Setting up 3 way switch

[mserrar]

Hi,

 

I have setup a 3 way switch by following a video from insteon. The video indicated to press the On button on 2nd switch for 10 sec to put in link mode, and then do the same on 1st switch until it's linked. Then do the same process again by starting with 1st switch then link to 2nd switch. After completing this, it works just fine as 3 way switch and it also gives the LED indicator to show lights off or on.

 

However, if I go to the ISY interface, I don't get the right indication of the lights status, and using the ISY, if I turn on or off the 2nd switch nothing happens. If I turn on or off the 1st switch it will turn on-off the lights.

 

How can I make the 2nd switch on the ISY to act as 3 way switch?

 

I know that I can create a scene and add the 2 switches as controllers for that scene. But I am wondering why it doesn't work native from the switch itself since I linked the 2 switches with the described procedure.

 

Thank you for any help

 

[LeeG]

The Insteon video does not assume any HA Controller.   HouseLinc, Homeseer, ISY, none would be aware of a change in either switch when manual linking is done.   DO NOT manual link when using ISY.

 

Factory reset both devices

Right  click one device node and select Restore Device;  when done do the other device

Define an ISY Scene and add both devices as Controllers in the ISY Scene

[mserrar]

Hi,

Thank you for your answer.

I did what you suggested and I restored both devices.

I created a new scene with both devices as controllers.

The 3 way switch seems to be working.

However, from the ISY interface, if I trigger the 2nd switch to On state, it doesn't turn on the light. Even if in the scene itself, it shows that 1 controller is On.

Any ideas?

[apostolakisl]

That is because you need to turn the scene on from ISY, not a single switch (assuming you want to turn the scene on).  A single switch receiving a command to turn on just turns itself on, it does not activate the scene.

 

Think about it for a minute.  If turning on a switch from another device caused the switch to trigger a scene that it controls, then you could never have a switch be a responder of any other scenes.  Every time you would turn that device on, then the scene would turn on.  This defeats much of the versatility of Insteon.  A switch can be a member of multiple scenes to which it only responds, and a controller of one.

 

Also understand that the PLM/ISY is a controller of every device individually.  In other words, ISY is basically a controller of a 2 member scene for every single device you have (ISY is one member and the device the other).  Also keep in mind that some switches have multiple nodes (like the 6 and 8 button kpl's) so each button can be a controller or reponsder in scenes separately. .. as though they were multiple devices.

 

A switch will only send out a scene command if 1) it is set of a controller of that scene and 2) you act directly on that switch (you actually push the button on the switch). 

[LeeG]

Turning an individual device On/Off with Direct commands from the ISY operate only that device.   That is how SmartLabs designed Insteon devices.  Insteon always operated that way.  Otherwise logical loops could occur where devices not in the specific Scene could/would react.  To manipulate the ISY Scene and have both devices turn On/Off select the ISY Scene and turn the Scene On/Off.

[mserrar]

I understand, thank you for taking the time to explain it to me

 

I guess why I was lost a little bit, it's because before I installed both insteon switches, I had only regular electric switches and it was acting as 3 way switch because of the wiring of the house between these 2 switches. So I thought by installing 2 insteon switches to the same cabling will still act as 3 way switch natively without any programming. Like when you replace a regular switch with an insteon one, it controls the light with no programming at all.

[apostolakisl]

I understand, thank you for taking the time to explain it to me

 

I guess why I was lost a little bit, it's because before I installed both insteon switches, I had only regular electric switches and it was acting as 3 way switch because of the wiring of the house between these 2 switches. So I thought by installing 2 insteon switches to the same cabling will still act as 3 way switch natively without any programming. Like when you replace a regular switch with an insteon one, it controls the light with no programming at all.

 

Insteon 3 way is very different.  A regular 3-way setup has both switches switching power back and forth between 2 wires that go between the 2 switches which then either powers or doesn't power the fixture depending on which way the 2 switches are positioned.  With Insteon, only one of the switches actually switches power to the fixture, the other switches (when properly programmed) simply instructs the controlling switch to turn power on/off using the power line or radio communications.  In this way, the 2 (or more) switches do not have to be directly connected to each other.