ehomewatch: winecellar

Each ehomewatch system consists of a base station and one or more satellites, up to a maximum of 8 satellites (please call us if you require more than 8). Base stations continue to register temperature and power outages, but the main function on the base is to receive periodic radio broadcasts from the satellites and to forward information to you via e-mail. Satellites contain sensors which register temperature, water/leakage, and optionally, humidity, motion, and various other factors (call us for a current list).

New at the Base Station

Whether your base station is new or was upgraded to v4, its v4 functionality is the same. Features you should know about are as follows:

System startup display - LED display now shows the following during the power-on (reset) sequence:
- Name of the monitored property (e.g. "Lake House")
- ID of your unit (ehxx)
- Number of satellites configured
- E-mail addresses of recipients for status and alert e-mails
Revolving display - the display cycles through the following screens:
- Current date and time
- Base station name and temperature
- Base station alert conditions, if any
- Satellite #1 name and temperature and date/time of last successful report via radio
- Satellite #1 alert conditions, if any
- Satellite #2 (same as satellite #1)
- Satellite #x (as many satellites as configured)
- NOTE: each screen displays for 5-7 seconds; after last satellite, sequence repeats
Pushbutton Menu - the pushbutton menu is activated by holding the pushbutton (right side) down for up to 5 seconds until the display changes (release as soon as display changes).
- New "radio test" feature assists in placement of satellites for optimum reception. Use as follows:
  - Place the base station precisely where it will be positioned when you leave the house and plug in the AC wall adapter and the telephone line.
  - Access the "test radios" feature by pressing the pushbutton during the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown for "test radios" and then pressing it again during the "Are you sure?" countdown.
  - Power all satellites off, by removing their battery, after unscrewing the 4 screws in the bottom of the case.
  - Replace the battery in only the satellite you are testing. If the satellite is battery powered (no AC wall adapter), remove the battery for 10 seconds and re-insert it. If the satellite is powered from an AC wall adapter, turn the power switch off for 10 seconds and then on again.
  - Immediately after the satellite is powered on, it should transmit a test message once every 10 seconds for 2 minutes (12 or 13 messages). Each message received should display at the base station in "radio test" mode. Included is the satellite's number and the time that the message was received. Look for the time to change in 10-second intervals as each new message is received.
  - Position the satellite at the desired location to be monitored. Note that a few feet to the side or up or down can make a big difference to the radio's range, as do the presence of walls, metallic obstacles, equipment, or machinery. Overall distance from the base, of course, is a major factor. If satellite transmissions are not being received by the base and if two minutes have elapsed since the satellite was powered-on, try taking the battery out the satellite again (10 seconds minimum) and replace it, but this time from a location closer to the base station or, alternatively, try moving the base a bit -- try walking the satellite progressively away from the base to get a sense of the range available. You may need to locate the base station centrally in your house so that all satellites can reach it.
The base station 'takes its temperature' once every 10 minutes to allow it more time to do other tasks and decrease the possibility of missing radio receptions.

New at the Satellite

V4 supports 3 types of satellites as follows:
Type A: original ehomewatch 3 inch by 5 inch satellites which run on AC wall adapter power with 9 volt alkaline battery backup
Type B: 3 inch by 5 inch satellites running on 3.6V AA-sized lithium-ion batteries
Type BB: 2 inch by 3 inch satellites running on 3.6V 1/2 AA-sized lithium-ion batteries

All batteries should be replaced yearly. Lithium-ion batteries are available at various sources on the Internet. Please match the battery type found in your unit as shipped.

All v4 satellites transmit every 10 seconds for two minutes immediately following power-on. This sequence is designed to be used in conjunction with "radio test" mode (see previous base station section) to help you place the base and satellites for optimum reception.

After the 2-minute power-on period, each satellite goes into power-save mode and transmits periodically, in order to conserve batteries. The time between transmissions varies, but typical intervals follow:

Type A: Transmits every 2-3 minutes
Type AB: Transmits every 3-7 minutes
Type BB: Transmits every 14 minutes

V4 E-mail Reports

V4 reports are similar to previous reports, except they show additional information pertaining to your settings such as the min and max limits set for temperatures, and header info does a better job of identifying the source of the reports. When you use the ehomewatch website to make configuration changes to your system, the reports let you know that changes have been received. As noted in the documentation regarding configuration changes, it takes two calls for new settings to take effect -- one to receive the settings, and another to include them in reports.

A Few Important Notes