Possible Motion Sensor Problem ???

Started by cpapjack, February 20, 2007, 12:44:42 PM

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cpapjack

I have a WS467 and a MS12A setup/configured in my pantry. I am using the MS12A to trigger a macro that will turn the light on and leave it on for 15 seconds, then turn if off. Whenever someone is in there longer than 15 seconds, I need the light to stay on or come back on with a wave of an arm. Problem is, if it is a problem, is that isn't happening. Even if I walk out of the pantry and walk back in, still no light. It seems like it only wants to come on again after let's say, a minute. (I could be wrong with the time, I've never timed it)

Could this be a bad motion detector or something else that I could resolve by way of a macro or some other change?

Thx.

Jack

Tuicemen

Many new users have this problem:
There may be a few problems here!
You don't state the addresses of each! ???
You don't state if you have the Smartmacro Plug-in!
???
If you have the Smartmacro Plug-in you can eliminate the problem of waving your hand ;) :D

The sensor auto sends a OFF comand by default after a min ;)
You don't need a macro to do what you want, although the time which the light stays on will be longer!

Supply a little more info and someone here will help nail down your problem and may even write you a macro!
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cpapjack

Quote from: Tuicemen on February 20, 2007, 01:04:15 PM
Many new users have this problem:
There may be a few problems here!
You don't state the addresses of each! ???
You don't state if you have the Smartmacro Plug-in!
???
If you have the Smartmacro Plug-in you can eliminate the problem of waving your hand ;) :D

The sensor auto sends a OFF comand by default after a min ;)
You don't need a macro to do what you want, although the time which the light stays on will be longer!

Supply a little more info and someone here will help nail down your problem and may even write you a macro!

Oops, sorry. I knew I forgot something. Everything is set to P1.

I don't believe I have the Smartmacro Plug-In. Where can I get it?

I am aware of the sensor sending an OFF command by default after a min., that's why I'm using a macro to control the light. I don't want the light to stay on for that long.

Jack

Tuicemen

OK every thing set to the same address is one of the problems!
The 1 min defalt "off" may be the other and the main problem! ::)
I may be wrong( I don't have any of these sensors in use right now) but I don't thing the sensor will send another "On" until the "Off" has been sent
So if the sensor sees movement it won't send the off command until 1 min after motion was last sensed
I know the sensors off command time can be changed but I'm not sure if it can be set  to less than a min. ???

Change the light to another address  not the sensor +1 then make the changes in your macro! ;)
I believe there is a link to the Smartmacro plug-in from inside AHP although I don't think it will help in this situation.
Try your macro again with the changes ;)
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Puck

Quote from: Tuicemen on February 20, 2007, 01:37:01 PM
I may be wrong( I don't have any of these sensors in use right now) but I don't thing the sensor will send another "On" until the "Off" has been sent

I can't speak for the MS12A since I only use MS16A's, but mine continually send an ON every few seconds while motion is detected (does not require an OFF to be sent first). But is wish that was a selectable feature!

One thing I found, and may be the same situation that cpapjack is seeing, is when a motion sensor is in a relatively small space (like a pantry) the recycle time of the motion sensor becomes much longer than a few seconds. When there is too much close movement, it cannot easily measure the ambient IR level so that it can detect a new change.

For this circumstance, you may not have a choice but to use the motion sensor's 1 minute OFF delay or at least increase your 15 seconds to make sure the light doesn't go out to soon.

cpapjack

Quote from: Tuicemen on February 20, 2007, 01:37:01 PM
Change the light to another address  not the sensor +1 then make the changes in your macro! ;)
I believe there is a link to the Smartmacro plug-in from inside AHP although I don't think it will help in this situation.
Try your macro again with the changes ;)

What do you suggest I change it to and why do you suggest I change it? (I'm not questioning your suggestion or knowledge, I'm just trying to understand how these things work)

Thanks,
Jack

Don N

cpapjack  --  You might try looking at this site, if you haven't already.  http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Motion_Sensors    It will give you a lot of information about motion sensors.  Hope this helps.


cpapjack

Ok, from what I gather, like Tuiceman mentioned, it appears that the default of the sensor sending an OFF command after 1 minute is overriding my macro of 15 seconds. I'll have to keep playing around with it to see if I can find any way around this. If not, I guess I'll just have to live with the 1 minute compared to the 15 seconds.

cpapjack

So I change my macro to 1 min and 5 seconds last night. I stayed in the pantry for a few minutes and after the light went off, I waved my arms and voila, the light came back on.

A minute is still too long, but at least I know what the problem was now. I will have to play around with it more to see what I can do. I actually ordered the SmartMacro module just a little while ago, so once I get that installed, I will see what I can do.


Tuicemen

The reason for changing the light to another unit number then the sensor has a number of advantages.

  • Trouble shooting
  • You avoid the sensor off command turning off your light although in your case that doesn't seem to be an issue
  • The sensors off command can now be used for another macro with out affecting the light!
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I'm sure there are other reasons these are just a few that come to mind at the moment! ;)
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