Grizzy

You have a very valid point. I fully understand and agree. And yes your absolutely correct, I bought a second PLM because of the numerous posts I read relating to the failing PLM I understand why your design does not depend on the ISY or PLM. I worked in an large electric generating station for 37 years the later part doing digital process control. Reliability was our #1 priority. The system had multiple processing nodes each with a full redundant unit. Redundant network, switches, routers, power supply's, everything that may fail had a twin running the same program instruction matching instruction. This created a bump less fail safe. I see your posts and appreciate all the information you share with others. I have a completely different philosophy to pursue and learn Thanks for you input and design thoughts. I'm quite sure I'll be asking for more help, I hope you guys are around. For the most part I thought the forum was a great learning experience and watch it everyday. Again Thank You Thank You

ok, I do have a very different idea now and realize I made assumptions without any understanding of the Insteon protocol. I looked through the wiki tutorials and when it covered device linking I skimmed it thinking I was not doing any device to device linking since I had the ISY to do all my control. Very Bad Assumption ! You guys have been a tremendous help , I appreciate your patience and persistence to get me re-orientated from the x10 thought process. I will re-read the tutorial in the Insteon protocol and device linking. Thank You Very Much Don

in my sunset example: Should I place all the light in a scene and a program to determine sunset and then activate the scene ? In my scene which will be a controller and which responders ?

ok it's starting to come together, it's like a network of multi-tasking computers A scene can have a number of controllers with any one of them being able to control all responders to that scene: DOES THIS CAUSE ANY MULTIPLE COMMANDS AND COLLISIONS?

I guess I'm still x10 orientated and sometimes it takes a long nail to penetrate. If linked via a scene ... the devices become controllers and turn on each other ? Thanks for your patience

Being linked, does that mean each device somehow shares a common address ?

How can a single command turn on 5 different devices ?

I confused on the use of Programs vs Scenes LeeG, In another thread you told me: Scenes are a normal way of doing things in Insteon. It would be unusual to do all things with individual devices and Programs. Too slow and too much Insteon traffic to do things one device at a time.. So My question is: If I had a program, say turn on outside lighting at sunset (simplified example) IF: sunset Then: Back Porch light on Front Porch Light on Driveway Light On Garage Light On Pole Light On Else: All The above off Why does a scene execute this any faster ? Don

SO SORRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! didn't realize we were so formal ...... Just a NEWBIE please forgive

LeeG, If I had one program, say turn on outside lighting at sunset (simplified example) IF: sunset Then: Back Porch light on Front Porch Light on Driveway Light On Garage Light On Pole Light On Else: All The above off Why does a scene execute this any faster ? Don

Thanks, I will re-orientate my thought process. Don

I see what you mean, during the development period it would not be realistic. As my design and development continue all my devices are controlled by the ISY Programs. I'm not using any scenes and have not created any device to device links. Reading the posts so far I came to a conclusion scenes and device to device links complicated the system. If possible it it better to keep going down this path ? I did see where doing device to device links can relieve some ISY processor time and scenes make programing easier, but is it worth the confusion ? Don

Hi Teken, Very interesting, I'm still very new to the ISY and learning ton's by reading the forum. I'm very fuzzy on device to device link tables and how all that parallels with the ISY and the PLM, please forgive my dumb questions. So your idea seems perfect, an instant change out upon failure. I have a new backup PLM, my system is still small only about 15 devices but many many still on x10 with a full blown server for control waiting to be upgraded to insteon as $$ allow. Here we go ,, Taking my new PLM what should I do ? Will I have to refresh it when I add new devices ? When doing a change will I see any glitches ? Do my backup need to be done with both PLM's Thanks Don

Hi, I had a similar network issue a while back. Turned out I had a network rs-232 device which very seldom access the network, but I had assigned a static IP to it. some time later I added another network device with a static IP. It worked fine for quite awhile but would very random loose its connection. well dummy me assigned the same static IP to both devices and because the serial device so seldom used the network the problem did not appear right away. I looked at the router error log and determined the IP Address Conflict. Good Luck, intermittent problem can be real hair pullers. Don

Quickie, Brian can you help find the information you used to rebuild your plm Thanks. Don

Thanks for your descriptions. Surely there is a COLOR legend showing all the status icons and their meanings? If not I'll enter it on the wish list. I'm sure as for myself it would be very helpful for the new users.

Can someone please tell me where I can find the legend or meaning for the different program status icons shown in the admin console ISY tree for program details. 3 user selectable levels determine the appearance of the icon. 1. Folders Only 2. Simple 3. Detailed The status icons turn partially or fully green or red and red circle and ?? I have searched through the latest user guide, wiki, forum and online and have found nothing explaining the different visual meanings. By trial and error I have come up with a best guess idea, but I'd really like to see a UD legend. I'm probably just not using the right search phrase and or not looking in the right place. Thanks

Thanks I'm looking forward to your information. stuviews: Can you share information on using the 2 ISY together. I'm very interested to doing the same. thanks all

Yep that is correct. I just entered from memory and hoped I get the thought across Maybe some body will tell us both why !

Good, That seems like good solution. I will keep in mind I have to control the program flow with duplicate IF Conditionals. Quick question. I have seen many program have double IF condition: IF X10 A10 = ON and X10 A10 = NOT ON Why use the both , will not just the X10 A10 = ON suffice ?

Do they communicate with each other and pass variables / control data between each other ?

Thanks everyone for the ideas. my simplified example: I have a gas fired boiler, with a variable firing rate dependent on demand. Fuel and air flow usually change together from 25% to 100%. Fuel and Air usually match to maintain an exit gas oxygen level of 3%. The excess oxygen is monitored and alarm or trip if limits are exceeded. IF Condition = Low Oxygen Actions include all the following: Increase are flow wait for condition to clear Wait - Decrease fuel flow if condition does not clear Wait - Master Trip Fuel if condition does not clear Purge boiler The IF condition will initiate each of the programs but must all start in sequence and run concurrently.

Thank You " johnnyt " for your observations and candid responses. My main server is an older AMD-2800 desktop running Twin Lakes Home Automation Software. EXCELLENT and VERSATILE software. I currently interface the real world through OPTO 22 Optomux Brain and Relays ..... and of course the somewhat reliable X10 modules where applicable. I have approximately 64 Relays Mostly output but about 30% input. I don't foresee getting everything transplanted to the ISY. I very new to the ISY and thankful for you clue on the I/O Linc. I assume the Smartenit will have the same issues? Twin Lakes Home Automation went out of business about 12 years ago, but it still has everything on the non-commercial market beat hands down. The GUI is 100% designable by the user. It has multiple visual layers with the ability to take any bit map and make it a control icon, background foreground static or dynamic. Due to its age it is lacking on the networking side. I worked in a power generating station for 40 years. I designed Control System Simulators for large power generating units with the commercial software from Foxboro, GE, and Westinghouse (now Emerson). TLHA GUI was a poor mans commercial DCS I have been looking for something new that maybe I can support / replace the old desktop server. My #1 requirement is I/O capability. What kind of relay I/O are you using ? I bought the CAI board but have not yet tried to connect to it from the ISY. I needed to get some more of the basic functionality experience prior to tackling the networking side. I wonder if anyone has interfaced the ISY to OPTO 22 ??? OPTO 22 is ideal for I/O due to its surplus availability and COST. It was designed as an industrial control system thus is extremely reliable and rugged. I have a huge learning curve in front of me, being 65 I'm starting to feel learning new technology harder and harder. It sounds like you are using the ISY at it upper limits, have you considered using another ISY together or is that possible ? The Power Plant systems used from 1 to 255 multiple Distributed processing & I/O NODES on a single Ethernet network. Every Node has a redundant twin should a hardware failure occur. I will be thankful for any guidance / Lessons Learned and What you would do different. Thanks Again

Hi, the else statement could be an issue in some cases. I was hoping being event driven it might have a predictable execution path. I thought by setting a variable(s) I could force execution down a given path, however that requires more resources if there is a simpler way. thanks for your thoughts, I will keep that in mind as I had not considered that methodology.

I'm new to the ISY world and trying to grasp the functionality of the ISY I understand the programs are event driven. If I have 4 programs with the exact same "IF" event ... Which one will execute first , Second , etc. Thanks