Distance from PLM to ISY

[wpmjones]

This seems crazy to me, but I cannot deny the results. I have a TriggerLinc on my son's bedroom door.

 

Scenario 1) ISY and PLM in my living room connected with the 3 ft. network cable that it came with.

Result 1) PLM cannot "hear" the TriggerLinc. The TriggerLinc seems to have a flash code that if the TriggerLinc is opened, but cannot talk to the PLM it flashes once (to say "I'm open") then a second later, it flashes 4-5 times rapidly (to say "I can't see the PLM"). Obviously, no response by the ISY.

 

Scenario 2) ISY in living room. PLM in office directly across the hall from son's bedroom conencted with about 25 ft of network cable that I've run through the walls.

Result 2) PLM hears the TriggerLinc (no secondary flashes on the TriggerLinc), but no response from the ISY. The status of the TriggerLinc in the ISY is blank (when working correctly, it typically says On for open and Off for closed).

 

Scenario 3) ISY and PLM in the office connected with 3 ft. cables that came with it.

Result 3) TriggerLinc works as expected for open and close.

 

So, my initial theory was that as long as the PLM was close enough to the TriggerLinc, everything would work fine. What I've learned is that there are 1 of 3 requirements.

 

Either,

The ISY and the PLM must both be in proximity to the TriggerLinc (I can't imagine why the location of the ISY would matter).

or

The ISY and the PLM must be in proximity to each other (again, unlikely since a Cat5 cable is a Cat5 cable and there shoudln't be any data loss).

or

The ISY and the PLM must be connected with the provided cable (only makes sense if there is something unique about the cable. Would be a weird answer only because all other devices on the network work fine when they are in separate rooms.)

 

So.... any thoughts on there on why I have to have the ISY in the office with the PLM for the TriggerLinc to work? I want the ISY in the living room so I can use our universal remote to control the lights, but need the TriggerLinc to work. Long term, it shouldn't be an issue because I have an access point on the way that I will put in the office which should resolve the TriggerLinc proximity issue, but I'm curious.

[LeeG]

Scenario 1 – The TriggerLinc is not getting an ACK from the responder (PLM). Same thing happens with older KPLs. KPL button flashes when the responder does not ACK the button command. Smartlabs has dropped that flashing button function from later KPLs (sorry to say). Assumption is TriggerLinc distance to Dual Band PLM is too far. Anecdotal evidence suggests the Dual Band PLM does not have as much RF range as an Access Point. I have not done tests of this but there are posts on other forums about this.

 

Scenario 2 – TriggerLinc and PLM are within RF range of each other. The PLM is not able to communicate with the ISY over the Serial Port connection. There is a cable length limit on a Serial Port connection with a PLM. This is a Serial Port connection not a network connection. Cannot compare network and Serial cable lengths. I can put a PC NIC card on the end of a 100’ cat5e cable and have IP access with the router. I don’t know what the specific cable length limit is for a Serial Port connection but it is something far less.

 

Scenario 3 - TriggerLinc and PLM are within RF range of each other. The PLM and the ISY are within the cable length limit for a Serial Port connection.

[wpmjones]

Great info Lee. Thanks for the quick response. I didn't really think about the PLM to ISY connection being serial and not really network. This also gives me some assurance that when the access point arrives, it will solve the problem.

[LeeG]

I looked at the antenna arrangement in the TriggerLinc. Is your TriggerLinc mounted horizontally or vertically. I think you will have better range if it is mounted vertically as that positions the antenna vertically. May not make any difference. The new Access Point should resolve the problem either way.

[wpmjones]

It's already mounted horizontally with the double-sided tape so it's pretty permanent. I got the access point today, so I'm trying to get it installed. I tried the instructions that came with the AP but the light on the AP never flash even when the TriggerLinc is in linking mode. Is there a trick to installing a single AP?

[LeeG]

As far as an RF receiver simply plug it in. An Access Point is not linked to anything. If you are verifying the Access Point is on the opposite 120V leg to the Dual Band PLM to insure correct 120V leg (phase) coupling, follow the Quick Start guide instructions. Pressing the Set button on the Access Point the described number of times starts the Access Point transmitting an RF signal. Then look at the LED on the Dual Band PLM to see if it is receiving the RF signal and is in fact on the opposite 120V leg. The color/blinking pattern of the Dual Band PLM LED indicates whether an RF signal is being received and if the Access Point and the Dual Band PLM are on opposite 120V legs. This procedure only insures the devices are on opposite 120V legs. It does not link the Access Point and the Dual Band PLM. Also this procedure is not necessary if you do not care if the Access Point and the Dual Band PLM are on opposite 120V legs (you already have coupling).

[Sub-Routine]

The AccessPoint and the PLM should blink once whenever the state of the TriggerLinc changes.

 

Rand

[wpmjones]

I love all the quick responses. All is working well now. The ISY and PLM are back in the family room and the access point is in the office near the TriggerLinc.

 

Good News) It worked perfectly this morning.

 

Bad News) It worked perfectly 4 TIMES this morning! LOL My son got up 4 times before my alarm went off. It's great that we now know for sure when he's opened his door. Just a matter of training him to stay in the room til we come and get him. I have to wonder what he thinks though, when I come around the corner every time he opens the door. "Aw man! How does he do that!?"

 

Thank you ISY and SmartHome!!