Using Associations for automatic actions

Associations are a feature of all NERO modules, allowing two devices to communicate over your NERO Network without having to first communicate with the gateway and wait on a scene to trigger. For certain action types, this can mean a noticeably faster reaction between the trigger and device actuation when compared to using a scene. You can create an association between any modules you like, however, they work best when using a sensor module (NERO-MULTI, NERO-REED) as the trigger device due to their optimisation for quick messaging.

Take for example a bathroom with two NERO-RELAYs controlling the lights and fan and a NERO-MULTI for detecting movement. In this case, it would be faster for the NERO-MULTI to turn on the relays automatically than it is to wait for the gateway to initiate a scene.

This is the example we will walk through in this article however you can use any combination of devices.

The more devices you add to the association the more delay you will notice between each device activating, as the trigger device can only control one slave device at a time.

1. Go to your device list and enter the device options by clicking the green arrow.
   
   
   
   
2. Select DEVICE OPTIONS in the area below the controls.
   
   
   
3. Scroll to the bottom to find the ASSOCIATIONS section. The group for On/Off commands is group 1. Enter 1 into the text box and click ADD GROUP
   
   
   
4. Once the group appears in the association's list, click SET to select which device(s) will be controlled when this group changes state.
   
   
   
5. Select the devices by clicking the checkbox. The items with a green check are selected. You don't need to enter anything in the text box unless you need to report to a different location on the target device. Click SAVE when all your required slave devices are checked.
   
   
   
6. Confirm that the Set To: field shows these devices. The IDs are the device IDs of the selected modules. Click APPLY changes and wait a few minutes for the association to set.
   If you are using a battery powered sensor remember to force the device to wake before clicking apply changes.
   
   

How long will the lights stay on?

When using the NERO-MULTI as your trigger devices you may need to adjust the settings of parameter 3 to ensure the lights and fan stay on for an appropriate amount of time. The default timeout will be 4 minutes. When that timeout ends, unless there has been more motion, the OFF command will be sent to the slave devices.

When using the NERO-REED as the trigger, it will turn the lights on when the door opens and off when it closes. There is so timeout options for the Reed as there is for the Multi.

What association groups can I use?

All NERO devices have at least one association group available. Below is the list of association groups available in each device and what is handles. Note that a group doesn't refer to a group of devices but to the command group being broadcast and received. In our example above we could have multiple bathrooms all with the same devices types and settings.

Limitations

While the specification for group associations is effectively unlimited within the bounds of the network limitations (device limits, etc) there are limits to the number of associations that Environexus recommends and supports for Nero Networks.

• Maximum number of associations on a network: 100 groups
• Maximum number of groups per devices: 6 groups
• Maximum number of device members per group: 6 member devices

When using groups you need to also consider the distance between the master devices and the devices it is controlling. Group commands don't route through the network so the devices need to be within transmission range of one another. Generally, this distance should not exceed 15-20m but remember that different types of materials may reduce this.