How Do I Turn Off My Lights when I Arm Away on My Honeywell Alarm System?

You can automatically turn off your lights when you set your Honeywell alarm system to Arm Away by setting up an automated Z-Wave scene within your security panel. In order for this to function, you will need to have some sort of Z-Wave module installed into your Honeywell security panel.

Complete the following steps to do this:

1. Install a Z-Wave module. A Z-Wave module is required to set up a smart scene that will be used to automatically turn off the lights when the panel is set to Arm Away. The best type of Z-Wave module to use depends on the security panel that is being used. The Lyric Controller already has a built-in Z-Wave module. For Lynx panels, we recommend using the Honeywell L5100 ZWAVE controller. Vista panels will require a Honeywell Tuxedo Keypad with a built-in Z-Wave module or a Honeywell VAM. Once the module has been obtained, it will need to be installed into the panel. This process will vary depending upon the model.

Below is a video an L5100 ZWAVE controller being installed into a Lynx Touch panel:

2. Learn-in a Z-Wave light. After a Z-Wave module has been installed, the panel will be able to automate Z-Wave devices. To have your light function with an automated scene, it must be a Z-Wave compatible light. To learn-in a Z-Wave light with your panel, you must access the inclusion mode on your panel. This is usually found under "Tools" in the panel's automation menu.

Once your panel is in inclusion mode, activate the light to have it automatically recognized by the system. The process of activating the device varies between different Z-Wave lights, so check the instructions for your device. Some lights require you to simply flip the switch, while others may feature an inclusion button that you need to press.

The video below explains more about the process of learning-in a Z-Wave device with your panel:

3. Create the scene. You can create a new scene either locally through your panel or remotely through Total Connect (if enabled). When creating the scene locally, you will name the scene, add the light switch to the scene and set the light to "Off". Save your changes when finished.

The video below will show you how to create a new scene using a Honeywell Lynx Touch panel:

4 Apply the scene. A scene is applied by using a rule. This can be done using the panel or through Total Connect. Please note that if the scene was created using Total Connect, then you must use Total Connect to set up the rule. Likewise, if the scene was made at the panel, then the rule must be set up at the panel. When creating the scene through Total Connect 2.0's smart scenes, the rule and the scene are both programmed through the scene programming wizard.

When you are setting up the rule, you must instruct the rule to run the desired scene when the panel is set to Arm Away. Once you have finished, your panel will process the scene to turn your light off whenever you arm away.

The video below will show you how to create a new rule using a Honeywell Lynx Touch panel: