Very Chatty PIR's

Posted on
Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:38 am
AndyVirus offline
Posts: 257
Joined: Mar 18, 2014
Location: Newport Pagnell, UK

Very Chatty PIR's

Hello,

This is probably more of a DSC question more than a Indigo Plugin question but i thought i would ask incase someone knows the answer:

Is there a way to specify an on time for the PIR's on a DSC 1832 control panel? I ask as my Indigo log looks like this constantly

5 Oct 2014 14:07:44
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Kitchen PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Kitchen PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Kitchen PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Kitchen PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Hallway PIR' Closed.
Z-Wave received "Bottom Stair - Motion Sensor" status update is on
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Dining Room PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Dining Room PIR' Closed.
Z-Wave received "Bottom Stair - Tilt/Tamper" status update is on
Z-Wave received "Bottom Stair - Tilt/Tamper" status update is on
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Living Room PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Living Room PIR' Closed.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Living Room PIR' Opened.
DSC Alarm Alarm Zone 'Living Room PIR' Closed.

So the "on" time time is about 1 second. This works out to be a lot of traffic in the log but more importantly I think this level of traffic is causing my other plugins to fail with errors like:

5 Oct 2014 14:13:15
Autolog Stella-Z Error Error in plugin execution ServerReplacedElem:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "plugin.py", line 375, in deviceUpdated
<type 'exceptions.StandardError'>: ServerCommunicationError -- timeout waiting for response

Timers and Pesters Error Error in plugin execution runConcurrentThread:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "plugin.py", line 232, in runConcurrentThread
File "plugin.py", line 79, in decrement
File "plugin.py", line 54, in setSecondsLeft
<type 'exceptions.StandardError'>: ServerCommunicationError -- timeout waiting for response

Timers and Pesters Error plugin runConcurrentThread function returned or failed (will attempt again in 10 seconds)
Z-Wave Error Error in plugin execution:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 6/IndigoPluginHost.app/Contents/PlugIns/serialinterface.py", line 439, in startCommThread
self.processCommThread()
File "/Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 6/IndigoPluginHost.app/Contents/PlugIns/serialinterface.py", line 613, in processCommThread
self.processQueueInPacket(packet) # Subclass is required to define.
File "zwaveinterface.py", line 1526, in processQueueInPacket
File "zwaveinterface.py", line 1500, in _processFuncCall
File "zwaveinterface.py", line 1551, in _processCommandReply
File "zwaveinterface.py", line 1498, in _processFuncCall
File "actionsensor.py", line 248, in _processVarSensorStatusReply
File "actionsensor.py", line 195, in _processSensorNumVal
File "actionthermostat.py", line 115, in _processSensorNumVal
File "zwavetriggers.py", line 136, in executeTriggersFromParms
StandardError: ServerCommunicationError -- timeout waiting for response

Z-Wave Error exc type is <type 'exceptions.StandardError'>
Z-Wave Error restarting serial connection in 5.0 seconds
Error socket recv() 65 error
Indigo Cocoa client disconnected (192.168.123.17)
Interface Failure lost connection with interface
Z-Wave connected to Z-Stick S2 interface on /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART (firmware 3.07)
Z-Wave found module included in controller with no matching device (missing or disabled): 004 - Binary Sensor (routing)
Z-Wave received "Guest Bedroom - Motion Sensor" status update is on

Again i could be wrong, it might not be this plugin causing my issues but it only seems to happen when the DSC plugin is enabled (after many days or weeks).

If there was a way to limit the on time of a PIR i could reduce the noise which could free up some threads? (Not a programmer, just trying like hell to make my system stable)

All my PIR's are wired not wireless so the "High Traffic" option is not applicable i don't think.

Any help would be appreciated.

Posted on
Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:07 pm
CFSS offline
User avatar
Posts: 12
Joined: Sep 26, 2014
Location: UK

Re: Very Chatty PIR's

G'day! :D

It is possible that the zones could be masked in Indigo while the system is unset. Unfortunately I cannot comment on this - others on this forum are better placed to comment. I can however talk about the DSC alarm! So on the basis Indigo cannot inhibit the zone status, what can we do...

The alarm itself cannot be prevented from listing its zone status - as long as the detectors are working!

If this is causing an issue, it might be an idea to "power down" the detectors while the system is unset. To do this you would just need to use a small relay (such as a DSC RM1C) connected to a PGM. The PGM will then be configured for armed status. When disarmed, the relay would switch. We could then use this to cut the power to the detectors. So in an unset state, your detectors would be powered down - and you would not have a log filled with zone activity.

Note: for this to work you would have to set the force attribute (attribute 5) to be on for all detectors. Plus extend the exit time (in 005) to allow for the detector power up sequence.

Hope this helps!

The Security Store
Web: https://www.thesecuritystore.uk.com - contact us before purchases for trade rates/discounts!

Posted on
Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:47 am
AndyVirus offline
Posts: 257
Joined: Mar 18, 2014
Location: Newport Pagnell, UK

Re: Very Chatty PIR's

Hello!

Thanks that does help! It has given me some ideas.

The issue is that i use the PIR's while they are unset to detect motion so that my lights come on as i walk into the corridor or open the back door etc. otherwise this would be a perfect solution. It has given me a few other ideas but unrelated to this for the relay and the PGM. May have to buy that relay and have a play. Im sure you can control the PGM from the plugin so another output to play with :-)

I have adjusted the sensitivity screw right down and it has reduced the number of detections dramatically so it might just be the case of finding the sweet spot now.

Thanks for your help on this. It has given me some new ideas at the very least!

Posted on
Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:25 am
durosity offline
User avatar
Posts: 4320
Joined: May 10, 2012
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Ye Ol' England.

Re: Very Chatty PIR's

I'd find it strange if the plugin was causing other ones to fail as i have about 14 motion sensors around my home that create a lot of log entries and i've not had any issues with other plugins failing.

Computer says no.

Posted on
Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:50 am
AndyVirus offline
Posts: 257
Joined: Mar 18, 2014
Location: Newport Pagnell, UK

Re: Very Chatty PIR's

I have moved from a 2007 Mac Mini to a 2009 Mac Mini i free'd up so double ram, faster cpu etc. so maybe it was just my old old mini just could not handle the strain. So far so good.

Posted on
Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:59 am
travisc offline
User avatar
Posts: 346
Joined: Sep 07, 2010
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Very Chatty PIR's

Each alarm zone device in the DSC Alarm Plugin has a "Log Changes" checkbox that allows you to specify if it should write to the log or not. I disable logging on my motion sensors for exactly this reason.

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