Elk controls Lts but status is otherwise incorrect

[someguy]

I was able to get my Elk set up to control lights, but even though I can control my lights with the Elk keypad, the keypad and the elk system aren't getting updated on what the status of the lights is when I change the lights' status using any other method than the Elk system itself.  how can I address that?

[someguy]

On 8/24/2025 at 7:29 AM, someguy said:

I was able to get my Elk set up to control lights, but even though I can control my lights with the Elk keypad, the keypad and the elk system aren't getting updated on what the status of the lights is when I change the lights' status using any other method than the Elk system itself.  how can I address that?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get this sorted out?

[someguy]

I appreciate any help i can get here.   

On 8/24/2025 at 7:29 AM, someguy said:

I was able to get my Elk set up to control lights, but even though I can control my lights with the Elk keypad, the keypad and the elk system aren't getting updated on what the status of the lights is when I change the lights' status using any other method than the Elk system itself.  how can I address that?

 

[apostolakisl]

I would suggest skipping the elk as a direct controller of Insteon devices.  Use the Elk node in your ISY to bring all the Elk states into ISY and let ISY control the Insteon devices.  Anything that happens in Elk will be known to ISY so there is no need to have Elk directly control anything.  And vice versa, anything that happens in Insteon can control Elk via ISY programs.  For example, I have Insteon KPL's arm the system.  And going the other way, Elk zones will trigger lighting changes, all via ISY programs, not Elk rules.  While ISY programs may not be perfect, it is certainly a better platform than Elk rules.  

[someguy]

@apostolakisl yes, I understand what you are suggesting and it makes sense.  what I'm trying to accomplish is to have a use for the new keypad I bought:  Elk 7TS touchscreen "keypad"  

I'd like to have the screen show the current status of a few lights so that I can see that they are off when I go to bed (and turn them off if I desire to do so).  This is why I want Elk to know what the status of lights are in ISY.  

[apostolakisl]

Does the "display on keypad" function on ISY work on that keypad?  I have my regular keypads display messages like the outside temp and wish my kids happy birthday and silly stuff like that.

Do you have a PLM on the Elk or are using the xep via ISY?  Might be that you need a PLM directly connected to Elk for it to see status changes.  I'm just not sure, never used it that way.

[someguy]

where is the "display on keypad" feature? is that something in Elk or is it in ISY?

i dont think the PLM can talk to the Elk system itself. my Keypad connects to the Elk M1 through an ethernet connection (or wifi). 

[apostolakisl]

I'm assuming you have the Elk node for ISY.  It is an option in the Elk node server.  It is also an option in Elk rules, but that wouldn't help you here.

[someguy]

I tried this, and it does work to display about 30 or so characters on the old-style keypads, but it does not display anything on the Elk 7TS keypad (which is where I want to show status of devices).

any other suggestions?  

[apostolakisl]

On 9/20/2025 at 6:55 AM, someguy said:

I tried this, and it does work to display about 30 or so characters on the old-style keypads, but it does not display anything on the Elk 7TS keypad (which is where I want to show status of devices).

any other suggestions?  

Sorry, I don't have those keypads, so no experience.

The only thing I can think of is another xsp on your elk and another PLM.  Not sure if two plm's on a network causes insteon issues, doesn't seem like it should.

[someguy]

another XSP?   do you mean the "Elk-M1XSP" device?  if so, are you saying that this could be connected to another PLM?!?  I didn't know that this was possible.   

I found some older info on elk's website that shows that the Elk M1 connects to the PLM through the internet connection:

 

it also shows this elk tab (which I think was an extra purchase for ISY in the remote past... but this is gone:

I'm hitting a roadblock. 

Is there anywhere I can get more help with this?  should I submit a ticket and expect help from UDI?

[apostolakisl]

Perhaps I am wrong, but I thought Elk could natively speak to Insteon and x10.  Maybe not.  It has been 15 years since I was playing with Elk in that way.  I thought you could plug a plm into an xsp, but at a quick glance on the internet, probably not.

[DennisC]

Just a thought -

Can you control your lights with ISY, set a variable (and/or Elk output) that changes with on/off and then use Elk rules to write states to your new keypad?

Another option if you are on eisy and using the Elk plugin is to ask the creator of the plugin to look in to full support for the new keypads.