Kwikset lock - Low Battery Text programming question

[eggzlot]

I set up a text notification for when the battery is low a few months ago.  Seemed very simple and straightforward.  I get to my desk this morning at 8:30 and so far I've gotten a text every 15 minutes that the battery is low.  Ok C4, I get the point, battery is low.

 

I do not want a text every 15 minutes, so I may have to run home at lunch to put in new batteries.

 

Any programming trick to get it to just text me say when its low, then like 8 hours later as a reminder in case I was lazy and did not change the batteries out?  every 15 minutes (3 texts so far in 45 mins) seems a bit much.

 

Cant take a screen shot of my programming as I am at work, but if I recall it was just a simple drop down option to do "low battery status" or something then I just set up the email/text to my cell phone like all over notifications.

[Cyknight]

Yup, know issue as the kwikset keeps sending the error on every contact (most devices do this by the way).

 

What you want to do is this:

Create a boolean variable: lock battery trip

WHEN kwikset give low battery warning

set lock battery trip to true

 

WHEN lock battery trip changes

IF lock battery trip is TRUE

-send email

 

Then create a schedule item (I do mine 8am in the morning) called 'variable reset'

WHEN schedule event 'variable reset' occurs

SET lock battery trip to FALSE

{and any others you want this 'buffer' for}

 

This will mean you get a max of one email a day for that/those event(s)

Just add more 'variable reset' schedules if you want it more often.

[eggzlot]

Ha oh boy.  Ok I'll play around with this, assume I'll be back asking questions as I've never created half those items before!

[Cyknight]

Oh I can make it more complex if you want, and it makes sure you ONLY get an email for ALL of these errors at a specific time a day.

But let's start here.

[eggzlot]

So far so good - thanks!  No more text's last night and only one this morning around 8:08 (I guess when it did its status check).

 

How would I go about entering my other lock - would I create a new variable called front door lock and just repeat the steps above?

[Cyknight]

Yep - you can use the same schedule to reset

[eggzlot]

Hey Cy,

 

Bringing up this old thread.  So back in Dec I did the programming and the text messages stopped.  Well the other day I went to open my lock to realize the battery was dead.  Never got a text message.  so somehow I just shut off all messaging - whereas I just want 1 text a day.

 

Here are my 3 screen shots - first time messing with variables, did I miss something?

 

[wingzz]

I dont see anything that sets the variable to false, this will have to be done to get the change of state to send the email

[eggzlot]

Wingzz - where would that go?  Again, I am a programming novice with C4 and this is my first time playing with variables.

[wingzz]

per C4 Guru's post above (I think you missed this step)

Then create a schedule item (I do mine 8am in the morning) called 'variable reset'

WHEN schedule event 'variable reset' occurs

SET lock battery trip to FALSE

{and any others you want this 'buffer' for}

[eggzlot]

Actually had that programmed and forgot about it.  So that is not the step missing, unless I did it wrong

 

 

[Cyknight]

From the first of your screenshots, your variable IS false, so it had reset.

It sounds more like the lock - for whatever reason - wasn't sending the low battery level. OR it was but the system wasn't sending.

 

Why is a different matter.

If it's the latter, it's POSSIBLY the system is a touch slow - and you need to add in a 250ms delay between the 'when variable changes' and the subsequesnt IF statements. Not particularly likely though.

 

Do you have a good amount of programming to open or close the lock - or do you open or close it from the system often.

[eggzlot]

Cy - you mean add a 250ms delay between shooting out the text messages?  That may be it actually as I have that set up for some other text blasts now that I think of it.  I can certainly try to add that in there.

 

As far as a "good amount" of programming re: the locks?  Hmm.  I have a "goodnight" button to press that makes sure the doors are locked.  I have two Card Access FOBs for my garage door and that can trigger to open 1 of the kwikset locks too if I want to.  I have about 9 users programmed who can open the door.  Not sure if that is a lot or a little.

 

I'll put in some delays on the emails where the variable changes and see if that fixes it.

[Cyknight]

yes that's waht i meant with the delay - it makes sure those variables are updated so the system doesn't accidfentally read the old value (again it shouldn't normally be required, but might do the trick).

 

Any I mainly meant - is there a considerable amount of daily situations where the lock is opened or closed (the actual physical occurance) using any form of C4 system control - be it from pre-programmed situations (ie does the 11pm schedule to close the door ACTUALLY close it or is it generally a redundant setting) or you going to a touchscreen and opening/closing it.

 

If there is, and you haven't noticed that it's not doing it, then communication can be considered fine - if there isn't - you may want to have a closer look and make sure there isn't an issue there.

[eggzlot]

I'll say this - within the ~15 months I've had two kwikset locks, I'd say 5-7 times I've had a mis reading.  Where I am standing by a door where the C4 interface (touchscreen or app) says the door is one state, yet I am clearly standing at the door and its in another state (locked vs unlocked).  If I recall it usually says unlocked even though its locked.  Again this has happened minimal times, and has happened to both locks (I have 2 of them) so I cannot point to 1 being faulty.  We open the front door 2-3x a day but that is direct on the lock keypad - no real programming and the garage one another 2-3x a day but that is through programming.  The goodnight button makes sure both are locked.  the goodnight setting is usually redundant since we usually close the doors, its just more set in place in case we forget (like after taking the dog out late at night before bed, etc).

[Cyknight]

OK - was mainly asking to see if it there were other possible indicators.

 

You could simply try triggering it from a screen every 30 minutes or so for an evening or two and see you responsiveness. Additionally you could program on lock state change to send a quick email - just to test the system properly seeing changes - and also manually do the same thing for a night or two.

 

Do note that if you change the lock manually, it can take several seconds for the lock info to update (just like there can be a few seconds between pressing lock on a touchscreen and it actually locking.

[Cyknight]

Hmm, mind telling me what software version you're on? tracking something similar now...

[eggzlot]

 

Do note that if you change the lock manually, it can take several seconds for the lock info to update (just like there can be a few seconds between pressing lock on a touchscreen and it actually locking.

I know about the delay.  When I get false readings, it is like I am going to bed and I am checking something else to see if a window sensor is open or something, I see the kwikset lock saying the basement door is unlocked.  I'll walk downdstairs, and its locked.  No one had used that door for several hours.

 

I am on 2.6

[eggzlot]

sorry for reviving my own old thread.  So I followed this programming, as you can see it was almost a year ago.

Today I went to lock the door with the button on the door and it would not budge.  When to look on the touchscreen navigator and the kwikset app said the batteries were totally dead.  I looked in the iOS app under security > garage door lock > history and I saw that I got a "battery cannot operate motor" error message.  To me that is below "low battery" and "very low battery"

I thought with the programming I used I should get a text message when the battery level gets to "low", forget about "very low" or "battery cannot operate motor" levels.

The programming is as follows:

Programming for the lock itself:

The Battery in the lock is low:
--> variables -> lock battery trip = true

Under Programming/Variables:
? If Variables -> lock battery trip is True
       > email notification to "my cell phone #" with subject: low battery garage door lock

Under agents, this variable is listed as false in value

I also have a variable reset every day for 8am programmed

end of day, I just do not want repeated texts that the battery is low, however, I would like at least one a day until I change the batteries and not walk up to a dead door lock.

Oh and another note, a year later,  I still get intermittent false readings when C4 thinks the door is open but it is really locked.

[Cyknight]

You may have to take some screenshots so I can see the actual programming.

[South Africa C4 user]

I don't think your method will give daily alerts. The best way to give daily alerts would be to change your variable to true when the battery is low. Have a scheduled event that checks the value of your variable once a day and sends the alert if it is true. When you replace the battery you would need to manually reset the variable to false (could do this via a custom button).

[Cyknight]

^ No the basic setup does exactly that - the device giving a low battery alert sets a variable to true, the variable going to true triggers an email being sent, a schedule sets that variable to false once per day. After being set to false, low battery will set to true repeating the cycle.

Locks and other devices on battery send a low battery report every time they check in with the system - so the variable is there to prevent you're getting 200 emails a day, but in effect that gives you one email per day (until the device runs out of battery of course)

[eggzlot]

its late here, so excuse my shortness, but here are the 4 images  I think impact the programming.

the programming when battery gets low, the variable, the variable reset and what happens when the variable is triggered.

I appreciate the help

[Cyknight]

Try executing the programming under the first image right from composer, then check if the variable changes and you get an email.

If so, you know the programming is correct and the issue is the lock.

If not, then I'd try draiing one of the email address in pic 4 OUTSIDE of the IF statement and execute then - if you still don't get an email at that point, either there's something up with your 4Sight (ie expired) or perhaps the 'vtext' isn't passing the email.

From there, try a 'regular' email address vs an email to text, and see if that comes through. If it does, you may have an issue in the format (may have changed) or the provider for your phone is blocking the email.

[Cyknight]

Based on your 4Sight thread, I wonder if there's something amiss in your controller registration. I'd try a reboot or better yet the re-registration I suggested there.