MS13E2 Occupancy detectors and Alarmpanel

Post by **DutchAdept** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:37 am

I just received my nifty little MS13E2 occupancy/dusktodawn sensors from Let's Automate. So far I'm impressed with their capabilities and really surprised they're so dirt cheap. The only snag I ran in to is that these are X10 devices, with and on/off status. I programmed them to a house code, and made dummy X10 devices in Homeseer to be able to process them (and get a descriptive log entry). Then I looked for a way to use them as security sensors for the RFXcom alarm panel, but I have not been succesful so far (except for creating a panic event per PIR). Anyone got ideas on this ?

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:59 am

The MS13 cannot be used as security sensor! The protocol of the MS13 (X10 lighting) is different from the X10 security protocol.

You would need a MS90 motion sensor.
Or add the Visonic receiver module and use Visonic sensors.
http://cgi.ebay.nl/Visonic-K-980-PIR-De ... 286.c0.m14

Post by **DutchAdept** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:52 pm

I allready have the visonic powermax pro and visonic PIRs/Smoke/Glass detectors. I just want to use the MS13s as a back up alarm system (in case the burglar uses the walkie-talkie trick to attempt to jam the visonic). All I need is a way to set the status panel to alarm through a device status change event (right now only panic is possible). Basically I'm looking for a generic way to tie in on/off devices to the alarm panel (so I can also use HE EU PIRS etc.) I understand these units (HE/MS) are not meant to be used as such, and are not reliable (no battery stats etc.) but when used in a array, waiting for multiple triggers along a path it's just as reliable as any visonic solution (just make sure you check the functionality more often than a visonic PIR).

Post by **drmacchi** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:16 pm

Simple ! if you use HOMESEER......... Use Blade's Plugin SECURITY and/or RADAR.
see here : http://bladeplugins.no-ip.org/

Post by **DutchAdept** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:31 pm

Thanks for the tip, the site has a lot of other cool stuff for homeseer..but it's not what I need. I allready have scripted zones, battery dead time and recovery so Radar is not adding any functionality. I am looking to use the alarm status of the RFXcom alarm panel, since I allreay use that for my visonic sensors. I don't need a whole new set of sensor added to the plugin, just an expansion of the "System Alarm Panel Control" Values to include Alarm (right now you can select various "arm state" and "panic" values but not the "alarm" value.

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:45 pm

Next week I hope to have the Programmers Guide finished with the description of scripts and calls to the plug-in.
In the scripts directory is an example script "RFXCOM_alarm_example.vb"
I guess you are able to modify this.

Post by **DutchAdept** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:20 pm

Thanks for the info Bert, I'll have a look this weekend.

Post by **DutchAdept** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:44 pm

I'm afraid that the script doesn't do what I referred to in my earlier post. The script actually arms a real X10 alarm panel. I just want to update the RFXcom Alarm panel status to "Alarm", just like a PIR would do when a motion is detected and the panel is armed. I'll just have to wait for the programmers bible...

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:22 pm

The script arms the RFXCOM software alarm panel.

Post by **Sooty** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:14 pm

If you only have a few MS13E's, then you could use Homeseer events to trigger when an MS13E changes to ON and use the RFXCOM alarm panel state as a condition. So if an MS13E No1 turns ON and the RFXCOM panel is armed, then send an email or triger the normal alarm script etc...

Not very elegant, but it would work. You could also create a script to trigger instead of sending an email and then perform all manner of other functions.

I often use the RFXCOM panel status as a condition for many events.

Paul..

Post by **DutchAdept** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 6:44 pm

My bad Bert, I was trying to read vbscript when I should be sleeping.. I really don't want to arm it, just make the status become "alarm" so all other regular alarm scripts (sms etc)kick into action (without the RFXcom alarm actually being armed). Guess your solution will do Sooty, it just means adding tons of extra events.. [:p]

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:30 pm

Add a Change to ON event and run this script on each MS13 that should trigger an alarm:

Code: Select all

'Device 1 - Alarm panel state commands
Public Enum SEC_PANEL As Integer
    Disarmed = 0
    PendArmHome = 1
    PendArmAway = 2
    ArmedHome = 3
    ArmedAway = 4
    Problem = 5
    AnyValue = 999
End Enum

'Device 2 - Alarm Panel Status commands
Public Enum SEC_STATUS As Integer
    Ready = 0
    Alarm = 1
    Panic = 2
    ArmPend = 3
    NotReady = 4
    ReadyHome = 5
    AlarmPend = 6
    AnyValue = 999
End Enum

'Supported REMOTE commands by SetAlarmPanelState(ByVal seccmd As Integer)
Public Enum SEC_REMOTE As Integer
    ArmAway = 1
    ArmAwayMaxDelay = 2
    ArmHome = 3
    ArmHomeMaxDelay = 4
    Disarm = 5
    Panic = 8
End Enum

Sub Main(Optional ByVal pParms As String = "")
    Dim intStatus, intState As Integer
    Dim SecCode As Char
    Dim rfxcom As Object
    rfxcom = hs.plugin("RFXCOM")

    SecCode = hs.GetINISetting("Startup", "SecDevHC", "", "hspi_RFXCOM.ini")
    If SecCode <> "" Then
        intStatus = hs.DeviceValue(SecCode & "1") 'get Alarm Panel State
        If intStatus = SEC_PANEL.PendArmHome Or intStatus = SEC_PANEL.PendArmAway _
        Or intStatus = SEC_PANEL.ArmedHome Or intStatus = SEC_PANEL.ArmedAway Then
            hs.SetDeviceValue(SecCode & "2", SEC_STATUS.Alarm) 'set Alarm
        End If
    Else
        hs.WriteLog("RFXCOM", "RFXCOM_alarm_example.vb  ERROR: No house code found for security devices")
    End If
End Sub

(not tested)

Post by **DutchAdept** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:23 pm

Thanks, I will test it tomorrow.. Right now I'm busy installing my Harrison into RFXcom plugin. I didn't really find info on the harrison and the rfxmitter, but then again, I didn 't really look very hard yet....

Post by **DutchAdept** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:47 pm

Happy camper here [:)]! Harrison works like a charm (after I realized that I needed to upgrade Homeseer to beta 2.3.0.55 or higher, since I use the beta plugin....duh, RTFM) and Berts script is just what I needed. Muchas Gracias [:D]

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:51 am

DutchAdept,

I have added the Alarm option to the Alarm Panel Control in 14.0.0.12.
I also added the User Guide and Programmers Guide which are available in the HS Docs\RFXCOM directory after installation of the .12 beta.

Bert