R@UPSInc Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Heres the deal if any one is interested. I have at last count about 40 switches and dimmers installed in my project along with about 12-6 button's. My intention was to use the 6's to control room volume and lighting scenes designed to save on my $500.00 electric bill. The problem was that everyone wanted to push a light switch rater the rather then the using the buttons for anything other then turning up the volume in a room. I even went as for as havening the whole house turn off all the left on lights. So, I simply did this. A push/single tap has a delay to turn that switch off in 5 min, @ 2X tap 1 second off and no delay off for 3X tap. Everyone got tired of havening to turn the light back on after 5 min. and I did not tell anyone about the 3X tap so now they all use the scenes on the 6 buttons's. My bill has now gone down $100 and no more lights left on even with out the every 2 hr scheduled off which I was getting tired of myself. Hope this helps anyone with a similar problem.............:):):):) It beats yelling and grounding all the time since it is no longer legal to give an old time woopen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neildilgee Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I supose there's many ways to kill a cat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henniae Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I supose there's many ways to kill a cat!or kill a watt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R@UPSInc Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 I would kill them all if I could. But, Baby steps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akg4y Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Thats pretty funny...What sort of light scenes did you program so that it saves money, just dimming rather than full on, etc?If you have your dealer unbind your light switches you can also program those to do whatever you want rather than just control the light they are bound to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R@UPSInc Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Everyone seams to want more light than is really need except for reading. So when I originally programed my scenes every one complained that there was not enough light so most of the lights start at about 70% and then over about 15 min reduce to about 45-50% depending on the room. Tied in bathroom fans and light together to shut of in 15-20 min depending on what bathroom ect. So ya you could say by dimming but also used a lot of timers. Don't know how many times I have heard that I left the fan on in the bathroom because, well you know. Who would ever go back to turn it off and then 3 hrs later. The fan(s)4, have to use the power of 5 lights at least. I don't know if saving a little money feels as good as winning this battle. Maybe a little of both. Wait until I take control away for the A/C next summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Everyone seams to want more light than is really need except for reading. So when I originally programed my scenes every one complained that there was not enough light so most of the lights start at about 70% and then over about 15 min reduce to about 45-50% depending on the room. Tied in bathroom fans and light together to shut of in 15-20 min depending on what bathroom ect. So ya you could say by dimming but also used a lot of timers. Don't know how many times I have heard that I left the fan on in the bathroom because, well you know. Who would ever go back to turn it off and then 3 hrs later. The fan(s)4, have to use the power of 5 lights at least. I don't know if saving a little money feels as good as winning this battle. Maybe a little of both. Wait until I take control away for the A/C next summer.You should use some card access motion detectors to determine light level. That aspect of them is almost cooler than the ability for them to sense motion in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R@UPSInc Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Great idea... I just upgraded to 1.8 and I think I will see what new on their site. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jberger Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Light Level is one of those programming fields I've wished for in composer. Vantage allows you to program rooms or scenes based on light levels and the system uses sensors to automatically hold at the predetermined amount. Super simple to program an entire space as the lights and ambient sensors are all automatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neildilgee Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 All good advise but the best way would be like IloveC4 said, I got mine hooked up with my alarm movement sensors. Inside and outside. So depending where there haven't been movement they will dim, switch off or even make an announcement like " she forgot the light on again master " just to spice things up at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharmdsmith Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 make an announcement like " she forgot the light on again master " just to spice things up at home.I would be sleeping outside in the freezing cold if I did that. But I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R@UPSInc Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 OK neildilgee, You just opened the door to be my best friend. Just got rid of my old ADT s= system and replaced it with a GE Networx NX-8e. I am in the process of installing about 25 of the little SPY built in motion sensors and set each one up as a zone. Had the same idea but not only for lighting but also room temp. as I am looking into a new HVAC with motorized baffles and multiple zones. Having the alarm system scene room occupancy is exatly what I am looking for. What system do you have and how did you set it up? Just install the serial interface for my GE and am ready to link it to my system. I want that announcement also. I've slept out in the garage before. Me and the rats get along just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neildilgee Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 OK neildilgee, You just opened the door to be my best friend. Just got rid of my old ADT s= system and replaced it with a GE Networx NX-8e. I am in the process of installing about 25 of the little SPY built in motion sensors and set each one up as a zone. Had the same idea but not only for lighting but also room temp. as I am looking into a new HVAC with motorized baffles and multiple zones. Having the alarm system scene room occupancy is exatly what I am looking for. What system do you have and how did you set it up? Just install the serial interface for my GE and am ready to link it to my system. I want that announcement also. I've slept out in the garage before. Me and the rats get along just fine.Great idea for the AC temp control althought I think its getting a little complex. Have you ever seen a rat mone, you making me wish I had rats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tebery Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I have my t-stats programmed that if the temp is changed, it goes back to MY setting after 1 hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R@UPSInc Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 That is kind of how in have my lights and want to do my HVAC. Does it scene the room or if somebody changes the thermostat it self? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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