questions on 2483 open close sensors

[jgorm]

I bought the 4 pack from costco.com and I'm having issues. I have 3 of them linked with jumper removed. When I first linked them by my computer, they would change the status when I triggered them with the magnet. The xxxx- closed part had no status and the xxxx-opened would change the status when triggered. I put them in their location, and made a program for them. The program for my front door works, but now the status for opened and closed is the same (now closed has a status) and neither one changes when I open the door, but the program still works correctly.

 

I made a program for my daughters room to turn on a light in my room when she opens the door. This program does not work. I added the 3rd open/close sensor and walked around the house testing it with status -on then light on, else light off. This sensor will turn the light on and off as it should, but the sensor that I mounted on her door does not when I replace it in the program. Even with the other sensor 2" away, and the door closed, it will still run the program just fine. There is one dual band switch through 2 walls, about 10' away and another couple dual band switches through one wall (perpendicular above the door) about 18' away.

 

Does anybody have any idea why I can no longer see the actual status for the first 2 sensors, but the 3rd works? And why the program won't run when the other sensor has no communication issues in the same location?

[LeeG]

When the jumper is removed the Open Close Sensor operates in two node mode. It sends an On command to one node when Open, and an On command to the other node when Closed.

 

Note that the User Guide indicates the battery has to be removed and restored after changing the jumper position for it to take effect.

[jgorm]

Thanks LeeG. Hopefully you are on insteon / UD's payroll for all the help you give everyone! That fixed my daughters program. My front door sensor uses the terminals instead of the magnet because there is already an alarm system wired to a hidden magnet on that one. When I install the jumper, the green light never turns on when I open or close the door, or use the magnet with the door open or closed. When I remove the jumper it works fine. I tried a factory reset, and it still does the same thing. Is this sensor defective?

[LeeG]

The jumper controls whether the Sensor uses one node (cycles On/Off) or two nodes (On only commands). Use of an external switch should make no difference regarding which node(s) are used. An external switch that is closed does not allow the magnetic switch to work as the external switch and the magnetic switch are wired in parallel. Either switch being closed turns the Sensor On.

 

Removing the jumper and cycling the battery long enough for the Sensor to actually power down should force the Sensor to use two nodes. If that is not what is happening the Sensor is not working correctly.

 

Note that when a factory reset is done the Sensor must be put into linking mode and a Restore Device done to rebuild the erased link database.

 

Thank you for the nice words. There are lots of really good folks who support this forum along with UDI who are the best in the business.

[jgorm]

I figured it out. The alarm system things that I was piggybacking on have some kind of feedback that makes it so you have to remove the jumper. I got it to work for a few seconds when I installed the battery with the jumper, then removed the jumper, but I could not repeat this. When I take the battery out of the alarm thing, it doesn't change anything, but when I unhook one wire from the alarm and send it straight to the insteon, it works fine. Weird. My wife wanted to keep the alarm fully functional, but isy takes priority now!

[LeeG]

Very likely the door magnetic switch has an EOL resister that is often found in wired systems. Trying to share the same switch for two purposes may always be a problem.

[Brian H]

Besides the possible EOL Resistor.

There is probably a sensing current or voltage on the switch from the security system.

That can mess up the 2483 that expects a dry contact switch and has its own sensing current.

Separate switch maybe needed. One for the security system and another one for the 2483.