Intermittant ALL ON

[GTCJ]

Fairly large residential installation.  If sub devices of keypads, motion detectors etc are included approximately 300 devices.

Periodically, almost every device, lights, ceiling fans etc will turn on simultaneously to full fast on.  This always happens when a motion detector is triggered.  I removed the one I thought was offending, but then another picked up the behavior.  None of the motion detectors are linked to devices.  They all are used to trigger programs that trigger scenes.  None of my programs or scenes encompass all devices and very few would result in a fast on, full brightness condition.  Almost all ramp up to the 50 - 70% level.  There is no X10 in the system and  the transformer that serves the house is not shared with any other structures.

The log will always show the devices changed state always preceded by a motion "on".   (1st gen 2420M) devices.  After 7 years of this, I am confident the source of the all on trigger are motion detectors.  The suspect detectors had fresh alkaline batteries.

I'm willing to upgrade the 20 motion detectors to the 2844-222.

Has anyone had similar experience and were the newer motion detectors involved?

[mwester]

There's a huge thread on this.  Known problem, been around for years.  No good solution -- (Not-So-)Smarthome has removed the "all-on" feature from newer devices, but of course that doesn't solve it for large installations.  There are some steps in that thread you can use with the ISY to minimize the probability, but in general, just try to remove the wireless-only Insteon devices from your network.

[GTCJ]

Thank you for the reply.  I will look for that thread.  Was hoping in the several years since I first saw it a cure would have been found. 

[Whitehambone]

14 hours ago, GTCJ said:

Thank you for the reply.  I will look for that thread.  Was hoping in the several years since I first saw it a cure would have been found. 

If you find the thread, please post a link here.  I have not heard of this issue and would like to know more about it.

[MrBill]

18 minutes ago, Whitehambone said:

If you find the thread, please post a link here.  I have not heard of this issue and would like to know more about it.

There's a number of threads.  click here for a google search limited to this forum.

[Techman]

Here's what you're looking for:

 

INSTEON Random All On Events

 

 

Random All On events are related to INSTEON commands being sent to the PLM from ISY and, on the other hand, one (or more) INSTEON devices sending events to the PLM at the same time and thus causing packet collision. RF/dual band devices increase the likelihood of this event since they send two packets for each signal.

The combination of the following technique will dramatically reduce the likelihood of All On events:

• You don't have any programs that use Control for a device and then send a Scene command to a scene which includes the same physical device. So different buttons from the same KPL are considered one device

• Don't Use a Control for a device which is already a Controller for some Scene and then have the program send other INSTEON commands to other devices/scenes. This basically causes two or more events arrive at the PLM at the same time

In addition, motion sensors with low battery, sometimes go crazy and start sending sequences of on/off every second or so. As such:

1. Check Tools | Log for sequences of motion sensor on/off every few seconds and in succession
2. If you do have those, change the motion sensor battery