Buy timerLincs or should I use ISY triggers+timers?

[Mark Sanctuary]

I have two bathroom fans and I was trying to decide if I just get some timerlinc switches or should I use the ISY triggers and timers?

 

I think it would be best to get the timerlinc so I would have the functionality with or without the ISY but what do others think.

[Michel Kohanim]

I have two bathroom fans and I was trying to decide if I just get some timerlinc switches or should I use the ISY triggers and timers?

 

I think it would be best to get the timerlinc so I would have the functionality with or without the ISY but what do others think.

 

Mark,

 

Not that my opinion matters for I am biased! But, why wouldn't you want to try ISY scheduler first and see whether or not it meets your expectations before spending money on a TimerLinc?

 

With regards,

Michel

[sfhutchi]

For what it is worth, I plan to use the soon to be updated triggers in ISY to do this. I have setup this functionality today with Houselinc Desktop and it works well. Basically I look for a local 'on' press at the switch, wait 10 minutes and then send an off command. The time element is not currently part of the ISY triggers, but I understand that it is being added soon. Eventually I plan to eliminate the need for Houselinc Desktop.

[Michel Kohanim]

For what it is worth, I plan to use the soon to be updated triggers in ISY to do this. I have setup this functionality today with Houselinc Desktop and it works well. Basically I look for a local 'on' press at the switch, wait 10 minutes and then send an off command. The time element is not currently part of the ISY triggers, but I understand that it is being added soon. Eventually I plan to eliminate the need for Houselinc Desktop.

 

sfhutchi,

 

Yes, you got it ... the time element shall be incorporated into the triggers in our release 2.3.

 

With regards,

Michel

[Pioneer]

You know, i had the same question -- i am using timers all over my bathrooms... and was wondering which way to go.

 

Here is my thought:

 

The timers are similar in price, only a few dollars difference... so i dont think that should be a consideration. My thought was that if i used a switch I could use it for another purpose in the future ...

 

However, there is a positive of using a timer switch -- it will be way more reliable than using ISY and beaming signals all over the place.. everything is built in. If your ISY dies, or signal does not reach etc. then it should still theoretically work, as it is all self contained. the downside is of course you are limited to 15m/1hr increments....

 

I am currently having spotty signals from my ISY to my bathroom...

 

Bottom line, if you know you are always going to use a timer in a spot, I would prefer to use the Timer device unless i needed something odd like a more elaborite timing setup.

 

-John

[Michel Kohanim]

You know, i had the same question -- i am using timers all over my bathrooms... and was wondering which way to go.

 

Here is my thought:

 

The timers are similar in price, only a few dollars difference... so i dont think that should be a consideration. My thought was that if i used a switch I could use it for another purpose in the future ...

 

However, there is a positive of using a timer switch -- it will be way more reliable than using ISY and beaming signals all over the place.. everything is built in. If your ISY dies, or signal does not reach etc. then it should still theoretically work, as it is all self contained. the downside is of course you are limited to 15m/1hr increments....

 

I am currently having spotty signals from my ISY to my bathroom...

 

Bottom line, if you know you are always going to use a timer in a spot, I would prefer to use the Timer device unless i needed something odd like a more elaborite timing setup.

 

-John

 

John,

 

Thanks so very much for the feedback.

 

I would like to caution that using multiple timer modules in combination with ISY scheduling/triggers might have unpredictable results unless one can make sure that none of the timers and ISY schedules/triggers are overlapping/conflicting; this could become quite a daunting task. ISY in and of itself, tries to minimize overlaps/conflicting schedules.

 

Now, I am very concerned with your statement:

I am currently having spotty signals from my ISY to my bathroom...

 

It is of utmost import for us to make sure ISY functions properly. Would you be kind enough to elaborate a little on your issues with ISY communications? I would sincerely appreciate it.

 

With regards,

Michel

[Pioneer]

I linked my switches to the ISY in another room -- the software detects ON/OFF no problem when i change the switches but if i try to click on/off in the software, i get intermittant errors to that room of not being able to communicate...

 

Also sometimes the switches that are linked have delays in their function, when i turn the timer switches off there is a delay in turning the light off, im assuming and from talking with smarthome it has to do with waiting for a response back from the ISY that it got the update message.

 

I only have 2 rooms wired right now im guessing that there is just a signal issue to the ISY run due to limited items in my house (I do have the RF bridge working)

 

-John

[Michel Kohanim]

I linked my switches to the ISY in another room -- the software detects ON/OFF no problem when i change the switches but if i try to click on/off in the software, i get intermittant errors to that room of not being able to communicate...

 

John, we've experienced a lot of communications errors in the presence of malfunctioning X10 devices (they start bombarding the network with noise). Do you always have the problem?

 

Also sometimes the switches that are linked have delays in their function, when i turn the timer switches off there is a delay in turning the light off, im assuming and from talking with smarthome it has to do with waiting for a response back from the ISY that it got the update message.

Do you remember the name of the person you spoke with at SmartHome? Based on Insteon spec, this does not sound logical at all. I'd like to hear more from the person who gave you this information. I suspect timer switch malfucntion.

 

I only have 2 rooms wired right now im guessing that there is just a signal issue to the ISY run due to limited items in my house (I do have the RF bridge working)

I am more of the opinion that you have a malfunctioning/intermittent X10 device on the network.

 

-John

[Guest]

Not to step on any toes here, but I prefer using stand-alone timers for those annoying bath fans. Intermatic makes an awesome 60/30/20/10/hold countdown timer in a Decora configuration. It matches up very nicely with the InsteOn devices in a two or three gang plate, and can be found at your local Home Improvement Center (home depot, lowes)

 

This way, you can govern how much time you need for the fan to exhaust and not tax your automation system. Personally, I am not to keen on putting a noisy motor load on a PLC device.

 

Sorry for butting in.

[Michel Kohanim]

HAS,

 

Not only you are not stepping on any toes but also we consider all suggestions and feedback invaluable.

 

Here are some minor issues with the configuration as you suggest it:

a. If your timer cuts power to your Insteon device, then you will receive "Device Communication Error" in ISY especially if there are some other functions (schedules/triggers) which need to communicate with that device

b. There's probably not an easy way for ISY to figure out whether or not that device is on/off. You may decide to create a schedule to query the device every n minutes, but even that will fail if the timer cuts power to your device (see "a" above)

 

So, in all likelihood, ISY's state will be out of synch with the actual state of the device being controlled by the timer.

 

In short, you have an excellent suggestion if:

a. You are not concerned with ISY being in synch with the actual state of your device

b. You don't have any schedules/scenes/triggers which reference that device

c. You have an extra space for a timer next to your device

 

Thanks and with kind regards,

Michel

 

 

Not to step on any toes here, but I prefer using stand-alone timers for those annoying bath fans. Intermatic makes an awesome 60/30/20/10/hold countdown timer in a Decora configuration. It matches up very nicely with the InsteOn devices in a two or three gang plate, and can be found at your local Home Improvement Center (home depot, lowes)

 

This way, you can govern how much time you need for the fan to exhaust and not tax your automation system. Personally, I am not to keen on putting a noisy motor load on a PLC device.

 

Sorry for butting in.

[Mark Sanctuary]

Dude, all butts in! This is an open forum where all are welcome to toss in any and all ideas as long as we are all respecting each other.

 

I agree with the idea of being indpendent to function but I still would like to be able to query the switch. I hope to have someday everything on the Insteon network so it is all "connected". So my thought is mostly leaning to the timerlinc switches so I get the best of both indpendence and query/control abilities. Besides this is a device that even though its timed should also be in the "All Off" sceen that we are all trying to figure out in the all-off thread.

[Guest]

HAS,

 

Not only you are not stepping on any toes but also we consider all suggestions and feedback invaluable.

 

Thanks for the understanding.

 

My suggestion (i guess in a round about way) is to NOT put the bath fan (exhaust fan aka **** fan) on any sort of automation. Just replace the standard wall switch with a wall switch timer, llike the Intermatic I mentioned.

 

As fun as automation is...some things don't need to be automated.

 

 

Not to step on any toes here, but I prefer using stand-alone timers for those annoying bath fans. Intermatic makes an awesome 60/30/20/10/hold countdown timer in a Decora configuration. It matches up very nicely with the InsteOn devices in a two or three gang plate, and can be found at your local Home Improvement Center (home depot, lowes)

 

This way, you can govern how much time you need for the fan to exhaust and not tax your automation system. Personally, I am not to keen on putting a noisy motor load on a PLC device.

 

Sorry for butting in.

[Michel Kohanim]

HAS,

 

It makes perfect sense and quite elegant. Thanks so very much for the feedback.

 

With regards,

Michel

 

HAS,

 

Not only you are not stepping on any toes but also we consider all suggestions and feedback invaluable.

 

Thanks for the understanding.

 

My suggestion (i guess in a round about way) is to NOT put the bath fan (exhaust fan aka **** fan) on any sort of automation. Just replace the standard wall switch with a wall switch timer, llike the Intermatic I mentioned.

 

As fun as automation is...some things don't need to be automated.

 

 

Not to step on any toes here, but I prefer using stand-alone timers for those annoying bath fans. Intermatic makes an awesome 60/30/20/10/hold countdown timer in a Decora configuration. It matches up very nicely with the InsteOn devices in a two or three gang plate, and can be found at your local Home Improvement Center (home depot, lowes)

 

This way, you can govern how much time you need for the fan to exhaust and not tax your automation system. Personally, I am not to keen on putting a noisy motor load on a PLC device.

 

Sorry for butting in.