Teken

Some people have wired a Leviton motion sensor switch to the Micro On-Off relays to accomplish the same task.

That isn't very common here in Canada but after watching lots of home renovation shows it seems to be very pervasive in America. I find it very interesting to see different techniques and methods used to accomplish the same end goal. Then again seeing HWT, AC units in a persons attic is really a head shaker for me . . . I guess also seeing people with out basements is also odd to for some of us. I can understand if the area is prone to flooding or where the soil is not agreeable to build a basement but it seems like a wasted opportunity, no?

Jon, That is a huge thing I have seen first hand in several homes. Lots of folks were buying the very high (MERV) rated filters aka Hepa filters. Lots of people soon found out when the furnace had issues or declared a fault code why it was. Every furnace has a maximum static pressure it can work in and what the MERV rated filters it can accommodate.

I wanted to provide the forum members some visual aids and statistics which illustrates why I followed a different path and approach. Below are three screen captures and one of them shows how much power is consumed when the furnace is taken out of the loop. As you see the image called Fan Only consumes a modest 81.XX watts. The next image shows the furnace brought on line with the (inline) exhaust fan (Fan & Furnace) which consumes 414.XX watts. Lastly, this is what my furnace consumes at its maximum speed out put which shows 551.XX watts. This is why I automate the HVAC system depending upon season, temperature, humidity using the inline exhaust fan option only. The energy savings in this mode simply can not be over stated. This has been a great discussion and lots of insight for me along with many others. BTW: Larry, much thanks for that one link regarding the three different types of motors in use today. I saw something similar two years ago but it never addressed the GE style it was a good read!

Oh Larry, You always make me laugh and bring a smile to my face, thanks!

Paul, Not sure why my subscription didn't tell me there were replies here?!?!? Anyways, the variables monitor some key attributes which in my opinion matter most to the over all (perceived) comfort of the home and to the occupants. Most people know or soon realize that it requires more energy to heat up a humid environment. The second part is determining at what level is acceptable to the end users and what goal is sought. IMHO 40 - 55% relative humidity is perfect in the cold north where I live . . . Once the home is at this level the next important aspect for me is what area is colder / hotter? To some their expectation is to have all (living spaces) to be the same etc. That's fine if that is your goal but for me I've found that to be a waste of resources and is really unnecessary. Meaning if I see a 1 degree change in temperature from another area, floor, zone, that doesn't concern me and I certainly will not chase the rabbit in enabling my systems to compensate for. Note, I am not talking about sensor error or variance but actual temperature differences in the home. All of my sensors have been tested, spec'd, and validated to have a variance of less than 0.5 degree's so in my case I am comparing a Apple to Apple and not to a Water Mellon! Ha . . . Next unlike many the HVAC is not my first line of defense or system to balance the homes environmental temperatures. For me the first things that get enabled and deployed are zoned ceiling fans which during summer / winter offer the bulk of circulation in the home. Obviously the rotation of the fan is adjusted to season its going to operate in so this is my first line of defense. Next are two variable fans which are located high up ( 12 feet on ledge ) which push or suck all the hot air from the vaulted ceiling. Depending upon what is required the fans are either configured to push air or to suck air. This is where the massive 1 wire system grid comes into play because the system is programmed to compare anywhere from 2 to 32 sensors and five humidity sensors. Based on thresholds met / not met the system will continue to (stage) and add more time or bring in other sub systems to meet the final goal. Next, the system will bring on line the over head range and its only goal is to evacuate the home and suck down the hot air being pushed by the two ledge fans. This causes massive movement of air in my home and normally with in 15 minutes all of that wasted and trapped hot air is forced down to the living space where it should be used and enjoyed. At that point if the system has determined the home has met its target the system will shut down all systems until called upon again. If at this point the home still has not met the target the central exhaust is brought on line suck out more air but the key thing at this juncture is that the intake air is not brought on line. The house for all intense of purpose is operating in a negative pressure environment . . . I've found in my home because its so freaking tight that this method allows me to suck out lots of heat during the summer with out the negative impact of in taking hot / humid air. During the winter the furnace is allowed to operate and when the central exhaust is activated fresh cool air is brought in. Same as Scott847 this causes a positive pressure envelope in the home. My red neck method to see air movement and to validate my ideas have all come from using incense sticks. The fragile smoke it billows out allows absolute visuals as to air movement and the impact it has on different circulation methods. With the Autelis Bridge, Dash Box, and Green Eye Monitor, SEG, I can see live all areas, floors, zones, for immediate temperature / humidity and whether or not my systems are working or not. As stated above this empirical data has been outstanding to confirm ideas, systems, and goals. The main reason I pushed to go this route is because it doesn't take much for a person to *feel* like things are fine / not fine. Feeling something is often not very accurate especially as people get older etc. This is why I stressed at the very top control and management of humidity in the home plays more on (Human) then actual temperature. Essentially, I am cheating using humidity to give a perceived warmth, when in fact its actually colder than the family thinks it is. In the summer its the same I let the humidity go straight down in the 30's and this allows the house to be physically hotter and the (perceived) heat is manageable and bearable for all. Hope the above proves helpful to some of you . . . As my main driver has been energy consumption while balancing a healthy home for all.

Either works fine . . .

Paul, Back in the day when I had no reference about temperature / humidity in my home. I did something similar thinking it would help but after deploying my 1 wire sensor array this idea proved to be wrong and a waste of energy resources. My environment is obviously much different then yours given age, build, design which impacts my personal findings. Essentially my home is very tight meaning very little air leakage. It's very well insulated and thus requires less heating / cooling to maintain long term ambient temperatures through out the home. Since the sensor grid has been deployed the fan is activated only 3 times a day set at 8 hour intervals and operates for 15 minutes or extends based on variables met / not met. The final outcome is stable temps as before but less energy consumption during the 8 long winter months. Ideals are peaceful - History is violent

I agree this issue has been reported in the past by a few customers. OP, for the benefit of others can you please state the hardware information listed on the switch & the ISY firmware information. This will at least allow others to track this issue and be able to determine if their devices are prone to this issue and what to look for. As an aside the following quote was offered by Smarthome:

That's True!

Understood but other variables need to be taken into account not just square footage. Since you live in Ontario (humid) when compared to other parts of Canada. A lot comes down to how you use the bathroom and the relative humidity you're comfortable with having etc. As many people know mold and (sweating) in the winter time is due to excessive moisture in the atmosphere. Unless you have a method to measure the humidity in the bathroom you should always try to shoot for 50% or less. Most folks just run the fan for 30 - 40 minutes after a shower / bath which is OK if you're just guessing. The reality is many people never run the fan while taking that shower / bath and simply activate the fan afterwards. This is incorrect and speeds up the natural process of water resistant dry wall from breaking down and molding etc. What should be done is operate the fan when taking that bath / shower and let it continue to run (either) until the humidity is at the level expected or operate it 30 - 45 minutes afterwards. In my home I don't even have to think about it as its all automated and the sensors in the bathrooms and around various parts of the building all monitor the temperature and humidity.

That is not very much CFM's so consider running it a bit longer when you dial it down with the fan linc etc. 1.4 Sones is pretty quiet so it will be a more so (ideally) when you dial it down. Keeping in mind some motors tend to hum even though they indicate they can be adjusted with a dial etc. If this fan is intended for a washroom (toilet) and not a bathroom (shower / tub) then you may want to consider a inline exhaust fan. The benefit of these units are they can be located far away from the point of use and be very quiet while providing tremendous CFM upwards to 800 plus CFM's

NO ETA on the UDI built version so just purchase one directly from Smarthome. Keep in mind you can follow the repair guide also listed in this forum so you will have a back up should it ever be required. Repair thread: http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/13866-repair-of-2413s-plm-when-the-power-supply-fails/?hl=%2Bplm+%2Brepair

How many CFM / SONE's does this fan indicate?

Your firmware and UI need to match so please clear out your Java cache as indicated by the steps to upgrading. Please also install the correct Admin Console to ensure reliable performance and access. Lastly, given the amount of electronics and investment in Insteon its a good idea to install a whole house surge protector (SPD). It should also be noted your house policy should be updated to reflect the extra (value) and equipment present in the home. The only thing that will make you whole is a comprehensive insurance policy that covers all aspects of the home, valuables, and infrastructure.

It may be as simple as rebooting the system and logging back in and you should see it in the device tree. I've seen this happen quite a few times before. Ideals are peaceful - History is violent

With respect to your weather question it really comes down to how close the station is in relations to your local area. Some weather stations can be 25 - 100's of miles from your location which may not accurately reflect the weather. This is more of a concern with rain data because relying on a station that has rain - but your local areas doesn't can waste precious resources etc. For general ambient temperatures the weather module is OK for that purpose. Those who require hyper local weather data tend to deploy a much more expansive solution such as the Davis Vantage Pro units. Doing so allows the end user to send that local data to HAM (this is the weather service UDI uses) but allows the local weather station to report it via the ISY Series Controller. I just wanted to call out those few tid bits for you . . .

LOL, well played . . . That really made my day thanks!

I believe most people can appreciate that life is a balance of risk vs reward(s). A person will need to weigh out what fits their lifestyle, needs, environment. From there I would think most people would do some research in the area of concern and like Paul Bates follow known best practices in those endeavors. In my past life force protection was my trade and profession . . . This is probably why I have a completely different take on security and how its employed in homes, business, and industrial applications. What can not be ignored is we as a people live in an age where information is pervasive, available, and accessible. As many know knowledge is power - but only if you apply that knowledge that promotes positive results in others. People have (enmass) decided to use critical information and exploit even the most basic things in our homes. As MustangChris04 indicated, seeing for the first time a coat hanger disable a locked garage door is pretty unsettling. This is why people have to really consider some aspects of their lives and homes need to be *dumbed* down. When people asked me what are some of the key elements of force protection and how I would deploy such solutions. 99% of them were always shocked with the lack of (Technology) I used as a first line of defense. Technology is great and if used correctly can be most excellent but the reliance on electronics, computers, servo's, and AC/DC powered devices are a recipe for disaster when things go boom! There is a reason the phrase KISS was coined . . . People should try to keep as many things in their lives, homes, work, etc based on KISS. People are hard pressed to count on one hand how many toggle switches have ever burned out or not activated after a power outage. Never mind indicating it was hacked or compromised in a way that the user did not intend it to be so.

When you first get a ISY Series Controller one of the selections when you add a device is to *Keep all existing links* you can go that route. Should that method not operate as you expect you could hard reset one device one at a time and add it back to the system at your leisure. For me as painful as it is hard resetting the entire system just make sense because you won't have to contend with half links or odd behavior. The amount of time invested in this endeavor will soon be forgotten as you move forward with the power of the ISY Series Controller. NOTE: This is coming from a guy who tried to do the above before many times and it simply doesn't work out very well in the long term.

David, Good to hear now rock on . . .

Delete the device from the ISY Series Controller and when it asks to add them back select delete existing links. If that fails to do the job you can perform a hard reset of the device outlined in the users manual. Factory reset is indicated on page 12 listed here: http://cache-m2.smarthome.com/manuals/2477s.pdf

I guess I'll be the first to dissent on the idea of using a Mini Remote for activating the GDO from a vehicle. If you're like most the garage houses some of the most expensive things a man could possibly own. Just consider tools, tool chests, lawn mower, etc. For the small amount of money that a purpose built GDO remote cost and most if not all have rolling (encrypted) code technology it just makes sense to use. Now, if you want to supplement it with control of lights etc. Go for it because that's why Home Automation is for along with access / convenience(s). At some point I hope and expect that Smartlabs will place encrypting the signal for a purpose built I/O Linc as a primary offering. Considering the fact a dual band I/O Linc is already in the works perhaps this is something we shall see together in 2016. In closing, the garage door is the largest entry to the property it should be secured with the same level of protection / access as one would expect a front / rear access door.

I agree with Stu shutting down breakers or unplugging devices and adding them back one at a time is the most practical and definitive method. Keeping in mind its not like you will keep the breakers off for hours. This is done solely to help narrow down and isolate the root cause of the noise maker / signal sucker. If you truly have lots of transformers in the home then there isn't much to be done besides living with the issue. There are various small inline filters and also snubbers that can be inserted with the load to help reduce some forms of disturbances. The benefit and down side of this whole dual band technology from Insteon is that its (over all) very forgiving and I have found lots of installs were simply on the edge of failing. Its the benefit of the protocol and topology that allows a teetering Insteon network to still operate OK. Its when the noise is so persistent that even dual band is not able to over come it. If your previous readings did not disclose the obvious plugin devices are superior in RF range then those installed inside of a JBOX that is just plain physics. Purchase what ever device you wish that fits your needs. I prefer the On-Off module because it serves dual purpose and use when compared to the RE (Range Extender). It also offers more features than the dimmer unit and as far as I can tell is built sturdier.

All dual band devices repeat and regenerate the Insteon signal. Meaning if device 1 comes into device 2 at 50% level. Device 2 will resend that Insteon signal at 100% to the end device say device 3. The only Insteon device that does not repeat or strengthen the signal is the hard wired phase coupler. Obviously battery operated devices do not repeat the Insteon signal to others but simply rebroadcast the same signal 3 times to ensure a successful reception. If there is a outlet outside install a plugin on off module to help the signal. Keeping in mind if it's a noise issue or signal sucker this is just a band aid. Ideals are peaceful - History is violent