What compromises are there with switching all Insteon to Z-Wave?

[sorka]

Reliablity of hardware and communications? Scenes? Insteon scenes have always work really well and the ability to link devices to each other so that basic scenes and ramp rates etc all work without the  need of any controller.

 

[asbril]

It is not either or....  Take the best of both.  About four years ago I made the switch to all Zwave, when my second PLM  went down,  and have never looked back. I know that some devices and some features of Insteon work very well,  but I am happy with my 60+ Zwave devices.

But as I said, you don't have to replace all your Insteon devices, and can gradually add Zwave to your set-up. Just make sure to get Zwave Plus devices.

[lilyoyo1]

Both are good systems with their own pros and cons but I prefer insteon over zwave.

For me, you take a step backwards when it comes to zwave switches and dimmers. Scene control with zwave is far inferior to insteon. devices do not operate in unison. For some this isn't a problem but it is for me. I also don't like that zwave is dependant on a controller. For devices that allows for direct control of other devices this is usually limited to no more than 4 devices. 

All that doesn't even get into being able to easily adjust things such as on levels and ramp rates. Insteon is much easier to customize and configure. Because zwave uses parameters (which are different for each mfg.), this requires to constantly have manuals for each device type you're using for when you want to make a change. 

[simplextech]

I recently (Jan/Feb 2019) switched all of my lighting to Insteon from Z-Wave.  I've left some Z-Wave items not yet replaced or not viable to replace yet.

Insteon for lighting and for synchronization is far superior to Z-Wave in every way.  Being able to link devices into scenes and activate them in sync is very limited with Z-Wave and most manufacturers have removed "scene" capability from their devices as it's not a common method anymore with a expectation of using programs or events to perform those actions.  This leads to a horrible popcorn effect with lighting and even power plugs.  I'm replacing several outlets as well with Insteon rather than z-wave plugs so I can add those to scenes for use during the holidays for lighting.  My wife always questioned and complained about using Alexa to turn on the decoration lights and it being a popcorn effect of one then the next and next instead of being all at once.  No MORE!

If for some reason Insteon has issues or ends up not working out for some strange reason then I'll replace lighting with Lutron RadioRA2.  Until then I'm happy with the Insteon lighting and options for receptacles.  Sensors are iffy but still function better than z-wave.  I may replace sensors with zigbee at some point but having to have more wall warts just to route that mesh is not appealing.  I have been considering getting an ELK system which would then replace the door/window sensors and probably smoke/co detectors etc etc which would tie in nicely with the ISY.  Still contemplating... actually I'm going to post a question about this today.

I've left Z-wave for my thermostat's as they are line-voltage and currently I have only found one suitable replacement but it is Wifi and will require development to integrate.  Once I determine I've had enough of the z-wave thermostat I may invest in the new Thermostat but considering their individual cost and I need 6 of them that may take more convincing as I don't muck with the thermostat very often and it's managed via programs.

My current smoke/co detectors are z-wave.  I'm hoping a cost effective and better option becomes available soon.  Otherwise I may just forget about those as their only value that I bought them for was to get battery notifications rather than the 3AM chirping... which BTW battery notifications do not work correctly anyways so they are a loss.

Other Z-Wave that i have left are point of use power plugs with power meter capability.  Those will stay until I get a GEM.  Once the GEM is installed those can be removed as they serve no purpose other than power meters.  I have a few other power plugs simply to act as repeaters for building out the mesh.

[sorka]

4 hours ago, simplextech said:

I recently (Jan/Feb 2019) switched all of my lighting to Insteon from Z-Wave.  I've left some Z-Wave items not yet replaced or not viable to replace yet.

Insteon for lighting and for synchronization is far superior to Z-Wave in every way.  Being able to link devices into scenes and activate them in sync is very limited with Z-Wave and most manufacturers have removed "scene" capability from their devices as it's not a common method anymore with a expectation of using programs or events to perform those actions.  This leads to a horrible popcorn effect with lighting and even power plugs.  I'm replacing several outlets as well with Insteon rather than z-wave plugs so I can add those to scenes for use during the holidays for lighting.  My wife always questioned and complained about using Alexa to turn on the decoration lights and it being a popcorn effect of one then the next and next instead of being all at once.  No MORE!

If for some reason Insteon has issues or ends up not working out for some strange reason then I'll replace lighting with Lutron RadioRA2.  Until then I'm happy with the Insteon lighting and options for receptacles.  Sensors are iffy but still function better than z-wave.  I may replace sensors with zigbee at some point but having to have more wall warts just to route that mesh is not appealing.  I have been considering getting an ELK system which would then replace the door/window sensors and probably smoke/co detectors etc etc which would tie in nicely with the ISY.  Still contemplating... actually I'm going to post a question about this today.

I've left Z-wave for my thermostat's as they are line-voltage and currently I have only found one suitable replacement but it is Wifi and will require development to integrate.  Once I determine I've had enough of the z-wave thermostat I may invest in the new Thermostat but considering their individual cost and I need 6 of them that may take more convincing as I don't muck with the thermostat very often and it's managed via programs.

My current smoke/co detectors are z-wave.  I'm hoping a cost effective and better option becomes available soon.  Otherwise I may just forget about those as their only value that I bought them for was to get battery notifications rather than the 3AM chirping... which BTW battery notifications do not work correctly anyways so they are a loss.

Other Z-Wave that i have left are point of use power plugs with power meter capability.  Those will stay until I get a GEM.  Once the GEM is installed those can be removed as they serve no purpose other than power meters.  I have a few other power plugs simply to act as repeaters for building out the mesh.

Well drat, nearly everything you said that z-wave doesn't do or do as well as Insteon pretty much makes z-wave a non starter. 

 

Will RadioRA2 work with ISY?

[simplextech]

30 minutes ago, sorka said:

Well drat, nearly everything you said that z-wave doesn't do or do as well as Insteon pretty much makes z-wave a non starter. 

 

Will RadioRA2 work with ISY?

Lutron RadioRA2 or Caseta does not (yet) work with ISY.  I have seriously been thinking of writing a polyglot nodeserver for RadioRA2 but I can't justify the expense of the Main repeater for a development project.  Someone want to make a donation feel free

Also note the RA2 switches/dimmers are much more expensive than Insteon so it is quite an investment but honestly very worth it for serious lighting control.  Like I said I moved everything from Z-Wave due to all of the limitations, slowness, reliability and inconsistent behavior.  I'm not regretting it at all.  Sensors and point of use like power meters still have value to me and are in use.

[lilyoyo1]

12 hours ago, simplextech said:

Lutron RadioRA2 or Caseta does not (yet) work with ISY.  I have seriously been thinking of writing a polyglot nodeserver for RadioRA2 but I can't justify the expense of the Main repeater for a development project.  Someone want to make a donation feel free

Also note the RA2 switches/dimmers are much more expensive than Insteon so it is quite an investment but honestly very worth it for serious lighting control.  Like I said I moved everything from Z-Wave due to all of the limitations, slowness, reliability and inconsistent behavior.  I'm not regretting it at all.  Sensors and point of use like power meters still have value to me and are in use.

I'm With you on the sensors. I do like zwave sensors. Though I have a few insteon motion sensors, most are zwave. I also use their locks and outlets (I have insteon outlets too) 

[simplextech]

For speed I use Insteon motion sensors.  Nothing is faster when part of a scene.  The ON-Only capability allows a lot of flexibility.  My taste for Z-Wave has grown bitter due to the vast variances of quality and functionality of devices.  It's not a protocol issue but a device issue from cheap manufacturers.