Athlon

Thanks Paul. This is a picture of what I have: (I can take a better photo if needed.)

Looks like Smarthome is having another sale today - 50% off Insteon stuff. I have two garage doors, so I need two 74551s. Question - will installing these allow me to still use our existing remotes? I would think so, but want to be sure. My guess is when I use an existing remote, the IOLink will know whether a door is opened or closed and report that activity to my ISY.

Gentlemen, interesting debate. I'll likely go with the IO Link as I'm familiar with the Insteon line and have had very good luck with it over the years. The Z-wave alternative would be a close second for me (at a similar price point). The good news is I have an ISY which supports both, as well as a bunch of TP-Link stuff I have. If either should fail, or go the way of the dodo bird, I'll still be covered.

Why? Do you have a specific product recommendation?

Wow - you guys are quick! Thank you for the advice. Too bad they're not on sale like the others are - may get those anyway... You are both talking about the 74551?

I'm at 5.0.14 and I also have the Z-Wave module. Today's one day Smarthome sale on sensors got me to thinking. Which sensor should I get? My goal is to have my Echo's make an announcement if either of my two garage doors are left open for more than 30 minutes. Currently, I have no home automation devices on them, nor do I need to auto open or close them. I'm leaning toward the 2843-222. Are they impacted by cold temps?

Yes - just took me a few minutes to figure that out after my original post on the subject. We be really happy this is done!

Ben lucky so far, I guess. In two other 3-way situations I had a neutral in each box. Only one more in my home - we'll see down the road!

Only one wire ended up not being used - the red one between the two switch boxes. I've had X10/Insteon for a long time - just my first experience with a module so it took me a few minutes to figure it out. All is working great now - thanks again.

I got them all in sync. I made the two dimmers both controllers and responders in a scene for the module.

Got it done and working! Thank you for all of your help!! The only thing I haven't figured out yet is how to sync the two dimmers and their dimming levels to the module in the fixture. They both turn the module (fixture) on and off, though, which is great! I used this to get it done: @oberkc "At the fixture, connect all blacks together, including black from module, but excluding black from fixture. Connect all whites together, including module and fixture. Connect red from module to fixture black. All grounds go together." Before I did that, I figured out how to get neutral and line to each box using my voltmeter to power the dimmers: @apostolakisl

Yup - but the wife will want to use a physical dimmer as well. I'll also take your suggestion about drawing it out first as well before I rip into it.

Got it, gentlemen. Thank you. I'll be attempting to do this between now and Saturday sometime. @oberkc "At the fixture, connect all blacks together, including black from module, but exculding black from fixture. Connect all whites together, including module and fixture. Connect red from module to fixture black. All grounds go together." The module doesn't have any wires, except for the two 'sense' wires (yellow and purple) which I assume will go unused. It has 2 connections for neutral, 1 for Load, and 1 for Line. (Screw connections, uncolored.) It's the Insteon 2442-222.

Sorry to keep bothering you, but this statement confuses me. I'm going to have 3 Insteon devices controlling one load. The module will be in the ceiling at the load, and the two dimmer switches will be in boxes at each end of the room. The module will be wired as if it were the only Insteon device (load, neutral and line), and the two switches will each need neutral and line. I haven't tested the wires yet, but i know I will have to grab a neutral from the ceiling for each dimmer and most likely a line as well. I will cap off the red wires from the two dimmer switches and all other unused wires in the boxes. Does this sound correct to you?

Will do. For the Insteon dimmers I'm going to put in each box, I believe you told me earlier they won't need the red lead - only the neutral and hot is needed for them if the module has all three connections, neutral, hot (line) and load. I may repurpose wires from the fixture for that.

@apostolakisl Thank you for taking the time. I will do as you suggested as soon as I'm able to and report back here. (I never leave a thread open.) I've installed about 25 Insteon devices around my home over the years, and this is the first time I didn't have a neutral in a switch box, and it's really throwing me off. As for what you mean by 'ohms out', I assume you mean '0' on my ohm meter (set to 2k).

I'm back to this. I've lowered the ceiling fixture and have received my Micro Module Dimmer. In the ceiling I have 3 cables, each with a Black and White wire. Here is how they are connected: Cable 1: B tied to bundle (W from cable 2 and B from cable 3) - W to W from cable 3 and to fixture Cable 2: B to fixture - W to bundle as stated above Cable 3: W to W from cable 1 and to fixture - B to bundle as stated above Here are the original wire connections in boxes 1 & 2: Box 1, Cable 1: W: Connected to B from Cable 2 R: Connected to original dimmer red wire B: Load, connected to original dimmer second red wire Box 1, Cable 2: W: Powered, connected to original dimmer black wire B: Connected to W from Cable 1 Here is the original configuration of the cables in box 2: Cable 1: B connected to black screw on switch I'm replacing, R connected to brass screw opposite black screw on switch I'm replacing, W connected to brass screw on other end of switch I'm replacing These two cables in box 2 are likely not involved, but here is how they are connected: Cable 2: B goes to black screw on other switch in box 2, W goes to B from cable 3 Cable 3: W goes to brass screw opposite black screw on other switch in box 2, R goes to brass screw on other end of other switch in box 2, B goes to W from cable 2 How do I wire the micro module and each box?

Halogen track light bulbs. Didn't say there were only 2 wires up there, said that's all I could see because I don't want to remove the plate. I'd have to remove some of the tracks to do so and I don't want to do that.

Okay - I'm not going to be removing the fixture. I would need to remove at least one whole section of track to lower the electrical box so I can see what's above that for wires. My fear is not being able to 'catch' some of the molly holes again when I put the tracks back up. Don't want to go there. I was able to only see the two wires plus ground connected to my track lighting. Do you know if this will solve my problem? (Yes, I have Z-Wave in my ISY.) It claims no neutral needed. https://smile.amazon.com/JASCO-Wireless-Lighting-000-Watt-Incandescent/dp/B077VCKFKW/

@giesen Thank you for the work you did there. I plan on taking the cover off of the fixture today. I tried last night, but one of the screws is stripped, so I stopped and will do it today. If there is nothing unusual up there, I will order the micro module today. By the way, I'm trying to control a set of halogen 'strip lights' that surround a ceiling pot rack that hangs over an island in the kitchen. That's why I have not tried to get up there to remove that thing until now.

This sounds like a simple solution. To be clear, I'll put the micro module in the ceiling, and an Insteon dimmer in each box on the wall. I'll remove the cover from the fixture box today to make sure there is enough room and then order one. By the way, is this the micro module I should get? https://www.smarthome.com/insteon-2442-222-micro-dimmer-module.html (2442-222)

@oberkc I wasn't clear when I talked about box 2 earlier. That's on me. I didn't remove the other switch there to see the 2 cables behind it until yesterday. It was dumb of me to assume one of the whites I could see was a neutral. I've installed several Insteon devices in my home over the years, and this is the first time I haven't had a neutral in a box. And no, I missed that bit about a white wire connected to a switch. My bad again. Thank you very much for trying to help me here. As for the micro switch idea - assuming it will fit behind the switch in box 1 - how will that impact the operation of the light if from the other switch I tried to replace in box 2? I've never used a micro switch. Also, will it even work without a neutral (I'm guessing no).

Did this, and it almost works. When I turn the second switch off to control the other light, power is also cut to the Insteon switch in box 1. When that switch is on, the Insteon dimmer in box 1 controls the light I want it to control, by the way. I did not attempt to 'program' the second switch, although that has power as well when the other switch is on. To make this happen, I connected the W from box 1, the W from the new Insteon switch and the W from the other switch together. Here is the original configuration of the cables in box 2: Cable 1: B connected to black screw on switch I'm replacing, R connected to brass screw opposite black screw on I'm replacing, W connected to brass screw on other end of I'm replacing Cable 2: B goes to black screw on other switch, W goes to B from cable 3 Cable 3: W goes to brass screw opposite black screw on other switch, R goes to brass screw on other end of other switch (always has power), B goes to W from cable 2

Ha! Perfect!!

@oberkc I know they are all on the same breaker, as I had the other light switched on as a sign I had the circuit breaker on or off while working on the one I want to automate. I was up and down the basement stairs a lot yesterday, so I didn't want to forget if the breaker was on or off and I used the state of that light to know for sure. As for the W in the 2nd cable of what I'm calling Box 1 having power - I used my voltmeter to discover that. (I know how to use one.) I already put black tape on that one. I also have ground wire in both boxes. As I'm not home yet, I may have time to try your wiring scheme tomorrow. I'll report back here what happens. Thank you all for your help!!