Light Off Event Triggering Before Elapsed Time

[randy]

Randy,

I've turned the device on and off a few times, and the log shows the status update immediately. So it appears that the status is instant.

I understood the status was changing, I just wanted to make sure the date/time were updated to now when the status changes.

[jhearty]

Thanks for bearing with me on this. Apologize that I'm still a bit of a newbie. I can't see anywhere on the Plug-Ins Manage page where I can update z-wave. I thought that the update on HS3 also updated the Plug-Ins at the same time because I don't see any separate update option for the plug-ins. Could this be a difference with the Zee? I've attached what I see on the Manage page.

Here's my Zee S2's Plug in Manage page. The X icons in the Instance column are what you use to remove a plug-in. IDK why you don't have them. When you click the Update Listing button it should check if there are any updates available. If found, they should show up in the Update column. If not found it should be N/A in the Update column.

[Uncle Michael]

My only thought (and I've never seen it) is that the date is not getting updated with the status change, so it might be more that 2 hours in the past.

I've been following this thread, as confused as everyone else, but am struck by this:

when I turn on the light, it immediately triggers the event and turns off the light. I can then turn the light back on, and it will stay on. After a couple of hours, the same problem will occur.

I think Randy is on the right track and the last change time needs careful analysis. It is acting as if the device last change time is not updating when the light is turned on manually.

If possible, I think adding an event that is triggered whenever the light status changes to write the last change time to the log would be instructive. Something like this, but with the ref ID of the light, of course.

[fschwing]

Here's my Zee S2's Plug in Manage page. The X icons in the Instance column are what you use to remove a plug-in. IDK why you don't have them. When you click the Update Listing button it should check if there are any updates available. If found, they should show up in the Update column. If not found it should be N/A in the Update column.

John,

My system shows as just a Zee, not a Zee S2. Is Zee the predecessor to the Zee S2? Maybe that's why I'm not seeing the same thing. Of course, I'd expect this to be more dependent on the software than the hardware, but I can't figure out any other reason why my screen is different. I've been searching the forums trying to find something, but no luck so far. I also sent an inquiry to support at HomeSeer asking how to update the plug-ins.

[sparkman]

John,

My system shows as just a Zee, not a Zee S2. Is Zee the predecessor to the Zee S2? Maybe that's why I'm not seeing the same thing. Of course, I'd expect this to be more dependent on the software than the hardware, but I can't figure out any other reason why my screen is different. I've been searching the forums trying to find something, but no luck so far. I also sent an inquiry to support at HomeSeer asking how to update the plug-ins.

The guide for the Zee which I referenced in post #15, shows the possibility of adding/removing plugins too. So something seems not quite right with your system. If you don't get a quick response to your email, I would call them.

Cheers
Al

[fschwing]

I've been following this thread, as confused as everyone else, but am struck by this:
I think Randy is on the right track and the last change time needs careful analysis. It is acting as if the device last change time is not updating when the light is turned on manually.

If possible, I think adding an event that is triggered whenever the light status changes to write the last change time to the log would be instructive. Something like this, but with the ref ID of the light, of course.

Mike,

I will do some experimenting and monitor the log. Since the device reports it's status immediately and creates a log entry, I don't think that I need a separate event to write to the log. I've confirmed that every time that I turn the switch on or off that a log entry gets written immediately. I will post back a copy of the log.

Grasping at straws here, but all of this has me wondering whether I should set up a polling interval of something like 1 hour to make sure the status is kept 'fresh'. It appears that once more than 2 hours has passed since the last time that the state of the switch changed (to on or off) is when the event gets triggered. So, even though the current state of the switch is off, once the last changed time gets outside that 2 hour window is when it seems to trigger the event. It's almost like it's asking 'has the switch been turned off within the last 2 hours' rather than 'has it been more than 2 hours since the switch was turned on'. It's not what the event should be doing, but that's the way it's acting.

[sirmeili]

Mike,

I will do some experimenting and monitor the log. Since the device reports it's status immediately and creates a log entry, I don't think that I need a separate event to write to the log. I've confirmed that every time that I turn the switch on or off that a log entry gets written immediately. I will post back a copy of the log.

Grasping at straws here, but all of this has me wondering whether I should set up a polling interval of something like 1 hour to make sure the status is kept 'fresh'. It appears that once more than 2 hours has passed since the last time that the state of the switch changed (to on or off) is when the event gets triggered. So, even though the current state of the switch is off, once the last changed time gets outside that 2 hour window is when it seems to trigger the event. It's almost like it's asking 'has the switch been turned off within the last 2 hours' rather than 'has it been more than 2 hours since the switch was turned on'. It's not what the event should be doing, but that's the way it's acting.

Note that the point of the additional log is to show you the "last change date" when you turn it on the first time and the event is triggered, not to show you the light was turned on.

I think you've proven that HS picks up the change, the question now is if the Last Change Date is changing when it picks it up. As others have said, it is this date/time that the "has been on for at least....." event trigger works off of. And just so you know, that trigger is evaluated about once a second as long as it is true. That is why most the time I use "Has been on for exactly" as it only fires once at the exact time.

Another way around this, BTW is to use a delayed device action. Just tell it to turn the light off after 2 hours when the light is turned on instead of triggering an event after it has been on for 2 hours. If you do this, make sure you put another event to cancel the delayed device action when the light is turned off (in case you turn it off before the 2 hours)

[fschwing]

As suggested by Mike, I added an event to log the last change time for the switch. As you can see, it appears that the last change time is being set properly. So, I'm still at a loss as to what's happening here.

I am going to try reconfiguring the event to trigger if the light has been on 'for exactly' 2 hours instead of 'at least' 2 hours.

[Uncle Michael]

As suggested by Mike, I added an event to log the last change time for the switch. As you can see, it appears that the last change time is being set properly. So, I'm still at a loss as to what's happening here.

I think we all are!! This is quite puzzling.
One more thought if you're up for more exploration:
Try adding a similar write log action to the event that is prematurely turning off the light immediately after it is turned on. Except in this case, use the hs.DeviceTime() function (or both DeviceTime and DeviceLastChange). I'm curious to see if HS 'knows' the correct device time, but is somehow not using it properly in the event.

[Rvtravlr]

Might I make a suggestion as well as to an alternative approach?

I use timers for occupancy. When a motion detector is tripped or a switch is turned on (the trigger for the event), I start a timer such as Garage Timer.

Note that either trigger above will reset the Garage Timer to 0s and so as long as someone is in the garage, and their motion is detected, the lights will not turn off because the timer will never get to 5 minutes (the time that I want the lights off if no occupancy).

In another event, when the Garage Timer becomes 1s, turn on lights if other conditions are true, such as night time, house asleep, or house vacant (if vacant and the zone becomes occupied I have troubles and send a Pushover message as well as triggering Blue Iris, which monitors our cameras).

The third event has a trigger that when the Garage Timer becomes more than 5 minutes, then turn off light, close garage door if open and lock all doors if unlocked. Also in this event I stop the timer and set it to 0s.

Finally, I have another event which is if the timer becomes more than 5m and if any door is open or cannot be locked, then restart the timer and send a Pushover message and speak on our AirPlay speakers that there is a problem and it needs investigation. These messages will be sent every 5m until the problem is corrected.

As many know, there are a lot of different ways to achieve the same results. In my case, I also set a virtual device named Garage Zone to occupied when the timer is restarted and to vacant when the timer becomes more than 5m (and turning off lights, etc.)

When any zone becomes vacant (each room in our home is a zone), I run an event to check if all zones except sleeping quarters are vacant and if true, set house to asleep if Night Time.

I know I haven't added to the question as to why you are having difficulties with your event; I just wanted to offer an alternative.

Michael

[sirmeili]

As suggested by Mike, I added an event to log the last change time for the switch. As you can see, it appears that the last change time is being set properly. So, I'm still at a loss as to what's happening here.

I am going to try reconfiguring the event to trigger if the light has been on 'for exactly' 2 hours instead of 'at least' 2 hours.

I see in the log that the light is turn on then your logging which includes the event to log it, but no other event is run before it is turned off. Are you filtering the log or have an event set to not log (in the advanced options for the event).

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[randy]

As suggested by Mike, I added an event to log the last change time for the switch. As you can see, it appears that the last change time is being set properly. So, I'm still at a loss as to what's happening here.

I am going to try reconfiguring the event to trigger if the light has been on 'for exactly' 2 hours instead of 'at least' 2 hours.

Just out of curiosity, did you delete and rebuild the event from scratch? There have been instances of corrupted triggers within an event, even though it looks correct. Don't copy the event because if there is an error it will be copied with the error.

[fschwing]

I will try to respond to the preceding several posts and questions. Thank you to everyone that has provided input and ideas.

(1) I did delete and rebuild the event a couple of times with no change in behavior.

(2) I am not using a timer because I don't have a motion sensor in the garage although that would be an alternative. Coincidentally, I just installed my first motion sensor in my office to automatically control the light going on and off. Using the Aeon multisensor, I can also use the luminance sensor to have it operate only when it's dark. So far, so good, but I'm still tweaking the sensor position and settings.

(3) The log that I posted was only to answer the question of whether the 'last change time' was getting updated properly when the light was turned on or off to see if that was the root of the problem. The test confirmed that the 'last change time' was getting properly set. The problematic event was not run during that test.

(4) I do plan to run another test to log the DeviceTime as Mike suggested.

(5) I found out from HomeSeer support that the plug-ins cannot be individually updated on the original Zee. It's my understanding that they will update to the latest version whenever HS3 is updated. I am planning to upgrade to the SEL or SEL-PRO to eliminate the limitation of 5 plug-ins on the Zee. At least on the S2 you can select the 5. On the original Zee, you are stuck with the ones that come with it.

Lastly, I have determined a workaround by using 'exactly' instead of 'at least'. So, when the light is left on for 'exactly' 2 hours, it will turn off. I realized that there's really no reason for saying 'at least' 2 hours. It's the 'at least' condition that seems to be acting in an unexpected manner.

Despite my workaround, I'd like to get to the bottom of this. I'm afraid to use the 'at least' condition in an event because I apparently don't understand fully how it works.

[sirmeili]

I will try to respond to the preceding several posts and questions. Thank you to everyone that has provided input and ideas.

(1) I did delete and rebuild the event a couple of times with no change in behavior.

(2) I am not using a timer because I don't have a motion sensor in the garage although that would be an alternative. Coincidentally, I just installed my first motion sensor in my office to automatically control the light going on and off. Using the Aeon multisensor, I can also use the luminance sensor to have it operate only when it's dark. So far, so good, but I'm still tweaking the sensor position and settings.

(3) The log that I posted was only to answer the question of whether the 'last change time' was getting updated properly when the light was turned on or off to see if that was the root of the problem. The test confirmed that the 'last change time' was getting properly set. The problematic event was not run during that test.

(4) I do plan to run another test to log the DeviceTime as Mike suggested.

(5) I found out from HomeSeer support that the plug-ins cannot be individually updated on the original Zee. It's my understanding that they will update to the latest version whenever HS3 is updated. I am planning to upgrade to the SEL or SEL-PRO to eliminate the limitation of 5 plug-ins on the Zee. At least on the S2 you can select the 5. On the original Zee, you are stuck with the ones that come with it.

Lastly, I have determined a workaround by using 'exactly' instead of 'at least'. So, when the light is left on for 'exactly' 2 hours, it will turn off. I realized that there's really no reason for saying 'at least' 2 hours. It's the 'at least' condition that seems to be acting in an unexpected manner.

Despite my workaround, I'd like to get to the bottom of this. I'm afraid to use the 'at least' condition in an event because I apparently don't understand fully how it works.

I am starting to wonder if the devices value is being set and between that and when the date is updated, the other event is kicked off. This would explain why the date is correct, but it still fires the off event when you have it set for "at least 2 hours".

[fschwing]

So here's an odd twist that may be a contributing factor to this situation. This light was on a 3-way switch. So, when I replaced with z-wave switches, I now have a master switch and remote switch. I have the switches associated with each other. So I can turn the light on/off from either switch and everything works fine. However, I just noticed that when I turn the light off with the remote switch that the master switch status is still 'on' even though the light is off. Shouldn't the status of the master switch update to 'off' when the remote switch is used to turn the light off? I thought the purpose of the association was to keep them in sync. Do I need to create an event to make this happen and keep the status of the master/remote in sync? That doesn't seem right. I want to emphasize that the switches operate properly in turning the light on and off, but the status of the switches as seen in HomeSeer do not stay in sync. Only the status of the switch that is pressed will update. As a reminder, these are Cooper switches that I purchased from the HomeSeer store.