New ISY user older Insteon user

[eboyhan]

I had some general Q's back on 3/5/19 -- got some useful answers from paulbates..  Today finally got around to try some linking. Am running beta firmware v5.0.15 (upgraded from 5.0.14).  That I could do that indicates that can talk to 994i from admin console to internet and PLM -- yes?  Started small: 2 on/off SWL's.  One is relatively new; the other is about 8 years old.  The latter errored with cannot recognize insteon engine.  The former was recognized but had a red ! (poor communication?) -- it's on a GFI protected circuit.  Is that a problem?  Tried a SWL dimmer physically closer to ISY (also 8 years old also got cannot recognize Insteon engine error).  Not a good start to ISY usage!  Any help would be appreciated.

[oberkc]

I am still waiting for answers to my questions at the smarthome forum.

[Brian H]

Do you have the PLM connected to the same circuit as the computing equipment or through an UPS and not have them isolated from the PLM's AC input?  Many will effect the power line signals. The 8 year old one is most likely an I1 protocol and needs very good power line communication between the PLM and the module in question.  As they have to use many Peek and Poke commands between them.

Being able to communicate with the PLM is an indication that communication is working. It does not mean the PLM can communicate with the Insteon Module. By power line or RF if Dual band.   https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:Red_Exclamation_Mark

If you have not had a chance to look at the great information in the UDI Wiki. It is a great source of information. https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

[lilyoyo1]

Factory reset the devices just in case something got scrambled. If that doesn't work try plugging the plm into a different outlet.

[eboyhan]

On 4/17/2019 at 6:36 AM, oberkc said:

I am still waiting for answers to my questions at the smarthome forum.

Another dupe (:grin)Sorry for the delay -- it's been a busy time for me, and I haven't been able to devote much time to this. I only have some partial answers for you. The PLM came as part of a package with the ISY994i which was bought from smarthome about a year ago -- I only recently have gotten around to installing the ISY. Back in early March 2019 was the first time that I've used the PLM. It is firmware rev 2.4. I had initially thought it was plugged into a relatively clean circuit, but upon examination, I found a couple of laser printers and a UPS on the same circuit. I'm somewhat limited to where I can install the ISY and the PLM because the router for the whole house is attached to a patch panel in my equipment loft. The circuit that the ISY and PLM were plugged into was just a normal duplex wall circuit in the loft. The loft also has two dedicated 20 amp circuit with straight shots back to the breaker box in the garage. I moved the printers and UPS onto these circuits, but the ISY admin console was still complaining about communication with the one SWL that it recognized -- the two other SWL's (older) came up with unrecognized Insteon Engine errors (which in another dialog box said it was because of "reason 3" which the user guide error list said error 3 is due to invalid insteon address, but the address it was showing was what was printed on the SWL device). I have been able to upgrade the ISY firmware twice to 5.0.14 then to 5.0.15 successfully. I don't know if this involves the PLM or not, but it seems that ISY PLM communications are OK? The reason 3 error (Insteon Engine not recognized) makes me think that there's a table or something of valid insteon addresses somewhere that's not up to date. After thinking about this some more, it occurred to me that I should have left the laser printers and UPS's where they were, and put the ISY and the PLM on the dedicated circuit back to the breaker box. That's going to require moving an equipment rack and having an electrician relocate the two dedicated circuit outlets to a more accessible location. That should make the circuits as clean as possible. Almost all my insteon device (with a very few exceptions) are dual band. Further there is a phase coupler wired into the breaker box. Since the one device it can recognize as a valid Insteon Engine (an almost new ON/OFF SWL), is on a GFI protected circuit, and is about as far as you can get from the ISY (although it's right by the breaker box), I can live with it not communicating if that's the only comms problem I have. The more disturbing problem that I have is that every other device I've tried to add comes up with this Insteon Engine unrecognized error. That's the main problem that I need solved, or ISY is useless to me.   I'm able to link my insteon devices by hand using the linking button on the devices with no problem -- it just seems I'm unable to do similar things via ISY/PLM.

[Brian H]

V2.4 is not the firmware in the PLM. It is the hardware revision of the PLM. 2.4 has been around for awhile now.

If you run the Tools,  Diagnostics,PLM Info/Status. It will show the six digit Insteon ID number, firmware [ probably v9.E ] and connected if the ISY994i detected it at power up. My V2.4 has firmware v9E in it.

If the PLM is on the same power circuit as the computing equipment or UPS AC input. They are known power line signal absorbers or noise makers. Try the PLM on a different circuit. Even on a extension cord to see it it makes a difference. I have my APC UPS on the filtered outlet on a FilterLinc and the PLM in the front unfiltered pass through outlet. If there is power line issues. It is possible you are using the PLM's Insteon RF communications to get to the modules. RF can be spotty sometimes.