Cable length between isy and plm

[beninsteon]

Is there a maximum recommended length on the cable between the isy and plm?

 

Thanks,

 

Ben

[stusviews]

I don't believe that there's an official maximum, but I'd keep the length to 15' or even 25' if it's a quality (Cat 6 or better) cable.

[apostolakisl]

I have seen people say they had 50 feet.  I have 2 isy's one has about a 20 foot cat6 cable and works flawlessly.  The other is just a regular ~5 ft cat5 patch cable and also, of course, works fine.

[beninsteon]

Thanks for your assistance. Do you think I could improve my INSTEON network by bringing the plm closer to my main panel? I'm finding one of my rooms isn't getting as much coverage as I'd like despite using as many repeaters as I thought would be necessary.

[Teken]

Thanks for your assistance. Do you think I could improve my INSTEON network by bringing the plm closer to my main panel? I'm finding one of my rooms isn't getting as much coverage as I'd like despite using as many repeaters as I thought would be necessary.

 

Your first task is to confirm the split single phase electrical system in your home is properly bridged / coupled as noted in any Insteon full users manual.

 

The 4 tap (Beacon) bridging / coupling test is outlined in most of the full users manual and 2413S manual.

 

Once confirmed your next task is to identify any noise makers / signal suckers in the home. Your options are to filter, remove, replace any offenders.

 

Deploying a dual band plugin module from lamp linc / relay on all four corners of the home on each floor is my best practice and helps bridge RF communication and ensures bridging of the Insteon mesh network.

 

NOTE: No amount of bridging / coupling will supersede the need to identify and remove / replace a noise maker / signal suckers in the home.

 

Important item to note is any lighting load besides a standard incandescent bulb can and will cause issues if not tested.

 

Most common issues seen and heard are lights turn on fine but don't turn off or slow to respond. Newer switches will actually blink red to show there is a comm issue at play.

 

Lights that flicker, blink, hum, buzz, pulse should be tested thoroughly. Not all LED bulbs play nicely with Insteon and only two pieces of hardware are stated as supporting LED loads which are the ILL / Ballast Linc.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[apostolakisl]

Thanks for your assistance. Do you think I could improve my INSTEON network by bringing the plm closer to my main panel? I'm finding one of my rooms isn't getting as much coverage as I'd like despite using as many repeaters as I thought would be necessary.

 

Maybe.

 

I would focus more on putting your PLM on a clean circuit rather than physically close to the panel.

 

It also helps if all of your stuff is dual band.

 

And even if it is all dual band, a very noisy power line seems to "drown-out" the radio com.  Not sure how the SH engineers managed that.

[Teken]

Maybe.

 

I would focus more on putting your PLM on a clean circuit rather than physically close to the panel.

 

It also helps if all of your stuff is dual band.

 

And even if it is all dual band, a very noisy power line seems to "drown-out" the radio com. Not sure how the SH engineers managed that.

From a high level every dual band unit that does not have the ability to select RF vs Power line uses a unified circuit and thus any power line issues are seen on the RF side.

 

This is why the new dual out let relay and plugin on-off relay module are such great hardware. They physically use two different paths to communicate vs a unified one.

 

It only took ten years for Joe Dadda to wake up and grab a brain. What any first year engineers would know is a epic failed design and concept.

[paulbates]

Thanks for your assistance. Do you think I could improve my INSTEON network by bringing the plm closer to my main panel? I'm finding one of my rooms isn't getting as much coverage as I'd like despite using as many repeaters as I thought would be necessary.

That worked better for me with X10 and I setup my insteon system that way from the start. Installing a signalinc bridge in the panel also helped me a lot. It bridges the power legs right in the panel, anything traveling though it does so using no Insteon hops.

 

Dual band bridging has been necessary for me too at some of far ends of my electrical system, but I deal with that on a case by case basis

 

Paul

[KeviNH]

The connection from ISY to PLM uses 3 wires; IIRC, the serial communication uses pins 1,7,8 and runs at 19,200 bits/second (baud); That is a slow enough bitrate that the connection should be generally forgiving of the usual issues that come with long cable runs.
 

Is there a maximum recommended length on the cable between the isy and plm?

Short answer: Depending who you ask, the maximum is 7.6 meters, 50 feet, or the cable length equal to a capacitance of 2500pF.   There is no specific maximum stated in the ISY Wiki.

Real world experience says good cable can be used to get +25 feet reliably.  My ISY994 is 30 feet from my PLM, extended using standard Cat5e off a bulk spool, connected via ethernet patch panels.   See the old thread.

[Teken]

The connection from ISY to PLM uses 3 wires; IIRC, the serial communication uses pins 1,7,8 and runs at 19,200 bits/second (baud); That is a slow enough bitrate that the connection should be generally forgiving of the usual issues that come with long cable runs.

 

Short answer: Depending who you ask, the maximum is 7.6 meters, 50 feet, or the cable length equal to a capacitance of 2500pF.   There is no specific maximum stated in the ISY Wiki.

 

Real world experience says good cable can be used to get +25 feet reliably.  My ISY994 is 30 feet from my PLM, extended using standard Cat5e off a bulk spool, connected via ethernet patch panels.   See the old thread.

 

 

Wow . . .

 

Old thread ~ Blast from the past for sure.