3 weeks with AHP/Macros

[stan gale]

I've used X10 RF and Motion Detectors to turn things on/off and read the forums enough to determine that some of the functions of AHP could be useful and fun.
I convinced myself that though some people have problems with AHP, they're probably a vocal minority.
Plus I'm educated, literate, "handy", and a tinkerer at heart.
3 weeks later and I'm totally disheartened.
I've wasted at least 12 hours installing switches and modules that only work with RF, trying to troubleshoot AHP/Macros and wasting time with Tech Support.
The Tech Support is the saddest of all.  You can tell these people have never installed or set up any of these products. They take a long time to look things up - and then read things that have nothing to do with my questions.
When they promise a Level II person will call, they never do.
E-mails from these supposed individuals are generic and don't answer one's questions. They haven't answered followup communication either.
It'd be one thing if I could simply blame my house wiring. (I did the capacitor/inductor phase coupler to no benefit.)
But if RF commands DO function - why won't AHP macros make them trigger? (Activity Monitor doesn't record a Macro even if I push the "Blue Button".)
Unfortunately nobody at X10 has spoken to me intelligently to help make ANY of this work.
My aquarium and pet lights end up not on or always on (boy those old-fashioned plug-in timers look so trustworthy and reliable now).
Worse, my wife has taken a strong disliking to the whole thing, and is sick of all the wasted effort and time she's seen me spend. "Why don't we just turn everything on/off like everybody else???"
A damn shame - should I go to the trouble of taking out the switches etc., box up my worthless CM15A and send it back?
Stan Gale
Los Angeles
(I'm hoping someone on this forum has the knowledge and willingness to determine why this product doesn't work.)

[billy]

Stan,

Start a thread in the "Help & Troubleshooting" section, there's enough help available on this forum to hopefully solve your problems.
Let us know about your setup, PC Windows version, modules, what's working and what's not.

[stan gale]

Thank you anyone who tries to help.
This setup is very typical. A modern 2,000 sq. ft. house, Win XP (SP2), 467s and 4777 switches, motion sensors, TM751s, appliance modules...
1st, I'm trying to get 3 XPS3s (Outdoor lights) to turn on at dusk and turn off 4 hours later.
The Macro is "If the time is exactly dusk", RF command "On" for each module, delay, then  RF command "Off" for each module.
AHP doesn't intiate this Macro.
What have I done incorrectly?
(If I push the "Blue Button" on this macro the RF signals get sent to turn the modules on.)
Perhaps once this is working, I can move onto getting other macros to work.
Thank you,
Stan

[X10 Pro]

Can I ask why you're using RF commands to control your XPS3s? Do powerline commands not travel well to these modules?

Also, you write that "the Macro is 'If the time is exactly dusk'." That sounds like a condition, not a timer. The condition is tested when the macro is triggered; it doesn't tell the macro when to run. If you do have that as a condition, remove it. Then, go to the room where the macro is and click on the little clock icon in the corner of the macro module on screen (like where you find the Run Macro button). This will open the Timer Designer for that Macro. In there, tell the macro to run (turn on) at Dusk. That should do what you want it to do.

[stan gale]

Thanks for helping.
You are correct, powerline commands do not get through despite the capacitor/inductor being added.
(Here in Los Angeles, we have gas appliances thus no 220v outlets to plug a Phase Coupler into.)
Ok - I never read that a macro needs to be turned on by a timer - I assumed Macros included the timer component the way they're set up.
Now the "On" time is there in the Timer iwindow - but no provision for the "Off" time seems to exist. How does this part work?
Thank you.
Stan

[X10 Pro]

There's no "off" for a macro timer because there's the only action for a macro is to run. Think of the On timer as more of a "Run Macro" timer. You can make a complementary macro to turn things off, but you'll still need another timer to run it.

[stan gale]

Indeed this is not explained in the manuals.
If the timer stands alone - exactly what does the "On" Macro consist of?
Exactly what does the "Off" Macro consist of?
Thank you,
Stan

[X10 Pro]

The concept is a little tricky. A macro is whatever you define it as -- it's what you build in the Macro Designer. You can put both On and Off commands in a single macro, as well as brights, dims, etc. A macro is a mostly self contained unit. So, you can have a single macro that does turns things on, and then turns them off later. When you set a timer for that macro, the events run in the sequence you've defined, and that's it.

If you want to turn a set of lights on as a group, you can make a macro containing only On commands and set a timer for it. You could then make another macro containing only Off commands and set a different timer that one.

[stan gale]

A little tricky?
It sounds like it takes a seperate macro and timer to turn lights on,
than a seperate macro and timer to turn lights off!
This is certainly not intuitive and not covered in the manuals.
So be it.
I'm still left with the questtion:
How exactly are these set up?
Thank you,
Stan Gale

[roger1818]

It sounds like it takes a seperate macro and timer to turn lights on,
than a seperate macro and timer to turn lights off!

That is assuming you are wanting to use a macro in the first place.  You can also setup timers for modules.  Macros are useful when you want to do complex tasks or want the module to be controlled only when specific conditions are met.

It would be easier for us to help you if we knew exactly what you were wanting to do.

This is certainly not intuitive and not covered in the manuals.

I will redally admit that there are many holes in the manual, but this forum helps fill many of those holes.

[billy]

Stan,

You need 1 macro which also includes 1 timer.

Stan Macro 1   Trigger =  M9 On  (or what ever HC/UC)

(A1) (RF Command) ON
Delay for 10 Seconds
(A2) (RF Command) ON
Delay for 10 Seconds
(A3) (RF Command) ON
Delay for 04:00:00        $ 4 Hour after Dusk! 
(A3) (RF Command) OFF
Delay for 10 Seconds
(A2) (RF Command) ON
Delay for 10 Seconds
(A1) (RF Command) OFF

Note: I use a delay between the Commands to avoid problems.
Then like X10Pro states:
"Then, go to the room where the macro is and click on the little clock icon in the corner of the macro module on screen (like where you find the Run Macro button). This will open the Timer Designer for that Macro. In there, tell the macro to run (turn on) at Dusk.

So now at dusk the Macro is triggered and the lights go on for 4 hours then turn off. Make sure you also check the box to store in interface.

[Tuicemen]

Ok - I never read that a macro needs to be turned on by a timer - I assumed Macros included the timer component the way they're set up.
Stan

Macros need some kind of trigger to work (timer,  recieved address via remote or motion sensor)

It sounds like it takes a seperate macro and timer to turn lights on,
than a seperate macro and timer to turn lights off!

Macros will run for a maxium 4 hours so you can have both ON and OFF commands in it. Once you go over the 4 hour limit then you'll need another macro to turn things off.

[stan gale]

Well I took your advice and was so happy when that Porch Light turned on at dusk!
But the others didn't.
When I checked the Activity Monitor the same command (to turn on the first light) was repeating forever, so the second and third lights never had a command sent.
Shut down AHP and opened back up - and the same command kept spewing (per the Activity Monitor).
Finally dismantled the Macro and cleared Interface Memory to make it quit.
Any idea why this went psycho?
Thanks guys for your willingness to assist - it's appreciated.
Stan

[billy]

Stan,

I think your problem now are the TM751's repeating the signals.  Make sure to set up a the TM751 modules in AHP.
What HC do you have the TM751's set as? Also what is the trigger address for you macro?

[roger1818]

When I checked the Activity Monitor the same command (to turn on the first light) was repeating forever, so the second and third lights never had a command sent.

Do you have a coupler/repeater?  I have read that the Leviton and SmartHome coupler/repeaters don't play very nicely with AHP and cause commands to be flooded on the powerline.