Icon Relay switch communication issue

[jammer369]

I have an older Icon Relay Switch v.39 that controls my porch lights. I have it in a scene along with a button from a KPL (not connected to the load) and I have a program that turns it on at sunset and off at sunrise. The program is set to turn the scene on and off. It is 100% reliable when being turned on at sunrise but almost 0% reliable when the program turns the scene off. The sunrise program does turn off the KPL button associated with the Icon linc but the porch light stays on and the icy reports it is off. Also when starting up the admin console, I get a warning message stating that it can't communicate with the Icon Relay switch. The porch light is on but the admin console reports it incorrectly as being off unless I perform a manual query on the device.

 

Any ideas on why it works when being turned on but not when it is supposed to be turned off in the morning? The Porch light scene is the only thing controlled by the sunrise program.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello jammer369,

 

If you have problems turning off the device but not turning it on, it's very likely that the load itself is causing noise. This happens most often with low voltage transformers or CFL/Halogen lights. You might want to put the load on a filter to see if that solves the problem.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[jammer369]

That makes sense michel. The porch lights have CFLs and I just realized that the landscape lights are also not turning off at midnight. They are on a low voltage system with a transformer. What filters would you suggest?

 

Troy

[apostolakisl]

The x10 filters are inexpensive and hardwire in. However, you need to have a j-box that is big enough and is located between the switch and the first noisy load (cfl).

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/XPF-20A-Wired-I ... 2306f85525

 

Depending on your situation, it is likely that replacing the cfl's with a different brand/model is the simpler route. Not all CFL's cause noise. However, figuring out which ones do and don't tends to be trial and error.

 

If your low voltage transformer is also causing noise and it plugs in to a regular outlet, an Insteon filterlinc should do the job. If the plug is outside however, you will have issues with that since they are not waterproof.

[Brian H]

Some CFLs to prevent their electronics from spewing noise on the power lines. Put a nice capacitor across their AC input.

So some CFLs don't make noise they absorb all the Insteon signals as noise.

[apostolakisl]

Just FYI, I have 4 Sylvania 19 watt bulbs on an Insteon switch in our kitchen (used constantly) with no probs since March 5 2009

 

The model CF19EL/Mini