automatic changing of switch configurations

I normally set up switches (eg Saturn switches) so they have dual illumination, ie Orange and Blue, dependent upon wether they are active or not. I've been asked if it possible to modify this dependent on the time of day, so that (for example) this dual illumination configuration works all day, but between the hours of midnight and 6am all illumination is off. There isn't any options available to set this up with the toolkit software, but I was wondering if the switch configurations were accessible by a program stored in a Pascal controller. Has anybody any ideas on this?

 

It is not possible without sending configuration parameters to change the colour choice, but the intensity can be controlled by a Group on the Primary (or secondary , for recent models) Application. If you have a light sensing device (PIR sensor, multisensor or PE Cell) on the network, which will sense natural light without interference from artificial light, you can use this to control the group to achieve the effect you are after.

A PAC or C-Touch of course could do the same based on the current time as well.

 

The PAC solution sounds good, as I could set a time from the levels to be changed. I've looked at the configuration of the switch using the toolkit, and I can see where the indicator brightness is changed from a fixed level of 100% as it is now, to "Level of group". However, whilst I can see that a group would need to be selected here, I cannot see how this group is associated with an indicator level. Furthermore, supposing I could somehow set group 10 to be 100%, and group 11 to be 0%, how would my program running on the PAC tell the switch to use a different group? Or have I got this wrong, and is it a case of telling the switch to use a group level, and then having a program on the PAC changing what this group level represents, either being 100% or 0% dependent on the time of day? Any help on this matter would be most gratefully received!
Thanks

 

The latter is correct. You'd assign a single group address for the indicator brightness and just make the PAC change the level of this group address to change the brightness in the key unit.

 

OK, so if for example I set the switch parameter "level of group" to be group 10, I would then have to write something with the PAC so that group 10 represents a lighting level, - is this correct? If it is, do you have any idea of what the line of pascal code would be which actually assigns an illumination level to a group? Also, what is the default level of illumination once a group is defined as being an illumination level, - I assume it will either be 100% (full brightness) or 0% (off), is this correct, and if so, which is the default?

Thanks
Neil C

 

the indicator brightness behaves exactly the same as any lighting group. You can have it on / off, or you can dim to any level. You don't need a PAC to control it; you can simply assign a key unit to the same group or assign a light sensor or c-touch / PAC. There is no "default" level when controlling from a group, but once set, the level will be saved if level store is enabled and will be recovered after a loss of power. If you want to define a power-up brightness with level store disabled, you can enable level store, set the level then disable level store again.

 

Ultimately, if I can get it working, I will use the PAC to change the illumination level of the switch buttons at certain times of the day (ie off overnight), but in order to familarise myself with the concept, I set up a test rig. Then, using the toolkit software, I accessed the "indicator" tab of a switch configuration and changed the "indicator brightness" from it's previously fixed level of 100%, to using the "level of group" field, in which I selected a spare group address.

After saving this setup, I then accessed the configuration details of another switch, and set up one of the buttons as an on-off function, using the very same group address which I am using for the illumination level for the first switch. So, this second switch, is therefore turning the same group on and off, which the first switch is using as an indicator level.

Sure enough, when I pressed the relevant button of the second switch, the illumination levels of the buttons on the first switch went brighter or dimmer, dependent upon wether the button was switching the group on or off. However, the illumination levels never went to zero, and so whilst they certainly did change up and down, the illumination was never entirely extinguished.

As the aim was to reduce the brightness of the switch at night, this may be acceptable, but the object of the excercise was to have the switch illumination on during the day, and off between the hours of midnight and early morning. Is this possible, and am I doing something incorrect, or is it something that we'll have to live with?

Thanks
Neil C

 

I have (for several years now) been using the brightness trick within my own home. At sunrise, all switches in the house turn to "bright" display, at sunset they all turn to "dim" display.

Since I live entirely off-grid, I have a desire to know when the generator is running, and for this I have a 3rd state - selected switches (not all of them) cycle from their "default" setting (bright or dim, depending on time of day) to a 3rd, intermediate value half-way between the two, creating a detectable but not intrusive 5-second "flash".

Old NEO switches are unable to be turned to completely off this way - their minimum illumination is about 20%, but more recent firmware seems to allow going all the way to "off" (I found this change when I added more switches after the initial install)

I would love to be able to use the "nightlight" illumination the same way as an indicator for example, if my batteries are low and I should be in energy-saving mode or not, but AFAIK there is no way to set the nightlight state to a group. Hopefully someone can advise me if that has since changed?