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williammanda
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| Posted: January 17 2009 at 21:04 | IP Logged
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Does anyone use this device? Can you link or use this device with different senarios? What are the limitations?
I'm looking to use this device to trigger several situations via Powerhome. Any suggestions?
Thanks
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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: January 17 2009 at 21:27 | IP Logged
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Sure do!
It works great as long as you realize that it, like the other battery operated motion sensors, only poll every 30 seconds or so. That means that you could come and go quickly and it would turn on but not off a light!
To use it with PH you must link it to your PLM/PLC controller. Then you can set up links to it in PH. BUT again since it is a battery operated device it is only "awake" for brief periods making it virtualy impossible to communicate PH linkages to it.
The solution is to put the Motion Sensor in "Linking mode" by holding down the SET button on the side for 10 seconds. Then the sensor stays awake for several minutes. Indeed if you are communicating with it, it will stay alive indefinately. In this state you can Save your PH links to it. (Obviously you need to set these up ahead of time.)
To initially "discover" the 2420M use the PH Insteon Explorer window and the Setup Tab. Turn on "Auto Discovery" and when then press the SET button on the 2420M for 5 seconds (if you have it by your PH computer you will see an acknowledgement that you have linked).
Set the Device Type in your configuration as a "2440-Remote LInk" as that is the closest thing that matches and there is no Motion Sensor device type yet configured in PH. Also check the "Disabled" box to keep PH from thinking the lack of interaction that battery devices have is a failure.
Once you have done all that, you can link and use it as you wish.
Right now I just have it directly linked to my garage light, but plan to use a PH macro to sense lack of activity and turn off my garage lights after I have left.
If that doesn't help, jump into the forum again.
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Ken B - Live every day like it's your last. Eventually, you'll get it right!
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williammanda
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| Posted: January 17 2009 at 22:55 | IP Logged
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So the device is listed but not really? I see it listed under insteon explorer/types.
Thanks
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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: January 18 2009 at 08:14 | IP Logged
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Woops!
I must have been added in a recent SW release then. I had not looked since I created mine 4 months ago!
Use the use that shows up. I'll change mine too!
This exchange was a nice mutual help effort! 
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Ken B - Live every day like it's your last. Eventually, you'll get it right!
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Viper
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| Posted: January 21 2010 at 21:27 | IP Logged
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Just an FYI: I've been doing some programming with the 2420M V2.0 and have discovered that it will not signal "light" (Group 2 Off) or "dark (Group 2 ON) while it is detecting motion. This means if you are triggering something, like turning on the lights when the sensor detects darkness, the lights won't turn on until the motion has stopped for 3 1/2 minutes.
It appears that if after the sensor stops detecting motion, it again detects motion before the 3 1/2 minutes is up, the 3 1/2 minute timer is put on pause until the motion stops again, then it continues.
So, if detecting light/dark is critical to you and you are attempting to use the 2420M, you may have to put the 2420M in such a location that it does not detect motion.
For me I am trying to detect light/dark, but it is not so critical that I can't tolerate the delay due to motion.
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grif091
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| Posted: January 21 2010 at 22:09 | IP Logged
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Simplehomenet has a light sensor that can be adjusted to trigger at most any light level. It has to be connected to one of the EZIOxx family of devices so it may be a more expensive solution than you want to invest. I found I could adjust the EZEye to almost any light level I wanted to detect.
Also you can probably physically block the PIR motion sensor portion and leave the light level sensor alone. I have not taken my MS apart but most outdoor motion sensors have separate internal sensors for ambient light and PIR sensing.
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Lee G
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PowerHome Messageboard : PowerHome Hardware
Topic: Insteon motion sensor 2420M
