JSPM

Vacation Timer for node-red

With more and more people getting into Home Automation, node-red is becoming a more integral part of automation systems. But there is one question people tend to overlook in the automation of their home! What do you do when you go on vacation? Obviously you can have an alarm system that alerts you AFTER someone has broken into your house, but what can you do to help prevent the break-in from occurring in the first place?

Well... Simple... don't let them think you ever left!

This is a node that simulates someone being home in order to turn a device on and off at a semi-random, yet seemingly normal schedule. For instance, if you usually go to the Family Room and watch TV after work between 6 and 6:30 in the evening, and you go to bed anywhere from 11:30pm to Midnight, well, then you can automate the Family Room light to come on randomly between 6 and 6:30pm, and stay on for a random length of time, such as 5 1/2 to 6 hours, and then go off, while shortly there after the bedroom light goes on, as well as the master bathroom light a few moments later, all mimicking a person making there way to bed after an evening in front of the TV.

Now, using the same ratios, the Vacation Timer will generate a different on/off schedule every evening at Midnight, so although the specs are the same (6 - 6:30pm, 5 1/2 - 6 hours) it will be a random time within those specs, so it will always appear as if human interaction is taking place. Now again, imagine having several nodes setup for a handful of lights in different rooms in your home, all with different, semi-random schedules. That is the Vacation Timer. It is simple, yet effective.

Unlike similar vacation scheduling systems, there is no set Off Time, but rather you select a minimum and maximum length of time you want the device to run for, and the Off Time is generated based on the randomization of the On Time delay and the random running time you have chosen.

CONFIGURATION OPTIONS

Initially Suspended:

When this is checked, the schedule will only be activated when the node receives a msg with a positive payload of start, on, 1 or true. If you uncheck this box, the schedule will be activated immediately upon Deploying. You can manually enable Suspend Mode at any time by sending a msg with a negative payload of stop, off, 0 or false. This is option is checked by default, as the recommended way of activating and deactivating the schedule is to send the node a msg.

Latitude and Longitude:

Your latitude and longitude for use with Dusk, Dawn, Sunrise or Sunset from the Time On dropdown.

Time On:

This is the earliest time of day that you want the device to be turned on.

Max Delay:

This is the maximum number of random minutes you want tagged onto your chosen Time On. If you choose 7:30 PM as your Time On with a Max Delay of 30 minutes, your device will turn on between 7:30 PM and 8:00 PM

Minimum Time On:

The minimum hours and minutes you want the device to be on.

Maximum Time On:

The maximum hours and minutes you want the device to be on.

At the scheduled times, the node will output a payload of either on or off.

Every evening at Midnight, each Vacation Timer node will regenerate a new schedule based upon its settings, ensuring that every day the schedule is slightly different, thus mimicking an actual human turning the lights on and off.

CHANGES

0.0.1 - Initial Release

0.0.2 - Quick fix for incorrect times listed in the Time On dropdown.

0.0.3 - For consistency, when the node is Suspended, a positive payload of start, on, 1 or true is required to active the schedule. Also, we changed the negative payloads to Suspend the node to include stop, off, 0 or false.

0.0.4 - Fixed typos in the README.md