larryllix

I experimented for a few months with HS2 using an Insteon Hub and found some of the logical constructs missing.` I switched to ISY about two years ago and felt much better about a smaller energy usage machine that didn't threaten to fail constantly with old moving mechanism parts and a way over complicated OS than needed just to do a controller job. In the end ISY feels more reliable, professional and user friendly, while HS2 felt more like a hack project out of somebody's basement with promises of doing everything. ISY has no virus software written for it that I have heard of. Larger OS systems abound with virii threats.

I have four LS units and none have failed yet in the last or so I got my first one. Insteon device are very reliable once you get over the initial quality assurance phase (month or so) What does fail is programming that is not fully tested. I think we are all guilty of that occasionally. Even when tested there is some sneak thing that can happen down the road that you never thought of but... consider what would happen if you didn't install the LS in the first place. I have been lucky with only a few leaks that wet my basement and the floor in the laundry room. I can write programs to protect things fairly reliably now and trust myself but it's the little side effects that get caused, like resetting the alarm system I wrote for it, not being able to reset the alarms, reset the water back on, alarm lights getting stuck on etc.. etc.. Those things become harder to test. Time will heal this after real life events but you can be far away and be embarrassed when your house lights all flash for an hour and the neighbours come with guns.

You can't use a Status to detect a LS heartbeat. It may never change and status only detects change in status. Here's what happens On...On...On....On....On.... Do you ever see an Off? Then the status would never change. Use "control", as it detects the command whether the status changes or not. Also put the "OR....is switched Off" back into the If section. Some LS produce both alternating so "On" only comes every 48 hours. Also put the 25 hour Wait back in or the detection system doesn't work at all. Go back and re-read the programs. Think of status as how the device was left, control/switch as the command that changes things whether they change or not.

Just worked in that field for 34 years. I don't know where this would be publicly revealed but IIRC Ontario Hydro established the averages for accounting purposes based on their few million units. The mechanical units were put out for 12 years and then about 5-10% sampled and the group left out for another 2,4,6 or 8 years before another sample was done. Short of newer and cheaper metals for the gears nothing ever went wrong with such a simple device. The CPU based units are put out for 6, or 8 years and brought in 100% due to lack of reliability. Much of the short lifespan is due to technology obsolescence so far as things are really changing in that field. A lot of this was due to the offering of proprietary radio systems that utilities jumped into before de facto standards were established. Surges take their toll and CPUs can make readings jump at any digit in the reading, go backwards, blank, or display garbage. We can thank our thoughtless politicians for costing us billions of dollars to throw non-recyclable meters in the garbage, in Ontario, over a two year period, just to raise the cost of energy. I sat face to face with the one responsible, here, and felt like kicking him where it hurts.. grrrr..... Politician shouldn't be involved in decisions. An electronic meter with a CPU and a digital radio with all the bells and whistles that sells for $22-$28 is bound to have problems. hmmmm... that may have been $18 the last time I heard. http://www.emfwise.com/smartmeters.php This article states 12-15 years and 50 years for mechanical types but from Ontario Hydro surveys those figures are too high. Heck, I spent my first dozen years (late 70s) working with GE I-30A meters. The number tells the first year released.

Or double or triple or half the frequency. Even two frequencies generate a mix of the sum and difference between frequencies as a side effect (beat frequency), so again.... who knows? This radio metering stuff is all new to utilities so I am sure if you explained your problem they would accommodate you to investigate. These electronic meters only last 10 years at best instead of the 32 year average for the old mechanical ones.If there is a problem the utility want to know about it before they buy another 100,000 units.

If it really comes down to the last straw....call your utility and ask them to pull the meter for a few minutes while you run some tests with your system. You may get better response by flagging down a truck on the street or making up a story about your meter making a strange noise. LOL Have your tests ready before they get there Who knows? The meter could have a radio out of spec or crashing.

Yup " Bought this one to use to get data from the basement, need to control the temp and humidity down there." In his case as long as the basement door stays closed and the heater isn't too large than not too many negatives can happen with a suck on heater. I saw too many bad-meter complaints in my carreer from 1500 watt heaters, the kids left on in the basement sound room, when they went off to college last September. "But the main furnace gas bill for the winter was real low for some reason." Yeah "the heater is only a little one" but at 1500watts x 24hours x 31days x $0.20/kWh = $223.20 extra for the month. YMMV Not the end of the world, if your Insteon comm fails, and the unmonitored heater sticks on, in an open space.

Temperature reports by exception to rules inside the 2441ZTH. The rules are outside about a 1.5 degree C bandwidth and you just have to wait for it to change that far. Take a hair dryer to it for a few seconds to start it off if you can't wait. Humidity reports on a timed cyclic basis and can be used as a heartbeat to detect if the thermostat is still alive. Although it may report the same RH and ISY may not report the input to trigger programs. I wouldn't use a wireless thermostat to control house temperatures if this is the only source of heat. Humidity, or for a heat source that is not the only one, and doesn't have the capacity to overheat an area, fine, but that is season dependant also.

Sure. Use the Wait command and repeat the line. This need to be investigated further as Insteon uses two different frequencies and mediums or transmission, powerlines and RF. It is not likely the meter uses the same frequency. Front House Light - [iD 0002][Parent 0001] If From Sunset + 30 minutes To 10:00:00PM (same day) Then Set Scene 'Front Lighting' On Wait 3 seconds Set Scene 'Front Lighting' On Wait 3 seconds Set Scene 'Front Lighting' On Else Wait 30 minutes (Random) Set Scene 'Front Lighting' Off Wait 5 seconds Set Scene 'Front Lighting' Off Wait 5 seconds Set Scene 'Front Lighting' Off

I use my only SynchroLinc on my dryer and it has worked very well even with the motor starting load of the dryer. Of course the dryer motor may be a much lower surge startup design than a pump motor. This sounds like some research in the internal fuse is required to replace what you have with an appropriate fuse using dual element time delay to handle your motor inrush as well as still protect your electronics in the SynchroLinc. These fuses cost a bit more and possibly the cheapies were used for your units, or maybe all units produced. This is a common problem with people not understanding overcurrent protection devices..

My ISY clock jumped and caused an ISY Query at 3:00 AM last night. This resulted in an I/O Link sensor to report the wrong status and I spent some time investigating why my PV battery charging system failed at 3:00 AM ! I have saved the logs but haven't figured out why my ISY was doing a query at 3:00 AM when I have mine set to go at 4:00 AM each night. I also have to figure out where the false report came from, the inverter algorithm, the I/OLink, wiring, or ISY. Some other program non-completion happened, cancelling my beepers from shutting off. We woke up to two BuzzLinks beeping continuously instead of the allocated 2-3 seconds worth. grrrrrr......

Anytime I use the "repeat Every x time" loop I always include a few daily triggers to restart should this fragile structure stall. If time is 12:01 AM Or time is 6:00 AM Or time is 12:01 PM Then repeat every 1 minute xxxxxxx Else --

I went through some of this dilemma about letting ISY control everything but ended up thinking this way. - I used scenes to "direct operate" my lights from MS units and other three-way switch schemes. The On response is immediate. ISY is not involved, at all. - I use ISY to turn them off again, based on motion, and switch actions. - In many common rooms I don't worry if they trigger during the middle of the day. They are al LED bulbs and cost pennies per year to not worry about it. - In bedroom areas I use programs to modify the scene brightness levels before the lighting is needed.

Overlapping timers could be a problem for simple schemes to implement this in ISY.

If you think of it this is actually asking ISY to accept a passed parameter. This may come in years but I doubt soon. Even if Alexa could accept concurrent commands like Alexa Wait and then turn off bedroom light. whereas the ISY Wait could be a 10 minute program delay to set a flag Then the bedroom light off program could be activated when the timer was complete. I am guessing this could be done now. This would take a bank of variable and routine triggered on those variables. I use that technique now. When Alexa is asked to do each task it could set a "forthcoming" bank of variables based on the task. After the installed wait the "forthcoming" bank of variable would be copied into the trigger bank of variable and the task would run after a delay. "Alexa ask izzy to wait" sets a short timer program "Alexa ask izzy to wait longer" sets a longer timer program "Alexa ask izzy to turn bedroom lights off" set the "forthcoming" bank variable. Of course this would take multiple repeated programs involved in time delays. Commands may become possible like. "Alexa, ask izzzy to delay unit 8 PM" etc.... using the same technique.

Here is a set of programs that I use to alert me of my dryer items. The first program gets alerted by the dryer running after 10 minutes to avoid somebody just looking in the dryer door or tossing in another piece of clothing while running. Included is a notification that the dryer is running too long. This can be caused by the dryer door being open and detecting the light in the drum being on. Cold air is leaked into the house while the door remains open or the timer could be stuck on the dryer. That part would probably not apply to your washing machine and those lines can be removed. Dryer Running - [ID 009C][Parent 0066] If 'Mudroom / Dryer' is switched On And 'Mudroom / Dryer' is not switched Off Then Wait 10 minutes Enable Program 'Dryer Finished.Alert' Wait 1 hour and 20 minutes Send Notification to 'Text Jackie' content 'Dryer Still Running' Wait 3 seconds Send Notification to 'Text Larry' content 'Dryer Still Running' Wait 3 seconds Send Notification to 'eMail Jackie' content 'Dryer Still Running' Wait 3 seconds Send Notification to 'eMail Larry' content 'Dryer Still Running' Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Negative condition in "If" aborts "Dryer Didn't Stop" notifications. The second program gets enabled by the first program, and goes through a sequence. It rings my back doorbell 8 minutes later, it rings my doorbell and a chime in the basement. 10 minutes later, it sends notifications out to cell phones. This sequence is cancelled, at any stage, by opening the dryer door or entering the laundry room to witness the dryer stopped. Dryer Finished.Alert - [ID 0096][Parent 0066][Not Enabled] If 'Mudroom / Dryer' is switched Off And 'Mudroom / Dryer' is not switched On And 'Mudroom / Motion.MudRm' is not switched On Then Run Program 'Dryer Running' (Else Path) Wait 15 seconds Set 'Foyer / Doorbell.Back' On Wait 3 seconds Set 'Foyer / Doorbell.Back' Off Wait 8 minutes Set 'Foyer / Doorbell.Back' On Wait 1 second Set 'Rec Room / Chime' On Wait 3 seconds Set 'Foyer / Doorbell.Back' Off Wait 1 second Set 'Rec Room / Chime' Off Wait 10 minutes Send Notification to 'Text Jackie' content 'Dryer Finished' Run Program 'Dryer Finished.Alert' (Else Path) Else Wait 2 seconds Set 'Foyer / Doorbell.Back' Off Set 'Rec Room / Chime' Off Wait 2 seconds Disable Program 'Dryer Finished.Alert' 'Dryer Running' enables and disables this program. Motion in room or dryer opening cancels notifications.

Oh yeah, I got one of those the other day with an install URL on it that redirected me to the real install software. LOL I think I have only ever watched 1-2 DVD movies in my life since VHS/Beta/8mm died but I still watch about a dozen per week at the theatre, downloaded and Internet and sat. streaming.

DVD? You are having a flashback! I haven't rented or played one of those since I put my VHS machine away. hmmmm... well, rented one...ever?

It has to set to deliver On commands when opened for the OP complaint to be true. An Off signal would trigger the else clause and cancel the then case and the OP complaint wouldn't exist. Also, the door closed can never be detected and the logic never work if Off is never sent. Since the OP now claims, it does work, but didn't previously AND now invalidates the lack of Off arguments above, he must have intermittent comms from his Door sensor to ISY.

Wikipedia was wonderful and working when we were without wondering if Washington was word washing.

As an afterthought v5 can assign variables the value of a thermostat mode and restore them after by assigning the mode the variable value. This could be used to memorise the stat mode, regardless of what mode is currently set, and restore it after the open door policy enforcement.

oooops...Not gonna' be that easy. If Status 'Doors and Windows / Door-Sliding' is On and Status "Air Conditioner' is Mode Cool <----the Mode was set = Off when the door opened. Then Set 'Air Conditioner' Mode - Off Else Set 'Air Conditioner' Mode - Cool The plot thickens with variables. It gets a little thicker, yet, once the compressor delay shows up. When will UDI inclement the "You know what I mean" program line? Probably not good to play with the Mode on the stat but rather just raise the temperature. Changing the mode raises all kinds of conditions like Home/Away, A/C was off in the first place due to spring or fall weather, and possibly a few more unseen conditions.

My wife says the same thing when I continuously clink the fork against the side of my plate or glass. I used the exact pattern sequence I taught her too. Somebody once told me, when a woman finds out they are not the only pebble on the beach they usually become a little bolder. Who wants a pet rock? ....."I don't understand what you just asked me" We are now entering dangerous ground. Please watch your step!

What was her head doing in the cloud anyway? Price of Dom Perignon predicted to increase by 300% this week.

OMG! You mean Alexa is a GMO product? It must be bad for us. Wait.....? !G.M.O.... O.M.G! Signal echo? Anybody succeed in changing their response phrase from Alexa? "Roxanne! Turn on your love lights tonight......". ... head in the cloud....