paulbates

Put that on ideascale. I'll vote for it.

Hi Chris - Yes. Per Brian's comments and diagnostic info, your PLM shows signs of failure. The point will come when restores will no longer work and the ISY and Insteon network will be unable to communicate. I suggest ordering a new PLM while you limp along on this one. As a look ahead, read over this link, it has the steps for replacement Paul

Hi Any chance that this key or keypadlinc had another purpose in the past, and that key is part of a scene, like with that any of the devices on the list in the log? The timing of those log entries and the email seems more than coincidental.. I repurposed a switch recently that I had disabled, uninstalled and stored, but forgot to remove from a scene. I reinstalled it for a different purpose, and lights on the other side of the house went on and off when I tested it, lights that were part of its old scene. Paul

Insteon wireless devices can not be changed at any time like wired devices can. To get this done today, I would pull the Motion Sensor down to change its settings. To address your goal with 3), I would: Pull the motion sensor back down. Open the battery door Open the admin console and open the options settings for the motion sensor. Enter the following changes, but do not click done yet. Time out = .5 LED brightness = doesn't matter unless you want the led in the motion sensor to blink Darkness sensitivity = 105, for me around 105 equals dusk. Start there. Sensing mode = checked, so your 30 second counter is reset with every detection LED On = unchecked (I don't want to see the motion sensor's led, maybe you do, check it if so) On Commands only = unchecked, so that the motions sensor turns the lights back off Night mode only = checked. Check this so it only senses motion when it thinks its dark, based on the darkness value. Press the black set button under the Motion Sensor's battery door until the LED starts regular blinking Hit the done button on the device options box from the admin console. Wait 30 seconds or so, the admin console will pop up a few messages as it configures the Motion sensor Seal it back up and hang the motion sensor back up. 105 for darkness may not do it for you. If you want it to work when its lighter out, increase this setting a little. If you want it darker before it works, decrease the value a little. You'll have to follow the above lists again to do so. This should get you working. Paul

There are three ways to do it that I've seen recommended, each gets you there, each has advantages and disadvantages: Similar to Michel's recommendation: Start your program on an odd day, and have a variable that you initially set to 1. Have an "if" in your sprinkler program to only run when the variable = 1. when the variable =1, run the program (in addition to the time it should run). Set the variable to "0" at the end of the sprinkler run. Have an "else" clause that adds 1 to the variable. Your program will switch back and forth each time it runs and skip a day. The problem with this method is on months that end with 31. You have to manually intervene as the logic of assuming every other day is even/odd will break. The date programs in the wiki. There is a specific iOdd.Even.Day variable that you could use in your programs. Read the wiki link, load the programs, add the variables, follow the directions and use it. Its an elegant but does take a little work to set it up. However, it provides tons of other date capabilities for your ISY programs. If I remember correctly, some key state variables need to be reset if your ISY loses power or reboots. The isylink program from io_guy. This external application automatically updates isy variables with a number of date related information, including an even/odd day of month variable. Its relatively easy to set up and use the variables in your programs. Its driven by the date on a battery backed up clock, so its less vulnerable to power outages. However, because its an external program, there needs to be a desktop or server for it to run on. Its very small and can run on a computer used as a desktop. Its configured with web pages like a router is. (isylink does a lot more than just provide date information). You were probably looking for something simpler, but I believe this summarizes that options I was given when I investigated this last year. My observation is that more people probably use 2). I use 3). I believe V5 of ISY firmware provides some relief, but in the meantime, consider the options above. Paul

If you replaced an old school 3 way switch setup with those 2 switches, my guess would be a wire nut on the hot (or neutral) feeding them came loose.

It was working before, a non-dual band device was replaced, and then the problems started. It seems like the OP would have had problems all along if the electrical infrastructure were a problem?

Stu's point makes sense. Your answers to my question pretty much eliminates the plm, if other insteon devices continue working as normal. The size of your space is fairly contained for an insteon network. There was a period of time where there were manufacturing problems with kepad lincs, I think the 2011 timeframe? I think that was also accompanied by buzzing and noises coming from the keypad itself. Paul

It sounds like noise or maybe a plm problem that coincidentally showed up at the same time as the switch problem. Did you have a power outage or spikes around the time the keypad went bad? Are the manually linked devices all near their keypads? This would explain why they worked. Is the PLM relatively far from the keypads in question? Is the PLM near anything noisy like low voltage lights, a TV, a motor of some kind? Is there any chance that something happened to your PLM, did you replace it recently? Paul

Teken- The item in the help menu only shows when there is an official release greater then what you're running. Like you, I upgrade into a lot of the unofficial releases, so I don't see that option very often often. There will be some time lag before the release posts on the forum and it going official from the notification perspective; you probably have had the official releases in your ISY before the notification was published. Paul

If it's the Insteon motion sensor, you can configure its settings to trigger only when it's dark. I would start there Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The filter is the answer as tech man points out. What you are seeing is noise from the TV traveling down the line for a short distance...the outlet that does not work is probably only a few wire feet from the switch and closest to it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok. Hmmm. It seems that if the wiring changed, and this problem showed up at the same time, that those 2 things are related. Are any of the items out there dual band? If not, do you have an access point or plugin dual band device you could move out there to test signal reach?

What did you add with the new wiring? This sounds like it could be electrical line noise blocking the signal. Common culprits: Low voltage lighting transformers Motors

This is a follow up to recommending the Leviton decora switchplate covers above. I had an energy audit where an IR scanner was waved at different things to see how leaky they were air wise, including switch plates. The leviton decora covers I described above didn't do well. One of their downsides is that they don't use the small switchplate screws at all as part of the structure. The plastic mount screws in with the switch, and the decorative plate snaps to that. There is not much structure to where it connects. It was always work to get it right and some shimming was sometimes needed. They always looked good but were hard to get right, especially with switchlinc bulk and grounding straps. In looking to replace the levitons, I found the Lutron Claro. These are much sturdier and cover a little more area. The Claro's mount screws onto the switchplate cover screw holes near the edge, nice and tight. The the cover has four solid snaps into the side of the cover. Much thicker and solid. The Claro's downside is that the top cover snaps on before the wall, and there is a visible line. The picture exaggerates it, its not too noticeable. Given how much more solid it is, I'm switching the rest out.

Thank you Stu, I was just tweaking that when you posted.

Hi matapan- Like many technical decisions, there is not one universal answer and the answer is; it depends. I think you will probably be happy with it. No matter which thermostat choice you make, there will be advantages and issues. One thing you need to do is go to the main forum page, and type in 2441TH under the main search box. Plan on spending an hour or so going through what people have experienced. Here is how I see it at a basic level: Advantages It integrates directly with the ISY, and the ISY sees it as a thermostat. To me, this is one of its strongest attributes. If you are looking for remote control of your thermostat through ISY programs and mobile applications, this is where the 2441TH shines. Its a basic smart thermostat (this can be an advantage or an issue depending on how much you want to control your hvac system) Issues The problem shannong reported above. I too had this problem and had to return my two units and shop for something else. The symptom is that the unit is affected by the gas furnace igniting in some cases, and it might cause the 2441TH to "lock up" and do bad, unpredictable things. However, I do not believe that this happens to the bulk of 2441TH users. Many have it, use it and love it. Unfortunately there is no way to predict this behavior. If I had to guess, you probably won't see it. If you don't see the symptoms in the first 24 hours of regular heater cycles, you won't ever see it. I consider this a design flaw that only affects a smaller number of users who's furnaces don't filter the igniters from the furnace main conroller. I say 'design flaw' as I've had several other automated stats on the same HVAC units that did not have this problem. The connections in the 2441TH to the furnace should have been filtered. Shannong was the one who figured this out and worked tirelessly to solve it. While I too witnessed the symptoms, credit goes to shannon who debugged it and figured it out. Its a basic smart thermostat. I was looking for more HVAC control. So its important to know if you want a basic stat you control with the ISY and Apps, or you want that plus more control over you HVAC system I see a number of users struggle a little with getting timely updates on temperature from the 2441ZTH when its under battery power. If you search the forum as described above, you will see this theme. If you want a basic integrated thermostat with ISY and mobile app control, you will probably be ok. Paul

Hi The other thing to know, and I didn't catch reading this first time, is that remotely turning a device on does not activate any scene its a controller for. You have to use Set Scene as you have done. You have it right. Paul

I would create a scene the includes device and the button. Make the device a controller/responder. When the device turns on, the Insteon network will turn on the scene at the same time. (Make both the device and key controller/responders if you want the key to turn the device on as well, if that scenario makes sense) The other choice is to use a "set" command in a program. If control device is set on then set keypad device name on However, typically I prefer a scene instead.

Hi Smoke grub Start with the most recent manual, located here, section 3.7. 2 things: Notifications are a little tricky. Give yourself time to read, practice and learn them I think the disconnect in this thread is devices vs variables. Dennis is sending the value of his zwave thermostat temperature from the thermostat, not a variable. I think you can do the same. Look for your thermostat in the ISY, where the temperature is reported, and substitute that name where Dennis has: Interior Temp: ${sys.node.ZW011_1.ST}. You'll need to substitute your thermostat's temperature device name where he has ZW011_1.ST. Paul

Hi. Yes, both are set in the admin console. For the device locally or direct device commands: You click on the device in the admin console to set its local behavior if its a dimmer, the percentage on and the ramp rate. For each scene: Click on the scene name in the list in the admin console. The list of devices appears, and for dimmers you can individually set the percentage on and the ramp rate. When you turn that scene on and off, those specific settings will be used Paul

I got this advice from a engineer a log time ago: "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

Techman I just put in 2 HVAC units, 2 stage. last fall. The Colortouch's menus offer options to configure how / when 2 stage kicks in and I got to work with that this winter. Each part of my house is very different than the other, and I ended up with different stage 2 call settings for each. Something to look at is the manual for the HVAC unit's second stage call behavior. Some units have an option to let the furnace decide to call stage 2, without listening to the thermostat, based on a return air sensor. It allows single stage thermostats to operate the unit, If the hvac unit is in that mode, the 2 stage calls from the colortouch won't be respected. Though I asked for the Carrier HVAC units to be configure for thermostat stage 2 calls, I found both units set for the furnace to do it. I found it by pulling the furnace cover to look things over. It was one dipswitch throw on each unit to set it the way I wanted. Agreed on v5, but I plan to use that to have the colortouch integrate better into mobile / tablet / web apps. I would love to stick with venlink even under V5 as there are additional enhancements it provides. Paul

Hey Techman- Yes, you can disable skyport cloud services (WAN), and keep Local LAN API on. The wifi card stays in. There is a setting on the menu of the stat to set this. There are indicators on the stat's interface to show if skyport is active or not, and it changes if its LAN API only. I did shut my skyport off once to test and be sure that it could not call home, it could not and things kept working locally. I use venlink which actively polls each stat every 30 seconds, it was clear that local LAN still worked, and skyport service did not. I believe their information gathering quest is based on how they are aiming to support Open ADR. Identity and location specifics would be needed. The current firmware supports ADR, but I've not seen how they plan to tie it to a power utility. You, in California, will see this happen probably before me, in Michigan. Paul

Hey Techman- Great question. There are a number of alerts you can configure. I've always done that through the skyport website. The alerts messages come from messenger@skyportcloud.com. The relationship between those features and the skyport cloud website is very tight, my guess is you need the skyport service to get the alerts. However, I've not tried it another way to know for sure. Also, I've found the maintenance based alerts to be 'trigger happy', I get them too frequently, compared to need. I use other methods to determine filter and humidity pad replacement. However I love the temp high and low alerts, as well as humidity high and low (T5900) The colortouch series appears to be unix under the hood, but locked down hard: REST, Skyport and the front display are the only ways in I've found. (not ssh, telnet, scp etc, they might be on non standard ports) I like skyport, you may want to turn it on and visit the website and give it a try. It does a lot, including configuration. You can shut it off at the stat if you don't like it. Paul