Guy Lavoie

Well, just wondering what you have as a test setup and yes, if there is any kind of zwave network that operational. You mention being able to control the switch from the admin console, so I'm deducing that actual communications are working. As for Insteon vs zwave, I'm actually still new to it all. I've only been a UD user since about August, and implemented Insteon switches throughout since that time. I haven't store bought a single new Insteon device; they're all from ebay or marketplace, though a few of them were still new in box. I even bought my eisy as used. I had been using X10 quite reliably for the past 25 years... So my experience has been that Insteon seems very reliable, fast, and versatile. Then again, coming from X10, anything would appear better. As for zwave, I have several zwave door locks. I also bought a half dozen inexpensive zwave appliance modules that are actually for the purpose of creating the mesh network, since the devices I really want to use (the door locks) are battery operated so they don't act as repeaters. I also have a zwave watercop valve. All this installed in the past couple of months so I can't really say much about long term reliability. I do find the zwave reliability somewhat iffy, though my sparse network might be a factor. But it's still a bit odd that it usually works, though sometimes querying a lock will fail to respond. It's as if the network itself isn't consistent.

I've actually done that by starting linking in the admin console, then pressing the button on the device. So both methods probably work.

Is your zwave setup currently just the eisy and that one switch you're trying to configure?

It's like the supermarket. Just when you pretty well have the layout of the whole store figured out and know where to get things, they rearrange the store.

Some aspects of the admin console aren't always intuitive.

What do you mean by "outdoor remotes"? Insteon battery powered mini-remotes? Those usually need to be restored, by relinking.

Well try clicking on them to send your changes after choosing your values. That's how I do it, as indicated in my first post.

What setting(s) are you trying to change? For example if you change the heat setpoint, do you then click on the "Heat Setpoint" button left of the edit field? The fact that those are buttons (and not just labels) isn't always obvious. "Write changes" is usually for parameter or configuration (option) changes, not regular things like setpoints.

I found that Alexa announcements are slow in general (even single ones), up to a minute in some cases.

The eisy isn't considered a "hub" in that sense. You can't just walk into a chain store and buy an eisy as a shrink wrapped product. Chances are that the product will work just fine, since zwave devices are designed around a common chipset.

What device models are they? My garage thermostat example is an insteon 2441TH, and the dimmer is a 2477D insteon switch.

For your first question, did you do a "synchronize" in UD Mobile after adding the new device(s)? From the main screen, click on the three vertical dots at the upper right corner, and click on synchronize.

I just verified on mine (eisy running 5.8.4), and I have access to the other thermostat, and dimming settings.

Good question about the exclamation points. I don't know. Hopefully someone else will come along and tell us. Have you tried the "restore device" on at least one or two of them? What happens?

Yes I've done a downgrade from 5.3.4 to 5.0.16c, and it worked.

Sounds like missing direct links. Did you do any manual linking at some point? That's what the instructions in Insteon device packaging show you. If you did that, and then added them to your ISY/eisy, the linking process will usually allow you to choose to keep existing links, or delete them. If you deleted them (and I think that's the default), then that would explain what you're seeing. Now the thing is this: when you set up a ISY/eisy, it doesn't create direct links between devices like the manual Insteon linking does. It always does it as scenes, in order to include itself as part of the scene, to be able to monitor status and control devices from the admin console or programs. So I suggest that you re-establish those device to device links by creating scenes and adding the devices to the scenes as the appropriate controllers/responders.

Having a spare PLM on hand is always a good idea.

Even better would be to split up the load between two switches. Depending on what you have available, a few lamplincs could be plugged into a power strip. They're only rated for 300 watts though so you'd need 3 or more.

600W would be more of a heat limitation than just amperage through the triac. That's close, but would probably be ok if well ventilated. Just a personal hypothesis... Will you be dimming it? Otherwise a relay switch would be better. Maybe add a box fan to the enclosure?

The easiest (and cheapest) way to couple powerline phases for Insteon is probably by installing a dual band lamplinc module on each phase of your breaker panel, and in somewhat close proximity to each other (ideally in the same room). They're plug in modules, so easy to move around. However if you have lots of other dual band devices, such as wall switches, then this will often be sufficient too. A setup with just a few devices is less reliable than one with many, as is the case with other mesh network topologies. Yes, the 2477S is dual band (has both powerline and rf communications). The dual band technology is a big part of Insteon's reliability. If the only Insteon device(s) you have are wall switches, then trying things like moving it closer to the PLM will be difficult. Tell us what you have exactly, and how they're laid out. I have a mid size setup (about 35 to 40 Insteon devices) and is a mix of dual band and powerline only devices (I bought several lots of used devices). I'd say about 2/3rds of them are dual band. I consciously set them up to have dual band switches in at least every part of the house. Some devices are also rf only, such as the battery powered Triggerlinc magentic door detectors, mini remotes, and the thermostats.

It happens that the tiny pushbutton that the paddle presses can go bad. They had big problems with those back in the early Insteon days, but you might still have the odd occurance, they're mechanical afterall. these switches are pretty common and you can buy them, and repair your dimmer switch.

The 1181 is definitely not Insteon. It is one of Smarthome's very first X10 compatible switches. Then came the 2384, etc. Then came Insteon. On the 2477S, you should see a label with an address formatted such as 47.F2.E0 That's the device address, and what you should try entering when adding a Insteon device manually (though "Start Linking" should also work). But just start with that. The fact that the admin console says the PLM is connected is already a good start.

Have you tried manually entering the device address? Under "Link Management", click on "New INSTEON/A10/X10 Device" and enter the device address. Try this first with a 2477S or other dual band device. Also, where is your PLM plugged in? Have your existing Insteon devices worked there before?

Update what? IoX? Current version is 5.8.4