Plugin for Visonic Powermax Integration

Hi

Until recently, I imagined building an alarm system using only Z-wave devices and vera controller, but now I think a real alarm system combined with Vera could be a better choice, and the plugin developped by utz gives us the great opportunity to use Visonic Powermax Pro and Visonic devices with vera. Thanks.

Nevertheless, I have a question: when the Powermax alarm is disarmed, do the device (like motion sensors) send changes of state to the Vera ? So can we use these devices to trigger vera scenes when the alarm is not armed, that is for example when I am at home ?
As an event for a Vera scene, can we use for these devices, like for Z-wave devices, a tripped sensor that is either armed or disarmed ?
The idea would be for example to reuse the motion sensors to manage lights with vera for example.

Do the Visonic devices send data each time there is a new detection or do they have, like Z-Wave motion sensors a minimum delay of few minutes between two data transfers ?

Hi Lolodomo,

You can use Powermax sensors for triggering scenes with events, regardless of the state of the Powermax alarm. For example I use mine also for switching lights on or off when I’m at home. However, keep in mind that the movement sensors are not fast (sensitive) sensors. Some of them are specially made for being used with pets in the home. So they trigger only on a fair amount of movement. Secondly, the retrigger time after movement is a setting you can not change as far as I know. At the moments it’s about 2-3 minutes. Maybe Utz can shine more light on that. I suspect it’s programmed in the sensors self.
That being said, the Powermax + Vera2 + the plugin work without a glitch.

Regards,
Ms.

Thank you for your answer Masterscot.

That is very interesting to be be able to use Powermax sensors like Z-wave sensors, even if we miss advanced parameters.

I try to understand the behaviour of the Powermax motion sensors. Is it something like that ?
1 - T0: movement detected => data send to inform Powermax and so Vera that the sensor is tripped
2 - T0 + 3 minutes: no movement sice T0 => data send to inform Powermax and so Vera that the sensor is no more tripped
And if a new movement is detected for example at T0 + 2 minute for example, the “no more stripped” event will occur at T0+5 ?
As I understood, this is how is working the EZ-motion 3 in 1 sensor.

Regards

A door/window sensor sends an open and later a close command. A movement sensor only sends if movement detected. Thus, i have a timer in the plugin which then resets the movement after a while. Currently set as 5 min i think but you can.change it. I may add a field to configure via vera. The visonic movement detectots also try to reduce messages on their own. If they detect several movement within a few seconds only one message is sent to powermax.

The point that could be difficult is the choice of a working USB to serial adaptor to be used between the Powermax and the vera, and where to buy it.
utz gives us a link to USBgear shop. Unfortunately, this shop is not selling internationnally.

But that is probably a more general question that I will find elsewhere in the forum.

Forgot to say, the timer resets in vera everytime a new movement message comes in and the sensor is tripped.

Ok, very clear. A parameter in the plugin would be cool :wink:

@lolodomo

if you have already a powermax alarm panel at home this is the way to go. However, if you are looking to buy an alarm panel specifically to work with vera there may be better supported alternatives. For example, visonic does not release the serial communication protocol and we had to figure this out ourselves. Other alarm panel vendors release the communication spec and then you can program a plugin much better.

Lolodomo,

This (cheap) USB-Serial convertor works without problems with Vera2:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/bafo-usb-to-rs232-converter-5947

@Utz, configuring the timer would be nice!

Regards,
Ms

Hi Utz,

I’ve got a couple of PIRs hooked up to email notifications and I noticed there have been a lot of alerts from the kitchen over the couple of days we’ve been out of the house.

I’m wondering if the alerts that are triggered would cause an alarm if I had had the system armed? (I think there are ways to configure the powermax+ to only alarm on a zone if another zone is also alarmed, but I’m just considering the simple case here).

If so I wonder what’s causing the PIRs to alert?

A/

I never get a false alarm from my detectors. They are very hard to set off. If I remember correctly they have a switch inside to select sensitivity (Its long ago I did this, would need to look at the manual). For example, I have a quite fat cat and it never triggers it (Even my 3 year old son is mostly invisible to them).

You sure nobody was there?

I tried to avoid pointing any of the detectors towards a window; I point them from above windows inside the room.

[quote=“utz, post:108, topic:169028”]@lolodomo

if you have already a powermax alarm panel at home this is the way to go. However, if you are looking to buy an alarm panel specifically to work with vera there may be better supported alternatives. For example, visonic does not release the serial communication protocol and we had to figure this out ourselves. Other alarm panel vendors release the communication spec and then you can program a plugin much better.[/quote]

But if your plugin works well, even without published protocol, that’s enough, isn’t it ?
By the way, when I checked the official list of plugins for alarm panels on the wiki, they were not very numerous. Visonic Powermax Pro has the advantage to be sold in my country.

Another question: when the alarm is disarmed with a Visnoic devide (remote or keyboard), is there an event coming to Vera informing that alarm is now disarmed ? Same question when arming.

As I will certainly wait for Vera 3, are all existing plugins compatible with future Vera 3 ?

Regards

But if your plugin works well, even without published protocol, that's enough, isn't it ?
It works well with the implemented features. However, I could do so much more if they would release the protocol spec.
Another question: when the alarm is disarmed with a Visnoic devide (remote or keyboard), is there an event coming to Vera informing that alarm is now disarmed ? Same question when arming.

Yes, vera will learn about the state change.

As I will certainly wait for Vera 3, are all existing plugins compatible with future Vera 3 ?

I do not have seen a vera3 yet so I cannot answer this question.

I would like to chime in and say that the Vera 3 should be released with UI5. Most plugins should work with Vera 3. There are efforts being made to make sure all of the plugins are updated for UI5 support.

  • Garrett
You sure nobody was there?

Yes indeed. I’ll take a look for that sensitivity switch, thanks.

[quote=“utz, post:113, topic:169028”]

But if your plugin works well, even without published protocol, that’s enough, isn’t it ?

It works well with the implemented features. However, I could do so much more if they would release the protocol spec.[/quote]

What for example ?

[quote=“lolodomo, post:116, topic:169028”][quote=“utz, post:113, topic:169028”]

But if your plugin works well, even without published protocol, that’s enough, isn’t it ?

It works well with the implemented features. However, I could do so much more if they would release the protocol spec.[/quote]
What for example ?[/quote]

Switch attached X-10 components on and off; change volume of the panel voice (or switch voice on and off); configure phone numbers that are dialed from vera in case of emergencies; …

The list is long. Basically anything you find in the powermax+ manual that is currently done via keyboard could be done via the vera.

The most important features are implemented but there could be more.

Hi Utz,

I’m trying to define a few general Vera scenes like ‘Home’ & ‘Away’ based on the state of the Powermax (Disarmed = Home and ArmedAway = Away).
These scenes will be triggered by the ‘Armed detail state’ events of the plugin.
However, it seems the ‘Armed detail state’ events don’t activate the scenes when I arm or disarm the Powermax.

Regards,
Ms

I use this for ArmedAway and it works (just tested it). I use the current plugin version from the trunk. See picture for the event I am using.

Just found out the reason why. The Powermax only genereates an event when there is a true state CHANGE. So going form disarmed to disarm again (which I used for testing) does not generate an event and trigger a scene, but going from Armed to Disarmed or vice versa does.
We live and learn…