Alexa "All Lights Off" command triggers an ISY "All Lights Off" which affects every device in my installation

[Schlyguy]

Hello all - I just recently set up the Alexa integration with my ISY 994i. I've got about 200 devices in my home - every light circuit is insteon switched or dimmed, every closet has open/close sensors, water leak sensors at all water sources, on/off main water shutoff valve, you name it. I finally got around in installing a few Echo dots and starting Alexa integration, set up the ISY Portal, linked it to Alexa - all straightforward. I started simply - just added 10 devices / scenes to initially control through Alexa. Works fine - very straightforward - however - if I say "Alexa - all lights off" - that triggers an X10 style All Lights Off command with my entire installation. All lights go off, but the water valve closes, the coffee machine (plug-ins) all turn off, and so on. I found one post on Reddit related to this here: 

and I implemented the routine to disable the command on the Alexa side of the integration. However, still curious how this command makes it throught the "ISY optimized for smart home v3" skill.  

[MrBill]

Alexa is turning off every device she knows about individually, not as part of a scene.  You say turn "all" off and she run thru the device list and turns each node off.   

Alexa believes that she's the controller.  She's not used to telling a smarter controller what to do, so she breaks it down into the smallest steps and converts the word "all" to turn off the kitchen light, turn off the hall light, turn off the bedroom light, turn off the lamp.... etc

[larryllix]

I never declare any devices as a "light" in my Alexa app. All items are defined as "Device/Switch" and they all control an ISY program. I only use On and Off commands.

To do this, all programs control Insteon Scenes and program Scenes (mostly WiFi lighting) with various brightness levels.

eg. Alexa.. Turn on dim lights
  Alexa...turn on bright lights
  Alexa...turn off all lights
  Alexa...turn on very dim lights
  Alexa...turn on red lights
  Alexa...turn red deck lights

The only "All lights" defined is the ISY program I wrote. Alexa doesn't know I have any lights. Everything is just a device. I don't want Alexa trying to do any AI guessing crap.
Having said that, Alexa will ask you about each and every device, at some time, whether it is connected to a light. Say "No"

[Schlyguy]

44 minutes ago, MrBill said:

Alexa is turning off every device she knows about individually, not as part of a scene.  You say turn "all" off and she run thru the device list and turns each node off.   

Alexa believes that she's the controller.  She's not used to telling a smarter controller what to do, so she breaks it down into the smallest steps and converts the word "all" to turn off the kitchen light, turn off the hall light, turn off the bedroom light, turn off the lamp.... etc

That's not what's happening. I've got 10 devices set up in the ISY portal / connection to Alexa. But if I say "all lights out" to Alexa - all 200 of my insteon devices switch off at one - including my water valve, bathroom fans, etc. It's seems to be transferring a command to my ISY which triggers a global "lights off" command at the ISY..... That's where I'm unclear what's going on.

 

[MrBill]

45 minutes ago, Schlyguy said:

That's not what's happening. I've got 10 devices set up in the ISY portal / connection to Alexa. But if I say "all lights out" to Alexa - all 200 of my insteon devices switch off at one - including my water valve, bathroom fans, etc. It's seems to be transferring a command to my ISY which triggers a global "lights off" command at the ISY..... That's where I'm unclear what's going on.

 

That's interesting if you didn't configure something in the portal.  I can't duplicate it, but I only have a limited number of devices integrated thru the portal, and most of those set a variable instead.

There doesn't seem to be a documented "All lights" command in ISY Portal Amazon Echo Integration V3.

[MrBill]

@Schlyguy Do you have an Insteon hub also configured with these devices?

[Schlyguy]

No insteon Hub - just the ISY 994i. 

This is all I have configured so far in the ISY Portal for the Alexa connection. The first scene - all lights off bedtime - I don't think is the culprit - it's a scene I've created using the ISY with just the interior house lights - controlled by Keypad buttons - to make it easy to ensure all the lights are off in the house before leaving / going to bed. 

[MrBill]

I don't have an opinion on this anymore.  If I tell Alexa to turn all lights off she doesn't do anything although she does say OK.  mostly mine are Variables or programs she controlling as a scene.  I did make sure to turn on one of each type before telling her to turn All lights off.

[tmorse305]

Strange problem. Maybe try deleting the portal scenes one at a time and see if it stops. 

[MrBill]

1 minute ago, tmorse305 said:

Strange problem. Maybe try deleting the portal scenes one at a time and see if it stops. 

my money's on the first scene actually, because it has All in the spoken.

[Geddy]

@Schlyguy try logging into alexa.amazon.com 

Click on: Smart Home -> Devices

Do you see more than just the few devices you've setup from Portal? Should have all spoken listed.

It sounds like you might need to open a ticket with UDI asking about the portal. Perhaps there is something they can get from your logs to figure out why Alexa might be able to trigger something that isn't specifically exposed to the skill.

I think it's something @bmercier might need to review.

 

[Schlyguy]

2 hours ago, MrBill said:

my money's on the first scene actually, because it has All in the spoken.

I'll try that - report back. Will be a few days - occupied for the next two evening with family. Thanks all for your input. 

[Schlyguy]

Just an update on this - I think that I may have some bad devices installed which may be causing the "All Off" symptoms I'm experiencing - I'm still getting this a couple times a week but Alexa may not be the only trigger - I have a few keypads which may have bad caps / power supplies - so I'm going through my installation - resetting devices which aren't responding properly, replacing devices which won't reset correctly, etc. Once I get my installation rebaselined, I'll come back to this and test again. It will take some time - I've got about 130 devices of all types - and I've fallen behind in my system maintenance due to workload. I also let it go with the Insteon business interruption, now that someone has picked up the technology and seems committed to supporting it, I'll double down and keep my Insteon network running.