Insteon PLM Plug-In Version 1.7.2 Beta

[mnsandler]

Thanks Mark! I'll be replacing more switches tonight/tomorrow and I'll let you know how it works.


Another issue I'm having now is the 2477DH doesn't work in groups. I can control the light fine with events if it's by itself but it doesn't respond to group commands. I tried ramping to dim and I've tried Off and neither control the 2477D.

Thanks,

Chris

after programming this 2477 in a group, does the link show up after you reread the links and settings?

you might also try a hw reset on the sw. of course you will need to reprogram the device and any custom links you added

[mnsandler]

P.S. not sure if you added the feature to control the light in the keypadlink using the motion sensor light sensitivity. Not a rush.

Aldo,
i'm adding a script function to solve this request since someone else requested something similar. You will be able to set any Setting using something like the following:

hs.plugin("Insteon").setdevicesetting "17.A3.9A","LED Brightness","110"

what was your plan for converting the MS Current Light Level to an LED brightness value?

[alphatech]

Hi Mark,
I tried two 2442, but both with the same issue, I agree with you they must be too old to be programmed.

What I would like to accomplish is to dim the keypadlinc light based to the motion sensor light level in the same room. Right now I have a script that adjust the light in the keypadlinc based on sunrise and sunset but as you can imagine is not working great. Your new addition to the plugin will dim the keypad properly based on the light.

Thank you very much,
Aldo

[claude]

... dim the keypadlinc light based to the motion sensor light level in the same room ...

I had a similar project in mind: to gradually ramp up some lights based on how dark it is. My challenge was to "read light levels" from the motion sensor as it doesn't let itself be interrogated. My MS is set to 'night only' (for movement), so I can't even count on it broadcasting its values before it's completely dark (when it sends the Dusk/Dawn value=1).

I seem to remember Mark giving us the ability to poll the MS and then it would broadcast its values (need to research). But I don't want to constantly poll the MS to save on battery. Could I script a specific poll to that MS only?

Finally, a question for you: how do you plan to get the light value (so you can set the KPL brightness)?

[pbibm]

I've thought about this too for some low voltage lighting I have. Its a little thing, but they are too bright at full brightness at night. I started but just setting the on dim level lower. However, there are some times during the day that they could be brighter.

I think the problem with using only the light sensor is having to program a "debounce" effect: Lets say its a cloudy day and clouds are blowing by and changing the light level enough on the motion sensor to brighten and then lower the lights every few minutes with the clouds go by. Here where I live this weather is common and it would either be a WAF nightmare, somebody has a seizure, or both.

I have a weather plugin and I think I would look for days that have current conditions of partly cloudy or better and just bump up then. Knock them back down 1/2 hour before dusk and call it good. In both cases, use and extremely long ramp rate, >1 min, so its not perceivable.

[mnsandler]

I had a similar project in mind: to gradually ramp up some lights based on how dark it is. My challenge was to "read light levels" from the motion sensor as it doesn't let itself be interrogated. My MS is set to 'night only' (for movement), so I can't even count on it broadcasting its values before it's completely dark (when it sends the Dusk/Dawn value=1).

I seem to remember Mark giving us the ability to poll the MS and then it would broadcast its values (need to research). But I don't want to constantly poll the MS to save on battery. Could I script a specific poll to that MS only?

Finally, a question for you: how do you plan to get the light value (so you can set the KPL brightness)?

the light level is actually available now if you know how to parse the insteon.ini for the correct value. See the following entry from a motion sensor section

EEValues=LEDBrightness=255,Timeout=1,Sensitivity=128,CurrentLightLevel=202,CurrentBatteryLevel=61,Jumpers=14

i can make this available via a script function, but I am going to leave it up to use guys to convert the CurrentLightLevel values into the necessary input values needed by the new setdevicesetting script function.

[claude]

the light level is actually available now if you know how to parse the insteon.ini for the correct value. See the following entry from a motion sensor section

EEValues=LEDBrightness=255,Timeout=1,Sensitivity=128,CurrentLightLevel=202,CurrentBatteryLevel=61,Jumpers=14

i can make this available via a script function, but I am going to leave it up to use guys to convert the CurrentLightLevel values into the necessary input values needed by the new setdevicesetting script function.

Isn't the value in the .INI the one last sent by the MS? As I understand it, the MS will transmit when motion is detected or darkness changes on/off. In my case, the requirement would be to get the actual CurrentLightLevel value from the MS on demand

[mnsandler]

Isn't the value in the .INI the one last sent by the MS? As I understand it, the MS will transmit when motion is detected or darkness changes on/off. In my case, the requirement would be to get the actual CurrentLightLevel value from the MS on demand

Claude,
there is no way to read any values from a MS (or other battery device) on demand.

The last known value is the best we can do.

[mnsandler]

I came here to post about a FanLinc issue, but I might be able to provide some more info on the LED brightness. I've noticed the same thing, and it is only with certain switches.

Dave, I'll attach a VB script I wrote that runs every day at sunrise to turn the LEDs off and at sunset to turn the LEDs on. There are also some lines commented out where I was experimenting with the brightness, but not all of my switches respond to that command, which I assume is the issue that you're talking about as well. However, turning them on and off (Program Op Flags) is different from setting the brightness (Program Settings), and all of my switches seem to at least let me turn them off.

Mark, here are some of the details I've noticed about the brightness:

- I have some 2476D switches, v5.31 and v5.60, FW 40/i2 and they do not respond to the brightness setting from your plugin. However, they can be dimmed using the set button and the paddle on the switch itself. [DeviceType=0119]

- All of my FW 41/i2CS switches are settable using the plugin, plus some of my dual-band 2477D switches that are still on FW 40/i2. The key here appears to be that even though they aren't FW 41, they are above v6.0. [DeviceType=0120,0130,021C]

- I have a couple of v5.9 KeypadLincs that are FW 40 and the brightness can be set on them as well. [DeviceType=011B]

- The relays [021C] have a different brightness scale from the dimmers. Not sure why, but the minimum brightness of the dimmers (0 on the dropdown, value=11) seems to be much brighter than the minimum of the relays. I estimated the equivalent relay brightness to be around 160 if I'm trying to make them match. Your plugin has the minimum dim value set at 11 for dimmers, but through code I can set it down to 1 and they actually can get much dimmer. Not sure if there's a reason that's not allowed or not.

I've got all of the brightness combinations commented in my script if you want to use that to test with your own switches. The one I'm using is 254 (value=255) for relays and 89 (value=100) for dimmers. This seems to make all of the switches match, including those that can't be set. If I could set the older dimmers, I might use the second combo of 160 and 11. Since I can't post attachments, here it is:

' Set up event to call SetLedState("On") or SetLedState("Off")
Sub SetLedState(state)
    Dim insteon, value, devices, device
    insteon = hs.plugin("Insteon")
    value = IIf(state = "Off", 1, 0)
    devices = hs.GetDeviceEnumerator
    While Not devices.Finished
        device = devices.GetNext
        If device.interface = "Insteon" And InStr(device.dev_type_string, "SwitchLinc") > 0 Then
            insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "8" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LED" & Chr(2) & value)
            If value = 0 Then
                If InStr(device.dev_type_string, "Relay") > 0 Then
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(255)) ' (254)
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(160)) ' Match to minimum dimmer brightness allowed by plugin (159)
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(0)) ' Maximum allowed by plugin (255)
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(1)) ' Minimum brightness via code
                Else
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(100)) ' (89)
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(11)) ' Minimum allowed by plugin (0)
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(127)) ' Maximum allowed by plugin (116)
                    'insteon.TriggerAction("" & Chr(2) & "" & Chr(2) & "7" & Chr(2) & device.hc & device.dc & Chr(2) & "LEDBrightness" & Chr(2) & CStr(1)) ' Minimum brightness via code
                End If
            End If
        End If
    End While
    insteon = Nothing
End Sub

Hope that's helpful to someone.

i'm working on script access for these settings

[Chris Couture]

after programming this 2477 in a group, does the link show up after you reread the links and settings?

you might also try a hw reset on the sw. of course you will need to reprogram the device and any custom links you added

Mark,

I removed the switch from the group and re-added it and it shows up in the links now. It wasn't there before so I assume that was the issue. I'll test when I get home and let you know if I have a problem. Thanks.

[alphatech]

Mark,
Thanks for creating the script for us, looking forward to it.

Aldo

[djbeam]

want to try Insteon devices

Mark, I have many x10 devices and now I would like to try to use the insteon aspect of these devices such as the switches and other modules.

However, I am having a problem getting the basics of how Homeseer handles insteon devices and how to program them.


I have HS2 with many routines handling X10 .. so I need some documentation on how to modify some of these routines for Insteon.

What documentation do you suggest as an overview and then with how to use info.

tanx. Don

[Rupp]

I have HS2 with many routines handling X10

What do you mean by routines? Events?

[mnsandler]

Mark, I have many x10 devices and now I would like to try to use the insteon aspect of these devices such as the switches and other modules.

However, I am having a problem getting the basics of how Homeseer handles insteon devices and how to program them.


I have HS2 with many routines handling X10 .. so I need some documentation on how to modify some of these routines for Insteon.

What documentation do you suggest as an overview and then with how to use info.

tanx. Don

all my documentation is listed in the Consolidated Documentation thread at the top of this forum.

but basically you will need to register all your insteon devices with the plugin. this will give you all new hs devices on the status page (they are not the same as the x10 devices you see now)

so you will need to replace any x10 hs device in your events/scripts with the equivalent insteon device