F-Key Illumination Events for M1 Keypads

The M1 Keypads feature programmable function keys that can be set up to contact emergency services or perform tasks such as controlling lights, watering the lawn, opening and closing the garage door, etc.  The keys may be programmed in the following ways:

    • Using Installation Programming Menu 9, Submenu 4-Keypad Definitions
    • On the keypads screen in ElkRP
    • Using rules

Each key may also be programmed with an illumination event which causes the key to light up under certain conditions.   The light can be programmed to turn on when the event turns on or off.  It can also be programmed to blink.  It can be programmed to follow the state of a zone or output, indicate the arm state of an area, indicate that an alarm occurred, etc.  Let's explore some practical applications.

f-key-backlight

“Is the basement door locked?”

A door contact is installed in the recess of the door jam that accepts the bolt from the lock.  That contact is tied into a zone on the M1 (Zone 1 in this example).  An F key (F4 in this example) is programmed to follow the state of that zone.  This is done on the keypad screen in ElkRP as shown below.  

F-KeyLight-Ex1

When the door is not locked the F4 key will be lit.  You will no longer have to wonder, just as you are getting settled in for the night, if the doors are locked.  Just look at the keypad to see.

Helpful Hint:  A popular option for keypads located in a bedroom is the “LED’s off 60 seconds after no activity.”  If illumination events will be used to detect if doors are locked, set the backlight on the keypad to the lowest setting acceptable for visibility and do not enable this option.  This will reduce the amount of light in the room, while still allowing the customer to see the illuminated F keys if the doors are not locked.

“Is the workshop armed?”

In applications where the system is partitioned into more than one area (like a workshop in a separate building), an F key can be programmed to indicate the arm status of that area.  In this example, although the keypad is assigned to area 1, the F5 key will be programmed to blink when Area 2 is armed.

F-KeyLight-Ex2

The rule below allows the same F key (F5 in this example) to arm Area 2 to away mode.
WHENEVER KEY F4 ON KEYPAD1 ACTIVATES
          THEN ARM AREA(S) 2 TO AWAY IMMEDIATELY

Helpful Hint:  The illumination event drop down box lists ALL event codes for the system.  Some of these events may not be practical to use as an illumination event.  For example, an automation task does not have an on or off state, but is activated at a particular moment.  For this reason if an automation task is chosen as an illumination event, the key will never be lit.

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