Very Strange Communications Issue

[johnmsch]

Just a few thoughts here:

 

Is your PLM plugged into the same circuit as your computer equipment ? Do you have a filterlinc on the computer stuff ? Could be noise preventing it from hearing responses.

I have a FilterLinc on all computers, and my home entertainment system.

 

Is the PLM plugged into any kind of surge suppressor ? Surge suppressors can filter out / block the necessary signals. Make sure the PLM is direct to the AC line without any power strips in between.

Nope, its plugged directly into a wall outlet.

 

Thanks for the reply

[MikeB]

Yes, but it also controls Insteon switches.

 

Ahh, sorry - I thought it was X10 only.

 

 

I was under the impression that the 4826B passed along signals from one leg to the other regardless of it being X10 or Insteon. As I mentioned previously, it was working fine with the old controller.

 

Per the specs, that is an X10-only coupler (not INSTEON).

 

Am I misreading, or didn't you say when you plugged your 2412S PLM into the same outlet as your 2814U was plugged into communications returned to normal? If so, it sounds like the issue is being caused by the new outlet you were trying. Perhaps it is on an opposite leg of power from your INSTEON devices. Or did I misread?

 

Bottom line is it sounds like you need an INSTEON-compatible coupler anyway. I believe if the 4826B was capable of bridging or repeating INSTEON signals that Smarthome would advertise it as such.

[Brian H]

The 2406 may also pass your X10 signals.

Unless the Dryer Outlet Repeater gets fussy. I would leave it in place also.

[johnmsch]

Am I misreading, or didn't you say when you plugged your 2412S PLM into the same outlet as your 2814U was plugged into communications returned to normal? If so, it sounds like the issue is being caused by the new outlet you were trying. Perhaps it is on an opposite leg of power from your INSTEON devices. Or did I misread?

Turned out there were a few issues. It all started with the ISY not seeing the two Insteon switches I had setup Tuesday night. So, even if the new outlet I was using was on a different leg than the old controller, when I installed my ISY/PLM on Tuesday night, it found the two Insteon switches. I setup some test programs for them, and 4 of my X10 switches to test everything. By about 12:30am Wednesday, everything was working fine. I could hardly sleep that night, thinking of setting up my remaining Insteon and X10 stuff and all the programming I was planning on Wednesday.

 

Then on Wednesday morning, I brought up the admin console and got the comm errors on the two Insteons. That's when I came here for help. When someone suggested putting the PLM in the same outlet as the old controller had been in, that's when one of my routers had a port go bad. Once I figured that out and put the PLM in the "old" outlet, everything worked.

 

I'm now wondering if we had the dryer running at the time I did the initial setup on the "new" outlet. That would explain how the ISY could see those Insteon switches if they are indeed on the other leg than the old controller was. Then the next morning, no dryer running, it can't see them. That's the only logical solution I can come up with.

 

 

Bottom line is it sounds like you need an INSTEON-compatible coupler anyway. I believe if the 4826B was capable of bridging or repeating INSTEON signals that Smarthome would advertise it as such.

Good point. It does look like I was just lucky enough to have the Insteon switches on the same leg as the old controller. I had been under the impression that the 4862B did repeat Insteon signals, but after going back and reading the specs again, it does appear that it doesn't.

 

Thanks

[johnmsch]

The 2406 may also pass your X10 signals.

Unless the Dryer Outlet Repeater gets fussy. I would leave it in place also.

 

Yeah, this time I read the specs very carefully to be sure that the 2406H does Insteon and X10!

 

Placed my order for the 2406 earlier today. My plan is to install it and take out the 4826B, then run with that for a while. I'm concerned that using both of them might throw the universe out of alignment and cause the moon to fall into the Pacific.

[Brian H]

The 2406 is a passive device. If the X10 signal gets to it at lets say 1 volt. The 1 volt is coupled back to the other line. The repeater should resend the signal at around 3.5 volts.

 

In rethinking my post. Try it with the 2406 first and if the X10 devices are all fine. Great.

 

Coupling the two repeated signals together could cause a firestorm of X10 signals with some repeaters. I had an ACT CR134 that could be set to not repeat known repeated signals.

[johnmsch]

Just wanted to update everyone on my progress.

 

I received the 2406H and installed it next to my breaker box and removed the 4826B from the dryer outlet. I added a 15 amp breaker to my breaker box and put a wall outlet about 6 feet away from the box. This is where I plug in my PLM. I mounted the ISY-99i on the wall above the outlet. Got some shielded Cat 5e cable and ran it from the router to the ISY. Total run is about 30 feet. Then made another cable, about 5 feet long to go from the ISY to the PLM.

 

So far, so good! Although its only been in place for a couple of days, I am not seeing any communications errors, and the event viewer and log look good.

 

Thanks again to everyone who helped, especially Michel. Your knowledge of this technology and dedication to your clients is incredible!

[Brian H]

Glad it is fine and hope it continues to be trouble free.