Dimmer Ramp Rate: "On" fast; "Off" slow

[BobSpen]

I have Leviton and WD100's as dimmer switches. I use motion sensors to turn on and a time-out(after no motion) to turn off. Pretty standard stuff!

However, I would like the lights to come on quickly(ramp up fast), but turn off very slow(so you are not caught unexpectedly in the dark). The switches seem to have only one "ramp rate" for both one and off.

I would like to dynamically(via an immediate script preferably) set the ramp rate to get the above effect. I have tenHold's tenScriptAid but see no device parameters(like ramp rate) that can be set with CapiControls.

Can I do what I want or is there another way? All help appreciated,

BobSpen

[Tillsy]

Create an event that triggers if that light is turned on that does a Z-Wave parameter configuration that sets the ramp rate to slow.

Create another event that triggers when that light is turned off that waits 5 seconds and then does a parameter configuration that sets the ramp rate to fast.

This way when the light turns on it makes the ramp rate to slow ready for the turn off, and when the light turns off it waits a few moments so the fade can complete and then sets the ramp speed to fast ready for turn on.

[BobSpen]

Create an event that triggers if that light is turned on that does a Z-Wave parameter configuration that sets the ramp rate to slow.

Create another event that triggers when that light is turned off that waits 5 seconds and then does a parameter configuration that sets the ramp rate to fast.

This way when the light turns on it makes the ramp rate to slow ready for the turn off, and when the light turns off it waits a few moments so the fade can complete and then sets the ramp speed to fast ready for turn on.

Tillsy,
Yes, that is exactly what I want to do. But how?

Can anyone show me the VB.Net code or point me to a reference to setting z-wave light switches?

Thanks, BobSpen

[Tillsy]

No code, just natively direct in HomeSeer events.

Go to Events -> New Event
Give it a name of say Slow Dimming Speed
Set a trigger based on the light turning ON
Set the action to be configuring a Z-Wave parameter
Set the Z-wave parameter for your dimmer to change the ramp to slow
Done

Create another event
Give it a name of Instant Dimming
Set a trigger based on the light turning OFF
Set the action to be configuring a Z-Wave parameter
Set the Z-wave parameter for your dimmer to change the ramp to fast
Done

I'd create a dummy one and screenshot it for you but I'm not somewhere I can do that.

[Tillsy]

Okay here's a dummy sample. With my Fibaro Dimmer the speed of the dimming is controlled by parameter 6.

So in this sample we react to the light turning on, at which point we then do a Z-Wave parameter configuration of that same dimmer setting parameter 6 to a slower speed.

You would then create a similar one for when the light is turned off - put in a short "wait" so the light can first fade out, then do a Z-Wave parameter configuration of that same dimmer and set the parameter to instead by a quick/instant speed.

Of course you may want to react to the light turning on at any percentage level for example, I've just kept this sample really simple to demonstrate you can do this directly within a HomeSeer event - no coding or plugins

End result will be when the light turns on it pre-prepares doing a slow fade OFF, and when it turns off it pre-prepares the turn on to be instant. Hope this helps

[Tillsy]

To create that above sample for you I configured it up on my passage lights.

They automatically come on for 30 seconds whenever we walk down it - full brightness during the day, 30% brightness after dinner, and 1% brightness if we walk out in the middle of the night.

The effect of them "instantly" turning on at that brightness (existing setup), but now fading off very slowly looks so darned good I'm going to leave it like that

This is my final setup (excluding the timers, just the triggering on and off):

[Tillsy]

Except I have now removed the "wait" - seems with my Fibaro when I turn the light off and the slow fade is in progress, the fade continues to finish slowly even though I THEN change the speed to be instant.

Your mileage may obviously vary, but always good having an event finish as quick as possible so I've deleted the delay from mine now.

[BobSpen]

Tillsy,
Thanks for your help. I totally missed the Z-wave "set Configuration Parameter" in the Z-wave Action drop down. It's working great.
BobSpen