Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[BlueSky]

Hello all,
I've just finished setting up a DS7000 system to secure my garage. I purchased the plug-in powerhorn which works well when the alarm trips. However, i was wondering about another way to trigger an external siren or strobe light during an alarm. I have read that this is currently not possible with an x10 system (which is of course disappointing). It is my understanding that the lamp modules or appliance modules don't respond to the console during a triggered alarm, and this is the reason we can't plug in any sirens/horns/lights etc to automatically come on.

My biggest question is this--- if the powerhorn can be triggered to respond during an alarm, why can't an appliance type module be produced in a similar way to allow devices to be plugged into it and then triggered to "ON" during an alarm?

If this is impossible, are there any 3rd party solutions or workarounds than can accomplish this?

Come on x10.... you could make big bucks if you came up with a solution..... i bet nearly every x10 console owner out there would like this type of feature since it would add an enormous amount of creativity and effectiveness to the system.

[Tuicemen]

BlueSky: I'm not sure if this is of any help since I don't own a ds7000 but the free thirdparty Addon X10dispatcher may do what your looking to do check out this link for info on how to! If perhaps if you post to it Chynst can provide more info. 

[billy]

BlueSky,
When the DS7000 alarm trips any Lamp module on the same House Code will flash on-off for 4 min. or until you disarm the alarm then stay on.
The system uses the AllLightsOn/AllUnitsOff commands to flash the lights, appliance modules do not respond to AllLightsOn.
Depending on the device you want to trigger an applance module may work for you.

[BlueSky]

So if i am understanding this correctly a lamp module will turn off/on anything plugged into it repeatedly during a triggered alarm, right? If so, how many times per minute does the lamp module cycle off/on?

Does this also mean that an appliance module has nothing to do with security at all then, and is strictly for home automation?

And lastly, i have 3 socket rockets as well but have no idea how they are supposed to work and what they can be used for.... apparently i need a special remote to program them? Are they strictly for home automation as well?

Thanks.

[Dan Lawrence]

A Socket Rocket can be easily programmed with a desktop controller (MC460) and a lamp.

Screw the Socket Rocket into the lamp and the bulb into the Socket Rocket.  Use the MC-460 to send the same housecode 3 times. The lamp will turn on.

The Socket Rocket can now be moved and it keeps the address you set until you reset the address again.

[Brian H]

BlueSky; I believe the flashing is about 1 second on 1 second off. As that 1 second cycle is also what triggers the Powerhorn siren.
The Security remote can also send some of the standard unit codes through the console. As the console will also work as an X10 transceiver for the House Code in use and any X10 standard remote. So technically you can program a LM15A Socket Rocket with the security remote. Remember it is in the program mode for the first 30 seconds after power is applied. So many use a table lamp to program them. Turn on the power and send the address House and Unit Code ON three times in the first 30 seconds.
Like to do B5. Turn on lamp switch.
Send B5 ON;B5 ON; B5 ON. The light will turn on and it is programmed.
As Dan said it then can be moved to where you want to use it.

[steven r]

...The system uses the AllLightsOn/AllUnitsOff commands to flash the lights, appliance modules do not respond to AllLightsOn.
Depending on the device you want to trigger an appliance module may work for you.

I don't have a DS7000 alarm but from everything I'm reading it doesn't sound very user friendly with respect to connecting any external sirens. (In fact it sounds like a pain in the a**.) Sounds like it was inconveniently designed to just work with the Powerhorn siren.
Has anyone looked at the wiring on the Powerhorn siren? Is there a way to wire a Powerflash module in a sort of piggy back fashion to the power horn? Is there anything else out there in the X10 world that does respond to this AllLightsOn/AllUnitsOff command that the DS7000 sends.

...I believe the flashing is about 1 second on 1 second off...

BTW... Is that the same pattern that the Powerflash can send? I am very happy with my alarm system and my neighbors will attest to its current attention getting siren. I have a Powerflash connected to the alarm output that flashes my lights. It would be interesting, if only for academic reasons, if a powerhorn siren could be triggered by the Powerflash AllLightsOn/AllUnitsOff pattern.

[Brian H]

The Powerhorn Sirens can be triggered by 1 second ON/OFF cycles on the House/Unit Code it is set to or an All Lights ON/All Lights OFF on the House Code it is set to. All Units OFF can be the off signal for the All Lights ON one. If the powerflash can send that code it should trigger the PowerHorn. I may try it later myself as a test.
Back later with tests.
Add tests results:
I triggered a PH508 Powerhorn Siren with no problems with a PF284 Powerflasher set to the same House Code using Mode 2; All Lights ON; All Units OFF.

[steven r]

...I triggered a PH508 Powerhorn Siren with no problems with a PF284 Powerflasher set to the same House Code using Mode 2; All Lights ON; All Units OFF.

Thanks. I thought it might work that way. It's as if the Powerhorn Siren were designed to respond to a Powerflash.
Hmm... I wonder if the DS7000 has the equivalent of a Powerflash unit in it.

[Brian H]

I believe X10 markets the PF284 as an X10 to non X10 Security Console interface. Though I and others use it for other things. I have an ELK ELK-930 Doorbell Detector triggering mine to send an ON signal to a Chime Module. So I know the bell is being rung; if I am in the cellar. Yes I could also have run the bells low voltage directly into the Powerflasher, but the detector senses both the back and front door ringing current

[steven r]

I believe X10 markets the PF284 as an X10 to non X10 Security Console interface. Though I and others use it for other things....

I'm a big fan of the PF284 also. One that flashes the lights that is triggered by my alarm. One triggers my Welcome / Exit macro. One for my power up reset macro. (Still fine tuning the hardware and macro for that one.)

[steven r]

...Yes I could also have run the bells low voltage directly into the Powerflasher, but the detector senses both the back and front door ringing current

So does the ELK-930 Doorbell Detector allow you know whether it's the front or back door where just wiring the Powerflasher to low voltage would only let you know a bell had been rung?

[Brian H]

No distinction on Back or Front. It is connected in series with one of the bell transformers wires. It just senses current. Actually the board has three circuits on it. Two can be used for back or front bell separately; if wired differently. Not sure how it picks a chime that way. The third is used for a phone line ringing voltage to trip on a incoming phone call. The board has perforations and can be split into three if desired. So in a sense I have 1/3 of an ELK-930 in service.

[steven r]

...The third is used for a phone line ringing voltage to trip on a incoming phone call....

I was reading the description that I Googled. It indicated that the ELK-930 could respond to the ring pattern. That would be useful if one had multiple numbers for the same line that rang differently. (Known as RingMaster® by my phone company.) I can fortunately or prehaps unfortunately hear my phone quite well. If I wasn't able to hear my phone, I'd want it to distinguish my 2 virtual RingMaster® numbers from my regular number. I use my extra 2 numbers for my fax and the X10 phone controller.