Can't detect new devices (My new whale of toe)

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Been a while since I've been on the forum. My system has been working albeit not perfectly. Here's the current background. Several weeks ago our daughter's car was broken into in our driveway (it wasn't locked). They didn't get much, an old gps unit and my daughter's purse (the most valuable thing in her purse was her glasses. No cash/ID's/credit cards). My wife says to me can't you do something so that the outside lights come on when motion is detected out there. Of course, I said sure. Well now I have permission to buy more Insteon. So I bought some motion sensors and a few other things. I had already replaced the wall units in the garage and my workshop with SWL's. I decided to replace one of the SWL's in the workshop with a dual band KPL (I wanted to be able to control some things at the exterior shop door plus the dual band KPL would be close to the motion detector. I succesfully removed the old SWL after deleting the links to it with the ISY (an Icon as part of a 3-way and a link to a KPL button in the house so that I could turn the light out without going to the shop). Now, I cannot get the system to recognize the KPL when I attempt to link to it with the ISY. The ISY linking screen comes up but by the time I have hit the set button on the KPL the linking screen is gone (I did not click on 'Finish'). The ISY never sees the KPL and the KPL linking mode times out while the ISY continues linking. I decided to try something else.

 

I then went upstairs to the media room. I have an electronics room where all my A/V equipment (all on filterlincs), DSL modem, wireless router, dual band PLM (on a differenct circuit (using an extension cord)) and ISY are located. Right next to the electronics room is another small room with one light. I deleted the SWL that controls that room's light with the ISY. I then replaced the SWL with another one (this SWL is a V.35 one). The ISY will not link to that SWL(V.35) even though it is in close proximity to it and the PLM(on a different power circuit but on the same leg (phase)). I have tried repeatedly to link to both the SWL and KPL. I have accessed the admin console through both My Network Places and through the UDI website with no luck in linking. A couple of times when accessing the admin console through the website I got a "System is in Safe Mode" error. I reboot the ISY and the dual band PLM and everything seems to work. I can use the ISY to turn lights on and off. I just can't link to the new items.

 

I have had communication issues in the past. One of my more vexing problems is a thermostat program which turns the A/C warmer at 9:00am and cooler at 10:00pm. The 9:00am one is rock solid (99.9%) and the 10:00 is rock solid bad (0.01%). The ISY says it cannot communicate with a triggerlinc but the triggerlinc works flawlessly. The triggerlinc has not been linked to the SWL via tap - tap. Go figure.

 

Any comments, suggestions or snide remarks? I really don't want to go circuit by circuit to see if I can find the bad actor but I will if I have to. Thanks for listening

 

Just plain Art

[Vyrolan]

I decided to replace one of the SWL's in the workshop with a dual band KPL

 

If the KPL is new and dual band, I'm guessing it's just an On/Off relay one. Those weren't working in the ISY. They just added support in the new firmware released today. What version is yours on?

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Vyrolan,

 

I'm running 3.2.6. It appears I posted twice. Any idea how to delete one of the posts?

 

Art

[Vyrolan]

I'm running 3.2.6.

Take a fresh backup and try upgrading firmware to see if you have better luck linking your devices. It's worth a shot.

 

 

It appears I posted twice. Any idea how to delete one of the posts?

No clue...the forum says you can delete your own posts, but I think you can't if it's been viewed or replied...a new post should have an X button in the lower right corner.

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Vyrolan,

 

I forgot to mention that I tried to add the KPL manually by feeding the ISY its address. No joy. I'll wait to see what some of the ISY Uber geeks have to say about upgrading the S/W. I prefer not to run beta S/W.

 

I agree about the delete button for the posts.

 

Thanks,

Art

[Vyrolan]

I forgot to mention that I tried to add the KPL manually by feeding the ISY its address. No joy. I'll wait to see what some of the ISY Uber geeks have to say about upgrading the S/W. I prefer not to run beta S/W.

 

Yes, I know...there's only about 4 threads on these forums in the last few days about how that KPL doesn't work. If it's a 2487S, it won't work without the new firmware from today. However, it should have been able to add it as an Unsupported Device though with only control over the local load (using any linking method). Did you install it correctly? Does the KPL work locally for controlling the load or can you do manual links to other switches in that area?

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Vyrolan,

 

It is, in fact, a 2487S. I guess if I want to use it as I had planned, I'll have to upgrade to 3.3.4. However, I think I've got bigger problems. I did ask for snide remarks, so yes, I did wire it correctly. The KPL will control the local load.

Good suggestion about manually linking. I do have the Icon on the other wall. I'll see if I can create the virtual 3-way by manually linking to the Icon. Thanks.

 

Art

[Vyrolan]

It is, in fact, a 2487S. I guess if I want to use it as I had planned, I'll have to upgrade to 3.3.4.

3.3.5 actually (released earlier today)

 

However, I think I've got bigger problems. I did ask for snide remarks, so yes, I did wire it correctly. The KPL will control the local load.

Well you made the remark about waiting for the Uber geeks so I felt free to fire one back. =p For mine, I was able to manually link or add to ISY as unsupported device (and then ISY was able to add it as a responder in scenes).

 

Good suggestion about manually linking. I do have the Icon on the other wall. I'll see if I can create the virtual 3-way by manually linking to the Icon. Thanks.

Yea it'd be interesting to see if it could create links manually. That would at least let you know it's working fine on its own in isolation, but something is amiss with the link to the ISY.

 

You also mentioned that you tried the SWL that you removed near the ISY and couldn't re-add it... That seems to indicate something is amiss with your ISY. Have you tried rebooting the ISY and/or the PLM? Maybe it's just a bit confused with the removal of the devices? That's admittedly grasping at straws. Maybe take one of your existing switches and remove it in ISY the same way as you did before...then just try re-adding it...if that won't work, something is out of whack with your ISY or with how you're performing those steps (the former seemingly much more likely).

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Vyrolan,

 

I just manually programmed the KPL and some SWL's. I recreated the virtual three-way with Icon and it works. I also programmed 3 of the KPL's buttons to be both controllers/responders with 3 other Insteon devices.

 

I've rebooted the ISY and the PLM repeatedly. Whenever I tried to link the ISY to the devices it couldn't see, it was like the ISY kept trying and trying and trying..... to find something. After that, I had to shut the admin console down and reboot it and the plm. On at least 2 of those occasions the plm's led was solid red.

 

Interesting idea about deleteing and readding a SWL. I think I'll give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Thanks,

Art

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Vyrolan,

 

I just deleted and am attempting to add a SWL. It didn't succeed. The SWL just timed out.

 

I believe I was wrong when I said the PLM was on the same leg as the ISY. I have 2 circuit breaker boxes and they are on breakers in seperate boxes. The PLM and the KPL are on the same circuit. I have a whole house phase coupler installed (signalinc 2406H) as well as a pair of access points coupling the legs.

 

Thanks for your help.

Art

[Vyrolan]

I just deleted and am attempting to add a SWL. It didn't succeed. The SWL just timed out.

 

I believe I was wrong when I said the PLM was on the same leg as the ISY. I have 2 circuit breaker boxes and they are on breakers in seperate boxes. The PLM and the KPL are on the same circuit. I have a whole house phase coupler installed (signalinc 2406H) as well as a pair of access points coupling the legs.

See now that's just bizarre. It was working before with the ISY I assume...you could control it and see its status updates, yet you can't add it back. That's very strange to me. You seem to have phase problems covered and also have dual band coverage and also have filterlincs on your known noisy stuff....so there doesn't seem to be any reason this should be happening. Could something have happened to the PLM or something? It's very strange.

 

I'm hesitant to suggest anything drastic as a course of action. The only possible thing I can think to try is disconnect (or just turn off the breaker) for the new KPL. It's one of the newer I2CS devices so maybe the new protocol is confusing your ISY. If that KPL is off and cannot send any signals during hte linking process, maybe your ISY will work. If that's true, it seems to point towards requiring a firmware upgrade. When I said I was able to add the new KPL as Unsupported Device, that was with 3.3.4 which does support the I2CS devices (just not that particular one yet). So try that and see if you regain the ability to link all your older devices?

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

Vyrolan,

 

It is bizarre. I just put a motion detector and the PLM right next to each other. I put the ISY in linking mode, then the motion detector in linking mode. The ISY failed to see the motion detector. The ISY stayed in linking mode so, several programs failed to run? succeed? I don't know. Sometimes I think I have a bad PLM but others it works perfectly. The only other possibility od something new that could have an effect is the Christmas lights. I have a couple of strings of LEDs and a wireless system that controls some individual strands of lights. Everything else is incandescent. The lights may be having some effect. On the other hand they are on photocells/timers so that they only have power from sunset to about 11:30pm.

 

Right now, I got nothing better than cutting breakers and seeing if that has any effect. Oh boy, trial and error troubleshooting. Be still my beating heart!

 

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.

Art

[LeeG]

Use New INSTEON Device to add the Motion Sensor. Put the Motion Sensor into linking mode with Set button press until Red LED blinks continuously. Enter Insteon Address, Name of choice and leave Device Type set to default Auto Discover.

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

LeeG,

 

Tried adding the motion sensor as you described. Failed twice with "Node not added - failed restoring device" error code. Got this error even though the devices (motion sensor and PLM) were within 12" of each other. I called Smarthome this week and RMA'ed some bad devices (including my V.35's) and talked with them about my PLM. Unfortunately, they told me that my PLM was 4 months out of warranty . Ordered a new one and it is in transit. I'll try again when the new PLM gets here. Thanks for the help.

 

Art

[LeeG]

I suggest moving up to 3.3.5 (RC2). Lots of new support and maintenance over the 7 months since 3.2.6 was released.

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

LeeG,

 

Thanks. I'll update to 3.3.5.

 

Art

[Guest Dr. Emilio Lizardo]

My new PLM has arrived. Anything special that I need to know before I replace the old PLM with the new one?

 

Thanks,

Art

[Vyrolan]

My new PLM has arrived. Anything special that I need to know before I replace the old PLM with the new one?

http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/index.php?title=ISY-99i/ISY-26_INSTEON:File_Menu#Replace_Modem_.28PLM.29