Venstar T1800 - Can't add both Heat and Cool to SwitchLinc

[andyf0]

I'm trying to have my ceiling fan turned on whenever the T1800 turns on the heat or the AC. I can add the Heat mode or the Cool Mode as a controller to a SwitchLinc but when I try to add the other it gives me a Write Incomplete error.

 

I've worked around it by writing a program for each mode to turn the switch on and off but was wondering if this is an ISY bug or a Venstar bug?

[Sub-Routine]

Hi andyf0,

 

If you add both modes to a scene each mode would try to control the other.

 

Create two scenes with the ceiling fan as a responder. Add Heat Mode to one scene (controller) and Cool Mode to the other scene (controller).

 

Rand

 

I'm trying to have my ceiling fan turned on whenever the T1800 turns on the heat or the AC. I can add the Heat mode or the Cool Mode as a controller to a SwitchLinc but when I try to add the other it gives me a Write Incomplete error.

 

I've worked around it by writing a program for each mode to turn the switch on and off but was wondering if this is an ISY bug or a Venstar bug?

[andyf0]

Doh! You can tell I'm new to this. Thanks.

 

Edit: Thinking about this some more I don't understand. Are you saying you can't have more than one controller in a scene? I have other scenes that control lights with a RemoteLinc button and an IRLink button in them.

 

Also, if this particular combination of Heat and Cool weren't allowed in a single scene shouldn't the console have prevented me from doing it? Instead it popped up a write failure error message (and messed up the thermostat).

[Sub-Routine]

Doh! You can tell I'm new to this. Thanks.

 

No problem, it can be confusing.

 

If a scene can control the devices that is best. The ISY is not involved except as a spectator.

 

Edit: Thinking about this some more I don't understand. Are you saying you can't have more than one controller in a scene? I have other scenes that control lights with a RemoteLinc button and an IRLink button in them.

 

The ISY allows multiple controllers in a scene. Every controller added to a scene is also added as a responder if the device supports that.

 

In a 3-way switch scene each switch follows the other when they are both controller/responders.

 

Also, if this particular combination of Heat and Cool weren't allowed in a single scene shouldn't the console have prevented me from doing it? Instead it popped up a write failure error message (and messed up the thermostat).

 

It may be an undocumented function in the thermostat. We'll have to ask the programmers.

 

It should not have messed up your thermostat. That could be a coincidence.

please help - thermostat issues!

See page 2.

 

Rand

[andyf0]

Sorry to go on about this but I want to understand this completely. I have other thermostat issues but will read the thread you pointed to first and dewcribe my other issues in that thread.

 

The T1800 contains 4 nodes.

 

Main

Heat Control

Cool Control

Fan Control

 

As I understand it "Main" is the only responder and provides temperature, set points control.

 

The other nodes are controllers only and should not be responders so it should be OK to add Heat Control and Cool Control to the same scene.

 

I think my thinking is flawed, I just can't figure out where.

[Sub-Routine]

andyf0,

 

The other nodes are controllers only and should not be responders so it should be OK to add Heat Control and Cool Control to the same scene.

 

I can't argue with that. As you have noticed RemoteLinc is only a Controller. The ISY is a slave to what a device reports.

 

As of right now it looks like the work-around should accomplish your goals.

 

Thank you for the comments. We are always working to improve our device.

I hope this doesn't cause you too much trouble.

 

Rand

[andyf0]

Thank you Sub-Routine, I understand now what you were saying.

 

I found this in Insteon documentation:

 

"These generic INSTEON terms refer to the components of an INSTEON scene, and are used on a scene-by-scene basis. A scene might have multiple Responders, but it can only have one Controller."

 

What I was trying to do is illegal whether it works or not. I am changing all my scenes to only have one controller in them.

[LeeG]

andyf0

 

What may not be obvious to someone just starting out with Insteon, ISY and Scenes, when multiple Controllers are assigned to an ISY Scene, under the covers the ISY is actually defining multiple Insteon Scenes. Where SwitchLinc A and SwitchLinc B are assigned to an ISY Scene as Controllers, three Insteon Scenes are defined. Scene 1 has SwitchLInc A as Controller, Scene 2 has SwitchLinc B as Controller, and Scene 3 has the ISY PLM as the Controller.

 

The statement that an Insteon Scene has only 1 Controller is correct. An ISY Scene can have multiple Controllers because an ISY Scene is composed of multiple Insteon Scenes.

 

Lee

[andyf0]

That was quite informative, thanks. There are so many different ways to setup your house it's mind boggling.

 

Do I set up scenes based on devices, or do I use locations? The choices are endless. I have an IRLink and a RemoteLinc that both control the same devices. Anyway, I've re-done it all being device based making sure only one controller is in each scene, I like following rules, even though they may not apply to ISY.

 

Can I ask the same question I asked before in other threads, why doesn't the IRLinc show up in the Device List in the right pane? If you highlight the House icon in the left pane all the devices show up in the right pane ..... except the IRLinc buttons.