Elecrtronically Link Insteon Keypad with Dimmer

[william.hullsiek]

I have a 2486D Keypad that used to control two 2477D (Button B and Button D).   The two 2477D are located behind the refrigerator which is a pain to move without scratching the floors.  The two dimmers work from a Mini-Remote.    I have tried a restore of the KeypadLinc - which did not solve the problem.    Is there a way to electronically Link the keypad link with a dimmer?   Is this done with the Device Links table?  

Basically, I am asking if there is a way to electronically push the set button on these devices?   I have access to the keypad link - just not to the dimmer.  

 

[rccoleman]

Since both the keypad and SwitchLincs are line-powered, there's no need to manually press the set button or touch any of the devices.  Everything can set up through the Admin Console, either by creating a scene with the keypad buttons and SwitchLincs or by using a program that triggers when keypad buttons are pressed, and the ISY will take care of programming the links automatically.

When you say that restoring the KeypadLinc "did not solve the problem", what was the problem?  Did everything work properly in the past?  How are the keypad and switches associated in the Admin Console?

If you manually linked the devices in the past by pressing the set button, I recommend removing all pre-existing links and setting everything in the ISY via scenes or programs.  All of that can be done without physically touching the devices.

[william.hullsiek]

I re-wired the Kitchen back in August 2018.  At that time, I removed an old X-10 based lighting controller and replaced it with four 2477D Dimmer Controls.  (The controls are placed behind the refrigerator)    During the August install, I did a factory reset of the Keypad Linc (Air-Gap for 10 seconds, the Set).   Configured the Keypad Link to control the various switches (without requiring my ISY controller).  That worked great until recently (I had several trades people going through house working on other parts of the remodel).  

The problem is that Keypad B and Keypad D - no longer control the dimmers directly.  

So I am trying to see if there is software that can issue the remote set command or configure the Button as a Controller of another insteon device.  I typically use my ISY as a Supervisory Control system (time-of-day programming and special events).  But trying to avoid use it for localized lighting control.      

 

 

[rccoleman]

The best way to approach this is to configure everything through the ISY, rather than doing it manually.  If the keypad and switches have never been added to the ISY at all, you will need to put the ISY into linking mode and hit the set button once for each device, but future programming can be done hands-off.  This is really how the ISY is intended to work, allows you a lot more flexibility down the road, and doesn't have any obvious downsides.  Having links outside of the ISY's purview is generally discouraged, and rarely, if ever, adds any value.    Note that creating a scene in the ISY to allow a keypad button to remotely control a switch (as it sounds like you're doing) doesn't require or involve the ISY during operation - the ISY will just create a native link between the devices and the keypad will talk directly to the switch without going through the ISY.  The only difference from what you're doing now is that additional links will be created from each device back to the ISY so that the ISY can also control the devices and can receive status changes from them.

I recommend spending the effort to the add those devices to the ISY (which does require access to the device, and pressing the "set" button), clear all of the existing links while doing so, and re-build the links by using the ISY.