Banichi Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 So I have 2 circuits that flicker if the loads are not at full when there is insteon activity on the network. Is it possible that the phase bridge(s) is causing the problem? I have 2 phase bridges as I have 2 panels, (not a sub-panel) in this install. I thought at first that it was just because there were some crappy LED's installed in the one circuit but the other circuit is an incandescent one. Also to be clear the one circuit is through and 8-button dimmer and the other, (incandescent load) is on a regular luton dimmer. I'll have to see what my electrician did in the panel. I'm wondering if he piggy-backed on those circuits with the phase bridges and maybe that's why? I dunno thoughts? Oh and also, there are about 40 insteon light circuits in this house and the only ones flickering are the 2 that I mentioned.
stusviews Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 The phase bridge (is it an Insteon 2406H?) should be on its own circuits, but it's highly unlikely that that's the cause of the flicker. Incandescent bulbs should not flicker at all. Are you sure that both flickering loads are on different circuits? If so, how do you know?
Teken Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 So I have 2 circuits that flicker if the loads are not at full when there is insteon activity on the network. Is it possible that the phase bridge(s) is causing the problem? I have 2 phase bridges as I have 2 panels, (not a sub-panel) in this install. I thought at first that it was just because there were some crappy LED's installed in the one circuit but the other circuit is an incandescent one. Also to be clear the one circuit is through and 8-button dimmer and the other, (incandescent load) is on a regular luton dimmer. I'll have to see what my electrician did in the panel. I'm wondering if he piggy-backed on those circuits with the phase bridges and maybe that's why? I dunno thoughts? Oh and also, there are about 40 insteon light circuits in this house and the only ones flickering are the 2 that I mentioned. Another member last month had the same issue where lights would flicker / pulse. It was found the problem was the Lutron dimmer and not the Insteon hardware given it impacts the incandescent load that would be the first area to review.
Jimbo.Automates Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 When I started adding insteon in our lake house, one of the existing dimmers, I'm pretty sure it was lutron, would flicker. When I replaced it with an insteon it did not flicker. A switchlinc dimmer at our home would flicker due to the cheap LEDs I had to use because of the size I needed. I changed the device options to enable LED on TX and they stopped flickering. Luckily the switch is in a location where I don't care that the LEDs in the switch flash. I don't remember why I changed that option, but it worked for me. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Banichi Posted February 14, 2017 Author Posted February 14, 2017 Another member last month had the same issue where lights would flicker / pulse. It was found the problem was the Lutron dimmer and not the Insteon hardware given it impacts the incandescent load that would be the first area to review.Okay so the incandescent load that is on the Lutron dimmer it sounds like it's the dinner that's the problem. And on the kpl maybe I can do the flash on tx device option and see if that helps. I'll get another switchlinc for that incandescent load. I'll report back with results. Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Brian H Posted February 14, 2017 Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) Lutron actually makes a filter kit to prevent power line signals from flickering their loads. It wires into the Line input if memory serves me. Edited February 14, 2017 by Brian H 1
Banichi Posted February 15, 2017 Author Posted February 15, 2017 Lutron actually makes a filter kit to prevent power line signals from flickering their loads. It wires into the Line input if memory serves me. well the lights on the kpl were fixed by replacing the bulbs with some $6 Cree bulbs instead of the $2 Westinghouse bulbs from the supply house. Can't specifically find that Lutron filter kit but then again using the Google is a skill in itself. Looks like it's just a choke though. Maybe I can work something up. I wonder if even one of the induction snap on ones would work. Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Banichi Posted February 15, 2017 Author Posted February 15, 2017 Try Googling "lutron filter." Yeah finally found it buried in some tech spec PDFs. They refer to it as a "lamp debuzzing coil" aka a filter choke. But simply Lurton filter did not yield any products. Perseverance wins the battle. Part numbers CPW0035 (100W-200W); CPW0036 (200W-400W), CPW0037 (400W-800W); CPW1346-OCP (600W-1200W) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Brian H Posted February 15, 2017 Posted February 15, 2017 It has been awhile since I had found the Lutron Technical paper. It was a heavy duty coil and not a filter. Glad you did find the correct information.
Banichi Posted May 31, 2017 Author Posted May 31, 2017 The choke that I ended up with that worked well was this guy at digikey. I of course needed to wrap it in an insulator so that it wouldn't short with the ground, so I got a large enough piece of heat shrink and did that. The posts were just long enough to wire nut the hot going to the dimmer to 2 posts. The other 2 posts were not needed. Meaning I only needed to filter on the hot and not also the neutral going to the fixture.
Brian H Posted May 31, 2017 Posted May 31, 2017 Thank you for the information on the choke you used and how it was installed. You used one of the two coils in the assembly? Not a bad price. $6.30 compared to the ones, if you can even find one, being sold by the dimmer manufacturers. Only thing to consider is the ten amp rating with regard to the total current the loads are using.
Banichi Posted May 31, 2017 Author Posted May 31, 2017 Thank you for the information on the choke you used and how it was installed. You used one of the two coils in the assembly? Not a bad price. $6.30 compared to the ones, if you can even find one, being sold by the dimmer manufacturers. Only thing to consider is the ten amp rating with regard to the total current the loads are using. Yeah I did think about current rating. Was hoping to find a 15A rated one but the fixture won't be pulling anywhere near that so I think I'll be okay. I would be a little worried if any single light circuit was pulling more than 10A in a residential setting, (not to say that it's unheard of, just not common I wouldn't think). Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Brian H Posted May 31, 2017 Posted May 31, 2017 Ten amps at 120 volts. Is 1200 watts. There is no Insteon dimmer type with over a 1000 watt rating.
Banichi Posted May 31, 2017 Author Posted May 31, 2017 Ten amps at 120 volts. Is 1200 watts. There is no Insteon dimmer type with over a 1000 watt rating.True. Though this was filtering a non-Insteon dimmer. There are some 1000W dimmers from lutron but this one was not one of those. Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
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