Dimmers not updating status

[Krusty66]

I'll try the scene suggestions here, but I still have to say that its really strange that this is necessary.  Think about this - if I reach over with my hand and click the up button on my dimmer, the light on the dimmer turns green and its recognized immediately as being "on" in the Admin Console.  If I click on my remote to accomplish same, the light on the dimmer turns green, but the Console recognizes nothing.  I have a fair knowledge of electronics and all I can say is, if the green light comes on the dimmer, regardless of how I made it turn green, the downstream results should be the same.  The dimmer knows to tell the Console it has been flipped on when I use my finger.  But it doesn't do same when I use the remote.  That's a design flaw.

[Techman]

Krusty66,

 

Additionally, you should do a factory reset on both the dimmer and the remote to remove all the links between the two devices, then reinstall the devices via ISY linking. This insures that the ISY is a participant in any commands issued from either the remote or the dimmer.

 

When you have a scene all the devices within the scene know what the state is. Also a scene resides in the PLM not the ISY, this allows the scene to execute even if the ISY is off line.

 

If you're using a remotelinc in the 4 button mode then you'll have bright / dim functions by pressing either the left or right buttons from the pair included in your scene.

[stusviews]

I'll try the scene suggestions here, but I still have to say that its really strange that this is necessary.  Think about this - if I reach over with my hand and click the up button on my dimmer, the light on the dimmer turns green and its recognized immediately as being "on" in the Admin Console.  If I click on my remote to accomplish same, the light on the dimmer turns green, but the Console recognizes nothing.  I have a fair knowledge of electronics and all I can say is, if the green light comes on the dimmer, regardless of how I made it turn green, the downstream results should be the same.  The dimmer knows to tell the Console it has been flipped on when I use my finger.  But it doesn't do same when I use the remote.  That's a design flaw.

 

That's not flaw, it's a feature. Programs can differentiate, for example, between a device button press and a linked controller, but only if the linked controller is in a scene. That doesn't matter in your case, but it's important to differentiate between the two when programming. Since you controller is not in a scene, the ISY doesn't respond to it.

[larryllix]

I'll try the scene suggestions here, but I still have to say that its really strange that this is necessary.  Think about this - if I reach over with my hand and click the up button on my dimmer, the light on the dimmer turns green and its recognized immediately as being "on" in the Admin Console.  If I click on my remote to accomplish same, the light on the dimmer turns green, but the Console recognizes nothing.  I have a fair knowledge of electronics and all I can say is, if the green light comes on the dimmer, regardless of how I made it turn green, the downstream results should be the same.  The dimmer knows to tell the Console it has been flipped on when I use my finger.  But it doesn't do same when I use the remote.  That's a design flaw.

That's a setup flaw. ISY hasn't been told what you want it to know. Once ISY knows all the links and connections, ISY will then know and there won't be any hiding that from ISY.

 

ISY can poll  the dimmer circuit to see what level it is, at any time, regardless of how it got that way, with a query of the device.

[Krusty66]

I added the remotes to a "scene" and sure enough that works.  I must say, though, that I cannot find any practical reason that the dimmer should not relay the message that it has been turned on by the remote.  It does so when turned on by human finger, yet does not when using a remote.  In the real world, the point of a remote is to keep us humans from having to get up and physically walk over to a device. The remote was to do exactly what the now seated human formerly had to get up and do by hand.  It is clearly not intuitive, and illogical as well, to think that the Insteon remote does not perform the same function that a human finger would. But clearly it was designed this way.  I understand that this product is for gearheads and will never be usable by the masses.  But this kind of logic, or lack thereof, is even frustrating someone like me that has gotten deep into this type of product many times before.  I have a few other beefs that I will post under appropriate headings.  Let's see if you all can explain those away too. Thanks for the help in solving the problem. It is greatly appreciated since no amount of reasoning would have ever lead me there myself. 

 

My next topic - Insteon Light Bulbs, why do they turn on by themselves?

[stusviews]

When creating a program, the concern may be taking action if the device changes from off to on or on to off, for example, a hot water heater. But, sometimes what matters is the the device is manually operated such as using a SwitchLinc or the primary button on a Keypad

 

The Insteon protocol requires the devices respond, whether manually by pressing a button or by linking (scene,secondary button). That happens. But the ISY is able to distinguish between how and when the signal was sent, manually or via a scene allowing programs to create results that are not otherwise possible, for example, only during certain times or only if a button was pushed or both.

 

To do that, the ISY needs to know about all the links/scenes. The ISY is unaware of any links made manually, although if asked, can tell you the state of the device, but not what changed it nor when..

[larryllix]

Local pushbuttons and the dimmer circuits are two different style devices in the same container.

 

The dimmer circuitry does not send out command signals as a slave type device, only the pushbuttons and rocker switches on SwitchLincs, etc. send out commands when operated. Sensors send commands also when a change is detected.

 

Commands are detected in ISY by use of "control/switched" and position of dimmers and contact outputs  are detected by "status"  in program logic.

 

This takes a while to become accustomed to the difference.

[larryllix]

<snipped>

 

My next topic - Insteon Light Bulbs, why do they turn on by themselves?

Some brands of devices turn on by themselves so you don't have to use an app to control them.

 

You just flip the switch of and then on and the bulb or appliance will come on.

 

I avoid these types of devices.