mitch236 Posted February 25, 2010 Posted February 25, 2010 I recently installed 4 of these in my house. I have some questions about the RF capabilities. I already am using a pair of access points to bridge my phases (along with an inline). I don't have any communication issues. I'm wondering do I have to have them on different phases or can I just use them where I want to use them? (I'm sure I can just use them but I want to get all the functionality). Is the RF portion automatic or do I need to link the devices somehow? Once I link the LampLincs will they automatically communicate with each other? If so, do they send all commands or just the commands related to their particular scene? I wonder because it seems that if I spread out the LampLincs over my property, I should strengthen my network immensly. In an outdoor setting, what is their range? Sorry for all the questions but if I fully understand a device, it makes setting up my system much easier.
Brian H Posted February 25, 2010 Posted February 25, 2010 After the phases are bridged with a set of Access Points, Dual Mesh LampLincs. or I believe even one of each. You can use them where ever you want.
mitch236 Posted February 25, 2010 Author Posted February 25, 2010 Ok, but do they automatically communicate over RF and wire? Do they send all commands over both or only the commands that the RF device is involved in? I'm wondering if I can use the RF capability to "jump" over problem wiring.
Brian H Posted February 25, 2010 Posted February 25, 2010 Smarthome's sales page indicates the Dual Mesh LampLinc is like an Access Point and a lamp module all in one. It should send both a power line and RF signal just like an Access Point. Someone that has one maybe able to give more data to you.
upstatemike Posted February 25, 2010 Posted February 25, 2010 The RF portion of the Dual mesh Lamplinc works exactly like an AccessPoint. All traffic seen on the powerline is transmitted via RF (if the hop count has not been used up). All RF signals it sees are repeated on the power line (again if the hop count is not used up). As with all Access Points there is NO linking involved in any aspect of RF functionality. (Some incorrect references to "linking" accesspoints are in fact merely referencing the process for checking the relative phase relationship between two units. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO THOSE STEPS, EVEN IF YOU ARE LINKING PHASES, IF YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHAT LEG EACH ACCESS POINT IS ON.) Any linking is done in relationship to the Lamp module functionality of the device only.
Michel Kohanim Posted February 25, 2010 Posted February 25, 2010 Sorry for using this topic but I need to know if anyone is experiencing random on/off on Dual Band LampLincs ... I have two here and they turn on and off randomly and basically without any rhyme or reason. Thanks and with kind regards, Michel
upstatemike Posted February 25, 2010 Posted February 25, 2010 I have 4 dual band lamplincs and have not seen this issue. (On the other hand I have some scenes including regular lamplincs that come on by themselves all the time).
Michel Kohanim Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Hi upstatemike, This issue is simply baffling me ... the device is in no scenes, has no link records (except as a responder to the PLM), and the only program running is one that turns off My Lighting scene (just making sure lab equipment does not remain on). I wonder if there are any similarities between my case and yours .... With kind regards, Michel
upstatemike Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 The fact that they are dual mesh devices could be a coincidence and not part of the root cause. I am sometimes suspicious of how memory is managed within a PLM and wonder if that could be part of the issue? Is PLM memory banked somehow such that a command could trigger the correct register but in the wrong bank? In my case scenes get triggered that are not part of any program and the only controllers for the scene is a ControLinc button plus the local paddles if the scene contains dimmers in addition to the lamp modules. I have not been able to tie the false triggering to a specific time or event so I have not made any progress in identifying a root cause.
nstein Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Hi Michel, No problems here with my LampLinc Dual band. When yours turns on or off by itself, I assume ISY doesn't update the status, and there are no records in the log? Is local control on or off, half the problems I had in the past with LampLinc came down to local control. (though that is ussaly just on not off). I assume you done a factory reset in case of X10 or other flakiness. -Nick
bpwwer Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Hi Michel, Is local control on or off, half the problems I had in the past with LampLinc came down to local control. (though that is ussaly just on not off). -Nick I have two installed and both have been fine. But the local control idea is a good thought. Do your's have a local load attached? Since local control is triggered by a change in current draw across the load, could something cause the load's current draw to change (say with temperature)?
IndyMike Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Michel, JunkyCosmos is seeing the same type of activity and has posted a detailed log over here: http://forum.universal-devices.com/viewtopic.php?p=30342#30342 The devices appear to powering on/off for 1 second or less. Doesn't appear to be any other device in the scene (other than PLM). It's possible that a dimmable CFL could "flash" periodically due to leakage current and fool the local sense circuit. From your description (and your experience), I assume you're not connected to a CFL load. I also have a number of older LampLincs connected to dimmable CFL loads. Load sensing is enabled, but it uses X10 communication and doesn't produce any flashing or spurious communication. I do not have any LL with Insteon communicated load sensing or dual band capabilities. IM
Michel Kohanim Posted February 26, 2010 Posted February 26, 2010 Hi guys, Thanks so very much for the feedback: 1. I am not connected to a CFL 2. The devices are not in any scenes and I do not see any activity in the event viewer 3. This only happens - and only once in a while - when I am turning everything off using My Lighting as a scene I must say that this is quite strange. With kind regards, Michel
mitch236 Posted March 2, 2010 Author Posted March 2, 2010 I sent mine back (all four). Two of the devices would not turn off the load despite the light on the LampLinc being red (indicating it should be off). A 50% failure rate is very high. Maybe the device isn't ready for prime time?
Scottmichaelj Posted March 3, 2010 Posted March 3, 2010 FWIW - I recently installed two of these in a area where my failure rate was high and connected to Halogens to boot. I am happy to report that after two weeks now I have not had one failure or any issues AT ALL. I am in love with these as they have seem to fix my issues. I have two connected to two different outlets in my kitchen for under the counter Halogen puck lights controlled with a button on my KPL. Before with the regular lamplincs one side would dim more than another or brighten, sometimes one would turn on without the other one, or off. Now replacing the lamplincs with dual bands I havent had any of these issues.
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