How do I have the same lights turn on at different times, depending on which "mode" I've set the house to ("Vacation Mode", "At Work Mode", "Night Mode", etc.)?

Related Product(s): All HAL Software

This type of automation uses house modes and schedules. In this situation, a house mode simply has to be created (no actions added). When schedules are created they are assigned to work in all house modes or only selected house modes, which is what is demonstrated below. For more information on using house modes and on adding actions to them, go to the "Automating Your Home" section of the HAL Online Help Guide or Operating Manual.

 

When HAL is installed, a default house mode called "Normal" is created. For this example, we will use this default mode as well as one we create called "Vacation". In "Normal" mode, we will set the living room lights to turn on at 5:00pm and turn off at 11:30pm. In "Vacation" mode, the lights will turn on at dusk and turn off six hours later.

 

This example assumes that you already created a device called "Living Room Lights". Go to the "Automating Your Home" section of the HAL Online Help Guide or Operating Manual for information on creating devices.

1. Right-click on the ear icon and select OPEN SYSTEM SETTINGS (or go to Start... Programs... HAL... HAL System Settings).
   
   
2. Click on MODES in the HAL Auomation screen then click on WHOLE HOUSE MODES, if it's not already selected.
   
   
3. Click ADD at the bottom of the screen to open the House Mode Add screen. Type a name of "Vacation" and a recognition phrase for this mode. Click OK to close the screen.
   
   
4. Click on SCHEDULES at the top of the HAL Automation screen.
   
   
5. Click ADD at the bottom of the screen to open the Schedule Wizard screen.
   
   
6. Select the option REPEAT OCCURRENCE.
   
   
7. Click EDIT ACTION. The Action Wizard screen will open with "Devices" in the Action field. Scroll down and click on the "Living Room Lights" device to highlight it. Make sure the option at the top of the screen is set to "On". Click OK to save the action and close the Action Wizard screen. Click NEXT in the Schedule Wizard screen.
   
   
8. In the next screen, click EVERYDAY. Checkmarks will appear in the boxes next to the days of the week. Click NEXT.
   
   
9. In the next screen, leave it set to the default of "Start/End Time". Click next to EVENT WILL BE FOR A DURATION OF TIME to enable it (checkmark appears). In the "Start" field, click on 12 to highlight it, then type 5 or use the up and down arrow keys to set the hour to 5. Click on AM and use the up arrow to change it to PM. Follow the same procedure on the "End" field to set it to 11:30pm. Click NEXT.
   
   
10. In the last screen, click SELECTED HOUSE MODES. Click on NORMAL in the left side of the screen to highlight it. Click the ADD -> button. "Normal" will appear in the field on the right side of the screen - this indicates that this schedule will only run when the house mode is set to "Normal" (see step 13). Click FINISH to save the schedule and close the screen.
    
    
11. Repeat steps 5 to 10 to create another schedule. Set the living room light to turn on at sunset by selecting SUNRISE/SUNSET instead of "Start/End Time" and setting the schedule to start AT SUNSET. In the last screen, set it to SELECTED HOUSE MODES with VACATION added to the right side of the screen.
    
    
12. Repeat steps 5 to 10 to create another schedule. This time set the living room light to turn off by selecting SUNRISE/SUNSET and setting the schedule to run 6 HRS AFTER SUNSET. In the last screen, set it to SELECTED HOUSE MODES with VACATION added to the right side of the screen.
    
    
13. Now set the house mode. Only the schedules specified for that house mode will run. In other words, when the house mode is "Normal", only schedules that have "Normal" selected will run - schedules that have "Vacation" selected will not run.
    
    The house mode can be set three different ways: