Flashing Switchlinc LEDS

[SteveSBE]

The LEDs on most of my Switchlincs all seem to flash in unison with any activity related to Insteon and X10 motion sensors. What did I do to cause this? (The only activity I can think of is that I renamed many items using ISY. Also I installed Houselinc to use it's diagnostic features. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, STeve

[LeeG]

Some devices have an option to flash the LED when powerline traffic is detected, like the PLM does. Check the Properties (I think that is what HL calls them) for the SwitchLinc and see if HL shows an option for the LED to follow traffic.

 

Did you register the Insteon devices with HL?

 

If so there is an issue you should be aware of. HL establishes all the link records necessary for HL to detect device state changes, just like the ISY does. The ISY is not aware of these new link records and will eventually overlay and/or delete the link records HL established.

[SteveSBE]

Thanks Lee. I found the setting you mentioned.

 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "registering" the Insteon devices with HL? I did "add an insteon device"...is that the same thing? If so, does that issue cause the HL signaling diagnostics to not be useful? I intended to use HL for just the diagnostics so that I could troubleshoot communications issues.

 

Steve

[LeeG]

Last time I used HL the devices had to be added to HL for it work with them, including running the comm diagnostics. If the devices have been added to the ISY, then added to HL there are link record conflicts just waiting to surface. When a device is added to the ISY it establishes links between the device and the ISY PLM such that state changes are signaled to the ISY PLM. HL does the same thing. HL established links with its PLM such that state changes are known to HL. The problem is the link records HL wrote are not known by the ISY. Any update/change to devices by the ISY that affect link records can overlay and/or erase the link records HL created.

 

So long as no changes to link records are made after adding devices to both products things should be okay. That is a difficult requirement to maintain.

[SteveSBE]

Lee,

 

I only want ISY to manage/control my devices and don't care if ISY overlays HL links so long as I can perform signal diagnostics.

 

Did I mess up how ISY's management/control by installing HL?

 

Is there a comparable ISY tool I don't know about that can do the same diagnostics so I can tell which devices don't seem to operate correctly?

 

Thanks again,

 

Steve

[LeeG]

"Did I mess up how ISY's management/control by installing HL?"

 

I do not have a list of symptoms you will see from using both ISY and HL. As symptoms surface and root cause is determined you can publish that list yourself. Keep in mind as you evaluate each new symptom, there are two independent applications trying to accomplish the same things with the same set of devices. As HL finds changes to device link databases initiated by the ISY it will re-sync its own database. If it becomes necessary to restore device under ISY the process will wipe out all the link information that HL established.

 

I have used both products but never let them overlap devices. It would be interesting if HL had a mode where it did no device management at all. No event processing. Simply a way to use its tools without using it major function. Not likely to every have that option.

 

"Is there a comparable ISY tool I don't know about that can do the same diagnostics"

 

No. The ISY Scene test does show results by device. There is no control over hops nor means of charting results, albeit primitive. Smarthome is trying to manage its product line. Not sure the ISY and HL have the same requirements or objectives.

[fitzpatri8]

HouseLinc does have one way to avoid HL doing any link management (at least any beyond the initial links it creates to the HL PLM). After you Add a device to HL, go to the Properties tab, verify the LED Blink on traffic is set correctly, then check the box marked Disable. That'll stop HL from querying the device or trying to make any changes to it.

[SteveSBE]

HouseLinc does have one way to avoid HL doing any link management (at least any beyond the initial links it creates to the HL PLM). After you Add a device to HL, go to the Properties tab, verify the LED Blink on traffic is set correctly, then check the box marked Disable. That'll stop HL from querying the device or trying to make any changes to it.

 

 

Will the signal diagnostics still work?

 

Thanks, Steve