In HCA we are very pleased to support the Magic Module family of products manufactured by Elk Products, Inc.

The Magic Module is a small, yet powerful, piece of automation gear.  It contains a processor with 16K of memory, 4 relays, and 4 analog inputs.  It contains a connection point for an X10 interface (TW523 / PSC05) or a Access card / iButton reader.   Each Magic Module makes available a 485 Bus connection so that more than one Magic Module can be connected to form a network of devices.

Simply put, up until now you needed to be a programmer to fully utilize the Magic Module.  No longer!  Previously you used a Windows Application supplied by Elk Products.  This software contains two different interfaces.  First, what they call the Application Writer provides a limited set of facilities for you to work with.  While very easy to use, when you exceed its capabilities you have to go to straight to the code editor.  The code editor, while very powerful, requires a programmer who has assembly language like experience. 

With HCA, you do not need to use either of these tools.  All the facilities in HCA - the visual scheduler and visual programmer - are used instead.   When you complete your design and test it, HCA, with direction from you, constructs the memory image for download to the Magic Module and then downloads it. 

If you have worked with the Magic Module in the past, the most important thing to remember is you no longer need to be a programmer to do useful things with the Magic Module.  If you can use the HCA visual tools, HCA takes care of the rest.

In addition to the Magic Module itself, the Magic Module family has many members.

HCA supports all of these family members.

The nicest part of the Magic Module is it's processor and memory.  Using these HCA can translate up to four schedules for download as well as selected programs.  This allows you to take your automation solution developed using HCA on your computer and download portions of it - or the whole thing if needed - into the Magic Module.  This will remove the need to run HCA on your computer.

The Magic Module is a lot  like tofu - you can make so many things out of it!   Some are very simple and some complex.  The Magic Module can be a small part of a automation solution or with a complex set of schedules and programs downloaded that major component.

Here are some ideas on what you can do with the Magic Module (MM) programmed by HCA then left connected to the computer or disconnected.

1. A plant watering system. Using a MM, moisture sensor, and a pump controlled by X10. Would be good for where you have quite a few plants all connected by a drip irrigation system.

2. A plant grow light system. Using a MM with a light sensor and a bank of grow lights. The lights would be scheduled for on and off times but the light sensor would be used to turn on / off the grow lights depending upon ambient light levels.

3. A green house vent system. Using a MM with a temperature sensor and X10 (or low voltage) controllable vents and a fan. Opens vents when temp rises to a certain level. Can turns on a fan when necessary.

4. A water softener salt level monitor. Using a MM with a salinity sensor. Turns on a "need salt light" when running out of salt.

5. Fish pond water level control. Using a MM and a float sensor, turns on a water refill pump if the water level drops below a set level.

6. X10 controllable relays. Assign X10 addresses to the 4 MM relays.

7. Telephone ring on night light. Using the Elk products telephone ring detector, MM, and an X10 interface, turns on lights near phones at low illumination level.

8. Doorbell night light. Using the Elk doorbell ring detector, a MM, and an X10 interface to turn on lights at night if doorbell pressed.

9. Dusk lighting. Using a MM turns on selected lights at sunset.

10. Occupancy simulation. When the Caddx panel arms, put the interior lighting into a simulated occupancy mode and control lights to make it look like someone is home.

11. Access control for small business. Using the MM,  iButton reader, and controllable door locks setup a simple access system to exterior or interior doors.

12. External sprinkler controller. Using a MM and the relays to control a multi-zone sprinkler system using a simple schedule for watering.

13. Interior movement controlled lighting. Using a X10 motion sensor, X10 lighting and a MM to turn on lights. The illumination level would vary depending upon time of day.

14. Energy savings sweeper. Using the MM to "sweep" the home turning off lighting at a given time of day. Turns off forgotten lights.

15. Energy savings - away mode. Using the MM and optionally a security panel interface, have the system know when the user is away and the home/office is unoccupied. Energy saving realized by making sure that high usage items not powered on when no one at home.

16. Pathway lighting. Using a MM and X10 controllable lighting turn on lights to lead a person from one point to another in the home and turn the lights off after a brief (1 minute?) time.

17. Scene setup. Using a MM and X10 controllable lighting set up and take down a scene. For example, a "go to bed" scene which would dim outside lights, shut off most interior lights, turn on bedroom lights, open a pathway to the bedroom, etc.

18. Timed relays. Have the MM relays triggered and then turn off based upon some timeout value.

19. Home self monitoring. Using a MM and various sensors create a "trouble light panel" to establish a bunch of things the MM checks for and if a threshold exceeds have the trouble light come on. Note that the "trouble light" could be a voice announcement via a voice module. Things for user monitoring could be fish pond water level (if a auto refill is not wanted or not possible), water softener salinity level ("need salt"), devices coming on too frequently (a pump for example). etc.

20. No more empty home. Using a MM with either a push button (X10 or wireless) it would turn on lights and whole house audio when returning home. Makes it less fearful to return to an empty home.

21. Better zone identification. Using the MM, voice module, and security panel interface, handle zone faults with better info ("The bedroom deck door is open"). Prevents the user from asking "now where is zone 2?".

Hardware specifications from Elk products

More information on how HCA works with the Magic Module family of products can be found in the HCA User Guide Magic Module Appendix

Support for the Magic Module is in the Plus and Professional flavors of HCA.

NOTE: The ML8 which allows HCA to receive events from a Caddx security panel only works with the Caddx NX8 and not the NX8e.  Elk Product's knows about the incompatibility between the NX8e and the ML8.  It is not something that HCA can work around.  If this impacts you, please contact Elk Product support and report that this is a problem for you.

The Magic Module hardware is not sold directly by Elk Products but their products are sold through many distributors.  A list can be found on the Elk Products web site.

NOTE: HCA requires Magic Module firmware 5.22 or later.  Upgrade chips for any Magic Modules you have are available.  Contact Elk Products technical support for more information.