Thermostat 2441TH 4014 v2.0 Very unreliable / Questions

[brockp]

I have had this thermostat now for over 6 months, and communicating with it or doing anything with it is highly unreliable.  I read around and it looks like these devices are probably the weakest point in the Insteon Lineup.

 

I have a 994i/zw Pro.

 

The thermostat is no less than 5 feet away from 2 dual band devices that have no problems, and 15' from an additional 2 dual band devices.

 

The issue is that the ISY does not reliably program and control the device.  Often I get "Failed to communicate" messages.  It often if I try to query it manually will not show the current set point.  In MobiLinc the thermostat shows up blank and uncontrollable.

 

I have tried removing it and re-linking, when I do this the ISY UI shows that it needs to write updates to the device.  When I try to write updates I get every time the following:

Sat 12/10/2016 12:30:58 PM : [32 F9 67 1  ] Memory : Write dbAddr=0x5001 [00] cmd1=0x2E cmd2=0x00 - Failed
Sat 12/10/2016 12:30:58 PM : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [32 F9 67 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1
Sat 12/10/2016 12:30:58 PM : [  32 F9 67 1]      ERR   1

I have attached the entire log file from "Write updates to device"

 

I know this looks like just a communication / signal problem, but I really don't see how I can get any stronger RF signal to the thermostat.  All the other devices around have no problem (they do have power line though)  but are again only a few feet away.

 

This has been the most frustrating thing.  Some times I'm not sure the ISY is even doing what I expect it to.  For example if I run Query there will be often no error message but there will also not be Current State, no control in MobiLinc etc.

 

I'm ready to toss the damn thing for a ZWave thermostat,  is this one just defective?

 

ISY-Events-Log.v4.5.4__Sat 2016.12.10 12.32.20 PM.txt

[smokegrub]

I wish I could offer help, but I cannot. That thermostat is the least reliable of my Insteon devices. I have found that removing the power from the device and rebooting it a minute or so later has been very helpful. You might want to try that.

[larryllix]

I have two 2441ZTH stats.

 

I remember having to factory reset them and re-link about a dozen times over the last two years.

 

I have an older version that I just left in the cold cellar as a humidity sensor and ventilation controller, and a newer revision unit, that can report to ISY but ISY cannot control it, whatsoever, since purcahe a year and some ago through many version of v4 as well as all of v5.

 

I would never trust one of these to heat my home where the application is critical and/or dangerous to energy consumption or safety of occupants.

 

SH has displayed their intense customer concern, with this Insteon model (sarcasm) by repeatedly changing the firmware in attempts to alleviate the massive quatity of bug complaints concerning this piece of junk. In the two years plus, I have been on this forum, I have seen about 10-12 people, totally miffed with these two models, for many different reasons.

 

I am just glad I only paid about $70 for each unit as I have seen them offered for $150 at times.

[brockp]

Yeah I got mine on sale and then after a rebate for a 'wifi smart thermostat'  from both my gas and power company (AC)  I actually paid less than nothing for it.  Still though now will seriously look at replacing it with a zWave model.

 

I did try pulling power a few time, deleting re-link, it actually kinda made it worse.  Then I found in the manual a factory reset.  Given I don't use the schedule in the thermostat at all and use the ISY for all of that it didn't bother me at all do that.   This appears to made a world of difference, at least back to how it worked when I first got it. 

 

I'll see if this is a recurring behavior or not.  I'll go leave a review at SH hopefully people read the reviews first.

[larryllix]

Yeah I got mine on sale and then after a rebate for a 'wifi smart thermostat' from both my gas and power company (AC) I actually paid less than nothing for it. Still though now will seriously look at replacing it with a zWave model.

 

I did try pulling power a few time, deleting re-link, it actually kinda made it worse. Then I found in the manual a factory reset. Given I don't use the schedule in the thermostat at all and use the ISY for all of that it didn't bother me at all do that. This appears to made a world of difference, at least back to how it worked when I first got it.

 

I'll see if this is a recurring behavior or not. I'll go leave a review at SH hopefully people read the reviews first.

I use the Venstar T7900 and it has a lot of shortcomings but some nice features too.

 

Doing it again, I would stick with a thermostat company like Honeywell for serious home comfort. Then there is the HA factor that really screws that concept up.

[stusviews]

Yeah I got mine on sale and then after a rebate for a 'wifi smart thermostat'  from both my gas and power company (AC)  I actually paid less than nothing for it.  Still though now will seriously look at replacing it with a zWave model.

 

The Insteon thermostat is not WiFi.

[smokegrub]

I went with Honeywell and am well-pleased. I am hopeful that the ISY will soon work with it.

[larryllix]

I went with Honeywell and am well-pleased. I am hopeful that the ISY will soon work with it.

I believe Scottie has his Honeywells working through his CAO Tag manager into ISY.

[brockp]

Yeah DTE Energy and Consumers Energy accepted it though their docs say wifi, I think they just saw 'control it form your phone'  and it met the spirit of their intent.

[larryllix]

Yeah DTE Energy and Consumers Energy accepted it though their docs say wifi, I think they just saw 'control it form your phone' and it met the spirit of their intent.

The utilities like to hear "smart thermostat" usually.

 

Our electrical utility manager told us they can get aproved increases in the energy rates very easily if they promise to pay it back to the users for about two years. With this promise tot he regulating police, they give away money and gadgets to users (like 52W incandescent light bulbs to save energy ;P ), for anything they can find to look "energy conscious".

[smokegrub]

I believe Scottie has his Honeywells working through his CAO Tag manager into ISY.

 

That is great news. I absolutely love my Honeywells. They are great stats and very attractive. I am a big fan of the ISY and Insteon but the Insteon thermostats are "dogs". Want to know what I really think?  :  )

[Keane]

Wow.  I wish I saw this post before I purchased 4 of the 2441THs to replace my Honeywell Z-Waves!!!  I was gonna sell the Honeywells but may hang onto them for a bit!!!!

[larryllix]

Wow.  I wish I saw this post before I purchased 4 of the 2441THs to replace my Honeywell Z-Waves!!!  I was gonna sell the Honeywells but may hang onto them for a bit!!!!

Welcome to the forum!

 

Check about refusing them at the door or package them and attempt to return them using a silly line like "I though they said they were WiFi. Isn't Insteon a just a brand name?"

[cowinger]

In reference to the 2441ZTH I have found that if you attach a 5vdc power adapter to the back terminals that it seems to come to life and give the proper readings from quite a distance. Just a thought. Mine transmits data from over 50 ft away just fine.

 

Hope this helps.

[brockp]

Wow.  I wish I saw this post before I purchased 4 of the 2441THs to replace my Honeywell Z-Waves!!!  I was gonna sell the Honeywells but may hang onto them for a bit!!!!

I should stress after I did my factory reset they have been working much more reliably now, enough that I don't worry.  Will see how it works long term.

[larryllix]

In reference to the 2441ZTH I have found that if you attach a 5vdc power adapter to the back terminals that it seems to come to life and give the proper readings from quite a distance. Just a thought. Mine transmits data from over 50 ft away just fine.

 

Hope this helps.

Both of my models have 5v power supplies attached and transmit and received as well as any Insteon device does.

Both send updates to ISY within their very poor specs, but only the older one can be controlled from ISY since v3.

Some ISY features do not function with the working unit.

[Dr Pepper]

On Christmas Eve day my 2441TH would not stop calling for heat.  It was set for 70F and it was reading higher than that and calling for heat.  It basically ran away and said it was 90F at one point and still calling for heat even though the set point was 70F (I hit the emergency cutoff for the furnace).  I reset the power 4 or 5 times and then finally pulled it off the wall..

 

I was going to put the Zwave TSTAT back on Christmas day but when I powered it back up for $h1ts and giggles it was fine (and has been since). 

 

SH quality is still not on par with other HA mfg's.  Still have switches fail occasionally, flaky keypads (keypads hate power dips and blackouts) etc

[paulbates]

On Christmas Eve day my 2441TH would not stop calling for heat.  It was set for 70F and it was reading higher than that and calling for heat.  It basically ran away and said it was 90F at one point and still calling for heat even though the set point was 70F (I hit the emergency cutoff for the furnace).  I reset the power 4 or 5 times and then finally pulled it off the wall..

 

I was going to put the Zwave TSTAT back on Christmas day but when I powered it back up for $h1ts and giggles it was fine (and has been since). 

 

SH quality is still not on par with other HA mfg's.  Still have switches fail occasionally, flaky keypads (keypads hate power dips and blackouts) etc

 

That appears to be the symptom of igniter voltage from the furnace traveling down the the 24vac lines. The 2441TH can only handle so much of that and can eventually lock up in response. I had this lock up / 'runaway heat' issue in 2012 with several  2441THs and eventually got my money back.

 

There is a lengthy thread on the forum here about the extent some members went to to fix it with modifications and additional electronics, but I wasn't going there. My house came with standard contractor issue Honeywells, and I installed RCS and now Venstar thermostats on the same furnaces, none of them locked up.

 

I think most people don't have the 'igniter problem'... I also think most thermostat manufacturers design with it in mind. 

 

Paul

[brockp]

Ok so starting two days ago the symptoms of not being able to communicate with the 2441th returned, some data would appear, random failures.   I went to try today (after three days of waking up to a cold house after weeks of working fine (no changes to network) I deleted the device from the ISY tried re adding this failed several times.  Did factory reset twice, still fail. 

 

I actually have an older 2441TH that was a referb and different revision that I never used.  Connected it, same behavior,  I restarted my ISY, my PLM,  as well as the two dual band dimmers less than 10 feet from the thermostat all with no change in behavior.  I had a few acesspoints and moved them around, to try and make a stronger network in the area of the thermostat, it appears to just stop communicating.

 

My non-referb device is less than a year old, so I'm going to call SH support and provide feedback and try to get it returned.