Three-way night light scene

[mschaefe]

I'm loving the ISY and INSTEON switches.  I just got the garage door / keypadlinc thing working.  I have a question on setting up a scene for a three way switch and how it operates.  I read the how-to and it kinda-sorta makes sense, but don't think it answers my question.

 

My basement stairs light was three-way, so I bought two SwitchLinc dimmers and got it wired.  The load is connected to the top switch.  I have the dimmers and a keypadlinc hooked up as controllers on a scene, and that all works correctly.  What doesn't seem to work correctly is the on level and programming.

 

I have a program that is supposed to turn the light to 50% at 8:30PM and turn it off 20m before sunrise.  It is also supposed to set the on level for the scene (by setting the on level for the two switches in the scene) to 50% at night and 100% during the day.  I did try copying the attributes from the scene, but this seems to be a one time thing and not a synchronization.

 

So, here are some scenarios:

1) During the day, the on level is still 50%.  Nothing seems to change that.

2) Clicking the top stairs switch operates exactly as expected.  One click, 50%, next click or two clicks = 100%.

3) Clicking the bottom stairs switch doesn't work as expected.  If light is off, one click is 50%, next click does nothing, but indicator lights go to 100%, double click or one click if light is already on goes to 100%

4) Keypadlinc control seems to work correctly

 

So, the program is:

If: Time is 8:30PM

Then:

In Scene 'Stairs Light' Set 'Top Stairs Switch' 50% (On Level)

In Scene 'Stairs Light' Set 'Bottom Stairs Switch' 50% (On Level)  <<- These were the only two lines originally

In Scene 'Top Stairs Switch' Set 'Top Stairs Switch' 50% (On Level)

In Scene 'Keypad B(Basement' Set 'Top Stairs Switch' 50% (On Level) <<- etc. for all combinations of devices

Set Scene 'Stairs Light' On

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

[LeeG]

"1) During the day, the on level is still 50%.  Nothing seems to change that."

 

Unless part of the program was not posted there are no "In Scene" statements to set the On Level to 100% at Sunrise - 20 minutes.

 

 

"2) Clicking the top stairs switch operates exactly as expected.  One click, 50%, next click or two clicks = 100%."

 

Normal for a device that is physically controlling the load. 

 

 

"3) Clicking the bottom stairs switch doesn't work as expected.  If light is off, one click is 50%, next click does nothing, but indicator lights go to 100%"

 

A remote Controller directs the Responder to turn On to the linked On Level.   Going to 100% on second click is unique to the device that is physically controlling the load.  That does not apply to a remote Controller.  The double tap sends a Fast On which ignores the defined On Level of the Responder and the Responder goes 100% On.

 

 

The described results are normal.   ISY Program(s) can change the results of the remote Controller.  

[mschaefe]

Missed the sunrise program.  It does the same thing as the evening program, but sets levels to 100% and turns the scene off.

[mschaefe]

And thanks,

 

I was assuming the local vs. remote switch behavior was an Insteon quirk, which you confirmed.  So, I assume the remote switch sends the same on command (50%), which the responder ignores because the light is already at 50%.  But, when it happens on the local switch, it knows what the light state is and kicks it up to 100%.

 

I'm really surprised that this has been perpetuated through the various releases of the dimmer switches.  Both controllers know the light is at 50%, so the second click should send an on(100%) or fast on, since that is also the local behavior.

 

I was hoping that it was an ISY quirk based on how it creates the scenes... oh well.

[LeeG]

The remote Controller sends an On command which has no specific On Level.  No place in the Scene message for an On Level and each Responder could have a different On Level defined.    The Responder looks at the matching Responder link record in its link database to determine the On Level to set.   Does not matter whether the first Scene On message or the x Scene On message, same processing happens.

 

A Fast On command bypasses the use of the link record On Level and the Responder goes to 100% On.

 

Standard Insteon response that is not controlled by the ISY.

Edited October 3, 2014 by LeeG

[mschaefe]

Thanks, that makes sense.