How do I make the new Triggerlincs (2843-2) work on my 994i?

[dec3169]

I have a large number of Insteon devices working well with my 994i (with the exception of one 3-gang cluster I messed up). I'm talking about 50 or so devices, so I'm pretty comfortable with how this all works together. I have 4 Triggerlincs (old 2421s) that do great, and the status shows up in the ISY showing Off or On for Trigger-Opened like it should. I'm buying all of the Insteon things I need in stages - big house, little wallet - and just got around to buying 3 of the new 2843-2 Triggerlincs. I guess Smarthome doesn't have the 2421s any more.

 

When I try to link them the ISY seems to link with them fine, but no status ever shows up on Opened or Closed, and nothing shows in the Event Log - even with Level 3 - when I try to open or close the trigger. All of my older TLs just worked right away with no hassles, but none of the new ones work at all for me.

Is it because of the I2CS stuff? When I link them I put in the Insteon address, no name, and let it search using the new X10/Insteon device (not the Start Linking choice).

 

My ISY994i is Pro with the X10 mod, and running 3.2.6 firmware. I've ruled out firewalls/java by trying this with Linux (Firefox/Chrome) and Win7 (IE/Firefox/Chrome), as well as with my mobilinc on Android. I've also rebooted the ISY multiple times to no avail.

 

Here is the Level 3 Event trace that shows up when I add one of the new TLs:

 

Thu 08/23/2012 03:41:49 : [        Time] 03:41:49 1(0)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : ---- Initializing the linked devices ----
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : ---- All Linked Devices are now initialized ----
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : ---- Add remaining devices ----
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [iNST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 14 D7 DC 0F 0D 00
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 0F 0D 00 06                 (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 0D 02           (02)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [14 D7 DC 0  ] Calibrating engine version
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Adding device to ISY
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [iNST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 14 D7 DC 0F 10 00
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 0F 10 00 06          ID-REQ (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 10 00    ID-REQ (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:31 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 10.02.34 87 02 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [standard-Broadcast][14.D7.DC-->10.02.34] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Start : Adding device to ISY
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Finish : Adding device to ISY was Successful
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    0 : 0FF8 [E2011BFBADFF1F01] Saving  [E2011BFBADFF1F01]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [14 D7 DC 2  ] Start : Adding device to ISY
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [14 D7 DC 2  ] Finish : Adding device to ISY was Successful
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:32 : [14 D7 DC 2  ] Link    1 : 0FF0 [E2021BFBADFF1F02] Saving  [E2021BFBADFF1F02]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:33 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Device added to ISY
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:33 : ---- All Remaining Device Added ----
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:33 : [All         ] Writing 16 bytes to devices
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:33 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    0 : 0FF8 [E2011BFBADFF1F01] Writing [E2011BFBADFF1F01]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:33 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F FF 08 E2 01 1B FB AD FF 1F 01 F4
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:33 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F FF 08 E2 01 1B FB AD FF 1F 01 F4 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 2F 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [MNG-LNK-RSP ] 02 6F 41 A2 01 14 D7 DC 10 02 34 15 
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [PLM         ] Group   1 : Writing Responder Link matching [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    0 : 0FF8 [E2011BFBADFF1F01]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    1 : 0FF0 [E2021BFBADFF1F02] Writing [E2021BFBADFF1F02]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F F7 08 E2 02 1B FB AD FF 1F 02 FA
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:34 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F F7 08 E2 02 1B FB AD FF 1F 02 FA 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:35 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 2F 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:35 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:35 : [MNG-LNK-RSP ] 02 6F 41 A2 02 14 D7 DC 10 02 34 15 
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:35 : [PLM         ] Group   2 : Writing Responder Link matching [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    1 : 0FF0 [E2021BFBADFF1F02]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:35 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    2 : 0FE8 [0000000000000000] Writing [00..............]
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:35 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F EF 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 C9
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:36 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F EF 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 C9 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:36 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 2F 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:36 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:36 : [14 D7 DC 1  ] Link    3 : 0FE0 : Writing High Water Byte
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:36 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F E7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 DA
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:36 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F E7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 DA 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:37 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 2F 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:37 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:37 : [iNST-ERX    ] 02 51 14 D7 DC 1B FB AD 11 2F 00 00 01 0F E7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D9 
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:37 : [Extended-Direct][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=1, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:37 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F E7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 DA
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:37 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F E7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 DA 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:38 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 2F 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:38 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:38 : [iNST-ERX    ] 02 51 14 D7 DC 1B FB AD 11 2F 00 00 01 0F E7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D9 
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:38 : [Extended-Direct][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=1, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:38 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F E7 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D1
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:38 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F E7 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D1 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:39 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 27 2F 00           (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 03:42:39 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1

 

After that I tried opening/closing the trigger with nothing showing up. I did this several places around my house - beside an access point, beside a DB switchlinc, under a fanlinc, and near my DB PLM. Nothing ever registered showing an open or a close. Using the Android and using Firefox instead of the admin console should have helped rule out any cache issues as well, but I even tried my work laptop (which had not been used with my ISY previously).

 

What am I missing? Is there some new way of linking these (not pushing the button until the TL light flashes) or does the I2CS stuff mean that there has to be some FW upgrade to 3.2.6 to recognize the new TLs?

 

The TLs show up in the ISY as a 2421 TriggerLinc v.34 like my older ones do, but these are not 2421s.

 

Hopefully this info is enough to give someone an idea of what is going wrong with my stuff. I'm not really very good at parsing what the event log stuff means, but to me that looks good. Of course I'm an old Unix guy and have only been playing with the ISY for about 6 months - I am probably wrong.

 

Thanks for any help you can give me. I want to have some idea of whether this is good or bad before I end up calling the Gold Line saying I have 3 bad TLs I just received yesterday.

 

Bob

[LeeG]

Besides the 2843 being an I2CS device I see no failures in the event trace. It identifies itself with a cat/subcat value of [10.02]. This is the same cat/subcat value the 2421 (non I2CS) TriggerLinc carries which is why the ISY indicates 2421.

 

There is a difference in that no authorizing link was established as would normally happen with an I2CS device. On other I2CS devices this would prevent the link records from being written. None of the link record writes or the read back of the End-of-List record showed failures.

 

Suggest putting the TriggerLinc into linking mode and do a Show Device Links Table and Compare when display completes. This will verify the link records were actually written.

 

Have the Event trace active as you did for the device add and post the trace for the Show Device Links Table

 

EDIT: the lack of an authorization link does not mean a device add problem. The Query Insteon Engine worked which indicates the event trace was not the first device add after a factory reset.

[dec3169]

I did the Show Device Links, and also checked out the PLM. My PLM is 1B.FB.AD and showed up fine. I checked it's links and did a count - 994.

 

Here is the Show Device Links for the TL:

 

Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:07 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F FF 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 C2
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:07 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F FF 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 C2 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 23 2F 00           (00) 
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [iNST-ERX    ] 02 51 14 D7 DC 1B FB AD 12 2F 00 00 01 0F FF 01 E2 01 1B FB AD FF 1F 01 FC
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [Extended-Direct][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=2, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F F7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 CA
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F F7 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 CA 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:09 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 23 2F 00           (00) 
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:09 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:10 : [iNST-ERX    ] 02 51 14 D7 DC 1B FB AD 12 2F 00 00 01 0F F7 01 E2 02 1B FB AD FF 1F 02 02
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:10 : [Extended-Direct][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=2, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:10 : [iNST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 14 D7 DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F EF 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D2
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:10 : [iNST-ACK    ] 02 62 14.D7.DC 1F 2F 00 00 00 0F EF 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D2 06        (00)
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:11 : [iNST-SRX    ] 02 50 14.D7.DC 1B.FB.AD 23 2F 00           (00) 
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:11 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:11 : [iNST-ERX    ] 02 51 14 D7 DC 1B FB AD 12 2F 00 00 01 0F EF 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D1
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:11 : [Extended-Direct][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=2, Hops Left=0
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:11 : [All         ] Writing 0 bytes to devices
Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:33 : [        Time] 10:55:34 1(0)

 

It shows linked to my PLM.

[LeeG]

If the PLM is a 2413 the PLM is the problem. Although advertised as supporting slightly more than 1000 links my tests show it cuts off at 994. The lower bytes are reserved for configuration data.

 

Run a File | Restore Modem (PLM). Then do another Show PLM Links Table and Count. PLMs can accumulate duplicate links over time. The Restore Modem (PLM) will compress out any duplicates leaving only valid active links. If the link count comes back to 994 after the restore the number links has to be reduced by deleting Scenes or combining Scenes thus eliminating logically duplicate links.

[LeeG]

Note that the TriggerLinc location is at the very edge of reliability. The Hops Left=0 with a starting Max Hops=3 is at the outer edge of reliability.

 

Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:08 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=0

 

Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:09 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=0

 

Thu 08/23/2012 10:55:11 : [standard-Direct Ack][14.D7.DC-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=0

 

Great work on the collection of diagnostic data.

[dec3169]

Thanks.

 

So I tried the PLM restore today. Man, that is a pain if you have motion sensors and triggerlincs... Can the PLM restore be done without having to put all of your battery-powered devices in link mode? Will that just mean that you have to go back later and re-link them or will it just hose things worse?

 

The reason I'm asking is the PLM restore kinda worked at first. I went in and removed a bunch of scenes, and tweaked a lot of programs to use Device instead of Scene. Example - I had a Togglelinc for a bathroom light - standalone without being linked to any KPLs or anything. I had the toggle added to a scene and would call that scene in my timer program. I changed it to call that device and deleted the scene. I was able to do that for a fair amount of stuff that I wasn't worried about setting an LED on/off on a KPL somewhere.

 

Once I deleted a bunch of scenes I went around the house opening all of my TLs and Motions and got the PLM Restore window ready. I then put every TL and Motion in linking mode and did the restore. After that ran for a long time I went back and closed up all my TLs and Motions, and rebooted the ISY. Once it came up I checked the PLM Links again and had 460ish. Great - I thought that was all. Unfortunately when I tried to link the new TLs they still didn't work. They would show up on the console but without any status or events when I would open/close them. I tried to push them to respond by disabling/enabling but nothing I did worked. I should note that I was sitting beside a DB KPL6 (3 ft) and near a DB Fanlinc (8 ft). The PLM was about 20 feet away, and 2 access points were within 30 feet as well - no hop issues there.

 

Now, above I said it "kinda" worked... I went back in after another reboot and did the PLM Link table status again and it went back up to 992. I did a few things (can't recall everything but another reboot and a query all were in there) and the PLM went back down to 460ish, but the next time I checked it the count was back up to 992 and has remained there.

 

Do you think I just have a PLM problem? I do have another Togglelinc that is giving me problems. Sometimes it works and sometimes it gets the red bang beside it. Sometimes a query will revive it, sometimes a reboot fixes it, but it is out again. I had chalked it up to that 3gang cluster I have issues with but a Togglelinc and Switchlinc is on the same electrical line between the gang and the flaky togglelinc and they both work.

 

The PLM I have (2413S DB) came with the ISY when I bought it from Smarthome on April 16th.

 

Is there some special FW version I need on my dual-band devices, like the access points or the plm, or the Fanlinc or KPL6DB? Obviously the Fanlinc is new and I would hope it can deal with the I2CS stuff, and I think the KPL is new too. I bought 2 of the access points new from SH, but have bought other stuff from eBay (including an access point or 2). I know one of the aps is an old version with the white light, but I even unplugged that to make sure there wasn't anything goofy going on. It wasn't bridging the phases - I was just using it to extend my RF range.

 

I also tried moving my ISY and PLM from my computer rack and it's long unswitched powerstrip to my desktop plugged directly into the wall. I tried the cat5 cable from SH and one of my own from my work datacenter (very high quality cable).

 

The really odd thing here is that I was able to link a new KPL6 (nonDB) yesterday with no issues, and so far it is working great inside a KPL enclosure. If my PLM was bad would I be able to link anything, or could it allow some and ignore others?

 

At this point I'm stuck with 3 brand new TLs (and one I got 3 weeks ago in the same boat) that don't work, and a brand new Insteon thermostat that I'm afraid to hook up until I figure this stuff out. The WAF will take a big hit if I mess up the AC in the house. It already went way down the last time I was out of town and the livingroom KPL decided to just turn itself off - all buttons went dark. I had to program a button on the kitchen kpl so she could see in the livingroom until I got home the next week. I think that kpl had buttons stuck or something because I took it out, put it right back in, and the lights came back on. I hadn't even undone the wire nuts. Fortunately this time I didn't tell her I was getting TLs to put on my garage fridge and freezer so she isn't wondering why they aren't working yet.

 

Thanks for your help. Hopefully I'm just missing something, but if you guys don't have any other ideas I'll have to call the Gold Line Friday. I work every other week in either CA or TX (home) so it gets rough if I have to ship stuff back. I end up waiting a couple of weeks because of my work travel, and I leave again at o-dark-thirty on Monday for a week.

[LeeG]

Check all the nodes for pending updates. Small green arrow to the left of the node. Or a red ! to the left of the battery RF devices. When all the RF devices are put into linking mode at the same time they tend to cancel each other out as they link to each other, going out of linking mode. The best approach is to leave all the RF devices alone during the Restore. At the end any updates will be queued. At that point put one RF device at a time into linking mode, right click the node selecting Write updates to devices. It has to be done one RF device at a time. Otherwise, they will not stay in linking mode.

 

The PLM link count variation may be the result of Insteon message traffic reaching the PLM while the Display PLM Link Table is running. Inbound Insteon traffic can alter an internal next record pointer in the PLM producing false high or low record counts.

 

Being able to add a KPL and have it report real time button state changes indicates there is now room for new link records in the PLM.

 

I would delete one of the new TriggerLincs and add it back now that there is room in the PLM for additional links. If it does not work at that point UDI will have to look at what is needed for the I2CS TriggerLincs as the Event trace looked okay. With the Show Device Links Table and Compare showing the expected link records something else is keeping it from reporting state changes.

[dec3169]

I tried redoing the PLM Restore today after going through and cleaning/renaming/deleting some of my programs and variables, and can now add the TLs.

I don't know if deleting scenes, deleting/combining programs, or deleting stale variables (or a combination of all 3) did the job, but after doing the restore (and not doing a PLM Link Table check) I tried adding a TL. It worked right away. I added 2 others, and will add the other one later.

 

Can you clear something up for me? The 2413u is supposed to do ~1024 scenes (and you say like 994ish). Does that number include all devices, all scenes, all crosslinks, all programs, all folders (scenes/devices/programs), and all variables? If so then I'm in trouble...

 

I learned my programming from the forums and use a bunch of programs to accomplish a task. Example - the bathroom light. I have 7 programs for that one Switchlinc - control-on, control-faston, control-off, control-fastoff, timer, timer-auto-off, timer-control-off. I differentiate between control-on and control-faston for the timer - on=10 minutes, faston-30 minutes. I have kids that like to leave lights on... Now some devices actually have more programs if I am keeping an LED status on a KPL, or a late-night notification for a motion. I am in the process of doing some consolidation but I can only do so much based on the structure I built with my programs and templates. I could easily delete folders but it would probably bother the heck out of me - I like order with my programming (maybe a little OCD?).

 

What happens if I want to (and I will...) add a bunch more Insteon stuff? I'll bust the 994-1024 limit easily.

 

The only thing I can see that would really help me eliminate a bunch of programs is if the variables allowed you to assign names instead of numbers. Example: I have a bunch of timer programs that all do the same things but call different variables for status and such. If I could assign a variable like this: $ON.STATUS.DEVICE = half_bath instead of having to do $ON.STATUS.HBATH = 1 in my timer programs I could have just 1 timer program instead of 20. Basically the 1 program would have variables for STATUS, TIMER, and ACTION (turn on light, notify, etc) that I could pass from the parent program that calls the timer. The framework is kinda there already I believe - look at the notification emails. I have about 3 notification emails now (had about 30 before) and use a variable in the Subject that pulls the name of the program into it. That way I get an email that says something like ALERT - Late-Night Motion - Livingroom-Motion-Action-01 (which would be the name of the program that called the notify).

 

Anyway, sorry for the tangent. I am worried though about when I won't be able to add anything else, or make any more programs. Is the only other answer doing something like getting another ISY?

 

Thanks for all the help. I've learned a lot. I'll probably even try adding my thermostat tomorrow now that this works, after I make the programs for these TLs.

 

Bob

[LeeG]

The 994 count (actually I remember it as 992) is related only to link records needed for devices to send real time state changes to the PLM (Responder links in the PLM) and the PLM to be able to control ISY Scenes (Controller links in the PLM). The number of variables, Programs and Folders has nothing to do with the number of Insteon link records in the PLM. The number of If conditions has no affect on PLM link record counts. A SwitchLinc has one Responder link in the PLM which handles all the possible commands a device can send a PLM. An 8 button KPL has 8 Responder links in the PLM, one for each button. A six button KPL has 5 Responder links in the PLM. The ON/OFF buttons share the same Responder link record.

 

The PLM link record count is dependent on the number Insteon devices installed (and their type) and the number of ISY Scenes defined and the number of devices in each Scene.

 

Communication between devices (SwitchLinc A cross linked to SwitchLinc has nothing to do with PLM link records. PLM link records are necessary for the ISY to turn that cross-link Scene On/Off which would be necessary for an ISY Program to keep both devices in sync. PLM link records are necessary for the ISY PLM to be aware of a button/paddle press, a state change of an I/O Linc Sensor, things like that. As well as the ISY being able to send Scene On/Off commands to every device defined in a Scene. There are some exceptions. RemoteLinc2 buttons are Controller only. They cannot be turned On/Off from the ISY and would not generate Controller links in the PLM.

 

It would require a very large number of Insteon devices and ISY Scenes to exceed the supported PLM link count. Normally Scenes are the issue. Too many unnecessary Scenes performing overlapping function.

[dec3169]

Wow, great stuff Lee. I understand a lot more now about the PLM and what I need to do to keep my ISY running.

 

I was able to link all of the rest of my TLs this evening, and even did one of them in a parallel config with 2 additional magnetic switches. I put the big piece on the top right of my Fridge/Freezer in the garage, a mag switch in the fridge door on top, and one in the freezer door on top as well (regular fridge with freezer on left and fridge on right up and down, not top over bottom). I used one of those old flat blue Cisco serial console cables by cutting the sheath in the middle and pulling it an inch so wires were showing in the middle, and also cut the sheath an inch on both ends - 1 for the 2nd mag switch and one for the main TL. Like this: >---===---===---< with the "=" being the blue sheathed covering and the "-" being unsheathed wires. That way I could keep the strength of the sheath and 6 of the 8 wires that weren't cut, and cut the yellow in the middle for one mag switch and use the ends for the other mag switch and the TL. Now if I open either door the TL registers as open. I've been wanting to do that ever since the last time one of my kids left the freezer part open and wasted about $600 worth of steaks we got at the butcher. I would have gotten an I/O-Linc and one of the Freezer sensors but combined they were about $100. I have 2 fridges in the garage I need to monitor - that one and a full-sized upright freezer, so I would have needed 2 I/O-Lincs, 2 freezer sensors, and a fridge sensor if I wanted to monitor all of it. That pushes it to over $200 - still better than $600 of wasted meat, but about $70 is much better for 2 TLs and a couple of mag switches. Hopefully this helps someone else that is thinking about doing the same thing I did.

 

For anyone interested, here is an ASCII representation of how I hooked this up. The "o"s are the connectors for the wires. Note - with this configuration you can use the 2 mag switches (one for each door) and when either one is opened it registers open for the TL. I do not have a magnet by the TL itself - only the mag switches. This same configuration can be used on doors/windows as well, and I intend on using it that way for the double windows I have upstairs.

 

I figured since someone helped me I would put something out there that might help someone else.

 

                        Triggerlinc with 2 Magnetic Switches in Parallel

       |    MAG |o-----------------o| MAG SWITCH |o------------------------o| Triggerlinc |
       | SWITCH |o---------------------------------------------------------o| Connection  |