Program help needed and switches not working

[LMcGrath]

I have gone back to UD after Insteon went and died, but I don't know how to set up my schedules properly. I am trying to set up a light to turn on and off at different times (my outside light. I'd like it to go on at sunset and off around 10:00pm). Everytime I think I have figured it out, the status still says False. What am I doing wrong?

Also, for the few switches I have set up so far, two of them do not work with the computer or when I manually hit the switch, while a different one works when I manually hit the switch but not on the computer. How can I fix that?

Edit: I am using version 4.7.3 of the firmware and UI

[DennisC]

To start with your program issue, right click on you program name and select copy to clip board and then paste the program here so we can offer assistance.

For the rest of your issues, tell us about your setup: ISY or IoP, firmware and UI version, Insteon or zwave devices. 

Open the event viewer set to level 3 and try to operate your devices and see what messages are sent.

If a physical switch isn't working are you sure you have it installed correctly? What device is it?

[Techman]

Program #1

  IF

Time is Sunset

THEN

turn on light

ELSE

-------------------------

Program #2

IF

Time is 10:00 pm

THEN

turn off light

ELSE

 

If your switches don't turn on the light when you manually press them then you most likely have them wired incorrectly

For the switch that works manually, but not with the computer, either you have a communications issue between the PLM and the switch or your admin console is not set up correctly

Assuming that you have an ISY994, What version of the ISY firmware and UI are you running? 

 

[LMcGrath]

4 minutes ago, Techman said:

Program #1

  IF

Time is Sunset

THEN

turn on light

ELSE

-------------------------

Program #2

IF

Time is 10:00 pm

THEN

turn off light

ELSE

 

If your switches don't turn on the light when you manually press them then you most likely have them wired incorrectly

For the switch that works manually, but not with the computer, either you have a communications issue between the PLM and the switch or your admin console is not set up correctly

Assuming that you have an ISY994, What version of the ISY firmware and UI are you running? 

 

I am away from my computer for the night so I don't have the firmware information yet but I will check in the morning. As for the switch not working manually, it was working totally fine up until I tried to link it so the wires are wired correctly.

[Techman]

6 minutes ago, LMcGrath said:

I am away from my computer for the night so I don't have the firmware information yet but I will check in the morning. As for the switch not working manually, it was working totally fine up until I tried to link it so the wires are wired correctly.

Do a factory reset on the switch, then do a restore device.

[MrBill]

12 hours ago, LMcGrath said:

I have gone back to UD after Insteon went and died, but I don't know how to set up my schedules properly. I am trying to set up a light to turn on and off at different times (my outside light. I'd like it to go on at sunset and off around 10:00pm). Everytime I think I have figured it out, the status still says False. What am I doing wrong?

Also, for the few switches I have set up so far, two of them do not work with the computer or when I manually hit the switch, while a different one works when I manually hit the switch but not on the computer. How can I fix that?

AAATest.1 - [ID 01DC][Parent 0001]

        From    Sunset
        To      10:00:00PM (same day)
 
Then
        Set 'DN Cabana Dining Table#' On
 
Else
        Set 'DN Cabana Dining Table#' Off
 

For testing purposes you can save the program, then right click the program name in the tree and choose Run Then or Run Else.

As others have indicated.  if the ISY can't turn the light on or off from the device tree you must solve that problem first, then worry about programs.

[LMcGrath]

12 hours ago, Techman said:

Program #1

  IF

Time is Sunset

THEN

turn on light

ELSE

-------------------------

Program #2

IF

Time is 10:00 pm

THEN

turn off light

ELSE

 

If your switches don't turn on the light when you manually press them then you most likely have them wired incorrectly

For the switch that works manually, but not with the computer, either you have a communications issue between the PLM and the switch or your admin console is not set up correctly

Assuming that you have an ISY994, What version of the ISY firmware and UI are you running? 

 

I did the programs that exact way but they still say False in the Status line. How do I get it to say True?

[MrBill]

29 minutes ago, LMcGrath said:

I did the programs that exact way but they still say False in the Status line. How do I get it to say True?

Those programs will only be true very briefly at the exact time that they run, they will show false the other 23 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds per day.

To get the program to show "true" during on times write it with a "From To" If statement.  I provided the exact example of that above.

[LMcGrath]

13 hours ago, Techman said:

Do a factory reset on the switch, then do a restore device.

I did a factory reset on the switch but it still does not work manually or with the program

[MrBill]

6 minutes ago, LMcGrath said:

I did a factory reset on the switch but it still does not work manually or with the program

Did you also do Restore Device after the factory reset?

If so, you either have a bad switch, bad PLM (if nothing is working for you) or Powerline noise.

[LMcGrath]

35 minutes ago, MrBill said:

Did you also do Restore Device after the factory reset?

If so, you either have a bad switch, bad PLM (if nothing is working for you) or Powerline noise.

I did. All my other switches still work fine, it's just the other two not working. It just irritates me because they were working perfectly fine before I tried to add them to UD. This happened the last time I tried to use UD too, which is why I stopped for a while. Not I just want to fix the switch so that it can work manually again

[lilyoyo1]

1 minute ago, LMcGrath said:

I did. All my other switches still work fine, it's just the other two not working. It just irritates me because they were working perfectly fine before I tried to add them to UD. This happened the last time I tried to use UD too, which is why I stopped for a while. Not I just want to fix the switch so that it can work manually again

Try a factory reset again to ensure it was done right. Nothing with either system should prevent them from working when manually controlled and connected directly to a light.

If that doesn't work, then the switches are bad

[LMcGrath]

5 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

Try a factory reset again to ensure it was done right. Nothing with either system should prevent them from working when manually controlled and connected directly to a light.

If that doesn't work, then the switches are bad

I tried the factory reset twice and nothing worked. Only thing I can think of is maybe turning the breaker off and on might help? If the switches are bad then I think I'm screwed because Insteon is dead so I won't be able to get a replacement

[LMcGrath]

1 hour ago, MrBill said:

Those programs will only be true very briefly at the exact time that they run, they will show false the other 23 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds per day.

To get the program to show "true" during on times write it with a "From To" If statement.  I provided the exact example of that above.

I still can't get my schedules to work either. I even tried doing simple ones, just turning one switch on at a specific time, and it won't work. This is with the switch that works manually and with the device tree

[lilyoyo1]

7 minutes ago, LMcGrath said:

I still can't get my schedules to work either. I even tried doing simple ones, just turning one switch on at a specific time, and it won't work. This is with the switch that works manually and with the device tree

Post your program

[Techman]

@LMcGrath

Firmware version 4.7.3, which is what you said you're using, is an old, outdated version. If you're not using Zwave and only using Insteon then you should update to the current ISY firmware version 5.3.4.

Be sure to read the installation notes BEFORE you update. This release contains improvements and bug fixes.

After the update be sure to clear your Java cache, including applications and then download the ISY Launcher.

 

 

[MrBill]

1 hour ago, LMcGrath said:

I tried the factory reset twice and nothing worked. Only thing I can think of is maybe turning the breaker off and on might help? If the switches are bad then I think I'm screwed because Insteon is dead so I won't be able to get a replacement

Are you pulling the set button out, waiting 30 seconds and pushing it all the way in, AND HOLDING it all the way in until the long beep STOPS ?

Edit to add:

You do need to at least update to 4.9.  I just caught that you're still on V4 after @Techman comment...  I don't remember exactly what changed after 4.7.3 but something about time does stick in my mind.  Version 4 upgrades all you have to do is click the upgrade button in the admin console.

Edited May 8, 2022 by MrBill
added another thought

[LMcGrath]

I have updated to 4.9. I don't see any option to update any further.

As for the factory reset, the instruction that came with it said to wait 10 seconds after pulling the set button, but either way, I push it in and wait until the long beep stops. Then 2 more beeps happen and the LED light reappears, but it does not switch on the actual bulb.

Here is a photo of my schedule so far. The Family Room one I have been fiddling with as practice to try and get it to work right. The garage one is the one I would like to actually work if possible.

[Techman]

Upon completion of a factory reset on a switch the load should turn on, if it didn't then either you didn't do a factory reset or the switch and/or wiring is problematic.

Click on the link below for access to 5.3.4. It will be a manual update. Even though it says it's a beta release, it is the best release to date. Be sure to READ all the release notes before you do the update.

 

 

 

[LMcGrath]

33 minutes ago, Techman said:

Upon completion of a factory reset on a switch the load should turn on, if it didn't then either you didn't do a factory reset or the switch and/or wiring is problematic.

Click on the link below for access to 5.3.4. It will be a manual update. Even though it says it's a beta release, it is the best release to date. Be sure to READ all the release notes before you do the update.

 

 

 

I will definitely do that for the update. As for the wiring, the light switch was PERFECTLY fine until I tried to link it to the system, meaning it worked manually, so I'm a little skeptical that it is the wiring but I will check that next.

[FloridaGary]

If not the switch wiring, did you try replacing the bulb to confirm?

[lilyoyo1]

2 hours ago, LMcGrath said:

I have updated to 4.9. I don't see any option to update any further.

As for the factory reset, the instruction that came with it said to wait 10 seconds after pulling the set button, but either way, I push it in and wait until the long beep stops. Then 2 more beeps happen and the LED light reappears, but it does not switch on the actual bulb.

Here is a photo of my schedule so far. The Family Room one I have been fiddling with as practice to try and get it to work right. The garage one is the one I would like to actually work if possible.

Your programs look nothing like what someone else posted earlier that you said you copied. The only thing your family room program accomplishes is turning on the corner light. Nothing else would happen. Ditto for the garage. The only thing that would happen is it will turn off at 10pm.

If the switch actually turns on properly (ramps up), then either the switch is bad or the bulb is bulb. Id try a different bulb

[Geddy]

@LMcGrath

I'd delay the upgrade to Firmware 5.3.4 until you get your current issues worked out. You're at 4.9 now and that is the last version in the 4.x branch. Sure, 5.x will help with other things, but your problems are fairly basic and you need to be sure you have them working right in your system as you expect them to before you bite off more than you can chew trying to upgrade to 5.3.4. 

As @lilyoyo1 says if the switch was working in the past then it's probably a bad bulb. It happens. Just trying to link it to the ISY isn't going to change a switch that works/worked manually. 

Then go back and read the post by @MrBill that shows you how to program the way you described in your original post. 

Quote

I'd like it to go on at sunset and off around 10:00pm). 

Don't worry about the True/False status of the programs. That isn't important. The best way to test if the program works (if before sunset) is to right click the program and select "Run Then". If the device turns on then it works. Right click the program and select "Run Else", and the device should turn off. 

 

Lastly...be sure that your User Interface (UI) matches your Firmware. When you're in the admin console check the match by going to Help (menu) -> About. You should see Firmware version and UI versions match EXACTLY. If they don't then please clear your Java Cache and download the ISY Launcher by following these steps in the wiki. Since you say you've now updated to 4.9 (probably through the manually upgrade process in 4.x) you need to be sure you've updated the UI to match 4.9).  The 4.9 ISY Launcher will be a slightly different window than what's showing in the Wiki currently. That is geared toward 5.x and specifically ISY on Polisy. Just clearing Java and downloading the ISY Launcher (start.jnlp) are the key steps you need to focus on to match FW/UI. 

 

 

[LMcGrath]

4 minutes ago, Geddy said:

@LMcGrath

I'd delay the upgrade to Firmware 5.3.4 until you get your current issues worked out. You're at 4.9 now and that is the last version in the 4.x branch. Sure, 5.x will help with other things, but your problems are fairly basic and you need to be sure you have them working right in your system as you expect them to before you bite off more than you can chew trying to upgrade to 5.3.4. 

As @lilyoyo1 says if the switch was working in the past then it's probably a bad bulb. It happens. Just trying to link it to the ISY isn't going to change a switch that works/worked manually. 

Then go back and read the post by @MrBill that shows you how to program the way you described in your original post. 

Don't worry about the True/False status of the programs. That isn't important. The best way to test if the program works (if before sunset) is to right click the program and select "Run Then". If the device turns on then it works. Right click the program and select "Run Else", and the device should turn off. 

 

Lastly...be sure that your User Interface (UI) matches your Firmware. When you're in the admin console check the match by going to Help (menu) -> About. You should see Firmware version and UI versions match EXACTLY. If they don't then please clear your Java Cache and download the ISY Launcher by following these steps in the wiki. Since you say you've now updated to 4.9 (probably through the manually upgrade process in 4.x) you need to be sure you've updated the UI to match 4.9).  The 4.9 ISY Launcher will be a slightly different window than what's showing in the Wiki currently. That is geared toward 5.x and specifically ISY on Polisy. Just clearing Java and downloading the ISY Launcher (start.jnlp) are the key steps you need to focus on to match FW/UI. 

 

 

So it is not the bulbs because there is another switch that also controls the same lights on the opposite side of the room. That one works perfectly fine. I will check on the wiring later and see if that is the issue. If it is, is there a way to replace it with a regular dimmer switch not a smart one? Like if I had a smart switch and a regular switch that both control the same set of lights, would that be an issue?

[Techman]

Do you have the two switches in a scene? If not, create a scene and place both switches in the scene as controllers

Which switch is the bulb getting its power from, the one that works or the other one?

On the switch that's not supplying power to the bulb, the red lead should be capped off. 

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Techman