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Author Topic: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?  (Read 5077 times)

Xer0

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How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« on: April 10, 2011, 10:18:05 PM »

Sorry if this has already been covered (I'm sure it has) but I did a few forum searches and came up empty. I have a very simple setup; 2 (AM466) appliance modules with Active Home Pro. I just need one of these appliance modules to come on for 20 seconds (every 6 hours) then turn off. It appears I can only choose to do it one minute at a time; for example 2:00pm (on) 2:01pm (0ff). I using this with a water pump to feed my plants, but the pump is 185gph (gallons per hour), and if it goes for a solid minute it will overfeed them. I don't really want to have to wait 24 hours or more between watering cycles. I've tried using a macro to delay the start by 40 seconds, but I think I must be doing something wrong, because it never works. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance
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delibaker

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Re: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2011, 11:52:42 PM »

Have you tried setting up the macro to turn on the AM486, delay 20 seconds, then turn off the AM486??  What are you using to trigger the macro??
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-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)

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Re: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2011, 11:55:35 PM »

A sideways thought about this...  -:)

Maybe you could restrict the water flow so that 1 minute's restricted flow would equal 20 seconds unrestricted flow?   :'
 >!
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dave w

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Re: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2011, 10:55:51 AM »

FWIW
From a cost standpoint, Bills suggestion of throttling down the pump output is a lot better than the following:

Homeseer 2 (which can use the CM15A as a powerline interface) has "Wait" timer resolutions down to milli seconds. So an "event" (macro) would use one wait timer for 20 seconds to enable the pump and a second 6 hour timer would control the pump cycles.

However if you use the CM15A as your powerline interface I do not think Homeseer can control any of the RF receive (transceive)  and transmit functions the CM15A is capable of. Although, if you do use any RF remotes or motion sensors you could use a TM751 to transceive.

Be forwarned; Homeseer creates sticker shock when compared to AHP. But it is far more powerful, and more stable, with ability to mix X10 and Z-Wave for migration to newer automation technology. They have a unrestricted 30 day trial period.

http://homeseer.com/index.html

Appologies to X10 for using the forum to plug Homeseer, but from a cost standpoint, they have no worries.  ;D
« Last Edit: April 12, 2011, 11:01:00 AM by dave w »
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Tuicemen

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Re: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2011, 11:09:18 AM »

As delibaker pointed out make a macro!
Create a dummy(phantom) module
Trigger this macro with the Phantom
Create 4 timers to turn on the phantom every 6 hours
it's that Simple. ::) :'
I've basicaly done this (as have others) for a talking clock
 >!
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Knightrider

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Re: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2011, 11:15:30 AM »

I'm wondering if you even need the phantom module for this.

Lets say that the pump is on A1:

Create a macro (M1).

Have the macro turn on A1

Delay 20 seconds.

Turn off A1

Assign the timers to the macro M1 to turn on every 6 hours.





Of course, Tuicemen's solution goes a step farther and creates a phantom module on M1 and the timer is assigned to it, but I don't think that's necessary in this situation.
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Tuicemen

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Re: How do I turn on an appliance for 20 seconds every 6 hours?
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2011, 01:23:19 PM »

I'm wondering if you even need the phantom module for this.

Lets say that the pump is on A1:

Create a macro (M1).

Have the macro turn on A1

Delay 20 seconds.

Turn off A1

Assign the timers to the macro M1 to turn on every 6 hours.





Of course, Tuicemen's solution goes a step farther and creates a phantom module on M1 and the timer is assigned to it, but I don't think that's necessary in this situation.
So true, the Phantom isn't needed.
I'm so use to having to create a phantom I forget it isn't needed in all cases!
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