Cannot Determine Insteon Engine

[dschnepp]

I am new to the home automation process and I am having trouble connecting an Insteon SmartHome I/O Linc #2450 to my ISY. I keep getting the error message "Cannot Determine Insteon Engine". I tried by autosearching and also by adding the device ID.

 

My event viewer shows:

- [23 D2 D4 ] added to list of devices to link to ISY

- [23 D2 D4 ] Failed to add device, reason 3

------Start: Generate Scenes from links

- Writing 0 bytes to device

 

Any help would be greaty appreciated.

Dale

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Dale,

 

I am so very sorry to hear.

 

Basically, the main issue is that ISY cannot communicate with your device for which there are multiple reasons:

1. Phase issues

2. Signal Quality/noise issues

3. Signal Strength issues

 

The first thing I recommend is to plugin the IOLinc in the same outlet as the PLM and retry. If that also fails, then the problem could be the IOLinc itself. Please open Tools | Diagnostics | Event Viewer, change the level to 3, and retry. Please copy/paste the contents to here.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[dschnepp]

Michael thanks for the quick response. I played a little more with it and determined that my temperature sensor was not communicating with my PLM. I could not get it to connect until I added a second access point on the opposite phase. Once I did that it connected right away.

 

Now I'm trying to figure out how to add my email and cell phone number for auto contacting.

 

Thanks

[bconen]

I just bought an I/O Linc 2450. Whenever I try to add it, I also get "Can not determine Insteon Engine". Did you ever get yours to work?

[Brian H]

ISY99i or ISY994i controller?

What revision firmware are you running?

[bconen]

ISY994

Firmware 4.0.5

[Brian H]

You may want to see what the Event Viewer in level 3 shows.

Maybe even save it so you could post it here.

I don't think beta 4.1.0 would have fixed anything related to the 2450 I/OLinc.

[bconen]

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:54 PM : [VAR 2 17 ] 1

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [25 2c 11 ] Added to list of devices to link to ISY

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 25 2C 11 0F 0D 00

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 25.2C.11 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 25.2C.11 14.83.8B AB 0D FF (FF)

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [std-Direct Nack] 25.2C.11-->ISY/PLM Group=0, Max Hops=3, Hops Left=2

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 25 2C 11 1F 09 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F6

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:55 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 25.2C.11 1F 09 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F6 06 LNK-ON (01)

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:56 PM : [iNST-SRX ] 02 50 25.2C.11 14.83.8B 2B 09 01 LNK-ON (01)

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:56 PM : [std-Direct Ack] 25.2C.11-->ISY/PLM Group=0, Max Hops=3, Hops Left=2

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:56 PM : [LNK-BGN ] 02 64 01 00 00

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:56 PM : [25 2C 11 0 ] Failed to add device, reason 3

 

Sat 11/23/2013 02:03:56 PM : [All ] Writing 0 bytes to devices

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi bconen,

 

Please make sure that this device is not already added to your ISY (click on ISY and then sort by Address). Once you have done that, please factory reset the IOLinc and this time try Link Management | Start Linking.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[bconen]

The device is not added. I have tried doing a factory reset. When I try linking using the set button, the linking screen closes. When I link by putting in the address it tells me it can not determine the insteon engine. Each time my PLM locks up and I must cycle power on it.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi bconen,

 

What's your PLM version?

 

I seriously think that this device is defective.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[bconen]

I will get a new PLM and try that.

 

Thanks

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi bconen,

 

I do not know if the problem is the PLM that's why I asked for the version. If 9A or 9B, you should be OK.

 

I think the IOLinc itself is defective.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[JSchumann]

Exactly how are you trying to add the device?

[bconen]

I replaced my PLM and the I/O Linc added correctly. My old PLM was version 1.0. New PLM is version 1B.

[smorgasbord]

New user here with all new equipment. I can't add any devices. For instance, when trying to add a IO Linc 2450, I get the "cannot determine insteon engine" message. Here's the level 3 log:

 

Wed 12/04/2013 10:38:57 PM : [28 BE CE ] Added to list of devices to link to ISY

Wed 12/04/2013 10:38:57 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 28 BE CE 0F 0D 00

Wed 12/04/2013 10:38:57 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 28.BE.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

Wed 12/04/2013 10:39:06 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 28 BE CE 0F 0D 00

Wed 12/04/2013 10:39:06 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 28.BE.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

Wed 12/04/2013 10:39:15 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 28 BE CE 0F 0D 00

Wed 12/04/2013 10:39:15 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 28.BE.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

Wed 12/04/2013 10:39:19 PM : [28 BE CE 0 ] Failed to add device, reason 3

Wed 12/04/2013 10:39:19 PM : [All ] Writing 0 bytes to devices

 

 

I also tried adding a 2842-222 Motion Sensor with the same error message. I have an Access Point also plugged in (thinking the motion sensor RF wasn't reaching the PLM).

 

From previous messages it sounds like I might have a bad PLM. This is all brand new - is there any way for me to determine if the PLM is working right? I did the "hold the set button and plug-in, holding the button until the long beep stops) thing to reset the PLM, but that didn't seem to make a difference.

 

Thanks in Advance.

[LeeG]

Plug the I/O Linc into the same plug point as the PLM. The I/O Linc is not responding with the expected 02 50 .... response. Could be a phase coupling issue, other electronic equipment plugged into the same circuit as the PLM reducing the PLM outbound signal level, etc. Not likely a device failure at this point.

 

Use New INSTEON Device, enter the Insteon Address, Name of choice, leave Device Type set to Auto Discover. Run the Event Trace at LEVEL 3 as before so the commands can be posted if it does not work

[smorgasbord]

OK, doing everything in the same room as the ISY/PLM and using New INSTEON Device works. I even got the RF motion sensor to install. Thanks!

[JSchumann]

What icon on the screen are you clicking to do the add?

[LeeG]

JSchumann

 

Link Management | New INSTEON Device. Using this was to produce a known device response should the device not work (which was not the case). I would expect Start Linking to also work but since the initial command response comes from the device, if it did not show up it would explain what did not happen but not why.

 

The issue with the previous OP is the lack of a functional Insteon Mesh Network, no coupling. Or perhaps a very long distance between garage and house. Moving the device to the PLM location verified the device was functional.

[JSchumann]

LeeG - Every time I try to use new Insteon Device I get cannot determine Insteon engine. If I click start linking - and press the button on the new device, it hooks up every time....

 

Maybe I am missing something?

[LeeG]

There is a Broadcast message a device issues when using New INSTEON Device. Some systems have problems moving that message to the PLM (and the ISY). I have not seen that issue here so have no solution. Pressing the Set button on the device sends the Broadcast message without it being asked for so the information required is obtained when using Start Linking. Don't know why the Broadcast message does not appear with New INSTEON Device. It works here all the time so have not had the failure to see why.

 

Some users have reported seeing the same problem and it goes away. Again, no good information about why.

[aceball]

Had this issue this afternoon where I paired the garage door sensor Linc, deleted it because I thought it would help with opening the garage (it didnt, I had wired the garage door relay wrong) and when I tried to re-add I could not for the life of me get it to pair, even though all the ISY and PLM looked to be online and when I tried to do it manually by adding the address, I got the "cannot determine insteon engine" error after 7%. This was after a powercycle of both ISY and PLM.

 

So my last ditch effort was to make sure it wasnt a signaling issue was to plug in the garage controller closer to the PLM. It worked instantly, by using the set button and link button. I then moved it back to the garage, and it was still controllable by the admin console without issues. Im guessing that the re-paring was failing due to some signal problem, but its not working. If it stops, Ill update, but it might be a workaround worth considering.

 

Aceball

[costap]

I am having the same basic issue.  Hitting the set button makes the address show up in start linking.  However, it fails every time for insteon engine.  My keypads are dual band as are my PLMs.  I have tried multiple keypads and multiple PLM and I see the same basic issue both in ISY and Indigo.  These keypads are installed in a corporate environment so I can't control what phase they are on and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a power line issue.  However, since everything is dual band I don't understand why I need power line for this to work anyway.  The keypads and the PLM are in the same room.  I have some RF only insteon motion sensor right next to the keypads and they link no problem.

 

Is good power line communication necessary to link dual band devices?  Shouldn't I be able to link using only RF?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi guys,

 

Sincere apologies for tardy reply.

 

This is usually related to communication signal issues. It's quite possible that in your corporate network there are 3 phases and the hop count goes to 0 while trying to reach your device. In most corporate networks that I have seen, they have separate phases and even breakers for lighting vs. AC vs. something else. 

 

If you are still having problems, please do not hesitate to contact our tech support team and we'd be delighted to help.

 

With kind regards,

Michel