Customize power failure recovery

[JacquesB]

Hi,

 

I just had another idea for the configuration of the Insteon Devices.

 

As they are right now, a device that loose power will return to its previous state when the power returns. It would be nice to have the possibility of configuring that parameter.

 

1-I do not want my bedroom to turns back On at 01:34 AM when the power will return after a failure during the last evening.

 

2-When power comes back, many time it does so with a high spike of current that can damage many equipments.

 

Many Insteon devices are relays, so effectively disconnects their loads from the power lines. If all relays are off when the power comes back, they will protect their loads, at least partially.

 

3-When power comes back, the in-rush need is very high and can itself overload the powergrid, creating a second power failure. That's why power company ask their client to turn off their mechanical switches and thermostat during a failure, for an easier come back.

 

Once we have that, it is easy to write a program that will turn On what is wished based on the time of the day and other parameters.

 

Finally, should one prefers to have his devices back at their previous state, he can still leave them with their actual default setting.

 

Jacques

[Sub-Routine]

Hello Jacques,

 

The ISY does have an option to Catch up schedules at Restart which I find works very well. Of course if your bedroom light is not scheduled to turn off it won't. That could be included in a program marked to Run at Restart. Unfortunately the ISY will have to reboot before running these programs so it will take some time before the lights turn off.

 

Power line spikes are always a danger. Many people are installing whole house surge protectors for that exact reason.

 

I just gained a 5V PDA charger I plan to put on a UPS for the ISY. However the PLM cannot be protected that way. And if the ISY isn't rebooted it won't run the catchups, so one hand or the other.

 

Rand

[Brian H]

I don't believe any of the Insteon Modules have a optional feature like stay off. They all revert to the state they where at power loss.

[JacquesB]

Hi,

 

I know about the catch up schedule feature of the ISY. The problem is that lights will go On before they can be turned off by this feature, so they will wake you up even if they turn themselves off after a moment.

 

I would like much more to have the devices Off when they come back and turn them On myself with a program when power returns than the opposite. It is better not only for the user, but also for the powergrid and offer an extra-protection. Whole house surge protection are good, but because they must accept all the power the entire house can need "legitimately", they are not as good as local, dedicated protection.

 

As a protection for the PLM, it is possible to protect it by a UPS, but it reduces the reliability of the network and require an extra access point. Just plug a standard, non-filtering power bar in the UPS and plug both the PLM and the extra access point in it. The access point will receive the message from the PLM and send it to the 2 others AP, letting the PLM communicate with the network and "jumping" over the UPS with the RF part of the Insteon Network.

 

Insteon messages have a TTL of 3, so that will "burn" one repetition of the message, but still would allow a PLM in a UPS. Of course, other devices are Off during a failure, so they will not respond to anything!

 

I did not try it yet, but it should work.

 

As for the fact that all Insteon modules return to their previous state, I know that. That's why the possibility of over-writing this default option is a feature request The module knows its previous state from its non-volatile memory, so writing the good thing at the good place should allow the creation of this new feature, probably not very difficult to develop (but things are always easy to create from the user point of view...)

 

Thanks for your replies,

 

Jacques