JP

The signal noise problem has existed here for years back when we used X10 devices. With the X10 devices it was even worst even with some automation added. As I have reported previously, there are times of the day where the house looks like a war zone because of the rapid flashing on the APs and PLMs. Using old X10 noise monitors (different freq but still....), I can see a lot of traffic but you tell it is not valid. Some of the times when the false traffic is at its worst is in the middle of the night when everything is turned off. I've done the usual troubleshooting, removing the normal suspect devices (frig, TVs, PCs), dropping circuits, and moving things around. I have not been able to narrow it down and suspect that it might originating on the utility side. I tired to install a whole house filter at the panel but the electrian reported that it could not be done as it is currently set up and would open up a whole can of worms with the power company if he changed out the main panel (I'm grandfathered on several code opportunities). In addition to the noise, I have several V35 SWLs which I believe are the cause of a lot of the “scene†failures but I doubt they are generating the noise. In reality, I’m not even sure how much the noise is a factor vs. the SWL issue. I believe I mentioned that I have converted some of my “scenes†to programs and even with the program delay, the programs are more reliable then the scenes were.

I realize that mine is probably an unusual situation like everything else in my environment. In this particular situation, the location of the AP is obviously what is driving this. I know my power line quality sucks but I don’t know how this impacts the RF side (amount of traffic and the numbers of repeaters besides the APs themselves, other RF traffic). BTW, this is why I like the ISY product line, to be able to deal with problems like this using the programming capability of the box. Yes I have to deal with the delays using programs but the reliability sure beats the “scene†capability in my environment. Also mixing scenes with programs gives me the best of both worlds. JP

Yes, the original 2 APs were to bridge the phases. Both were in the main house. Then I started using Motion Detectors and TriggerLincs, both outside and in the second building and that is when I added the additional APs. The second building is on the same phases (same meter) as the main house but wireless signals can't always reach. I try to have an AP within 10 to 15 feet of a MD or TL. The AP in the second building did improve the response of the SwitchLincs back there as well.

The one I used, which is normally side-by-side with the PLM, shows ver 1.6 on the label. I think I purchased it within the last 18 months when I replaced the old bridges (sorry, can't remember what they were called but they were the originals). I have at least three APs supporting a single story house of 1800 feet (including an outhouse which is my office). I say at least because I'm missing one but that doesn't mean it is not connected and working somewhere . Even when I moved the AP, I used an extension cord that left it connected to the same circuit as the PLM. The PLM is in the same closet as the WiFi router that serves the main house. I am a little surprised as I’m used to PLC issues due to the dirty power that I have but now RF………. JP

OK, after relinking it several times, it appears that the nearest AP (about 8 feet way with a wall in-between) is close enough for the query but not receiving the status updates. When I moved the AP (on an extension cord) closer to it (within 30 inches), it worked just fine. I'll just treat it as a v1 until I can determine how to deal with the AP location (no useable outlet near by).

I did link it with it off including the fan being off (manual). The installer also validated that it was off....... I will try to link again.....

I did make changes, that's the problem. I changed from heat to cold and within heat, I changed the set point. Nothing changed on the ISY99 until I did a Query. Once I issued the query, the response was immediate.

Ahh, sorry but I can't help with that one. That is so basic I'd suspect a firmware issue and would try to reload the ISY99 but I'm sure someone else will respond with a better idea. JP

When you click on Start Linking, a panel called Link In Progress pops up with three options. While this panel is showing is when you should press the set buttons on the devices you want to link. I tend to be generous with the time that I hold the buttons, the recommended 3 to 5 seconds does not always work (my new t1800 took almost 10 seconds to go into link mode). After the set buttons have been pushed, then hit the "finish" button on the In Progress panel. I also suggest taking the default of erasing all links. JP

I just purchased a T1800 and installed today. The adapter says that it is v2 (label on the back) and the instruction sheet says V2. My ISY99 is showing it as a 2441V at v.91. It does not seem to send anything on its own, only when I query it. Based on the previous comment, I thought it should send status on its own if it was a v2 adapter. JP

Never mind, it's responding now....

Is the Wiki down? It is not responding........

Clarence, Based on my problems, yes. After I wrote all my messages above, some of my problems went away for a few days and I have experenced this in the past as well. I agree with wwat however about replacing them. I haven't yet due to an injury (hand) but will do so at my first oppertunity. JP

I appreciate all the responses and opinions. As I’ve already started the process of exchanging the switches, I’ll continue with it. I’ll cross my fingers that the swap out will cure the majority of my issues.

I have already contacted Smarthome by email and they seem receptive to replacing the switches. But before I do that, I was hoping to get an opinion about the number of devices that need to be replaced. It sounds like that if it is failing, then it should be replaced including the most recently installed v220 switch? If the switch itself is working without issues, it may be OK to leave? I guess my last question is can a "problem" v35 switch cause interference with the others such that they may all have to be replaced as it may not be able to point to the really bad ones? JP (former Wheeling resident)

To save a little time (and my fingers typing), I'm coping a message response to another issue that I posted last year. To summarize, I have a lot of problems with switches failing to work. Most of the failures are to programs using scenes rather than sending commands directly to the devices. The second most frequent failure is scenes triggered from the switches themselves. Last but not least, are the programs controlling devices directly (without a program, i.e. a TriggerLinc that is within 10 feet of an AP and direct line of sight that triggers a switch on the wall next to the TriggerLinc). For some reason, the problem has recently gotten worse and I can not account for why. No new devices and no devices showing potential failure. The pool problem has been the biggest issue but I dealt with that by adding additional programs to the ISY-99i to repeatedly issue starts and stops (ons and offs). Installed I have 14+ relays, 1 dimmer, and 1 v220 relay that are reporting v35 on the ISY-99i. I also have 5 or 6 APs (sorry lost count) covering the property with one sitting on top of the ISY-99i. The non v35 devices do not seem to have the same problems and some of the v35 devices work every time without fail. The irritating thing is that some of the devices that do not fail on the same CB as one that does (and it does not always fail either). On the issue where the program commands the switch directly (no “scene), I can trigger the switch manually successfully from the ISY-99i while the program (fired by a TriggerLinc) fails at the same time (the TriggerLinc “on†state is seen on the Event Viewer). I’m getting around these problems but it is just frustrating and I dare not add anything that controls a “critical load†such as a thermostat. Not sure how much typing I really avoided here and sorry for the long dissertation (rant). JP Here’s my sad story form last year, please realize that my response then was before I had heard of the SWL v35 issue so my assumptions may now need to change (though it may still have something to do with electrical interference): I agree with Bob that the problem is with the electrical system but may also be the ability of INSTEON to deal with certain events on the line (call it quality, call it design). I have used X10 since its creation and my parent’s house has always been a problem area. At my old apartment, X10 worked great. At my townhouse it worked OK but INSTEON worked much, much better. But at my parent’s house, X10 never worked. After I bought the house, I upgraded to INSTEON (last 12 months) and things worked much better but I still have problems. All the X10 diagnostic tools that I have acquired over the years have indicated that I have nosey lines. At night, it looks like an Iraq war zone with all the INSTEON led’s flashing continuously. The ISY log shows all kinds of "null" events occurring. I have looked at installing whole house phase couplers/filters and it can not be done without replacing the 100A meter (big problem/expense due to building code and a very old house). I have isolated out all the major appliances, TVs, and PCs. I have installed numerous APs which have helped to some degree (though controversial in its own right). But in the end, what I find myself doing, as Bob does, is restoring devices selectively (based on error messages) and doing manual restores when the ISY can not successfully complete its restore. I understand that both X10 and INSTEON are at the lower end of the automation family (sorry Smartlabs), aimed at DYI’ers and I can accept a certain amount of problems. In fact, that is why I am so glad to have a device like the ISY-99i that allows me to program around a great number of these problems. The ISY-99i has given me the ability to do so much more these days than I was ever able to do the past (though my wife thinks I’m nuts for having a line of ApplianceLincs under the holiday village display this year). OK, so I like the box. The bottom line is that I may have an unusual problem, an environment that is unfriendly to PLC devices. I was just looking for an automation method that I am already doing manually with the ISY. If the ROI is not there, I can understand it. I can also understand the support fear but I’m not sure if it is sustainable (I run them during the day with other traffic and if they fail, they fail). Anyway, if there are any other suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them. JP

There's several messages regarding issues with version 35 of the SWLs and suggesting upgrades (swaps). My question is do these issues affect all the memebers of the SWL v35 family including dimmers, relays, and even the newer v220 relay or just a particular product?

SwitchLinc 220V 2494S220

Just installed a V220 switch on my pool pump. It is working fine but my ISY-99i is showing it as an "Unsupported Device:2.24". Is this normal (I'm on 2.7.2)? Not that it should make a difference, but my pump is a 110 device so I'm only using half the box.

Since the pool.ntp.org URL is a large pool of servers that can be changed at any time (yet changes may take 48 hours to update all caches), I'm assumming that I just hit a bad server that just happened to hit on worst day (I know 0.pool.ntp.org was bad that day and is OK now).

I too have 2.7.0 and I have the default of once every 24 hours to check. I did play around with the default URL pool.ntp.org looking for a bad server but nothing conclusive though I agree with the suspicion. I will continue to test but I may take another day or two as I have another unrelated problem to deal with first (since the workaround worked).

My ISY-99i is not sync'ing with the NTP server. I noticed it this morning when I checked to see if it had advanced to DST correctly (it didn't). When I hit the Sync Now button, I receive either a Java socket time exception error or a "request failed". The log shows a -60001 R/C. To get around the problem I just sync'ed with my PC. Now I suspect that this is not happening all the time as the log only shows random errors over the last 30 days, it's just that the one day you really want it to work it didn't. I'm not not sure what the errors are telling me and if I need to do anything. BTW, I also sync'd several PCs manually with a different NTP server without problems to make sure it wasn't something network related. Is this a server issue maybe?