madcodger

Thanks, @Goose66. I have a portal subscription, but am considering a move to Mobilinc Connect, which would eliminate PGC as an option, I believe. Bit tue jury os still out on that, so we shall see... Greatly appreciate the thinking, though. I got Polyglot installed and confirmed it is running but I cannot yet connect. Need to get some sleep now, so will fight that battle tomorrow.

Tha ks, @asbril and @Goose66. Very helpful. I'll be back at the house late next week and am eager to get my feet wet with all this. Have a new (2nd) ISY and 2 RPis ready to go.

Thanks, @lilyoyo1! Wow, 25 is a lot. I wonder if that would overtax a RPi, but I doubt I'll ever get close to that. Still, if I can figure this out, it's about time I learned and made use of it.

I thought of another question or two (this may happen a few times, I suspect): If I have an RPi with Polyglot for each ISY, and have a weather nodeserver running on each of those, what do I do when I want to add an additional nodeserver (e.g., MyQ, to control garage doors)? Do I just load that next nodeserver onto the existing RPi that has the weather nodeserver running on it, or do I add yet another RPi? And if the former (just one polyglot RPi per ISY with all nodeservers running on it), what is the practical limit for the number of nodeservers per ISY/RPi? Thanks for replies.

@Teken and @lilyoyo1 Thank You! That was exactly what I needed to know, so greatly appreciated.

With the end of the Climate module approaching, I want to try to use polyglot to connect my Davis Vantage Pro 2 weather station to my ISY. To do that, it looks like I need to learn to use polyglot. So, some very basic questions, please (and please forgive my ignorance on this topic): 1) While I may one day move to Polisy, I'd like to get my feet wet by just using a Raspberry Pi. I already have a RPi running at this location that does nothing but run CumulusMX, connected to the Davis Pro 2. It works flawlessly, month after month, reporting to Weather Underground. I'd like to keep that system stable, but that brings up a question: Should I load Polyglot onto this same RPi, OR should I set up a separate RPI that does nothing but run Polyglot? 2) Similarly, where do I load the weather nodeserver? Onto the same RPi that runs CumulusMX? Or onto the one that runs polyglot? Or onto a third RPi? 3) I will be installing a second ISY at this location, in a different building (separate Z-wave network), but onto the same LAN as the original ISY. Can I share a single polyglot RPi across these two ISYs, so that they both take advantage of the weather information? 4) Finally, Wes has me pretty well convinced to move to Mobilinc Connect so that I can take advantage of Mobilinc X and some of the features that offers. I realize I don't be able to use Polyglot Cloud because of that, but are there any other things that I'll lose (that aren't replaced by Mobilinc Connect) if I am running polyglot locally, on one or more RPis? Thanks for any help and advice on this.

Michel, You know your business best, and I wish you only the best. We disagree on a couple of points, but as I have long maintained, you make the most reliable device of its type on the market, period. May you have the growth and success you seek for a very long time.

1) Agree that this conversation needs to be moved somewhere. 90% of it is about a topic far more important than the original purpose, which I think was resolved quickly to the satisfaction of most. 2) @Michel KohanimUDI, you don't charge enough. Period. Go read Marc Andreesen's comments on this topic (start here: https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-advice-to-startups-raise-prices-2016-6 or listen here for a similar view, from others out of the same shop: https://a16z.com/2016/08/13/pricing/. And yes, I know you folks aren't a "start-up", but you are closer to that than some of the larger players (thankfully - it keeps many of us cheering for you, even when we are criticizing). $40-50/year for portal access would be well worth it, in my view, and I'd bet most would pay that. Some would complain if it goes up a dollar. Forget 'em. You're better off keeping those who would pay a higher rate. But you won't get many of them unless you add some polish, to be blunt. 3) @bcdavis75 has some great comments, above. As I have ranted on many occasions, you build rock-solid equipment, but your ability to appeal to anyone other than the uber-geek crowd is pretty darn limited. Many here dismiss this as wanting "pretty boxes with rounded corners", but that's just BS drivel from those who think good design is a waste of time. Solid consumer appeal, great design, and your legendary reliability CAN co-exist, and you can build a valuable company around that. Go ask Tim Cook.

The replacement power supply on UDI's website is 12V / 1 amp, for $9.50. Did not see exact match on Amazon (i.e., from UDI) but others may know of one that has exact tip. There are many that have selectable voltage and multiple tips for about $13-$14. As I think about the importance of ISY at a remote property we own, I think I'll order an extra "official" PS just to have it around in case of failure. If someone knows of exact match from Amazon, please post.

This is very helpful, Travcore, but others may wish to note that having an Avast product does not necessarily cause an issue. I run Avast Business on several Macs (all Catalina, currently 10.15 for OS) without issue. The Launcher works fine. So, it may be the configuration that matters. We’re running a simple “install and walk away” instance of it.

At the risk of “bending” this thread to the OP’s likely solution path, what is the recommended strategy/toolset for managing two ISYs (two properties/buildings on separate ISYs) via mobile apps such as Mobilinc? @Michel Kohanim, any ideas or suggestions?

I use the same hardware as you, and connect via the ISY Launcher as well, easily. As noted, avoid browser (safari). Try downloading the launcher again.

Which fails more often - An ISY or a PLM? A PLM, by a long shot. So...

I have this same situation at a property. You will need a second device, IMO. There is no commercially available way to connect via z-wave using ISY, and Insteon is unlikely to bridge well as you have two electric panels and powerline as the only connection (no RF due to distance). Homeseer makes a device that allows for ethernet-based extension of z-wave if using their controller, but I find their controllers far less reliable vs. the ISY (“hangs” occasionally, requires a reboot far more often, etc). @simplextech is working on a similar solution for ISY but as I think he would agree, it is still in early days and not for the person who needs an “it just works” solution. I still run an ISY and a Homeseer solution, but that’s largely because I want to keep a foot in the Homeseer world as well, and have some ways of rebooting things remotely. So, for reliability, I’d just go with two ISYs and be done with it. What I don’t know is how to access two systems easily via something like Mobilinc, but others can comment on that.

Thanks, @Michel Kohanim. I’ve never had an ISY card fail, but figure it’s a decent idea to be prepared for the worst, just in case.

Hi All, I thought it might be a good idea to create a backup image of the ISY’s card, so that if something went wrong I could just drop in the backup (or, being hundreds of miles away from it, have my only neighbor do so). It seems wise to use a card that’s as close to the original as possible, but I need to order it soon and am not near the unit right now. Can anyone tell me the card size (SD, microSD, etc), memory size (8GB, 16GB, etc) and speed (e.g., C10) of the card used in an ISY 994 purchased this past summer? Thanks in advance.

I’ve basically resorted to pulling the log file into a spreadsheet and sorting it that way when I need to look at something. Perhaps once the No-more-Java updates are done, attention to these little nuisances can again be paid.

Thanks, gents. I had thought about parameter adjustments as well but I need to dig into this device to check it and just haven’t had time. I wish the default was no logging, as I so rarely need it and could just turn it on when I do.

Hi. Is there any way to stop or limit logging from a single device? I have a Zooz z-wave appliance module controlling a dehumidifier. It works great, but the thing reports EVERYthing, including power consumed, changes in line voltage, etc. So, when I want to look up something in the log I end up wading through thousands of lines, mostly from this device (which I don’t really need to log at all). Other controllers (e.g., Homeseer) have an ability to just turn off logging for a single device. Can we do that with the ISY?

For basic heat/cool but no humidity, I have been impressed with the GoControl Z-wave stats. Great price and seem very reliable. I have three in two buildings and am very happy with them. If you want humidity AND ability to control a humidifier, ecobee (NOT Lite version) is pretty good. Their cloud service goes down more often than my ISY but is still reasonably reliable, and the ability to have the humidifier controlled via it has been solid. I have three in another building (one on each floor). My biggest ecobee complaint is if you want to comtrol multiple buildings with different logins. They want to charge an exorbitant amount for doing that from a single app, so I told them to pound sand (which sold some Go Control units). I currently have a Nest in a garage controlling a Modine unit and it is OK, but it’s in the garage b/c I replaced it with my first ecobee when it got a bit flaky on humidity. I also had another one die. Add in the Google BS (changing the rules on home automation enthusiasts) and I have likely purchased my last Google product.q I have gone from big Nest fan to thinking the Google purchase destroyed them. Overall, I have gone from a big fan of cloud-based services (nest, ecobee, etc) back to agreeing with the local control advocates after feeling burned by Nest primarily, and a little bit by ecobee with their stance on multiple buildings/logins. The Go Controls work well with ISY or Homeseer, so I will likely go with them and just add a separate humidity sensor, or perhaps see if they later offer one with humidity. I think they had one, but pulled it (but I am far from certain about that, so check it out for yourself).

@lilyoyo1 Thanks. Well said.

@Michel Kohanim Thanks for your reply. To a large degree, this goes back to a “user interface” modest disagreement we have had for years. I really like the ISY and have found it rock solid, recommending it to many people for years (and I just bought my 3rd or 4th one, in the current unit, as I’ve always left them with the previous owner when we sold a house). But unless a person is very tech-saavy, it’s not an exceptionally user-friendly device. That’s not as much of a criticism as it sounds, as the device and company have found a loyal following and if it’s working for you, then that’s all that counts. I think it should be easier to know/understand that you need to build in a periodic query (as an example), but you and others seem fine with the situation as is, so again, the device as it currently stands serves its selected market. I was shocked to find that a device could be taken offline and still show up as a healthy device hours later, but I now understand why. I don’t love it, but I understand. So, if you folks want to just delete this thread, I’m fine with that. But I think many users don’t understand the whole “query” situation, and could benefit from understanding the implications of it in terms of being able to “trust” a sensor and their ISY, as a lot can happen in 24 hours. But thanks for your advice, and for building a very solid little device.

Thanks, Simplextech. Very helpful.

Well, lilyoyo1, every manufacturer benefits from a fanbase so loyal that the fan thinks they can do no wrong. I feel confident your loyalty is appreciated. On the other hand, improvement generally happens when enough people say, “Hey, I think there might (should be?) a better way.” I don’t think the current system is ideal, or even terribly reliable, and have noted that. So, we differ. I sold the property with an Elk, so testing personally is not possible at the moment (but I am all but certain you are basically wrong). And the horrible, arduous impact on these systems that you describe is not likely to be as horrible and arduous as you make it seem, which is why systems improve. I just think having a system automatically detect that a wired, powered sensor has disappeared is not unreasonable as an expectation. I sure as heck get enough “cannot communicate” notices about wireless sensors that are, in fact, operating normally. So maybe some improvement in these areas is both possible, and needed. Sadly, these forums are frequented primarily by the uber-loyal fan, which is why many of us, who like the system but see room for improvement, come here less often. We can’t call out problems without being shouted down. Have a nice day.

Well, with respect to your opinions, I disagree. If two-way communication between a sensor and a controller, is possible - and it is, for a sensor that is running on AC power - the controller can (and, I maintain, should) check periodically to see if the sensor is still alive and monitoring. If the controller "pings" and gets no response, then the controller should report that. This is NOT like someone removing a car battery, as the battery is the power source for the car. I'm not an expert in sensors or security, but I believe an alarm system reports the loss of a wireless sensor, and does so promptly. Perhaps this is the reason I never noticed this type of issue in the past, as I've always used my Elk's sensors instead of relying on Insteon or Zwave sensors. I don't have an Elk installed (yet) here as we just purchased this property. But if/when I do, I would be rather disappointed if a wireless sensor just quit working, and I never knew it. So, if we are to rely on our automation devices, how is this not a valid expectation? I "get" that this is not a security system, but having a dropped sensor that you think is active is sometimes worse than no sensor at all. I'll ignore the "I'll buy it" comments. I can always convert the ISY to Insteon and use the MIMO as a relay, but thanks for your comments, if not your solutions.