Hi Guys,

 

I am having trouble with just one Switchlinc not communicating with the ISY. I have removed power from the switch and reconnected but that didn't help. Any thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Run Tools | Diagnostics | Event Viewer at LEVEL 3. Using the Admin Console turn the SwitchLinc On and Off a few times and look at the Hops Left=x counts. A Hops Left=2 is as good as comm gets. A Hops Left=1 is okay if it is consistent. Hops Left=0 is as bad as it gets and still work. Also if Hops Left=x count is changing in value from On/Off request to On/Off request that is an indication of comm problems with the SwitchLinc location.

It is consistently 1

Okay thanks. That verified Standard length messages which are used for On/Off device control. With Hops Left=1 consistently there should be no comm message failures displayed.

 

The setting of the Ramp Rate (Applied Locally) is likely done with Extended commands which present an additional set of challenges. Run the same Tools | Diagnostics | Event Viewer with LEVEL 3 selected. Move the Ramp Rate (Applied Locally) slider to some new position. A few Insteon messages should be traced. Move the slider to 0.1 seconds and a few more Insteon commands should be traced. Post the event trace. There will only be a few commands in the trace.

Dumb question...How do I highlight the trace to copy and paste?

Save the event trace file. It will be a .txt file. I use WordPad to view .txt files. Select all the lines and Copy, then paste into forum post.

Thu 06/06/2013 09:24:57 AM : [ 12 2C 32 1] RR 20

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:24:57 AM : [All ] Writing 1 bytes to devices

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:24:57 AM : [12 2C 32 1 ] Memory : Write dbAddr=0x0021 [14] cmd1=0x2E cmd2=0x00

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:24:57 AM : [iNST-TX-I2 ] 02 62 12 2C 32 1F 2E 00 01 05 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:24:57 AM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 12.2C.32 1F 2E 00 01 05 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8 06 (00)

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:06 AM : [iNST-TX-I2 ] 02 62 12 2C 32 1F 2E 00 01 05 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:06 AM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 12.2C.32 1F 2E 00 01 05 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8 06 (00)

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:15 AM : [iNST-TX-I2 ] 02 62 12 2C 32 1F 2E 00 01 05 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:15 AM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 12.2C.32 1F 2E 00 01 05 14 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 B8 06 (00)

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:19 AM : [12 2C 32 1 ] Memory : Write dbAddr=0x0021 [14] cmd1=0x2E cmd2=0x00 - Failed

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:19 AM : [ 12 2C 32 1] ERR 1

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:26 AM : [ 12 2C 32 1] ERR 0

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:26 AM : [ 12 2C 32 1] RR 31

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:26 AM : [All ] Writing 1 bytes to devices

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:26 AM : [12 2C 32 1 ] Memory : Write dbAddr=0x0021 [1F] cmd1=0x2E cmd2=0x00

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:26 AM : [iNST-TX-I2 ] 02 62 12 2C 32 1F 2E 00 01 05 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:26 AM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 12.2C.32 1F 2E 00 01 05 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD 06 (00)

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:35 AM : [iNST-TX-I2 ] 02 62 12 2C 32 1F 2E 00 01 05 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:35 AM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 12.2C.32 1F 2E 00 01 05 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD 06 (00)

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:44 AM : [iNST-TX-I2 ] 02 62 12 2C 32 1F 2E 00 01 05 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:44 AM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 12.2C.32 1F 2E 00 01 05 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD 06 (00)

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:48 AM : [12 2C 32 1 ] Memory : Write dbAddr=0x0021 [1F] cmd1=0x2E cmd2=0x00 - Failed

 

Thu 06/06/2013 09:25:48 AM : [ 12 2C 32 1] ERR 1

 

****Each time I moved the slider, it updated then gave me a box saying "communication Error" at the end.****

The SwitchLinc is not responding to Extended commands which are used to set the Ramp Rate. Note in the trace that all the messages start with 02 62 which are outbound to the device. There are no 02 5x messages which are inbound from the device. The ISY tries three times to send the Extended message, fails to get a response each time, thus the comm error.

 

The lack of response to Extended messages can be the device itself and it can be a problem with the Insteon Mesh network. Suggest putting the SwitchLinc on an Appliance cord (plug on one end, bare wires on the other) , plug the Appliance cord into the PLM plug point and see if the Ramp Rate can be changed. If not it is a SwitchLinc issue. If Extended commands work that way the issue is the Insteon network.

Thanks Lee...

 

Just trying to trace causal factors....

 

Someone had put non-dimmable CFL bulbs in that light and used it a few times before I noticed it and removed them. Could this have messed up the Switchlinc?

It could if they were generating noise but the power cycle would be expected to fix it. Could do a factory reset followed by a Restore Device to restore the link database.

 

I have this issue on several devices but it is related to the fact that I have an inventory of very old I1 Insteon devices which do not repeat Extended messages. Started with Insteon almost from day 1. The devices have been very reliable from those days so there has been no need to replace them. Only now when I want to add new devices which use Extended commands for many things I have comm problems because the majority of my devices are so old they know nothing about Extended commands and do not repeat them. The old devices do not block Extended commands but the lack of each device being an active repeater of Extended commands makes a big difference in Extended message reliability.

 

The only way I know to be sure whether a device or Insteon network issue is to power the device from the PLM plug point to eliminate the network as a factor.

Lee..

 

I am going to try the reset and restore thing first. I have never done either of those so is there a link in this forum you have handy to run me through that process?

 

thanks for the help!

Refer to the device User Guide (link to from Smarthome sales page) for how to Factory Reset the device. Usually pulling the air gap switch for say 60 seconds for the device power supply to bleed off. Then pressing the air gap switch all the way in past the frame level for maybe 10 seconds. It varies by device so using the device User Guide is recommended for the exact process.

 

A Restore Device is a simple right click on the device primary node, select Restore Device.

The manuals are also on the Insteon.com site. Along with the links on the devices sales pages, LeeG mentioned.

http://www.insteon.com/support.html

 

The only exception with SwitchLincs where the old I1 protocol SwitchLinc Relays.

They have no Air Gap switch and needed a set of button push sequences to reset them.