Reliability Issues with IOLinc (2450)?

[gviliunas]

About 2.5 years ago, I installed 14 IOLink modules. The IOLincs are plugged-into individual outlets spaced ~8in apart all wired to the same 110V leg along with ISY. The IOLincs are used as inputs to ISY-99 and are controlled by dry contacts in hard-wired motion sensors around the house. I don't currently use the relay outputs of the IOLincs.

 

Over this time, I have experienced 6 failures and just noticed that I have 4 more dead modules. All of the modules fail in the same manner. First, ISY complains that it cannot communicate with a module. I try restoring the suspect module through ISY but this doesn't work. If I then tap the set button on the suspect module, I don't hear the relay "click" but the LED usually flashes. "Good" modules toggle the light and relay with each tap. If I try to factory reset the bad module, the IOLinc "bricks" completely and will no longer even flash its light.

 

I have >80 other types of Insteon devices in my home but have only seen 3 infant failures among the other types of devices. Thusfar, Smarthome has been great about replacing the failed units but I'm getting tired of rewiring and reprogramming.

 

Has anyone else noticed this type of problem with IOLincs?

Could the close proximity of the units be a problem? I remember long ago this it was recommended that X10 modules be spaced no closer than several feet from each other.

Cable runs to the motion sensors can be 100-300ft. Could this be a problem?

I haven't added any pulse stretchers to the output of the motion sensors so they do tend to cause a good deal of power line traffic when triggered but ISY seems to deal with this. Could "noisy" input to the IOLinc cause failures?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Greg

[LeeG]

I think a 10 device failure (over time) is unprecedented short of a direct lightning strike.

 

What type of wire runs? Shielded (if so how is shield grounded), twisted pair, etc.

 

I would be concerned over a 300’ antenna feeding a digital circuit. Perhaps some form of isolation such as opto-isolation. BLH may be able provide a suggestion for implementing.

[gviliunas]

Thanks Lee,

 

Yes, I agree that 10 failures is excessive. My purpose in posting is to rule-in or rule-out the IOLink as the culprit. We don't get many thunder storms in Vancouver B.C. and the other Insteon modules seem very reliable. I am using a pair of EZIO8SAs in another installation. In 1 year, I haven't had any failures at that site. The 8SA advertises opto-isolated inputs(1-4). I'm not sure if the IOLink's input is isolated (or the 5v supply protected). I am using 2-pair UTP for the connection in both sites.

[Brian H]

The Sensor Input is not isolated on the ones I looked at.

There are a few resistors to +5 Volts and the Sensor LED and it goes into a pin on the controller IC. Through another low value resistor.

I would say like most controller ICs. It may have a built in diode to +5 and one to Common on the I/O Pins internally.

Maybe changed on recent ones but my early ones are that way.

 

300 feet of wire could be enough to maybe pick up some induced voltage spikes.

[LeeG]

The first 4 8SA inputs are opto-isolated. Same with the 6I. I would think the twisted pair would prevent what I was concerned about. So long as Smarthome will replace them I would stay with the I/O Linc. Were any of the original devices that failed and replaced failed again. Wondering if there is a way to correlate length of wire run to failure. If Smarthome stops replacing them perhaps try an EZIO6I and use the first 4 opto-isolated inputs to see if they are more reliable.

[Brian H]

LeeG; Any thoughts on how 14 Insteon Modules on one branch line. Would handle the normal repeat a message protocol?

[LeeG]

BrianH

 

I use 5' metal power strips each containing 6 outlets and a power cord. Some of the strips are daisy chained and some are powered from the same wall outlet. All outlets connected with simple wiring, no surge or noise suppression. Currently have 4 of these power strips side by side with a total of 20 devices currently plugged in. Device count varies according to what is being tested or evaluated. Also fabricated a line of in wall electrical boxes mount on a strip of wood along with light fixtures bolted to the wall boxes for test loads of the dimmers, relays, keypadlincs, etc that are under test. That accounts for 10 more wired devices at present. This count also varies. Use this step up as my test bed. Will use the house devices if I need more devices for a particular test but prefer to leave them alone. Had a bad habit of changing link records for particular tests and failing to restore them. Finally fabricated a cart for testing after not being able to open the garage doors when I tweaked the link records in the 2X4s controlling the garage.

 

Have not had any problems and it’s been in use for a few years. Tell you the truth I never thought about what impact this arrangement might have on messages being repeated by so many devices so close together. I found these prewired metal power strips in Lowes. I guess they still carry them. Came with metal mounting clips that allow them to be mounted vertically on the side of a wheeled cart. The cart also holds project boxes with switches and relay break out connectors for my EZIOxx devices under test.

 

Of course these are not I/O Lincs in mass (do have one currently plugged into test bed). I think the issue is what is connected to the Sensor inputs rather than the number of devices but I could easily be wrong. Would love to see if using opto-isolation would help.

 

Lee

[Brian H]

Thanks for the added information. Most I have on a branch is 4 or 5 ApplianceLincs.

 

One thing I did find. When testing the original watter sensor kit. Was if the resistance on the S to GND terminals was not low enough to pull it below 1 volt. The Sensor LED would light fairly bright but there was no On or Off sent as it had not gone low enough. I wounder if a noise spike that caused the S to go temporarily above 1 volt would trigger an Off then On as it dropped back to close to zero.

[LeeG]

I found that same situation with the original PCB water sensing board. I think it very possible for the Sense line to be pulled up with a spike. Not sure that would be big enough to damage the I/O Linc with the UTP wiring but certainly enough to cause an unexpected change in state.