This is only available in the “extended” (and from version 4.0 HOME) model!

The “Auto Control Programs”(aka ACP) software extension is used to automatically control relays and/or Nexa remote switches using a flexible combination of time/temperature/light/sun rise+set/inputs/Nexa. It supports up to 20 individual programs each having 20 rows for maximum flexibility.

Above is the main page of the Auto Control Programs(aka “ACP). Up to 20 programs are supported, each of them can control a relay or a Nexa remote switch.

In this example only two programs are in use. The first one control a heat source based on temperature. The “Enabled(Row 1)” means that row 1 is currently matching the criteria set up for it. The second row controls something based on the sun’s position(above or below the horizon).

The digit, 0 or 1, between () after the relays “Nexa 1″ and “Light” show the current relay state. It can also be (X) which means a relay has not been set up for the program.

Disabled programs are by default hidden in order to make the page easier to read. Click “Show disabled programs” to show them.

It is possible to override the program either permanent or temporary for a specific number of minutes or up to a certain time of the day. Leaving the “minutes/HH:MM” field empty gives a permanent override, entering a number overrides for X minutes, entering a time in 24 hours format, for ex: 13:30, overrides to that time of the day.

Above is shown the settings of the “Light” program.  (Click the image for a bigger version)

Each program is made up of up to 20 rows. Each row is evaluated starting with number 1 and ending with number 20, meaning that the last matching criteria found will decide which state a relay will have. Each program is in its turn likewise evaluated starting with number 1 and ending with number 20. In this example the relay is set “On” if the sun is above the horizon and “Off” if the sun is below the horizon. It would not have been enough with row one being the only programmed since it would have left the relay on(unaltered) while the sun is below the horizon, as there are no default on/off for a program.

A program’s Mode selects if the program should be Enabled, Disabled or Clear all its settings.

Relay selects which relay/Nexa remote switch the program should control.

Name is a user defined name for the program.

A program’s row Mode selects if the row is disabled or enabled in different modes: On, Off, On pulse, Off pulse or Toggle when the row’s criteria is fulfilled. On and Off simply turns the output On or Off. On pulse and Off pulse pulses the output On/Off for a selectable number of seconds. Toggle toggles the output every time the row’s criteria is fulfilled. Note: Toggle is not supported if the output is in a remote Webswitch.

Weekday is used for time based control. Several options are available, both groups of weekdays and individual weekdays.

Hour from, Min from, Hour to/Min and Min to/sec set up the time interval for the selected day(s). An active time interval for a specific row is displayed with yellow background.

Temperature is used for temperature based control. Selecting Above will make the row active if the Degrees(C or F) is above the entered number. Entering 22 will make the the row active if the temperature is 23.00 and higher. Selecting Below will make the row active if the temperature is below Degrees. Entering 20 will make the row active if the temperature is 19.9999 and lower.

Temp sensor selects which temperature sensor to use. An active temperature interval for a specific row is displayed with yellow background.

Light is used for sun up/down based control.  Selecting Sun up will make the row active if the sun is above the horizon, and Sun down will make the row active if the sun is below the horizon. For this feature to work the SNTP setting as well as longitude and latitude must be programmed.

Sun offset morning adds or subtracts minutes to the sun rising time if using sun up/down control. Sun offset evening does the same for sun set.

Allow manual override is used to allow manual control of the relays/Nexa remote switches in combination with an ACP. If No then a manual control will be overridden by the programs currently active state every minute, if Yes a manual override will be valid until next state change of the Auto Control Program.

The three columns showing And with blue background can either be And or Or and is used to combine the different parts Time(Weekday), Temperature,  Light and Digital Input to a more complex rule for that row. For ex having different temperature ranges for different days, etc.

Above is shown the pulse mode as well as the digital input control. (Click the image for a bigger version)

The pulse mode allows for a relay to either stay on(high) or off(low) for a programmable duration at a specified time. The duration is entered as minutes+seconds in the fields Hour To/Min and Min to/Sec. The relay must initially be set manually on or off.

In this example relay R2 will pulse on(high) for 15 seconds at 16.09 if digital input 1 is low.

Digital inputs  can be used in combination with time, temp and light per row. Version 4.23 and newer has a new design with separate digital inputs and state fields. Nexa switches can now be used as digital inputs too. If ‘Use received Nexa codes’ is enabled then a Nexa remote sending a previously programmed code can be used as part on a program rule.

In the example above the Nexa remote switch is time and temperature based.  (Click the image for a bigger version)

Monday to Friday all day the relay is On if the temperature is below 20, Off if the temperature is 23 and higher. On Saturday and Sunday the temperatures are 21 vs. 23 instead, allowing for a little higher temperature. The yellow backgrounds show current conditions satisfied by the programmed rules.