I’ve got numerous devices installed at this point, mostly appliance and lighting control modules, and am now looking to start automating and organizing the control of them. There is what I think should be a simple task that I am struggling with. I want to have a single “switch” that will activate a scene that turns all my outside lights on. This is primarily for my wife when I’m gone. I’ve played with several things. My first attempt was with an Aspire RF 9500A battery wall mount switch. I can’t seem to get it to consistently activate a scene. So then I thought I’d use a Everspring door/window sensor and wire the external contacts to a real external switch. I think this is commonly done as I’ve read on here of using the same switch to activate scenes being connected to a Dakota 3000 driveway alarm receiver. That would seem to me to function the same way as what I’m trying to do, the activation of a scene based upon a trigger from the door/window sensor.
With the door/window sensor, I have set up the trigger to activate a scene using the options for the sensor of “A sensor is tripped”. This is all good and works fine I think. What I’ve not been able to do yet is the activate another scene to turn all the lights back off, by “untriggering” the sensor by closing the sensor contacts again back to the normal state.
Can the sensor be set to activate a scene when I simulate the door/window being closed again? There is not an option for that in the trigger section of the device. I’m not at all familiar with the programming for this and would like to avoid that for the time being if at all possible.
Is there a better solution to turn a scene on and off like I’m want to do in this case?
I really appreciate any and all input, and your patience with a newbie.
Thanks Dave, I did get your message. Somehow I locked the post when I made it. It was pointed out to me so I got it unlocked. I like your idea in your message, but I’m hopeful for a separate switch for just this function. I’ll keep your idea in mind though.
S-F ATS what I’d planned on doing but both the Everspring and the other door/window sensors I got don’t have an option for untripped. It’s either tripped an installed sensor, or trip an armed sensor. They do show up as a motion sensor though so that may have something to do with it. I tried changing the file to the D_doorsensor.xml (not the correct file name but I don’t remember it now) but that didn’t change the trigger options. Am I missing a step? Sure seems like a door/window sensor should trigger when tripped and when reset?
Are you saying that when you try to set a scene trigger for your sensor, and you select the type of event as A sensor … is tripped, you don’t then get a box (just below the Name for this trigger box that allows you to select Device is tripped or Device is not tripped?
Rex, I excluded and re-included the sensor and yes it’s all there and works perfectly now. Exactly what I wanted! I had added two different brands of sensors at the same time and it seems there was a conflict of some kind as when I excluded them both and readded the one, it worked perfectly.
Thanks for your help. I’d not have known what it should look like. It’s an amazing system when you get it figured out. My chickens appreciate their timely feeding everyday. =)
I’m sure ill have more questions as I get deeper into this so it’s really great to have the support of those so much smarter about this than me.
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