Color meaning and Back up device seetings

[Jamison_IO]

In the Main Tab where all of the devices and scenes are listed, there are items in red, blue, and italicized red. I found the meaning of italicized red (a controller in a scene), but what do the other two mean? I've got all sorts of stuff.

 

Also, i finally got my "4-way" working. Is there anyway to pull those settings from the Insteon devices to back them up? I am afraid if I ever restore the settings from the controller, it will overwrite what is on the devices - is that right?

[stusviews]

Red indicates a controller, blue is a responder. You cannot back up a single device. Backing up makes a copy of everything, device, scene, programs. Restoring will overwrite what is on the device. That's what you do want to happen.

 

BTW, specifically, what do you mean by "4-way?" In general. a 4-way switch is the term used in standard wiring (not Insteon) when the same device is controlled from more that two locations. That is, a multiway circuit using two 3-way switches and any number of 4-way switches. The switch have those names because a 3-way switch has three connections and a 4-way switch has four connection.

[Jamison_IO]

yes = i was using the terminology of statndard wiring. it is a light controlled by 3 switches. I am having a heck of a time getting it back to working. I can link them at the light it self and get the to work properly, but to the be able to turn them on and off with the isy, is troublesome.

 

I'll link them all using the 'hold up on the paddle' method, then add the to the isy - using "start linking" - i selected the "keep links" option as i thought that would keep them linked. 

 

I know there is an easier way, but forgot and haven't dug into the wiki yet. I have now deleted them all from the controller and am going to "start linking again.

[stusviews]

Delete the three switches. Add them using the set button, paddle or Insteon ID. Select Remove existing links. That's important for a clean installation. Do not use the paddle to create the links. Let the ISY do that for you.

 

After adding all three devices, create a scene and add each device as a Controller. If any of the switches are dimmers, you can also set the On-level and ramp rate for each switch. The On-levels and ramp rates can be the same for each or different, your choice. That's it

[Jamison_IO]

Thanks - all is well except for one thing. 

 

When I try to activate the switch from the admin console, only the load switch works, the other two will not turn on the light.

 

They all work when manually activated at the switch, just not from the console on my PC. not that I would need to do this, but shouldn't i be able to select the switch, turn it on from the console and have it respond?

[stusviews]

That's the correct behavior. When you control a device from the Admin Console, only that device responds, not any of the devices links. To do otherwise can result in a continuous loop. If you want to use the Admin Console, control the scene, not the device.

[Jamison_IO]

OK -as long as that is how it is supposed to work. I would think they would work individually as well from the console, but I am good with what is working now. Thanks!

[stusviews]

When you turn on an Insteon device locally/manually you are actually sending commands to any linked devices (as well as the load, if any). When you use the Admin Console to turn on a device, you are sending a command to that specific device only.

 

That's useful if you have a scene that turns on several devices and each device controls a different light, but you want to turn on only one light, not all of them.