isy 994i & garage door opener

[slpelts]

I have the isy994i & Garage Door Sensor (2450) IOLinc v.41

 

recently I had to replace the isy.

 

I have a program that fires when the garage door opens and closes.

Control 'Garage Door-Sensor' is switched off and same for on

 

it never fires now.

 

i can manually via ISY program open & close door.  the sensor reads on and off when it should so that part works

 

just the program doesn't run.  i guess because it doesn't detect it??

 

any help is appreciated

 

thanks

 

[larryllix]

Right click on the device in the device tree and do a restore to see if the link table has been messed up or not patched properly.

[slpelts]

Right click on the device in the device tree and do a restore to see if the link table has been messed up or not patched properly.

WOW!!

 

that did it thanks

 

should I do that to all devices or what or when?

[larryllix]

WOW!!

 

that did it thanks

 

should I do that to all devices or what or when?

You can do a device by device restore or there is a mass PLM restore command but battery operated devices need to be put in linking mode, one at a time.

 

A significant feature you should know about for anytime you smell a problem is how to examine the link table in each device.

 

Right click on any device in the device tree.

- Select Diagnostics | Device Link table

- Now you should be presented with table for the device with every link to every device function involved.

- At the bottom you can click the "compare" button and ISY will show you what it thinks should be in the device link table.

    These should match and later ISY f/w will lay them over top of each other and show mis/matches.

    Restore dumps these proper links into the device.

- Every scene and the ISY bidirectionally will show in the link list so you will see the PLM 'Insteon IP' address several times at least.

- Insteon devices can hold up to about 255 links each. ISY does not have to be involved for links towork but ISY manages them better and easier for the user. Not recommended to make inks directly between devices without ISY management.

[slpelts]

thanks.  I will take a look at that.

 

One thing that has plagued me forever with this stuff is that some times it works and other times it does not.

 

I get a cannot communicate with ...... error msg.  then later or day later, it is working again.  

 

any thoughts on that?

[larryllix]

thanks.  I will take a look at that.

 

One thing that has plagued me forever with this stuff is that some times it works and other times it does not.

 

I get a cannot communicate with ...... error msg.  then later or day later, it is working again.  

 

any thoughts on that?

Erratic behaviour would usually be noise on the powerline.

 

If there is a particularly bad time of day for response start unplugging devices in the house. The breaker panel is a good place to start to mass disconnect devices and you know you get them all with a breaker.

 

 

Another thing you could do is to map your house and draw the devices onto it, making sure you know where the dual band units are.

 

A level recording of your activity can be analysed by some here that are very good at finding problems to start digging into.

Edited December 2, 2015 by larryllix

[oberkc]

I suspect that experience is pretty common. My theory is that this can happen when a combination of factors come together. This includes see an electrical environment where insteon communications are marginal coupled with some devices (such as furnace, appliances, water heaters, pumps) that are operating only part of the time that turn on and temporarily disrupt comms.

 

The solution, in my mind, is to address the general environment, via filters, to ensure it is clean and fast.

[Brian H]

One common place to look is the PLM connected to the same circuit with computing equipment or an UPS.

Both can absorb Insteon power line signals or put noise on the power lines.

[slpelts]

I suspect that experience is pretty common. My theory is that this can happen when a combination of factors come together. This includes see an electrical environment where insteon communications are marginal coupled with some devices (such as furnace, appliances, water heaters, pumps) that are operating only part of the time that turn on and temporarily disrupt comms.

 

The solution, in my mind, is to address the general environment, via filters, to ensure it is clean and fast.

what kind of filters?

[Brian H]

Wired in or plug in?

Plug in could be a Smarthome FilterLinc if the load is ten or less amps. It also has a pass through outlet on the front. I have my UPS using one. The PLM is in the unfiltered front outlet and the UPS in the bottom filtered one.

The ACT AF120 is a fifteen amp one.

 

The X10Pro XPF is a large 20 amp wired in one.

 

All three I mentioned do X10 or Insteon noise. As both are close in power line signal frequency.

[slpelts]

I have a device with red asterisk.  but it writes and operates properly....

 

this moment is one of those times I ask myself WHY do i mess with this stuff.

 

I have about 20% of my devices that just stopped responding

[slpelts]

I have in MBDR a KPL switch.  it can control the modules in that room but the ISY cannot connect to any of them?  if I take one of the lamp modules to another room the ISY can control it but has red exclamation mark.  

[oberkc]

Make sure you respond to Brian H post earlier. Make sure your PLM is on a nice, clean circuit. I expect it is easy for most of us to plug in the PLM into the same circuit as the rest of that noisy computer stuff.

 

A simple test would be to run an extension cord from another circuit to the PLM and see if this solves your problem.

 

Lets deal with the easy sruff first.

[slpelts]

Make sure you respond to Brian H post earlier. Make sure your PLM is on a nice, clean circuit. I expect it is easy for most of us to plug in the PLM into the same circuit as the rest of that noisy computer stuff.

 

A simple test would be to run an extension cord from another circuit to the PLM and see if this solves your problem.

 

Lets deal with the easy sruff first.

 

ok.  this has worked for a few years and then last two weeks it suddenly stopped in some places.  it is just so aggravating.  the PLM/ISY controls the other 80% fine at the moment.

 

it is just tough to understand why what was working stopped.  

 

it is like weather  it seems 

 

I have PLM plugged into separate circuit

[oberkc]

Yes, tough at times. I understand.

 

Much can change in two years. More chargers and gadgets. Incandescent lighting replaced. Aging electronics. Neighbors. Who knows.

 

To be clear PLM needs to be on separate circuit BREAKER. I would still filter all computer electronics. All my computer stuff (and it is a lot, consuming 20 outlets, probably) is on a filter.

 

If something changed suddenly, consider also the possibility hat some link records became corrupt somehow. For a troubled device, show the link records, then "compare" to the ISY.

 

Failing the easy stuff, I have no secret tricks. Divide and conquer. Unplug and de-energize. Trial and error.

[Brian H]

Sudden changes as pointed out. Can be something deteriorating, new device or even a device moved to a new location. Like moved a cell phone charger to a more convenient location.