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What do you mean with non-critical path? It sounds like you're suggesting something like wiring a light controller as a 3 way switch so you can always still use

by dirkc 6y ago

What do you mean with non-critical path? It sounds like you're suggesting something like wiring a light controller as a 3 way switch so you can always still use the physical switch? Is that the type of thing you're referring to with non-critical path? Any reading on that you can suggest?

alias_neo 6y ago
So in my case, we leave the physical light switches on all the time, we use motion sensors or ZigBee wireless switches to control the lights. If the automation falls over we just switch them on and off using the switches. If family are visiting I switch the house to "guest mode" which deactivates the motion sensors and various other automations and we use the light switches like normal. The term "critical path" is when a whole system depends on that thing to function; it is in the critical path. For example, if I couldn't use the lights at all when the home automation server is down, or your Mac won't run any programs when the phone-home server is down, those things are on the critical path, without them the system fails.
mason55 6y ago
The easiest thing is to use smart switches in the wall to replace your light switches instead of smart bulbs. Most smart switches will work as regular light switches even if the whole rest of your smart home is down. Then you use the smart home stuff to make everything more convenient but if the smart home is down it falls back to dumb home functionality. An easy example is my pantry. It’s got a smart switch (Inovelli Zwave) hooked up for the light plus a door sensor on the door. Normally when you open the door the door sensor turns on the light by communicating with the smart switch and when you close the door the light goes off. But if everything is down the switch still acts like a regular light switch and you can turn the pantry lights off and on. Other examples might be garage doors that open when they detect you pull in to the driveway. You want to make sure that you can still just press the garage door opener button so that you can get in like a normal person when presence detection fails. Smart home functionality should enhance, not replace, at least until everything is 100% bullet proof and never fails or goes down (i.e. not in my lifetime)

by dirkc 6y ago

alias_neo 6y ago

So in my case, we leave the physical light switches on all the time, we use motion sensors or ZigBee wireless switches to control the lights. If the automation falls over we just switch them on and off using the switches. If family are visiting I switch the house to "guest mode" which deactivates the motion sensors and various other automations and we use the light switches like normal. The term "critical path" is when a whole system depends on that thing to function; it is in the critical path. For example, if I couldn't use the lights at all when the home automation server is down, or your Mac won't run any programs when the phone-home server is down, those things are on the critical path, without them the system fails.

mason55 6y ago

The easiest thing is to use smart switches in the wall to replace your light switches instead of smart bulbs. Most smart switches will work as regular light switches even if the whole rest of your smart home is down. Then you use the smart home stuff to make everything more convenient but if the smart home is down it falls back to dumb home functionality. An easy example is my pantry. It’s got a smart switch (Inovelli Zwave) hooked up for the light plus a door sensor on the door. Normally when you open the door the door sensor turns on the light by communicating with the smart switch and when you close the door the light goes off. But if everything is down the switch still acts like a regular light switch and you can turn the pantry lights off and on. Other examples might be garage doors that open when they detect you pull in to the driveway. You want to make sure that you can still just press the garage door opener button so that you can get in like a normal person when presence detection fails. Smart home functionality should enhance, not replace, at least until everything is 100% bullet proof and never fails or goes down (i.e. not in my lifetime)