johnjces

@Stu The network module and the ISY portal are in fact modules, software modules and one must purchase them and it must be installed and/or activated on the ISY. The portal is the module that needs to be purchased and installed for Alexa integration and therefore the reason why I was being cheap... And... I am not certain how I misguided anyone in my writing to say or infer that the ISY is a module so that it needed clarification! I have read and reread my post and I don't understand where or how you got that out of my text. I am not trying to be a jerk. I am honestly trying to post clear, concise and proper questions. Please advise. Maybe I should have stated, "before I order up the Portal module..." instead of "order up the module". Dunno. John

Because I have been "cheap" I have kept my Insteon Hub connected to Amazon's Echo (Alexa), but the forum posts have been correct. It has been a PITA to keep things synchronized and working properly having both the ISY and the Hub and the ISY works so much better, is easier and just a neat piece of electronic equipment! The hub might be causing some of my ghost problems as well. So, before I order up the the Portal Integration Module, what are the things I should be cautious of or take care of? Any order in doing things? I thought that I should... (in my perceived order) 1). delete all scenes from the Hub 2). delete all devices from the Hub 3). disable the Insteon/Echo integration. 4). purchase and install the ISY Portal Module 5). follow the instructions in the wiki for Alexa integration. Any thoughts, comments, hints etc are welcome! Am I missing anything? Thanks!! John

@ oberkc and Brian H, Great things to check out if it happens again. The restore fixed the issues so I just have to wait and see if it does it again then play around a bit. And yes, the PLM is on the same circuit as the UPS but I have a lot of dual band devices within 20 feet of one another so "theoretically" the RF should be getting passed. We will see. Thanks! John

@Stu.. I think you misread.... the ISY was put on a UPS, not the PLM. The PLM was already powered up and not on a UPS, but again, that was the only change putting the ISY on a new UPS.. Thanks for the insight! John

In STFing, I found a bit of info regarding my "issue". That is, all of my scenes are working perfectly. ISY controls everything just fine, no problems. All of a sudden today I had four (4) switchlincs, 2 dimmers, 2 on-off, flash red after switching them on manually. I checked all members of the scene visually and all was in a state that they should be. I did a device compare and there were no errors but several duplicates, ignored. I saw no issues other than the duplicates. In any event, I did a device restore on each switch and the red LED blinking stopped when any of them were switched on manually. Another post stated error message telling you it did not receive a signal confirmation from one of the linked responders to the scene. Seems to make sense, but then why would a restore fix the blinky red problem? And have had no issues before and other Insteon switchs in the same box work as expected with no red LED problems. Any insight as to what caused this minor issue? I did put the ISY on a new UPS and didn't start up the PLM first before the ISY, but that is about the only thing that "changed" or was done differently. Thanks for the thoughts! John

Thanks guys! I have everything on UPSes and do have generator backup. I will, without a doubt, put my ISY on the UPS and play around with the PLM on it as well. I do have a couple dual band switches within 20 feet. Maybe the PLM will last longer than 2 years!!! (Doubt it tho). WOOPS. Forgot that I have a couple X10 devices still operational so PLM will have to stay where it is. John

Somewhere, and I am not certain where, I thought I read that the ISY should not be plugged into a UPS, (uninterruptible power supply). I have followed this advice and maybe to a fault. I just recently read in another thread on this forum the advice to plug the ISY into a UPS so I STFed and found nothing helpful regarding the ISY. It was my belief that if you had a power failure it was best to have the ISY reboot and theefore re-read the tables after the PLM restarted and of course the ISY. You always plug the PLM in first then start the ISY! Obviously we do not want to put a PLM on a UPS but what about the ISY? What is best practice? John

I was an IT director at a casino for 11 years. I can count a number of short and long run Cat5 and 6 network cables that just sit. Don't move... they are just there and plugged in. They would fail! I could never quite figure out why a cable that just sits there might open a wire or two for no reason or a plug end loosen its crimp. Try a new Cat 5 straight through cable between your PLM and ISY... who knows... you've tried everything else!

Please keep us posted on your results with another PLM.

Bad PLM?

Just a follow up for anyone interested, once I got onsite, it auto updated just fine. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. John

Hi Michael, When I first tried to update the remote site, both the firmware and the console were 4.5.4. I did not update the console until after it failed and after I updated the local ISY as far as I can recall. In hindsight, I may have updated the console to 4.6.2 because I updated the local ISY then the console then tried the remote. Not certain now that I am thinking about it. So at the present moment, my remote site is firmware 4.5.4 and the console is 4.6.2 since the console is on my local PC. My local site is 4.62 and 4.6.2.

Hi Michel, I did. Same results. Anxious to get there physically. Will the difference in the Java Admin console and the older firmware cause me an issue?

Good day! I own two ISY994i controllers one local and one remote. Today I upgraded my local ISY from the 4.5.4 firmware to the latest stable 4.6.2 firmware. No issues doing the automatic upgrade locally. Cleared my Java cache, installed the latest admin console and dashboard. I then logged into my remote ISY using the admin console Internet IP and went through the steps of auto upgrading and it failed stating it couldn't download the firmware and had a socket error. Tried this a few times and the same thing, So, I then VPNed into my remote site and went into the admin console choosing the local LAN address of my remote ISY and had the same problem. I am worried that the upgraded admin console on my PC might be an issue. Will there be one? Using the upgraded Java Admin Console to make changes to my remote 4.5.4 ISY, will I have any problems? Or try it and see? Just trying to be prepared. And/or when I get to my remote site, will the upgraded Java admin console cause me grief with 4.5.4 firmware? As far as doing an auto update remotely that fails, Is there a way around this or does anyone have any ideas on why this might be happening? When I get to my remote site, will the upgraded Java admin console cause me grief with 4.5.4 firmware? I won't try a manual install remotely since the firmware has to reside on my PC and many things can get trashed when doing that kind of update. Thanks for any hints or tips. John

I had a similar problem when I purchased a "refurbished" PLM from the 'gitgo' when I moved up to an ISY. It failed pretty quickly, an old model with original capacitors inside. Anyway, I did a lot of research online and was pretty prepared to replace the PLM as there were some horror stories out there about replacing the device. In any event, like you all went well except for one swithclink, a 6 button. I did a manual factory reset of the device, which cleared it. I did not delete the device from ISY. I then did a restore device in the ISY. Wall Switches & Keypads Disconnect your Wall Switch or Keypad from power by pulling the set button out Press and hold the set button Continue holding the set button until the beep stops If your device does not beep, hold the set button for ten seconds Release the set button. You should hear two beeps confirming that your Wall Switch or Keypad has been reset It worked! Ya know, I would like to learn more about the PLM with a pass through and how a cut in half extension cord can help!! John

I was wondering about this too coming from HouseLinc and had yet to start my search! Found it and thanks for the info!!! John

In my programming that did not work, I just sent one X10 command and then did a repeat two times and neither made any difference whatsoever. The repeat was a later try and didn't remove it form my sample programs. Oberkc, I have tried all combinations in trying to get things to work using direct X10 commands. Weird and I hope the developers of this device might be following along and chime in on what may have been happening. It is working great now after using the X10 module and assigning it a name and using just like an Insteon device.

SOLVED! It appears that sending direct X-10 commands, i.e., Send X10 'A2/On (3)' doesn't work too well. What works great is the A10-X10 module and assigning A1 to the X10 module you want to control. So now, my X10 device A2 has a name of BelowCabs. So, doing: If Status 'Kitchen Switch / Under Cabinets - X10' is On Then Set 'BelowCabs' On Else Set 'BelowCabs' Off ... works perfectly and as it should. Setting all devices in this way allows everything to work great! Easy peasy! Simple logic. Just don't use Send X10 'A2/On (3)' John

@Oberkc, you are correct. Simple on/off of a couple lights controlled by X10 hardware. There are no known X10 codes assigned to the Swithclinc keypad. The events (programs) in HouseLinc work as expected. Remember, the Houselinc software is not running when this occurs so cannot interfere. I have watched the variables and they are changing as expected. I have not looked for weird X10 housecodes so will check that out as I forgot about the logs the ISY produces. I also haven't thought about the little bit of extra code in checking the button status that you provided. As I stated, this should be really simple. I will take the time and dig into this more. You sir have helped a bunch! Thank-you! I will report back if I find something. John

@ Techman, Again, thanks for the replies and I guess I am not clear on what's happening or what's disabled/enabled. I know this that X10 doesn't talk back to ISY for state and I am not controlling these devices from Houselinc or any other devices when trying to control it from the ISY using the Insteon keypad. All other controllers are disabled only the ISY is controlling them. The state of the lamps is reflected in the state of the Insteon Keypad Button being On or Off. I am not certain how I can explain this better, but understand, nothing else is controlling the X10 modules when I am attempting to control them using the ISY and the keypad. Again, with HouseLinc enabled and the ISY disabled, even unplugged/off, it works just great! When the ISY programs are enabled and the Houselinc is disabled/not running, it just works wrong and makes no sense. Understand again, I can run the ISY programs from the ISY Admin Console without issue. John

Thanks for the replies.... In my original post I mention that the devices I am controlling are X10 plug in dimmer modules. The Insteon controller is a switchlinc pad, On-Off and four keys, A, B, C, D. All I want is for A, (the above sink button) to turn on and off the light above the sink and nothing else. As for B, all I want for it is to turn on and off the under cabinet lights. I have disabled them so they won't interfere with my houselinc program which operates the lights perfectly from the Insteon keypad. Just copied and pasted them after I disabled them. Pretend they are enabled. And yes, this logic should work just fine. Something weird is happening. ALSO, I have simplified them way down when I first started this. No matter what I do, things just don't turn on or off as expected. I'll take and hopefully post some short videos. John

I have a lot of X10 devices which I will slowly replace as money allows. I have four (4) X10 plug in dimmer modules in my kitchen for under/above counter lights. I also have an Insteon keypad with the main switch/relay connected to the main kitchen lights and the four keypad buttons set to toggle on/off with a key press. Currently the cabinet lights work great with Houselinc and the Keypad Linc with events, i.e. when button ON is pressed it sends X10-On. The inverse works just as well (off). Again, on-off for all four of these X10 dimmers work just fine when using HouseLinc. I have been slowly reprogramming my home with a refurbished ISY and what should be simple logic for turning these X10 units on and off is all messed up! When I press the button for the Above Sink light, it may turn on or it and the Below Cabinet lights may turn on. Or when I go to turn on the Below Cabinet lights, the Above sink light turns on and the Below Cabinet lights turn off. There almost always seems to be one on one off and sometimes both on and when you turn the one on that is on and turn it may turn off but leave what it turned on and wasn't supposed to turn on - on. I hope this makes sense in writing. I can post a video that would more clearly show this messed up state. Currently I am using State Variables to check when the button is either on or off. I tried not using variables and had the exact same weird results. The variables change as they should! Everytime! Note too that I can run the IF portion and things run correctly when the keypad is either on or off. Runs right every time. I can run the THEN portion and again things run fine as does the ELSE which I have used off and on. Here is what I have so far only trying to get two of the lights to work; Set Above Sink On - [ID 000E][Parent 0009] If Status 'Kitchen Switch / Above Sink - X10' is On Then $AboveSinkOn = 1 Else $AboveSinkOn = 0 And we have... Set Below Cabinets On - [ID 0011][Parent 0009] If Status 'Kitchen Switch / Under Cabinets - X10' is On Then $BelowCabsOn = 1 Else $BelowCabsOn = 0 Now here are the programs that are supposed to turn on and off only themselves. Above Sink On - [ID 0012][Parent 000D][Not Enabled] If $AboveSinkOn is 1 And Status 'Kitchen Switch / Above Sink - X10' is On Then Repeat 2 times Send X10 'A1/On (3)' Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') I have also tried the Else by sending X10 A1 / Off same results so I separated it into two programs. Above Sink Off - [ID 0014][Parent 000D][Not Enabled] If $AboveSinkOn is 0 And Status 'Kitchen Switch / Above Sink - X10' is Off Then Repeat 2 times Send X10 'A1/Off (11)' Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') And for the Below Cabinet lights: Under Cabinets On - [ID 0013][Parent 000D][Not Enabled] If $BelowCabsOn is 1 And Status 'Kitchen Switch / Under Cabinets - X10' is On Then Repeat 2 times Send X10 'A2/On (3)' Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') and Under Cabinets Off - [ID 0015][Parent 000D][Not Enabled] If $BelowCabsOn is 0 And Status 'Kitchen Switch / Under Cabinets - X10' is Off Then Repeat 2 times Send X10 'A2/Off (11)' Else - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action') Remember, it may or may not turn on/off the other X10 Device and sometimes it doesn't turn on/off itself. Remember again that I can right click and run these perfectly without any other lights turning on or off. Thanks for thoughts/help I am starting to think there is a bug in this refurbished unit in the manner it evaluates or sends stuff... but again, works when I right click and run just fine. John PS. The repeats are to ensure that the X10 gets down the lines. It makes no difference whether I repeat the command or not.

Thanks for the comments and thoughts! The random hour brought about by apostolakisl was something that I had played with as it was simple, but putting a random time within constraints, like between sunset and 2330 same day. I can see that a couple programs linked might be the answer. Once I get my random day start and get a random time between my parameters. ... and yes, once a week for a random day then my time. You guys have given me some direction and I will play with it! John

Thanks for the reply! I am using the current stable version firmware 4.5.4. I never thought about doing such with a variable for the month / day and hour / minute. I would love to see an example to help me understand this if possible. Should I look at one of the Beta/Alpha versions? In looking at the beta forum area, where I guess one would find urls for beta firmware, I see nothing for anything above 4.5.4. Thanks! John

In searching the forum, Googling and reading up on ISY programming, I don't see a way to program a random day of the week with an event firing within a random time frame on this random day. Is there a way? Thanks! John