Lighting Motion Control w/ Delaying Off Event - inefficient or is there another way?

[Ltek]

I do a LOT of events where motion sensors are used to turn on/off lights. 30% of them involve multiple motion sensors for a given light device (or set of light devices)



I've been using the method:


No Motion + Light On = Delayed Device action to turn Light Off in 5 min.
&

Motion Detected + Light On = Remove Delayed Device Action


Unless I misunderstand, this causes an inherent inefficiency when using multiple motion sensors in the same space, controlling the same lights.
...The 'remove delayed action' would happen frequently even when its not needed... meaning, there is no delayed action set to occur.


Is there a way to include Event Condition to check for existing delayed action? This would cause FAR fewer triggerings of the event.



thx!

[Uncle Michael]

Is there a way to include Event Condition to check for existing delayed action? This would cause FAR fewer triggerings of the event.

I'm not aware of any way to test for the existence of a delayed event or action. On the other hand, the question assumes that checking for the existence is more efficient than deleting a delayed event that doesn't exist. I'm don't think that's a good assumption. (For all we know, the delete action itself may include a check for existence as part of the algorithm.)

[Kigmatzomat]

Newbie here.

Couldn't you use a counter to track the existence of a delayed event? Set it to 1 when the delayed event is created, change to 0 when run or removed?

[simplextech]

I do a LOT of events where motion sensors are used to turn on/off lights. 30% of them involve multiple motion sensors for a given light device (or set of light devices)



I've been using the method:


No Motion + Light On = Delayed Device action to turn Light Off in 5 min.
&

Motion Detected + Light On = Remove Delayed Device Action


Unless I misunderstand, this causes an inherent inefficiency when using multiple motion sensors in the same space, controlling the same lights.
...The 'remove delayed action' would happen frequently even when its not needed... meaning, there is no delayed action set to occur.


Is there a way to include Event Condition to check for existing delayed action? This would cause FAR fewer triggerings of the event.



thx!

Instead of a delayed event can you use the no motion for at least 5 minute?

Motion Sensor "has been" no-motion "for at-least" 5 minutes
AND IF light is ON
Then turn off light


With that there's no need to watch for or kill the delayed action. If there's no motion within the 5 minutes then the light turns off. If there is motion the light stays on.

[randy]

[NetworkGuy]

I have a script that goes through all my devices (2411) and sets or clears the command logging flag. The script runs, clears or sets the flag and creates a log entry for each device all within a single second. It would seem to me that motion triggers would have to be several seconds to several minutes (depending on motion timeout) apart. This would hardly tax a system that has to continually evaluate as many Event triggers as a busy system might have.

Hi Randy. I'm curious why the need for the script? Are there some devices where it makes no sense to log or is it some other reason?

[randy]

Hi Randy. I'm curious why the need for the script? Are there some devices where it makes no sense to log or is it some other reason?

I turn off device logging unless I am troubleshooting a problem or event logic, to reduce log clutter. There is no need for device chatter in the log during normal operation. It is more difficult to spot problems in the log when there are dozens to hundreds of entries per minute. Any time a new device is added, logging is enabled by default. When a multi-child device is added there are a number of devices to be manually edited. I find it easier to disable all at once. This is done by setting a virtual device. I can also enable or disable command logging on Z-Wave, Arduino, Virtual or all devices. When I need to diagnose a problem I can enable logging on a single device, a device type or all device.

I also do not have most events logged as well. This has worked well for my purposes.

[NetworkGuy]

I turn off device logging unless I am troubleshooting a problem or event logic, to reduce log clutter. There is no need for device chatter in the log during normal operation. It is more difficult to spot problems in the log when there are dozens to hundreds of entries per minute. Any time a new device is added, logging is enabled by default. When a multi-child device is added there are a number of devices to be manually edited. I find it easier to disable all at once. This is done by setting a virtual device. I can also enable or disable command logging on Z-Wave, Arduino, Virtual or all devices. When I need to diagnose a problem I can enable logging on a single device, a device type or all device.

I also do not have most events logged as well. This has worked well for my purposes.

Thanks, Randy - that makes good sense. I just hadn't thought about it like that. Is the script somewhere on the board where it could be used to do the same? And would you mind sharing your event logic too? Seems like a good tool for the toolbox to have around...

[randy]

Thanks, Randy - that makes good sense. I just hadn't thought about it like that. Is the script somewhere on the board where it could be used to do the same? And would you mind sharing your event logic too? Seems like a good tool for the toolbox to have around...

Here is the script to stop all logging:

sub Main(ByVal Parm As Object)

    Try
        'run through the enumerator, remove the location two strings

        Dim dv As Scheduler.Classes.DeviceClass
        Dim EN As Scheduler.Classes.clsDeviceEnumeration

        EN = hs.GetDeviceEnumerator

        Do
            dv = EN.GetNext

                hs.writelog("Log Stop", "Device: " & dv.Name(Nothing))
                dv.MISC_Set(hs, Enums.dvMISC.NO_LOG)
           
        Loop Until EN.Finished
        hs.writelog("Log Stop", "All device logging disabled" ) 
    Catch ex As Exception : hs.writelog("Device Clear", "Exception: " & ex.message)
    End Try

End Sub

To make it set command logging change dv.MISC_Set(hs, Enums.dvMISC.NO_LOG) to dv.MISC_Clear(hs, Enums.dvMISC.NO_LOG).

For specific device types, you need to only select devices matching a certain type. The script loops through all devices. Here is the one that stops Z-Wave logging

sub Main(ByVal Parm As Object)

    Try
        'run through the enumerator, remove the location two strings

        Dim dv As Scheduler.Classes.DeviceClass
        Dim EN As Scheduler.Classes.clsDeviceEnumeration

        EN = hs.GetDeviceEnumerator

        Do
            dv = EN.GetNext
            If dv Is Nothing Then Continue Do

            If dv.Interface(Nothing).ToLower = "z-wave" Then
                hs.writelog("Log ZDev Stop", "Device: " & dv.Name(Nothing))
                dv.MISC_Set(hs, Enums.dvMISC.NO_LOG)
            End If

        Loop Until EN.Finished

    Catch ex As Exception : hs.writelog("Device Clear", "Exception: " & ex.message)
    End Try

End Sub

For other devices, change "z-wave" to another interface type.

[NetworkGuy]

Thanks Randy!