Attempting first install of ISY994i and can't link

[Howlinmoon]

Hi,

this is my first experience with Insteon equipment.

I have been using X10 devices exclusively for 25+ years, and I have a bunch of them in my house.

 

I recently swapped my outside lights with LED bulbs, and I needed something to control them.

I bought a set of Insteon Togglelinc wall switches - thinking they were X10 compatible...

(yeah - poor research on my part). Once I discovered what they were, I started reading about the ISY99i and thought it would

be a good replacement for an aging CM11a.

 

I bought an ISY99i and a dual band PLM - and plugged them into the same outlet on the same circuit my CM11a is plugged into.

For the life of me - I can't get it to detect my togglelinc switches.

 

I put the switches into link mode - and then via the java console for the ISY99i - I select 'Link Management -> 'Start Linking' and run over to one of the switches and put it in link mode.

The switch's LED just blinks - and eventually times out.

 

When I had incandescent bulbs - the CM11a was able to drive the X10 switches w/out any problem. All I did was swap the bulbs with LED bulbs and the X10 push button switches with the togglelinc

switches.

 

I have an X10 bridge plugged into a 220 outlet I wired up just for that purpose.

 

Checking the log of the ISY99i - it reports seeing traffic from my CM11a - but no mention of the togglelincs.

 

I have tried factory reseting the switches and starting over from scratch.

 

What am I missing?

 

thanks

 

Jim

[LeeG]

ToggleLincs are not Dual Band devices (no RF). If they are on the opposite 120v leg from the ISY PLM plug point the ToggleLinc will be near impossible to communicate with. A minimum of two Dual Band devices are necessary. I prefer a pair of Access Points for phase coupling as they can be plugged into whatever outlets are required to get them on opposite 120V legs and within RF range of each other.

 

The sequence is to Select Start Linking first. Then press the Set button on the device second.

 

I prefer using New INSTEON Device as every command sent is traced by the Event Viewer and responses from the device, if any, are also traced. With Start Linking if the Set button device identification message does not reach the PLM nothing happens. It is as if the Set button was never pressed. At least with New INSTEON Device if the device fails to respond the timeout is seen in the event trace.

[Brian H]

The ToggleLinc Relay and Dimmer types are X10 compatible, but not out of the box.

You have to program the X10 address into them or they will not process X10 commands.

Full Users Manuals on the Smarthome Wiki if you have not found them yet.

They give directions on how to add an X10 address to the ToggleLincs.

http://wiki.smarthome.com/index.php?tit ... 7s_Manuals

 

If your wired in X10 Phase Coupler is a repeater and not a passive type. It will not pass the Insteon power line signals to the other phase. Also some X10 repeaters are known to not play nice with Insteon commands.

If you coupler is a passive type. It would pass Insteon commands back to the other phase but Access Points or Dual Band devices would be better.

[Howlinmoon]

The ToggleLinc Relay and Dimmer types are X10 compatible, but not out of the box.

You have to program the X10 address into them or they will not process X10 commands.

Full Users Manuals on the Smarthome Wiki if you have not found them yet.

 

Actually - I had downloaded the manual - which is what I used to lookup the factory reset procedure.

I completely missed the X10 programming mode.

I currently have both ToggleLincs now setup as X10 switches, but I would like to get this ISY99 working...

 

If your wired in X10 Phase Coupler is a repeater and not a passive type. It will not pass the Insteon power line signals to the other phase. Also some X10 repeaters are known to not play nice with Insteon commands.

If you coupler is a passive type. It would pass Insteon commands back to the other phase but Access Points or Dual Band devices would be better.

 

I have an X10 PRO Model XPCR System Coupler/Repeater.

No idea if it is active or passive.

 

As far as Access Points - I assume you are referring to these?

http://www.smarthome.com/2443/Access-Point-INSTEON-Wireless-Phase-Coupler-Dual-Band/p.aspx

 

Smarthome is having a 20% off sale on all Insteon equipment, so if this is what I need - now is the time for me to buy a pair.

 

Then, my problem would be finding two outlets on different phases...

 

Jim

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Jim,

 

BrianH/LeeG are 100% correct. If you are still having issues linking/communicating with your devices, please do not hesitate to schedule a call with our tech support team (link below).

 

With kind regards,

Michel