Cryptic Alarm Emails

[YYCReefer]

Consider the following email alert I got from my Apex Classic:

(Apex Fusion Alarm: apex)
Date 2018-12-09
14:49:59 -0700
Status: OFF
Statement: Set OFF

The status of WHAT is off and the Statement from WHICH module is Set OFF ??

Also, this one:

(Apex Fusion Alarm: apex)
Date 2018-12-09
16:06:09 -0700
Status: ON
Statement: If Swx4_2 CLOSED Then ON

I'm having lots of issues with the ATK I bought so I know that switch is the high water level sensor but it would be great if I could get an email that was less cryptic so the problem is immediately clear; something like:

Statement: If ATO_HI_LVL CLOSED Then ON

I think this could be done with a small virtual outlet but it seems silly to me to have to make an outlet for each and every switch. What am i missing ?

Thanks !

 

[YYCReefer]

Anyone... ?

Buehler.... ?

 

[vhuang168]

The Set Off points to whatever alarm was triggered previously.

Unless you renamed the high level sensor (which I assume Swx4_2 is), it will list the default name of the sensor.

 

[YYCReefer]

The Set Off points to whatever alarm was triggered previously.

Ok, but if there are multiple alarms ? As this is a new setup, I'm slowly sorting out scenarios such as the ATO High Water Level warning trips when the return pump shuts down so I have 3, 4, 5 alarms going off at once sometimes. I'm getting it sorted but it does highlight that these warnings are rather vague.

Unless you renamed the high level sensor (which I assume Swx4_2 is), it will list the default name of the sensor.

How does one rename the sensor without creating a virtual outlet ?

 

[vhuang168]

You will only get 1 alert. The last 1 in the series that is active is what you will get.

You rename the input by going to the inputs page, selecting the input and renaming it in the configuration page.

 

[RussM]

Just rename the switch inputs. For example, SumpHi for the upper ATK sensor

 

[ggdowski]

I've been complaining about this for years. You should be able to create a custom message that can be in normal english that you can easily interpret. It is ridiculous that it sends you some crazy copy of code that is senseless.

 

[slief]

I've been complaining about this for years. You should be able to create a custom message that can be in normal english that you can easily interpret. It is ridiculous that it sends you some crazy copy of code that is senseless.

Virtual outlets or renaming the sensors solves that issue. I make good use of virtual outlets and never get cryptic messages from my Apex or any that I install and monitor.

 

[YYCReefer]

Just rename the switch inputs. For example, SumpHi for the upper ATK sensor

I can't seem to do this because these switches are part of a module (PM2).

 

[YYCReefer]

I've been complaining about this for years. You should be able to create a custom message that can be in normal english that you can easily interpret. It is ridiculous that it sends you some crazy copy of code that is senseless.

Being a techie, I personally don't have an issue with being sent the line of code that caused the error. However, when that line (eg. SET OFF) is used on pretty much ever module in the system, and the module is not identified, it becomes useless.

 

[RussM]

I can't seem to do this because these switches are part of a module (PM2).

Being part of a module does not matter.

You can rename inputs (probes, switch inputs, and flow sensors) using the Classic Dashboard... go to Configuration->Probe/Input Setup.

 

[RussM]

Being a techie, I personally don't have an issue with being sent the line of code that caused the error. However, when that line (eg. SET OFF) is used on pretty much ever module in the system, and the module is not identified, it becomes useless.

There is no correlation between Set OFF and any module whatsoever. "Set" is a programming statement used in output programming. One does not program modules; one programs outputs.



Set OFF in an alarm notification simply means that the only true program statement in the email alarm program is the Set OFF statement. It means that there are no longer any active alarm conditions.... it's an All Clear message.


Let's look at a simple email alarm program:


Set OFF
If Temp > 81 Then ON
If Temp < 78 Then ON


The Set OFF establishes the normal state of the alarm - OFF


The If Temp statements are conditional statements - they will only be true if the configured condition is met, i.e. the temperature is too high or too low. So, if the temp goes above 81, the If Temp > 81 Then ON will be true, and the email alarm will be turned on, and the notification will contain that statement to tell you exactly why the alarm was sent.


When the temp drops below the alarm threshold (81 degrees), the If Temp > 81 Then ON is no longer true, so the email alarm returns to its normal state (OFF) and a subsequent notification is sent informing you of that.... the alarm status will be listed as OFF, because the only remaining true statement is the Set OFF.

 

[YYCReefer]

Right. Makes sense; if there's only ONE alarm.

However, if you have MULTIPLE alarms, the SET OFF statement is not identified as pertaining to any specific module/alarm/whatever. Ergo, you don't know which alarm has been cleared.

To be useful, each and every alarm msg should be clear in where it comes from.

 

[vhuang168]

Right. Makes sense; if there's only ONE alarm.

However, if you have MULTIPLE alarms, the SET OFF statement is not identified as pertaining to any specific module/alarm/whatever. Ergo, you don't know which alarm has been cleared.

To be useful, each and every alarm msg should be clear in where it comes from.

You will only get the Set OFF if all your alerts are over. If you resolve the issue pertaining to the current alert and you have another that is active, the current active alert will show up.

 

[kurt_n]

YYCReefer,

I know what you're saying... it'd be nice if when an alarm condition ceased, the Apex would notify you "Hey... your High Temp alarm is off now". Many folks have lamented the alarm notifications over the years. But they are what they are... that's just not how the Apex was made to work.

You just have to keep in mind that the Apex processes the statements in an outlet in top down order, and the last "true" statement wins. And in the case of alarms (which is just another type of outlet), the last "true" statement is what your alarm notification is. You can have multiple alarm conditions existing, but your notification will only give you the program line of the *last* true one - as Vincent mentioned in message #5.

Your concern about not knowing which alarm is off may be valid, but you never really knew how many were "true" and on to start with. Just view the "Set OFF" message as an all clear.