting [Positive LOAD Feedback Loop!]

[cpapjack]

cpapjack: Welcome to the forum.

All MSxxA motion sensors have a built in light detector. (All except the security version MS10A that is). This light detector sends a signal on UnitCode + 1. It is basically a dusk / dawn sensor. As you can see from your activity monitor, when the pantry light goes on P2 goes OFF (it's dawn...I.E. light is present). When the pantry light goes off P2 goes on (it's dusk... no light detected).

This can be an useful tool... see TakeTheActive's [TTA TIP] 1½-Way Status Reporting [Positive LOAD Feedback Loop!]

Puck Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the explanation. That makes sense. Any idea about why it's staying on fro 62 sec. compared to the 15 sec. the macro is configured for?

[Puck]

Any idea about why it's staying on fro 62 sec. compared to the 15 sec. the macro is configured for?

From the activity monitor data you provided above, it doesn't look like a macro was triggered. Motion sensors have a default time-out for sending an OFF signal after so much time elapses without detecting motion (and it sounds like 1 minute for the MS12A). So check your macro address and trigger conditions if you have one for turning the light off after 15 seconds.

[cpapjack]

Any idea about why it's staying on fro 62 sec. compared to the 15 sec. the macro is configured for?

From the activity monitor data you provided above, it doesn't look like a macro was triggered. Motion sensors have a default time-out for sending an OFF signal after so much time elapses without detecting motion (and it sounds like 1 minute for the MS12A). So check your macro address and trigger conditions if you have one for turning the light off after 15 seconds.

Gotcha. I'm at work right now, so I can't look to see to answer this question for myself. But when you say macro address, do you mean XY (where x=house code and y = unit code)?

[Puck]

But when you say macro address, do you mean XY (where x=house code and y = unit code)?

Yes... your macro would have to be set to address P1 and the trigger would be (P1) ON.

[cpapjack]

But when you say macro address, do you mean XY (where x=house code and y = unit code)?

Yes... your macro would have to be set to address P1 and the trigger would be (P1) ON.

Cool. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it. I'll have to try this tonite.

[robster]

In the event it isn't obvious, if you have your module and your motion sensor set to the same code, the motion sensor is turning on and off the module (wall switch, whatever).  The door opens and someone walks into the pantry.  P1 is the motion sensor.  AHP sends P1on across your electric lines.  The light goes on.  Your dusk-dawn sensor sends P2, which gets sent down the powerline, but it's meaningless.  When the motion sensor times out, it sends a P1off, which is sent down the powerline and turns off the pantry light.  The dusk-dawn sensor sends a P2 which is ignored. 

To make the macro work, set the motion sensor to a different code, say M1.  Then have a macro triggered by M1 that turns on the pantry light. 

Or you can remove the macro and leave your system as-is.  One thing I like about that is that if you have several kids, at some point a favorite game will be to terrorize the youngest by locking them in the pantry and listening to them scream when the light automatically turns off.  If the motion sensor directly controls the light, the child's presence will keep sending an On command, keeping the light on indefinitely.

I'm currently messing around with using macros and keeping all of my motion sensors on a transceived House Code.  Look at the amount of activity they generate on your monitor when someone is inside the pantry.  What I'm learning now is the logic behind programming my study light to come on and stay on, then go off when I exit, but to dim before going out so if I am still in the study hard at work I can wave my arms to re-trigger the light.

Have fun!

Rob

[Puck]

To make the macro work, set the motion sensor to a different code, say M1.  Then have a macro triggered by M1 that turns on the pantry light. 

If cpapjack's main goal is to have the pantry light go out after 15 seconds, having the macro, light & motion sensor all on the same address would have it's benefits:

• . The light would come on almost instantly (faster than via a macro)
  
  
• . The purpose of the macro would be just to make the light go out in a shorter time period (15 seconds instead of at least 1 minute)
  
  
• . The 1 minute timeout of the motion sensor would be a backup to decrease the possibility of the light not going out
  
  

As you stated robster, there is the chance of the light going out when someone is still in there; but it would come back on within seconds due to movement. Yes this would be annoying if it happens to someone a lot, and separating the light's address from the sensor & macro would prevent this with using separate ON & OFF macros. Since there are Pros & Cons with both methods, the desired outcome for a setup will determine which method to use. So thanks for mentioning that option too in case cpapjack wasn't aware of it.

[cpapjack]

In the event it isn't obvious, if you have your module and your motion sensor set to the same code, the motion sensor is turning on and off the module (wall switch, whatever).  The door opens and someone walks into the pantry.  P1 is the motion sensor.  AHP sends P1on across your electric lines.  The light goes on.  Your dusk-dawn sensor sends P2, which gets sent down the powerline, but it's meaningless.  When the motion sensor times out, it sends a P1off, which is sent down the powerline and turns off the pantry light.  The dusk-dawn sensor sends a P2 which is ignored. 

To make the macro work, set the motion sensor to a different code, say M1.  Then have a macro triggered by M1 that turns on the pantry light. 

Or you can remove the macro and leave your system as-is.  One thing I like about that is that if you have several kids, at some point a favorite game will be to terrorize the youngest by locking them in the pantry and listening to them scream when the light automatically turns off.  If the motion sensor directly controls the light, the child's presence will keep sending an On command, keeping the light on indefinitely.

I'm currently messing around with using macros and keeping all of my motion sensors on a transceived House Code.  Look at the amount of activity they generate on your monitor when someone is inside the pantry.  What I'm learning now is the logic behind programming my study light to come on and stay on, then go off when I exit, but to dim before going out so if I am still in the study hard at work I can wave my arms to re-trigger the light.

Have fun!

Rob

Rob, thanks for the suggestion. While your idea is a good one, definitely one to keep in mind for a future setup/configuration, I think Puck's idea of just setting the macro code to that of the switch will work just fine for my pantry.

As far as your light in the study goes, I'd be interested in that one as well. I thought when I was setting up the switch and sensor in my pantry the other night, that even though I had it set to go after a certain amount of time, the light stayed on as long as I was in there and the sensor detected motion. I could be wrong though. I'll have to play around with that and see.

Jack

[cpapjack]

As you stated robster, there is the chance of the light going out when someone is still in there; but it would come back on within seconds due to movement.

I noticed that even before I changed the code on the macro to match that of the switch, that there is probably at least a 1-2 second delay before the light comes on. I can live with thatI guess if I have to, but why is this? It seems to me that it should be instant.

Jack

[Puck]

As you stated robster, there is the chance of the light going out when someone is still in there; but it would come back on within seconds due to movement.

I noticed that even before I changed the code on the macro to match that of the switch, that there is probably at least a 1-2 second delay before the light comes on. I can live with thatI guess if I have to, but why is this? It seems to me that it should be instant.

Jack

After a motion sensor detects motion, it takes a few seconds for it to remeasure the ambient infrared levels so that it can detect motion again.

[ed n]

I have most of my lights running under house code A.  I would like to use house code C for my motion sensors.  When I select a trigger condition for my sensore C1, and try to specify that it is only to run when "Certain module is off" A16, it only let me choose codes from the C house code range.

I want my motiong sensor to trigger my light only if the light is not already on AND if it is after dusk.  If I can't check for A16 already on, the sensor sends out multiple ON's and the macro run many times over simultaniously.

Any idea how to do this?

[Puck]

ed n: you need to set House Code "A" to be the monitored house code, in order to use it as a macro condition.

[ed n]

What exactly is the purpose of the monitored house code?  There is very little in the help text on this.  I was thinking it was the house code to be discplayed in the Activity Monitor.