Parking unattended when conditions are not safe

Sequence Generator
1

Long post,my apologies.

Situation:

My partner’s computer controls roof opening and closing (via Sky Roof) and my computer is on the same network. My partner uses CCDAutoPilot. I read the weather via Sky Alert through the network connection with my partner’s computer.

Sky Alert is set up in Program Settings/Safe/Unsafe Limits for wind (25 mph), humidity (85%), temperature (-20F), Dew point and daylight. (I think "cloudy is defined in there somewhere also in terms of percent and time.)

I have no control over “Observatory” so SGP has “No Observatory” designated in my profile.

I have Safety as “ASCOM Boltwood OK to Open” with the parameters cloudy, windy, dry, dark.

I assume that these parameters have values defined by Sky Alert in its program settings and that it takes those values from the Sky Alert text file such that if, for example, the txt file states that wind is 30mph, SPG will report unsafe conditions.

Question: Is this the correct interpretation?

I have Safety as “ASCOM Boltwood Observing Conditions."

Problem #2: I have no idea how to"Set the maximum safe values for each parameter."
However, if the parameters such as cloudy are taken from the Sky Alert Program Settings/Safe/Unsafe conditions, then I do not think I have a problem. If any of those conditions are exceeded I would expect SGP to abort the sequence and begin end of sequence commands.

Question: Is this the correct interpretation?

If the answer to both questions is “yes,” then I think all is OK. Even though our roof is controlled via CCDAutoPilot interfacing with Sky Roof, the roof will not begin closing, even if commanded to close by CCDAutoPilot, until all scopes are safely parked using our "make the beam"systems.

If this is not true, then I will need help with additional setup.

Thanks for reading this long post and for any the help,
Ed

2

The Boltwood driver is intended to work with a Boltwood sensor. How it works with other devices, such as SkyAlert depends on how they emulate the Boltwood output.

I would expect that things would become unsafe if any of the conditions are exceeded, it becomes more cloudy than the limit, if it gets light, if the RH increases and so on. Any single property going unsafe should trigger the SGP’s unsafe behaviour.

What I’d do is try it:
Shine a light on the light sensor and see if the light limit is triggered. Your park process should start.
Cloud sensors usually work by measuring the sky temperature with an IR thermometer, the colder the better. Try holding your hand over it to simulate cloudy conditions.
Try spinning the anemometer so the wind limit is exceeded.
Spray water on the rain sensor.

Or reduce the trigger thresholds so some normal condition is unsafe.

A bit of experimenting should give you an understanding of what the various parameters do.

3

As it turns out, the answers to both questions is “yes.” However, the Boltwood app at the ASCOM site is not optimized for the Sky Alert/Sky Roof system. There is a tweaked version that Jim at innovativeastronomy.com sent me written by Daniel Maloney. I installed this version. I have not tested it yet, but will soon.

Ed