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[acs12006]

Just installed a drapery motor with a Universal Module (UM506). Noticed that using a remote control, a person must press the "ON" button to open the drapery until the switch on the motor stops the motor. This is fine but we must press the "OFF" button in order to reset the module to accept the next "ON" command. This is normal since its the switch on the motor that stop the motor from opening or closing. My question out there, is there a way to reset the module in order to avoid having to press the "OFF" button before wanting to send another "ON" command? Should a macro be used? Is there  a way to reset the module for the next "ON" command?

Bob

[Charles Sullivan]

If you turn off the UM506 before the drapery has reached its limit, does the drapery stop or keep going to the limit?  If the latter, you can just configure the UM506 for momentary operation.

Otherwise you could program a macro to send an Off followed immediately (or shortly) thereafter by an On.

[TakeTheActive]

Just installed a drapery motor with a Universal Module (UM506). Noticed that using a remote control, a person must press the "ON" button to open the drapery until the switch on the motor stops the motor.

The first thought that came to my mind was the same as Charles - switch the UM506 to "Momentary". But, my YEARS of Xerox experience kept screaming "LIMIT SWITCHES" inside my brain. 

...This is fine but we must press the "OFF" button in order to reset the module to accept the next "ON" command. This is normal since its the switch on the motor that stop the motor from opening or closing.

If you release the "ON" button on the delivered control *BEFORE* the drapes reach their MAXIMUM TRAVEL (either OPENED or CLOSED), do they immediately STOP? 

[This, IMO, would be a DESIRABLE feature - OPEN half-way, CLOSE just a little to block the sun from shining on the television screen, etc...]

...My question out there, is there a way to reset the module in order to avoid having to press the "OFF" button before wanting to send another "ON" command? Should a macro be used? Is there  a way to reset the module for the next "ON" command?

There are MANY undefined variables here:

• Are there STOP LIMIT switches (that I already asked about)?
  .
• Is there built-in X10 Control?
  If NO, then why'd you buy the model you did?
  .
• On that subject, WHAT MODEL did you buy?
  Give us a LINK to it's SPECS.
  .
• Is the Remote IR?
  If YES, then do you own a IR543?
  

Some Examples That I Found Over At SmartHome:

• Enjoy Automated Drape Control Without the Noise! (X10-Compatible)
  .
• Control Center-Opening Drapes Remotely (IR)
  

[TakeTheActive]

Otherwise you could program a macro to send an Off followed immediately (or shortly) thereafter by an On.

 

[Charles Sullivan]

Otherwise you could program a macro to send an Off followed immediately (or shortly) thereafter by an On.

 

I take it you don't understand the logic of what I proposed.

The OP indicates that turning On the UM506 runs the motor until it stops via its built-in limit switches.  And then the next "On" reverses the direction of travel and the motor runs until it's stopped by the limit switches at the other end.  But the UM506 has to be turned Off before it can generate the next On.

If it is in fact the case that a momentary On from the UM506 would result in the motor stopping before the limit is reached, then programming an Off-then-On macro triggered by an X10 signal (at a dummy address) would leave the UM506 in the On state to fully run the drapery in one direction. And when next triggered, the Off-then-On macro would again leave the UM506 in the On state for the full reverse run.

[TakeTheActive]

Otherwise you could program a macro to send an Off followed immediately (or shortly) thereafter by an On.

 

I take it you don't understand the logic of what I proposed.

Correct.

...The OP indicates that turning On the UM506 runs the motor until it stops via its built-in limit switches...

Did he? 

...Noticed that using a remote control, a person must press the "ON" button to open the drapery until the switch on the motor stops the motor...

I interpreted this as "Let go of the "ON" button before the drapery reach EOL and the motor will STOP! (i.e. Half Open, per my previous post - we *REALLY* need the OP to confirm what *REALLY* happens.)  :-

...And then the next "On" reverses the direction of travel and the motor runs until it's stopped by the limit switches at the other end.

Maybe?  :-

...But the UM506 has to be turned Off before it can generate the next On.

True! 

...If it is in fact the case that a momentary On from the UM506 would result in the motor stopping before the limit is reached, then programming an Off-then-On macro triggered by an X10 signal (at a dummy address) would leave the UM506 in the On state to fully run the drapery in one direction. And when next triggered, the Off-then-On macro would again leave the UM506 in the On state for the full reverse run.

Agreed!

But *WITHOUT* LIMIT SWITCHES, he would INDEED have a OVERHEATING problem. 

A this junture, I was prepared to suggest MULTIPLE TIMED MACROS (timing determined by multiple experiments):

• 1/4 Open: 2 seconds ON followed by OFF
  .
• 1/2 Open: 4 seconds ON followed by OFF
  .
• 3/4 Open: 6 seconds ON followed by OFF
  .
• FULL Open: 9 seconds ON followed by OFF (1 extra second, just to be sure! )
  

P.S. Realistically, why didn't he originally buy an X10-compatible drapery control? 

[Charles Sullivan]

TTA:
When the original poster says "until the switch on the motor stops the motor", I take that to be a limit switch.  However I suggest we wait for him to clarify the situation before getting into a heated discussion about it.

[TakeTheActive]

TTA:
When the original poster says "until the switch on the motor stops the motor", I take that to be a limit switch.  However I suggest we wait for him to clarify the situation before getting into a heated discussion about it.

Certainly! No HEATED DISCUSSION intended!  [SORRY if I came across that way!  It definately was NOT intentional!]
 
Let's hear what he comes back to say...

FWIW, it seems like he bought the WRONG drapery controller for his needs... 

[Charles Sullivan]

TTA:
When the original poster says "until the switch on the motor stops the motor", I take that to be a limit switch.  However I suggest we wait for him to clarify the situation before getting into a heated discussion about it.

Certainly! No HEATED DISCUSSION intended!  [SORRY if I came across that way!  It definately was NOT intentional!]
 
Let's hear what he comes back to say...

FWIW, it seems like he bought the WRONG drapery controller for his needs... 

I should have said "involved discussion".

We don't know what he bought, but here's a  model which is sold bundled in a kit with a UM506:
  http://www.smarthome.com/3182.html
(For this one, the instructions say to set the UM506 for momentary operation.)

[TakeTheActive]

I should have said "involved discussion".

We don't know what he bought, but here's a  model which is sold bundled in a kit with a UM506:
  http://www.smarthome.com/3182.html
(For this one, the instructions say to set the UM506 for momentary operation.)

CLICK on my First Example HERE 

[riskadverse]

I'm not the original poster, but I do have the same problem . . . although it really doesn't bother me in the same way it does the original poster.  I'll try to shed some light on the specifics though.  The drapery control I have is a Universal Window Covering Motor - Butler model 80 (x10 compatible). The reason I chose this control over the others you all noted was cost.  It ran $70 to $80.  The control is powered by a "wall wart" which I have plugged into an appliance module (on one drapery) and an x10 wall recepitacle on another.  When you open or close the drape, the shutoff is activated by a lever switch which gets flipped mechanically.  The x10 device remains powered.  The opening or closing of the drape can take up to 20 seconds depending on the length of the curtains.  If you turn off the x10 device while opening or closing,  the drapes will stop immediately, and if you then turn the x10 back on, the drapes will continue in the same direction.  Only at the limit of opening or closing will the lever switch get flipped, and the next cycle of the x10 will be in the reverse direction.  The lever switch doesn't do anything to the x10, so it remains powered up.  Only after you power down the x10 module, will the drapery control "reset", and the next power up of the x10 will activate the drapery control in the opposite direction. 

The downside to the orginal poster (I'm guessing) was that you had to press off (and waiting a second or two for the drapery control to reset) before pressing on.   I would guess that under program control you could issue an off command and wait a few seconds and then issue an on command to solve the problem.  I don't have an automated system, so maybe someone can chime in to verify if this is possible.  My problem with the system is similar, but more involved.   I use my system on verticle blinds.  In the closed position, I manually tilt the blinds closed.  If you open the blinds with the tilt of the blinds closed, they stack up on each other and the drapery control motor will bind up (and probably burn out) if you allow it to run without manually changing the tilt of the blinds to open.  ( I hope this makes sense, it's hard to describe.)  This really doesn't present much of a problem to me . . . except when I have the blinds closed . . . we lose power . . . the x10 powers down . . . the drapery control resets . . . the power comes back on . . . the x10 powers up and the blinds open in the tilted closed postion and start stacking up on each other and likely going to burn out the drapery control motor.  Is there a x10 module that will always come up in the off mode, even if it was in the on mode when power was removed (a power outage)?   Sorry for the long winded explaination. 

[Charles Sullivan]

riskadverse:
We haven't heard back from the original poster so can only assume that he either got enough information from the discussion to solve his problem or decided that nobody here was worth listening to.  :-)

All the appliance modules manufactured by X-10 and Smarthome appear to use latching relays, so would come up in the same state upon restoration of AC power after an interruption.  There may be modules made by other manufacturers which use either a non-latching relay or a solid-state switch, but the cost is likely to be an appreciable fraction of (or greater than) what you paid for the drapery controller.

If the wall-wart doesn't draw too much current and you are not too risk averse, you might try using a lamp module, however if inadvertently dimmed, a standard lamp module could create a hazard with an overheated wall-wart and/or burned out module.

A possible solution is the LM15A "Socket Rocket"  lamp module which has no dimming capability.  Despite X-10s instructions that it be used only with incandescent bulbs, it has been used successfully by several individuals to control compact fluorescent lamps.  The LM15A's 150 Watt incandescent lamp rating corresponds to 1.25 Amps at 120 Volts.  (Verify that the wall-wart doesn't exceed this current.) Unfortunately you'd need at least two adapters for connections, which would make for a rather messy and unsightly installation.

[riskadverse]

Thanks for the quick reply.  I thought it was a local control function that was causing it to turn on when the power was reapplied.   Now that you explained that it is a latching relay, I understand a little more of why it acts the way it does.  I should be able to work around this problem without too much difficulty (I agree the socket rocket assembly sounds messy).