Broan Fan controls

[healeydriver]

I have a UDI ISY994i operating my Insteon network in my house.  I also have Broan SmartSense Intelligent Ventilation System bathroom fans.  The Broan on/off wall switches appear to be Insteon devices, and an insteon device operates a damper in my house ventilation system.   When I turn on my masterbath vent fan, an insteon signal goes to all the other bathroom fans in the house and activates them.  And, an insteon signal also goes to dampers to allow outside "makeup" air to be admitted into the house.   This system means that whenever a ventilation fan tries to operate, it is not sucking against a well insulated house; instead, the damper opens allowing outside fresh air to makeup what is being exhausted through the bathroom vents.   My question is:  Why are these Broan controllers not supported by the ISY.   If I try to link them into my UDI ISY994i, it recognizes their presence on the network, it recognizes their codes, it even recognizes their names (Broan SmartSense Intelligent Vent)…..However, the ISY declares they are "unsupported devices" and refuses to include them in my network.   What am I doing wrong?    Thanks

[lilyoyo1]

On 1/2/2020 at 1:43 PM, healeydriver said:

I have a UDI ISY994i operating my Insteon network in my house.  I also have Broan SmartSense Intelligent Ventilation System bathroom fans.  The Broan on/off wall switches appear to be Insteon devices, and an insteon device operates a damper in my house ventilation system.   When I turn on my masterbath vent fan, an insteon signal goes to all the other bathroom fans in the house and activates them.  And, an insteon signal also goes to dampers to allow outside "makeup" air to be admitted into the house.   This system means that whenever a ventilation fan tries to operate, it is not sucking against a well insulated house; instead, the damper opens allowing outside fresh air to makeup what is being exhausted through the bathroom vents.   My question is:  Why are these Broan controllers not supported by the ISY.   If I try to link them into my UDI ISY994i, it recognizes their presence on the network, it recognizes their codes, it even recognizes their names (Broan SmartSense Intelligent Vent)…..However, the ISY declares they are "unsupported devices" and refuses to include them in my network.   What am I doing wrong?    Thanks

I didn't think insteon still made that system for them. The isy recognizes it probably because it is insteon based but it's not an insteon device. The Braun (insteon) firmware is different than standard insteon firmware. 

Edited February 11, 2020 by lilyoyo1

[healeydriver]

Thanks for the response.   Indeed, Broan still uses Insteon technology....they've even converted to using the mini-control devices.  However, I think you are correct that they use some different firmware.... (Sad.... of course, I could just replace their devices with insteon devices and everything would work fine except for the Broan programmed purge the house scheme....of course, I could just invent my own.... Not sure at all why Broan doesn't use plain vanilla Insteon.)

 

[Teken]

Thanks for the response.   Indeed, Broan still uses Insteon technology....they've even converted to using the mini-control devices.  However, I think you are correct that they use some different firmware.... (Sad.... of course, I could just replace their devices with insteon devices and everything would work fine except for the Broan programmed purge the house scheme....of course, I could just invent my own.... Not sure at all why Broan doesn't use plain vanilla Insteon.)
 

I did exactly what you’re doing using standard Insteon hardware. The system is tied to various HVAC systems to promote active vs passive heating & cooling.


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[healeydriver]

Now that I've converted the Broan to run via Insteon, I found I needed to figure out my house's volume, then refigure the turnon/turnoff times appropriate for the various bathroom vents to create the appropriate change of air routine.   In the original device, Broan had preconfigured the switch to come on and turn off periodically throughout the day in accordance to a built in table matching house size to the schedule.   I guess that is the only thing that I miss by converting to Insteon plain vanilla devices.   Of course,, the advantage is that I can set time of day for all this fan/damper activity to take place...

 

[Teken]

59 minutes ago, healeydriver said:

Now that I've converted the Broan to run via Insteon, I found I needed to figure out my house's volume, then refigure the turnon/turnoff times appropriate for the various bathroom vents to create the appropriate change of air routine.   In the original device, Broan had preconfigured the switch to come on and turn off periodically throughout the day in accordance to a built in table matching house size to the schedule.   I guess that is the only thing that I miss by converting to Insteon plain vanilla devices.   Of course,, the advantage is that I can set time of day for all this fan/damper activity to take place...

 

Time permitting would you be so kind and show us the Broan Insteon switch?!? I would like to see what the Insteon ID, production, and revision numbers. As an aside there is a great American company called Flood Stop which way back in the day made an Insteon Flood Stop whole house system. Sadly, this specific device is also not supported by any known controller I am aware of.

So much potential but squandered away by Smartlabs!

[oberkc]

I just try to avoid insulation, good windows and doors, and house wrap.  My air exchange happens the old fashioned way.

[Teken]

Just now, oberkc said:

I just try to avoid insulation, good windows and doors, and house wrap.  My air exchange happens the old fashioned way.

[larryllix]

I just try to avoid insulation, good windows and doors, and house wrap.  My air exchange happens the old fashioned way.

We can be our own worst enemies sometimes.

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[lilyoyo1]

33 minutes ago, Teken said:

Time permitting would you be so kind and show us the Broan Insteon switch?!? I would like to see what the Insteon ID, production, and revision numbers. As an aside there is a great American company called Flood Stop which way back in the day made an Insteon Flood Stop whole house system. Sadly, this specific device is also not supported by any known controller I am aware of.

So much potential but squandered away by Smartlabs!

This may not be smartlabs doing. Companies fork zwave and zigbee for their own needs all the time vs trying to make it part of someone else's ecosystem. 

[Teken]

11 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

This may not be smartlabs doing. Companies fork zwave and zigbee for their own needs all the time vs trying to make it part of someone else's ecosystem. 

I'll have to give you that as this device was made pretty much when Home Automation was just a novel idea and concept. Having the ability to communicate from remote sensors to a master controller in this case the main water supply. This was cutting edge in terms of being able to connect and communicate via RF. There was no such thing as BLE, WiFi, at a reasonable cost or energy consumption back then.

Regardless, water monitoring is another business opportunity that Smartlabs has failed to capture on a larger scale.

  

[healeydriver]

This is first time I've tried to post pictures..... Hope this works.

Thanks

-skip-

[Teken]

18 minutes ago, healeydriver said:

This is first time I've tried to post pictures..... Hope this works.

Thanks

-skip-

Awesome for the pictures! One thing I didn't see mentioned by you is (IF) you ever tried to link any of these Broan devices to another Insteon piece of hardware. I found my whole house Insteon water system would not link and pair to existing hardware.

Very curious to see if you try what happens!

As I could see the Broan system not showing up in the 994 Series Controller but would hope it would directly link to existing hardware.

[healeydriver]

I'm pleased with my Insteon systems.... I use it to check for water leaks and shut off water to the house if a leak (wet spot) is detected in various places of my basement.   Insteon sells a nice motorized ball valve for installing in the water main.    I use Insteon for a house alarm system.   Insteon sells the  I/o module which allows a relay control for checking on the status of a code key entry device that can be mounted near each house entrance to activate/disarm the alarm system.   Of course they have the lighting systems and it can be tied to video systems too..... HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INTERFACE TO THE SOMFY blind control system.  Unfortunately Somfy blinds are rigged for 12 volt battery operation (which can be hard wired to a 12 volt brick plugged into the house circuits)….but there is no access to the "up" "down" "stop" controls via anything other than the RF link of a Somfy remote.    Getting good blind control would be a very useful addition to the Insteon repertoire, but they apparently haven't heard enough of us requesting it.   I can imagine rigging the blinds to go up/down during the day evening to give the house a "lived-in" appearance when on vacation.   Or going up/down according to sunset-sunrise schedules to preserve heat/cooling temps in the house.   I can also image setting up a solar sensor indoors that is strategically located to note when the sun is shining too brightly into a window and lowering the window blind against solar glare, but raising the blind when the time of the day when solar glare is a problem has passed.... (I hate getting out of a chair and searching for the somfy remote control during the evening when the sun shines too brightly into the house just prior to sundown.... I usually have a cat in my lap at that time, and it is awful to bother the cat when I forgot to bring the remote with me to my chair... :-)… I don't like annoying the cat.)  So, if you have any influence over Insteon, please pass on the request to build an RF interface for managing Somfy blinds... :-)     Thanks

-skip-   

[healeydriver]

I did not try to get the Broan system to directly link with any of the traditional Insteon devices or switches in the house.   So, I really can't answer your question properly (and sorry, I'm not going to try to re-install the Broan switches.... I'm too lazy.)    Once I discovered that the Universal Devices ISY could "see" but would not engage with the Broan switches, I pretty much gave up and swapped out the Broan unique devices.   Sorry.... 

[healeydriver]

With regards to the Somfy control, I may (someday) just buy a few extra Somfy controls break them open and find wires on their circuit board which could be connected to an Insteon I/O module.... but that is for some other time when I'm truly pissed about having to bother the cat... :-)

 

[Teken]

2 minutes ago, healeydriver said:

With regards to the Somfy control, I may (someday) just buy a few extra Somfy controls break them open and find wires on their circuit board which could be connected to an Insteon I/O module.... but that is for some other time when I'm truly pissed about having to bother the cat...

 

A forum member in the past had made and sold a Somfy / Insteon integration module. I don't believe its still in production due to the lack of availability of some key components.

[lilyoyo1]

1 hour ago, healeydriver said:

I'm pleased with my Insteon systems.... I use it to check for water leaks and shut off water to the house if a leak (wet spot) is detected in various places of my basement.   Insteon sells a nice motorized ball valve for installing in the water main.    I use Insteon for a house alarm system.   Insteon sells the  I/o module which allows a relay control for checking on the status of a code key entry device that can be mounted near each house entrance to activate/disarm the alarm system.   Of course they have the lighting systems and it can be tied to video systems too..... HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INTERFACE TO THE SOMFY blind control system.  Unfortunately Somfy blinds are rigged for 12 volt battery operation (which can be hard wired to a 12 volt brick plugged into the house circuits)….but there is no access to the "up" "down" "stop" controls via anything other than the RF link of a Somfy remote.    Getting good blind control would be a very useful addition to the Insteon repertoire, but they apparently haven't heard enough of us requesting it.   I can imagine rigging the blinds to go up/down during the day evening to give the house a "lived-in" appearance when on vacation.   Or going up/down according to sunset-sunrise schedules to preserve heat/cooling temps in the house.   I can also image setting up a solar sensor indoors that is strategically located to note when the sun is shining too brightly into a window and lowering the window blind against solar glare, but raising the blind when the time of the day when solar glare is a problem has passed.... (I hate getting out of a chair and searching for the somfy remote control during the evening when the sun shines too brightly into the house just prior to sundown.... I usually have a cat in my lap at that time, and it is awful to bother the cat when I forgot to bring the remote with me to my chair... :-)… I don't like annoying the cat.)  So, if you have any influence over Insteon, please pass on the request to build an RF interface for managing Somfy blinds...     Thanks

-skip-   

They used to make something but I don't know if they still do. I don't it as they didn't sell many

[giesen]

A forum member in the past had made and sold a Somfy / Insteon integration module. I don't believe its still in production due to the lack of availability of some key components.

I believe it's still available but you have to email Autelis... I picked one up a couple years ago even though they had long since shown out of stock on their website.

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