Hi All.

I've setup a physical insteon switch to trigger a state variable change.

I've then exposed that variable to alexa

Activating the switch successfully changes the state variable, and will sometimes run the alexa routine.

It's very inconsistent and I can't quite tell where the failure is.

Is this just a very slow configuration or should i be expecting a quick enough of a response such that switch is activated and light comes on?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

PB

I have had that problem as well.. usually it works itself out with 24-48 hours.

Currently all of mine are working well, but I do know when I set one up, it can be fluky for a while.

I have had problems on and off with Alexa routines triggering also.

This has happened a few times over the years. Alexa app shows the input points changing , the routines fully working when triggered manually but they just wouldn't trigger.

After complaining each time, and Amazon denying any problems, and advising to contact your app writer, it would suddenly start working again, once after about a month.

Make sure the variable comes back to an Off value after being "On".

The other thing to be aware when testing is that the variable's value can't change too quick. If for example it becomes on, then off then on again within just a few seconds, it will be seen as a single "On".

Think of a motion sensor. When it detects movement, it stays in a motion state detected state for a few seconds then comes back to no motion detected after a set timeout. This works the same way. You can change your variable to On then Off quickly, but you can't turn it on again too quickly as it will be considered the same motion (or the same contact).

@bmercier Thanks for the insight.

I originally had it setup in this way, but the light continued to turn off seconds after turning on.

Maybe an issue with my program?

@dbwarner5 Well i'll be. Without making any changes including leaving the variable in the changed state with each trigger, the routine has started working.

Thanks everyone for the great insights.

On 11/4/2025 at 10:53 AM, PB11 said:

@dbwarner5 Well i'll be. Without making any changes including leaving the variable in the changed state with each trigger, the routine has started working.

Thanks everyone for the great insights.

Weird right? But that has been my experience since the beginning. So I now just set up the way I know works, and then just chill about it for 24-48 hours and it usually works as expected.

I have had perfect success using a webhook setup and an Alexa plugin. I don't recall that it has ever failed. There is a skill for Alexa and then you create webhooks on here: https://trigger.esp8266-server.de/

You use a network resource to send the webhook.

EDIT: I just went to that website and, if I don't log in, the creator says it is broken, but it isn't, at least for me. I use it everyday and I even added more webhooks to it just a month or two ago. Not sure if it is possible to currently add it to your Alexa or not, but for me with it already there it works great and I am able to keep adding more. I have about 20 as is.

EDIT 2: It looks like Alexa still has the skill for you to add. You do have to use the primary amazon account and once you add your webhooks, you tell Alexa to discover devices and then the webhook shows up as a device that you can use to trigger whatever you want on an Alexa routine. At that point, you basically just send the url to the internet from a network resource or just put it into a web browser and usually in less than 1 second it is doing its thing.

Edited Thursday at 07:23 PM3 days by apostolakisl

5 hours ago, apostolakisl said:

I have had perfect success using a webhook setup and an Alexa plugin. I don't recall that it has ever failed. There is a skill for Alexa and then you create webhooks on here: https://trigger.esp8266-server.de/

You use a network resource to send the webhook.

EDIT: I just went to that website and, if I don't log in, the creator says it is broken, but it isn't, at least for me. I use it everyday and I even added more webhooks to it just a month or two ago. Not sure if it is possible to currently add it to your Alexa or not, but for me with it already there it works great and I am able to keep adding more. I have about 20 as is.

EDIT 2: It looks like Alexa still has the skill for you to add. You do have to use the primary amazon account and once you add your webhooks, you tell Alexa to discover devices and then the webhook shows up as a device that you can use to trigger whatever you want on an Alexa routine. At that point, you basically just send the url to the internet from a network resource or just put it into a web browser and usually in less than 1 second it is doing its thing.

Nice!

KInd of odd the semaphore has to go to Germany and back. LOL Wow!

Here is the variable reset program I use to eliminate two of the three lines required to send routine triggers in my Alexa speakers.

It could be used for anything but the variable names are significant for my speech routines.

To use just set the appropriate variable to $cTrue (=1)


I didn't create it into multiple programs. Instead I put them all into one lump and it works just fine. Note: spare variabes spsaces left for future epansion. It happens.


Reset sSay variables - [ID 006F][Parent 0002][Run At Startup]
If     
        // [Run at Startup] enabled
 
        $sSay.motionOutsideDoor is not 0
     Or $sSay.occupancyTimerExpiring is not 0
     Or $sSay.securityViolated is not 0
     Or $sSay.welcomeHome is not 0
     Or $sSay.systemArming is not 0
     Or $sSay.systemDisarmed is not 0
     Or $sSay.goodBye is not 0
     Or $sSay.turnOnLights is not 0
     Or $sSay.systemArmed is not 0
     Or $sz_40 is not 0
     Or $sSay.blindLowBatt is not 0
     Or $sSay.blindJammed is not 0
     Or $sz_43 is not 0
     Or $sz_44 is not 0
     Or $sz_45 is not 0
     Or $sz_46 is not 0
     Or $sz_47 is not 0
     Or $sz_48 is not 0
 
Then
        Wait  10 seconds
        $sSay.motionOutsideDoor  = 0
        $sSay.occupancyTimerExpiring  = 0
        $sSay.securityViolated  = 0
        $sSay.welcomeHome  = 0
        $sSay.systemArming  = 0
        $sSay.systemDisarmed  = 0
        $sSay.goodBye  = 0
        $sSay.turnOnLights  = 0
        $sSay.systemArmed  = 0
        $sz_40  = 0
        $sSay.blindLowBatt  = 0
        $sSay.blindJammed  = 0
        $sz_43  = 0
        $sz_44  = 0
        $sz_45  = 0
        $sz_46  = 0
        $sz_47  = 0
        $sz_48  = 0
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 

Edited Thursday at 11:12 PM3 days by larryllix

On 11/6/2025 at 5:03 PM, larryllix said:

Nice!

KInd of odd the semaphore has to go to Germany and back. LOL Wow!

Funny that I push an Insteon button on a wall 10 feet from a ceiling fan and the fan turns on, but the signal first goes to Germany, then to an Amazon server (wherever that is), then to the fan company server (wherever that is), and then back to my house. And it works every time. How many thousands of miles do you suppose?

Edit. And if I used UD mobile logged in via portal, you would add a new first step where it goes to UD server and then back to my house ISY.

Edited 11 hours ago11 hr by apostolakisl