larryllix

I already have a box full of X10 modules. Insteon was many steps better than X10. From the talk on forums about Z-Wave it sounds no better than X10.

If Insteon was dead where would we go? After reading about other systems we could do a lot worse than a few junky quality units and lack of variety in modules. ISY contributes a lot to the quality of Insteon systems. I started with a Hub, sent it back as soon as I fired it up and realised how limited it was.

Better to have some control on the quality of many products in the Insteon line like thermostats and PLMs that have bad reputations. If UDI bought Insteon, much of the future market may not develop, as many are afraid of single-sourced products and won't touch them. I have already run into negative comments on cocoontech about Insteon being single-sourced. I understand the fear factor there for professional installers. Now if UDI could get rights to spec Insteon products with a superior spec it could work except that I believe X10 already failed at that that and people just shop by price anyway.

Another Insteon bad capacitor shorts out maybe? Ohh no!... not the SwitchLincs too! We need forensics on this one!

Nahh. It's just old hat for some. Upward and onward!

Make sure the breaker is off and test with a known good tester before working on the circuit. Take a snapshot of the wiring connections before disconnecting in case of snags. All the best. Bob would be proud.

After the tab is pulled out for about ten seconds if you push the tab in and hold it in until the buzzing stops it will factory reset the device. Then you need to relink it with the address for it and found on the metal plate on it's front or on the paper where you wrote it down. After that is done doing the restore should bring it back to full status.

Nice. So you found the SwitchLinc that controls it. That makes it somewhat easier than ladder work or invisible module units..

Don't worry. Restore won't hurt a functioning device and if links are missing in it may make it work again. If the breaker blew the device may have burned out too. We have to find that out.

When running the Admin Console can you identify the device in the device tree list? If you can write down the address of the device on paper. It should be a number format like 28.15.4B and be found top middle under the name. Right click on the device in the list and select "Restore". This may take a moment. If you see some action without errors reported then try the button at the bottom of the device's page turn it on and off.

Have you found the breaker for that circuit to shut it off?

Leslie Is there a switch that controls that outside light fixture?

Thanks guys! I am getting to that same point and looking at IP cameras. I see pass-through devices to add PoE to regular Ethernet circuits. I wonder if it is that simple. It sounds like they want to get the voltage high so that cable resistance won't be such a factor for a camera that could absorb 10-15 watts. At a 12vdc line the 1-1.5 amperes required would get lost in those cat5-6 cables and pinprick connectors.

I have a MS and 244iZTH 'stat units in my shop which is coated with aluminum foil backed insulation and a metal roof. I can barely get a local radio station on the radio there unless it is close to the window. I just plugged in a spare On/Off module to receive the wireless MS and echo it down the branch circuit leg feeding the shop building from my main panel. I have a passive phase coupler installed quite close to the main panel on a different branch leg (with the ISY plugged in within inches of wire from it). I have never had a problem with communications from either of those devices using that method. The outbuilding shop's panel is about 60 feet of wire from the main panel. Now my spare dual-band On/Off module runs my WebControl weather station also and I can now power cycle it via Insteon. With the date and time being sent to ISY as a watchdog ISY can automatically power-cycle the WebControl board and wireless modem if it hangs up..

Get a beer, sit back, and pat yourself on the back for being so smart. It was a tough day. Did you ever have one of the lives where nothing seemed to go right?

Elaborating on LeeG's ideas... Create a state variable "$sSequence" and use the event driven sequencing engine in ISY. Program 1 -------------- If whatever trigger Then ...do some stuff Run (if) Program 1a Else --- Program 1a --------------- If condition to insure Program 1 tasks are complete Then Set $sSequence = 2 Else -- Program 2 -------------- If $sSequence = 2 Then do some stuff Wait to be sure tasks are done Set $sSequence = 3 Else -- Program 3 --------------- If $sSequence = 3 Then do some stuff iWait or other complete insurance. Set $sSequence = 1 Else --

I do this for my mud room lights as no dimming or other On control logic is needed and Insteon motion sensors can have their Off signal disabled. Lights Off is totally ISY controlled. The response delay is undetectable and that is a desirable bonus. I really hate the MS to lamp delay that happens in the dark lasting 1,2,3 or sometimes 5 or 6 seconds going through the ISY program logic and Insteon signal delays. I can trigger the MS and walk completely around the bed and almost get in before the lamp goes on some nights. Perhaps a slow ramp time and let ISY interfere by overriding with Fast On and ramped Off?

OK. In my heating scheme each thermostat looks after it's own zone. Thermostats open the valve or damper (I have none of those), delay a bit to accommodate full open and turn on the main control for heat. As a delayed second stage now they turn on the heat/cold source. They don't interact with other zones. This can apply if you have dampers that don't fully close to accommodate A/C freeze up. Make sure the installer installs a freeze detector that cuts off the compressor. Lack of air movement could be a problem for freeze up and hurt your compressor. No matter what you do the compressor should be OK then. If the compressor cycles too much the house will just not cool enough and you will make amends.

I am not sure why you would want to change the setpoint of the main because a remote zone wants heat? Perhaps during A/C this could apply? I would tend to think to set up your "serious" and hardwired thermostat to do as it pleases and just control dampers with other remote zone stats to open close the dampers for each area. This is provided the main area stat has the highest temp demand and/or the naturally warmest area of the house . I haven't thought about A/C in this thing and completely different rules may apply. I have no zones for my A/C but the air handler runs full out to move the BTUs away from the coil and distributes well. Mind you in the last few years I have learned to keep the hydronic basement floors running with a touch of heat while the A/C is on. My well water running through the basement floor makes it too cold and the heat is recovered to warming up the cold water before hitting the HW heater for usage anyway. Not wasted energy. Two stages can be effected by wing zones opening their dampers and running the circ fan for 5-15 minutes before demanding some central heat A/C. The light heat and A/C days are the hardest to handle. Full on heat or A/C runs the fan lots and the house is usually fairly even when that happens.

This is probably is NOT a good programming practice anyway. If the firmware version changes and an unknown "feature" gets inadvertently removed it could stop working without any warning. You probably tested this to not work on your ISY from 1983 If 0 is 0 Then ....

If I run "If" manually, from the pulldown menu, then runs on this test program (below) turning the light off and then restoring dim. Do you think the "Run at Startup" would be different logic? If - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition') Then Set 'Gathering Room / PotLight over Desk' Fast Off Wait 1 second Run Program 'GathRm Mode.Resume' (If) Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

Does your sync with NTP happen every 24 hours? At midnite? DST changes at 2:00 AM and may not be updated until the next night sync.

You need to find something that will trigger the whole mess. This would usually be your thermostat sensor. If thermostat_temp < 9999 AND from 12am to 11:59:59pm same day Then ...this runs every time the temperature changes and is less than 9999 degrees AND time is between 12 - 11:59:59PM ...do your temperature stuff here Run ...this runs at 11:59:59 PM every day. You can avoid code here. Time spans act as program triggers twice per day. Time spans act as true conditions between the times.

As per Stu above ....and your main panel should have it's neutral bonded to ground at that point. You don't want two places bonded to ground. It can causes some sharing of neutral currents through the ground in your house. The "bond" on the generator is only used where you run the generator for an isolated usage, say a campsite or other site not involved with a permanent, bonded to ground neutral, electrical system. If this is a electromagnetic generator output then your frequency is probably wandering (or wandered) off of 60Hz. If you have a synthesised output then you likely do not have a good enough waveform for Insteon to work on.

It's so good looking too, with it's sleek black case, flashy LEDs and nice smile!