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Total Members Voted: 4

Voting closed: April 23, 2009, 08:23:54 PM

[FUNLOVERALWAYS]

One of the features X-10 Appliance or end device module needs to have is to tell the Active Pro software if the appliance is in on condition or off condition. Right now you assume that your device may be on or off depending upon what you are seeing in the Active pro but in reality this may not be the case becuase someone may have turned on the device manually.

If someone turns on an appliance manually, there is no way you can tell the current status of the appliance. That really kills the home automation concept because I want to develop macros that would trigger based upon current on and off condition of the appliance as well.

For example, my kids never turn off the lights in the play room, basemet etc. I want to see from my office if the kids room lights are on or off remotely. This way I can turn them off remotely and save a ton of money in electricity bills. By teh same token Active pro appliance module status should get updated basd upon the current condition of the appliance attached to it.

If the appliance module can have an on and off switch and if it can triiger a signal back to the Active pro software notifying it of its current status, I think the entire X-10 solution jump a leap to next generation home automation.

I understand theere could be ways around to this problem such as each room can have a remote unit to turn on or off an appliance, but that is not a praactical solution.

If the appliance module can detect that there is an electricity flow going through it due to someone manually turning on the appliance then we got kick a__ solution.

Thoughts?

[Walt2]

Do you just want an AM14A

[FUNLOVERALWAYS]

I read the description of AM14A as per your suggestion but I am still not sure it can do what I described above.

If I manually turn on a device that is connected to AC outlet via AM14A, are you telling me it will update the applicance status in the Active Home Pro software? When I say manually I mean turning on the device using device on/off switch. Please advice.

[Brian H]

If the AM14A is off and you cycle the local loads power switch off and back on. It will turn on; but my test shows it does not send a status change back over the power line if not sent a status request. Also there is no way to locally turn it back off. Some X10 compatible modules from other vendors do send a change of status when actuated. Mostly wall switches not plug in type modules.

[Walt2]

If I manually turn on a device that is connected to AC outlet via AM14A, are you telling me it will update the applicance status in the Active Home Pro software? When I say manually I mean turning on the device using device on/off switch. Please advice.

I will have to go back and dig out the old documentation.   There are different levels of status returns, and one might need to set the highest level.

However, from what I remember, it does.  That's because I remember AH2 would actually display a pop-up, and that could not happen, unless a status was sent from the AM14A back to the CM14A.    BTW, the LM14A would send back a status if the light bulb burned out while 'on', too, and AH2 would display a pop-up warning.

[FUNLOVERALWAYS]

Can you recommend any other vendor units either wallmount or plugable that can sendmanual status update. This is a killer feature that I must have.

I want to create a clear distinction between applianceon off status vs. the X-10 Module status to develop intelligent macros that would act in a certain way.

Thanks

[dave w]

Can you recommend any other vendor units either wallmount or plugable that can sendmanual status update. This is a killer feature that I must have.

I want to create a clear distinction between applianceon off status vs. the X-10 Module status to develop intelligent macros that would act in a certain way.

Thanks

Refering to your last sentence:  I don't think there is a module that will perform this function,  assuming one of the conditions you want to detect is  if an appliance/light might be turned OFF locally even though the Appliance Module is ON (?).   

[Puck]

Can you recommend any other vendor units either wallmount or plugable that can sendmanual status update. This is a killer feature that I must have.

The Insteon ICON 2876SB On/Off Wall Switch sends its X10 Address and state onto the power lines when manually controlled. I use many of these in my home and AHP reflects the correct state as well as the ability to trigger macros when manually turned on or off. There may be others that do the same, but these are the only ones I have experience with.

[FUNLOVERALWAYS]

ok thanks. Kind of expensive though http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?id=100530077&jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&marketID=401&productId=100530077&locStoreNum=8125&langId=-1&linktype=product&storeId=10051&ddkey=THDSiteMap

$39 per switch

[Dan Lawrence]

Same price at Smarthome.

[Walt2]

Refering to your last sentence:  I don't think there is a module that will perform this function,  assuming one of the conditions you want to detect is  if an appliance/light might be turned OFF locally even though the Appliance Module is ON (?).   

The highest bit in the status returned by an X10 two-way, is 1xxxxxxx if the load is 'on', or 0xxxxxxx if the load is 'off' (or bulb burned out).

[dave w]

Refering to your last sentence:  I don't think there is a module that will perform this function,  assuming one of the conditions you want to detect is  if an appliance/light might be turned OFF locally even though the Appliance Module is ON (?).   

The highest bit in the status returned by an X10 two-way, is 1xxxxxxx if the load is 'on', or 0xxxxxxx

if the load is 'off' (or bulb burned out).

Walt2
OK, so if my table light plugged in to a 2-way appliance module is turned OFF at the socket and I then turn ON the AM14A appliance module with AHP,  will my AM14A return a status of ON, or OFF?

[Walt2]

Walt2
OK, so if my table light plugged in to a 2-way appliance module is turned OFF at the socket and I then turn ON the AM14A appliance module with AHP,  will my AM14A return a status of ON, or OFF?

The AM14A will return a status of "module ON, load OFF".

[dave w]

Thanks!

[Charles Sullivan]

Walt2
OK, so if my table light plugged in to a 2-way appliance module is turned OFF at the socket and I then turn ON the AM14A appliance module with AHP,  will my AM14A return a status of ON, or OFF?

The AM14A will return a status of "module ON, load OFF".

Walt2:
None of the AM14A or PAM22 I've tested report anything but Load ON, even with nothing plugged in.

(The LM14A 2-way Lamp Modules work reasonably well at reporting the Load status.)