Jun2026

June 29, 2026, Monday

Been working with the Lutron software and reading the materials that were provided to my last Friday by Lutron Technical Support. I have downloaded (extracted) the programming in the system, and am now going through it attaching useful names to each zone, etc.

Using a real Windows 98 SE setup on Compaq Armada laptop, which has an RS-232 serial port
Have installed Windows 98 SE into a VirtualBox virtual machine on my Windows 10/11 systems to learn and explore
Have been using an HP thin-client running PuppyLinux with an RS-232 serial port to easily send commands to the system in my efforts to discover which circuit/zone is which:
- to initialize the serial port baud rate:
  - # stty -F /dev/ttyS0 9600
- to send a command:
  - # echo -n -e "<$command>\r" >> /dev/ttyS0
- to receive response:
  - # cat /dev/ttyS0
- I've been using two SCREEN terminals to switch back and forth between sending and receiving actions

Once everything is correctly identified, I'll make changes and reprogram the system. In particular, I need to determine:

Does the system control the Patio Propane Heaters?
Does the system control now or in the past landscape lighting?
Can I add control of the Shop lights?
Can the pool be controlled by the Lutron Homeworks system? (triggering relays to control the pool controller?)
Can the gate be controlled by this system? (using a relay?)
TODO:
- confirm the Remote Power Module (RPM) configurations
- continue to determine which zones are which; perhaps signal trace unkown zones

The x3 overhead lights over the Front Entry Patio Doors are never lighting up since we've been here. I pulled one from its socket (using the long, long pole with bulb grabber end) and have found it burned out, but for reference it is: Philips Eco Vantage Flood25 Halogen 50W

June 25, 2026, Thursday

Lutron support - 844-403-1795 -> 1 (Tech Support) -> 1 (Residential) -> 2 (Homeworks)

Called Lutron
- Spoke with Jose, who then switched me over to Bill Ashley in Legacy Support
- Latest software for the "Original Homeworks" is 3.00A
- Bill provided, via email, a Sharepoint dropbox link which provided documentation and the latest programming software for this original generation of the Homeworks platform.
- I downloaded and burned onto a CD all of these resources.

June 19, 2026, Friday

Trying to locate a Lutron dealer that can assist me in re-programming the lighting system. Based on the HW-MA-8-120 processing unit. Put in a number of calls:

Citrom Home Automation - Los Angeles - 818-888-8877 - spoke to woman who said 'Eli' ("ellie") would call me.
- Eli called and we chatted, but sadly he was no helpful. He argued that the system was very obsolete and should be changed for a new system. Even the HomeworksQS system is out of date. The one to install, he said, was the HomeworksQSx system, but it would not be able to utilize the OpticEye, or keypads, or RPMs that I already have in place. He wished me luck.
VP Electric, Etna, WY - 307-733-9711 "Eric" LVM @ 2:20pm
Advanced Integrated Systems, Tremonton - 435-754-7066 - Spoke with "Emily" in support. She will have someone callback
Advanced Custom Electric, Jackson, WY - 307-734-2921 - "Tony" in service LVM @ 2:40pm
Custom Concepts - Jackson, WY - 307-733-6683 ??? VM announcement didn't sound like the right outfit....
Chesley Electric, Park City - 435-655-0382 - "Dennis" in service LVM @ 2:45pm

June 18, 2026, Thursday

Installed 'foundation' under the pool lighting cables pedestal using two (2) courses of 16x8x2 cinderblocks, dry fit. This raises the pedestal four (4) inches above the solid ground and about two (2) inches above the mown grass. This will allow the lawn crew to use their string trimmer to edge the grass without damaging the stucco-covered pedestal.
Assembled and positioned Rebecca's cast iron armillary on the pool light cable pedestal. It is a mere decorative device, not really designed for accurate time reading, but it does have the hours marked correctly, and the North, East, West, South indicators on the base, so within a wide margin it may well tell time. Of course one must remember that it will read one (1) hour late when daylight savings time is in effect.

June 15-17, 2006, Monday-Wednesday

Pool repairs were started:

Plaster spalling/flaking and cracking on:
- east side wall just under water line about 1/3 down toward deep-end
- floor on west side of center-line about 1/3 down toward deep end
- spa benches edge cracks on all threes ides and under skimmer
re-mounted north pool light that had popped out of its mounting
re-attached and grouted the deep-end cross-wise green-ish tiles under cover
cleaned and filled the groove/gap between pool-edge coping and the concrete decking with sand, backer-rod, and Sikaflex (??? what specific product ???) sealant
Found the cover ropes worn:
- replaced the east side rope only, did not have two (2) rops
- awaiting the west side rope to arrive
- meantime, the cover is skewed now, and will not operate
Sump-drain installed at cover box drain on east side of cover box:
- A large hole was dug and the PVC drain line was found simple ending on the outside of the cover box.
- instead of attempting to connect the drain line to the box drain, we elected to create a sump drain:
  - dug out a large volume of dirt that exposed the cover box drain, and the PVC drain line to the sand pit
  - filled the hole with decorative river rock pebbles (from Lowe's) and then pea gravel on top of that
  - installed a rectangular sprinkler box with cover over this sump, allowing for future clean out or renewal of the gravel bed
- water now drains from the cover box into the gravel bed sump and then from there to the sand pit by way of the PVC pipe