Teken

Hello Mark, There wasn't a real reason for using the glow in the dark paracord. It just so happen to be the first bunch I grabbed from my rope box. I have about 35 different types of ropes in various material for climbing, repelling, pulling, securing, etc. The glow in the dark tracer paracord intended use case is to help locate zipper pulls, gear, and for location marking like on a tree / rock. The one's I have on hand will remain illuminated for more than 12 hours which offers plenty of time for the sun to rise for the next day. I wanted a low tech / low cost method which did not require batteries, chem sticks, etc which could be reused over and over again for emergency / survival purposes. For more high visibility use case I rely on low yield radiated cells . . .

I just went with the old school method and hung up a tennis ball on a glow in the dark string. Car approaches and hits the windshield in the center of the rear view mirror - you know the vehicle is in the proper location. Then again I don't have to worry about depth as I made my garage to be longer (24.XX feet deep).

As I stated above all of the safety measures need to be adjusted and calibrated per the makers recommendations for the loads and unique environmentals at play. Of note newer models like mine also monitor the cable tension and this is yet another element that needs to be fine tuned and fully operational. When the safety eye is not operating as expected the other elements come into play in a critical manner. Its not just the fact the door should auto- reverse itself its how much force it must detect before doing so. Lastly, the crush depth setting is one of many critical setting(s) to ensure a long lasting door gasket seal. In my travels all of the DIYers that have done it themselves almost always crush the door to the dead bottom. This Is Wrong . . . The amount of deflection is based on the thickness, material type, and surface level. The largest door in the home should never allow any light / air movement to enter a properly sealed door assembly.

Too funny I was just watching a you tube video from the icom rep with two good old boys on their channel about the IC-7300! It would be fantastic to be able to talk to you and others across the 49th parallel via SSB! You could be my *Elmer* to figure out all the jargon and technical stuff. Ha . . .

Hello Frank, For any hollow walls try to find a reputable company that does cellulose blown in insulation. Essentially, they cut out holes at the top and the bottom of the wall cavity. They then insert the hose at the top and blow in the cellulose until it compacts and starts to fill the void. Once its properly filled and compacted they wait for the cellulose to spew out the bottom . . . At that point they rinse and repeat the entire procedure until all the walls are insulated. The reason for using cellulose is due to the higher density when compared to fiberglass. Next, because cellulose due to its density offers higher rejection of heat soaking / heat transfer. Almost all the latest cellulose products are green and don't use any harmful VOC's, and have added chemicals which make it almost fire proof and rodent / bug repellent. Lastly, because the material is dense it offers excellent noise abatement along with sound deadening. I would encourage you to also insulate as many interior walls to while this process is underway. Again, doing so will ensure each room, zone, floor offers its own insulated box / container. You will quickly notice heating / cooling for specific zones will require much less run time along with privacy. Should you ever be considering a large reno where some or all the ceiling, walls, will be replaced consider PCM technology. Phase Change Materials are the latest technology which allows a person to add mass / density to a home superstructure with out the added weight. The latest PCM drywall and wall boards offer 2-10 times the density of concrete, brick, and stone. The benefit of PCM technology is that it operates in the reverse fashion very much like an ice cube. When its cold the PCM material will change state and absorb the ambient heat and when it cools down it will release that same energy back into the room in a gradual manner. This technology and process ensures any room, floor, zone is not impacted by variations in quick rise in temps / dip in temps. Which ultimately offers greater comfort and reduced energy costs over the long run. BWT: So awesome to know you're a HAM operator - as I have just started on this journey myself and look forward to taking the test hopefully by years end. At the moment I have been reviewing various pieces of gear for travel and in home stations. Icom series transceivers like the 7851 unit . . .

This sound exactly like how my cousins are in Texas. LOL . . .

Frank, That was awesome insight and thank you for circling back with the group. I noted you said the stucco walls have no insulation at all was that a typo?!?! If true you literally have stucco -> vapor barrier -> OSB / Plywood -> 2x4 / 2x6 Framing -> Drywall / Plaster? If so I can only imagine the massive amount of heat saturation with my thermo imaging gun! It would be like living in a hot box oven . . . Wow!

I am more curious to know why its taking so long for Amazon to sell Echo, Dot, Tap, world wide? Worst case allow sales Canada or any English speaking nation. Its a massive gold mine that Amazon is sitting on yet leadership is squandering away. With Apple, Google, Microsoft, Sonos, and many others committed to releasing their own voice hardware what is the deal?!?! Its not like the public wouldn't understand certain features or platforms would not be ready in all markets. All I know is if it wasn't for my a good friend and partner in crime Big Bad Barry (BBB). I would still be left on the side lines looking through the window as others enjoyed the convenience and power of the Echo.

*Safety Nancy* I can tell you with 100% certainty what elvisimprsntr offered in terms of risk & liabilities should not be summarily dismissed. Regardless of the method you use to remotely control your GDO there are many basic elements which maybe 2% of the population actually ever does. I've blogged about this for more than 25 years and have yet to see, read, or witness a soul ever doing the following. Keeping in mind none of this is fun, exciting, or top of mind given the real world. 1. Smoke Alarms: Perform monthly checks by pressing the test button. Change out the batteries based on DST change or validate the voltage with a DMM to ensure the batteries are still with in tolerances. 2. AFCI / GFCI: Perform monthly checks by pressing the test button. Ensuring the unit trips and can be reset per the manufacturers specifications. I can tell you 100% of the members in this forum have failed to do the above. Now I want each and every one of you to consider the following for the GDO. 1. Safety Beam: Is the beam alignment to specifications? Have you tested it to ensure upon detection the door reverses? 2. Emergency Release: Have you confirmed the cable is sound and properly attached. Does pulling the release operate per the makers specifications? 3. Torsion Springs: Have you inspected and confirmed all springs are sound and loaded per the door load? 4. Counter Balance: With the emergency release enabled does the door hold its position in all positions? Can you lift the door with one finger and it shoots straight to the top? If so wrong . . . Does it require both hands with great strength to lift or pull the door up or down? If so wrong . . . A properly balanced door will require one hand to lift and pull from the handle with a minimal of force. The door should never shoot straight up - if it does the amount of turns on the torsion spring is preloaded too high and will result in early failure. If the reverse is true then it will require too much effort to lift the door when the GDO fails. All of the above impacts the GDO motors long term service life . . . 5. Force Detection: Following the makers installation manual the force detection must be calibrated and validated on a regular basis to ensure it meets the stated specifications. 6. Crush Depth: Is the GDO properly set to close at the proper depth per the makers installation guide lines? These six basic things I can guarantee you not a soul has ever done on a regular basis, none. If people can't even do the smoke, AFCI, GFCI, monthly checks what makes them think they would ever consider doing the six inspection elements I just listed for the GDO?!?!? This doesn't even address basic maintenance of checking the rails, guides, and wheels. Anyone who feels uncomfortable in doing any of the 6 steps I listed off I would encourage you to call a certified GDO installer you trust to perform the very same. Have them show you each of the steps so you can do it later. Doing so essentially has given you a paid lesson to the inner workings of your GDO which is for the better. In my travels I have seen more damaged cars, bikes, and sadly deaths because people don't take the time to ensure the largest door in their home is properly installed and operating. To think the latest fad is literal remote control from clear across the globe with out a second thought. Safety Nancy Out . . .

You have at least three things happening. Trigger reverse needs to be removed. You need to change the sensor if you wish to see the I/O Linc LED follow the doors true state. The ISY will need to be placed on a UPS to avoid the auto query upon start up or you can disable it. Placing the controller on a UPS is the preferred choice however. ========================= The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.

In case this is web browser issue try a different one. If its not a web browser issue it could be their portal.

My humble suggestion is you need to get the ISY Series Controller functioning first. One suggestion is to use the firmware that will not go into *Safe Mode* if the PLM is not detected or becomes unreachable. Once the new firmware is loaded you can worry about restoring the 2413S PLM.

Hello Kevin, As always greatly appreciate your on going efforts and development with this fantastic project. I am hoping to get into this project at some point but life has been trying. Perhaps, I may have to weigh out the time vs reward ratio and just send you money for a complete unit! Ha . . .

Only $19.95 for this fabulous device?!?! SOLD . . .

That is so awesome - I did notice the link to the green bean is dead?

Hello Tim, That is a fantastic side benefit of the HP system. As you're probably aware sometimes trying to keep the basement at the proper RH seems like a endless battle and the long term costs in running a dehumidifier can add up. What I have always been interested in is seeing what the standby and running consumption is for these units. Sadly, I have not met very many people who have energy management / energy monitoring devices like I do to document the consumption and costs of said device. Thanks again for the detailed reply . . .

Hello Tim, Does the unit make noticeable amount of back ground noise? Lastly, have you ever used the cooling aspects of this unit for something? Thank you so very much for the detailed reply and feedback. [emoji106] ========================= The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.

If anyone compares the previous 20% sales to the current ones its obvious these promotions are much less in terms of savings. Of special note all of the switches are more expensive using the current multi-pack and their $15, 50, 125 discount. This reminds me of the Aartech sales which don't make any sense and insults the average consumer. Some of their dumb Ads will say *Spend $500.00 and receive $20.00 discount* Yeah, I must be stupid to spend $500.XX on product you jacked up 55% to then offer me a 1% discount only to bend me over for shipping that doesn't relate to real world prices. Then again Smarthome has been guilty of the very same - As I saw the same awesome deals on Amazon.com for various Insteon devices. Yet these scammers indicated they wanted $180.XX to ship $300.XX worth of product?!?! If that isn't a real WTF? I don't know what is . . . It never ceases to amaze me how companies will summarily state they either don't ship to the 51 State (Canada) or make up shipping charges out of their aszz to pad the final sale. To hear, read, and see others write in saying it costs more to ship to Canada or requires more paper work in 2016 is quite the head shaker. Last year there were a few items I wanted to buy from America and using the companies on line shipping tool. It said they would ship up to 50 lbs for free anywhere in the Con 48. Wow, that's most awesome . . . A company will ship something that weighs in an excess of 50 lbs for free all across the freaking nation! That is tens of thousands of miles from WA to FL does anyone know how freaking far that is!?!?! Yet this stupid company will not, ship to Canada, or if they did which by the way was only 200 miles away from my border wanted $1200.00 for shipping a 50 lbs item?!? To think if you live in the good old United States of America they will deal with you on the up and up. Treat you fairly and offer you the very best service known to man kind. Yet, if you live 200 miles outside of the unicorn State they will be more than happy to screw you over and gouge you for no other reason because they can. So yeah my personal experience with the so called *Global Market* has been mixed. The only saving grace has been fantastic members on this board and others who have stepped up to help a friend to make those purchases. I am always humbled and proud to know America has some of the best people in the world where taking the time to help out another is second nature. So, despite my rant on companies that like to scam Canadians - Our American brothers always come to the rescue!! Thank You - One and all . . .

Oh Larry, You just stole my *SkyNET* thunder . . .

I used a vocal request for the device to download NBC News. I was under the impression it was going to be global news and not just focused on the presidential race?!?! Regardless, the steps to invoke the down load was very easy and smooth - Alexa did inform me that it could take a few moments for the new skill to load and made available.

I was thinking your reply was going to be a lot different but follows what I and others have expressed. So I guess that issue is put to bed besides the fact the AC shouldn't be called to duty in the dead of winter. Unless its a hybrid / heat pump style unit which not very many have or use in colder climates. I would tend to think a person would know if the home was in a transitional weather period like summer to fall - winter to spring. Leaving it in auto would be more than fine as tens of millions of people do this every year. But once the extremes of summer - winter is fast upon us they would ensure the TSTAT would be in the proper setting of heat vs cool.

This is exactly how I and probably tens of millions of people would expect the *Auto* to function and operate. Like you I have sat on the side lines for quite awhile in not incorporating the so called smart TSTAT's into my network. Considering I have no less than six Venstars in my home one would think at least one of them would be controlling the HVAC! Nope . . . I am sure there are differing views about *How its supposed* to operate but in the industry auto means exactly that. The TSTAT is supposed to automatically call for heat / cool if and when a defined threshold has been seen / met. If its summer time I would expect the TSTAT to be set to cool the majority of times. Keeping in mind I live in one of the coldest places on this planet yet in the summer times it gets hotter than hell for the limited summer days we have. What's my point? Unless your home was built in the early 1900's and is poorly insulated, leaky, and drafty as hell. Most homes will retain their ambient internal temperature for 4-12 hours. I simply can't see the actual need to leave the TSTAT in *Auto* when the two extremes are present. The only time I have seen this used in my view properly is when the seasons are changing from one extreme to the other. Which makes perfect sense because say its fall and the nightly temps drop more than 10-15 degree's you would absolutely want the HVAC and TSTAT to do its job which is to automatically call for heat / cool. This isn't rocket science at all but yet in 2016 people are taking what is a proven technology and making it a death trap or a potential financial threat to the most expensive investment in most peoples lives. The reality is all of us are gear heads who love technology and what conveniences it can offer. But people should not lose sight of the common sense realities limiting what should be done. Just because something can be done - doesn't mean it should! When I see people using HA to offer security, HVAC control, never mind life & safety. I just have to shake my head in disbelief at how tragic we as a people have become. To think last week I was at an install and one of the clients actually spouted off he has his smart lock connected to Alexa?!?! Forest Gump Voice: Stupid is - Is stupid does . . .

Nice addition that was long in coming - now they need to start working on proactive voice announcements. This would be similar to alarm clock feature they have now. The only difference is that those developers would have direct access to the Alexa API and could (define spoken / defined values) that would invoke her to speak. Off the top of my head that would be weather reports such as rain, snow, fog, lightning, high winds, out of band temperature ranges. From meeting, exceeding, or below a specific value for say energy monitoring / energy management. Reminders that could be defined and scheduled to call out *Today is Alexa's birthday*, its your anniversary etc. For those with vision impairment proactive voice would be that missing sense these users could appreciate.

If I didn't read what you wrote how did you think the question came to be? Its called comprehension and I ask you again why do you have options selected when you have no clue what they do? Yet your expecting a positive outcome . . . Considering you stated you have an electronics and computer back ground you would fully understand why I asked. At the current time you have options selected and based on your reply you have no clue how they impact the operations of the device. Again, please read the full users manual and adjust the settings and see if the expected results appear. The Insteon I/O Linc is probably one of the most flexible yet complicated devices Smartlabs has every created. Many of the *expected* behaviors one would believe / should happen do not follow what some would consider basic logic.

Then why do you have the option selected that the relay follows the sensor? Why then do you have option (A) selected if for no other reason that was the default selection?!?! If you don't understand how something operates how do you expect a positive outcome? Considering the very fact this toy is connected and has direct command and control of your heating system one would expect some care? Please read the forums and the full users manual to understand how each mode will affect and impact the final outcome. It would be a sad day if someone died if in the dead of winter heat was called for and it didn't kick in because there was *No reason* to check, validate, and verify proper operations . . .