Yes, the bathroom has GFI outlets but so do other rooms with no problems. Signals sent withIN the bathroom are strong but it's almost like there's a signal blocker between the bathroom and the rest of the house. I figured I might solve the problem by moving one of the Insteon RF lincs to the bathroom thereby bridging the bath to the rest of the house via RF. However, I was foiled in my attempt to test that because one of the RF lincs is now dead after about 2 hours of use. Smarthome is advance shipping another pair which will take another week to get here. So, until the new RF linc arrives, all tests are off. After blocking out the day to test this stuff I am, needless to say, EXTREMELY frustrated. I may spend the rest of the day doing some UPB testing instead.
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Dave Houston
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BruceR
Of course, I was so frustrated by the other stuff that I forgot to do that test. Here are the results: I plugged one Insteon Appliance Module, one Insteon Tabletop Controller, one Leviton X10 Signal Generator and one ELK ESM1 into a basic powerstrip. The Insteon module responded flawlessly to every on and off command sent from the controller and the ESM1 did indeed report it as noise by turning off the green light about 2 seconds after the Insteon signal was sent. I then plugged the controller into various outlets around the house and it worked fine (except ,of course, from the infamous bathroom). One thing nice about the controller is that it reports on whether the signal got through. If it doesn't get a confirmation back from the module within a few seconds the LED on the controller flashes rapidly. The controller is a big (to me) bulky thing that only controls 5 Insteon modules or module groups, however; if you flip up the faceplate, the same buttons can control all 256 X10 codes! I hope thay make a controller that will handle more Insteon devices.
I'm not familiar with the Leviton Signal Generator. Is it sending continuously? If so, I think Insteon noise immunity lives up to its rep.
You must have a serious signal sink in or near that bathroom.
I agree 100% about the controller. It's too big, has too few features and is just plain ugly. I don't think it is nearly as well thought out or will be as well thought of as the basic Insteon technology.
As for the RF l>Of course, I was so frustrated by the other stuff that I forgot to do
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BruceR
The Signal Generator is the transmitter half of this:
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and sends a continuous stream of P1-PON-P1-P OFF, like a Powerflash module in alarm mode.
It's used with a companion Leviton (or any other) signal strength meter for troubleshooting. The pair have been selling for over 20 years - which is when I got mine.
As for the bathroom, I have tried unplugging everything - there's not that much in a bathroom - to no avail. I did however, notice something strange. To install the Insteon repeaters you plug one in at a convenient outlet and press the button for 10 seconds to enter setup mode. You then take the the other one and plug it in somewhere else. If it blinks slowly or not at all, you're on the same leg and you try other locations till you find one where it blinks fast indicating you're on the other leg. I tried a bathroom outlet and it blinked slowly but it was a dim/bright blink rather than an on/off blink. It was a solid on/off everywhere else.
The Insteon signals do appear to be immune to X10 though!.
OK. Thanks. I thought it sent continuously but just wanted to confirm that.
Your idea of solv>The Signal Generator is the transmitter half of this:
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Robert Green
I assume there's a GFCI in the bathroom. Is it the same model as others in the house? I had problems with one brand but not with another.
-- Bobby G.
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BruceR
All the GFCI's in the house are Pass & Seymore but only this bathroom has a problem. No problem from other baths or even the kitchen which is full of CF bulbs and appliances. I recall now that about 3 years ago I removed the GFCI outlet in there while troubleshooting but it made no difference. Unplugging everything in there makes no difference.
From:Robert Green ROBERT snipped-for-privacy@YAH00.COM
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BruceR
Range shouldn't be a problem as I can have the other unit plugged in less than 20' away in the bedroom closet where the signal is fine. Talking with Smarthome today, they said that as long as I have one plugged into each leg I can have additional ones plugged into either leg to create additional wireless bridges as required. Although only one is fried, they are advance shipping a pair so I'll have 3 good ones to play with for awhile (assuming no more duds!).
After doing the continuous signal test and seeing it successfully pass, I was encouraged to continue testing. With NO RF repeaters plugged in now I am controlling one wall switch and 2 appliance modules at 3 corners of the house. They work equally well with both the controller and the X10 Translator. Perhaps my ACT repeater is providing sufficient coupling even without the RF repeaters.
As for the translator, it's the size of an appliance module with a USB port that is not to be used by the customer - for Smarthome use only. Don't know if that'll be part of the production run or not as mine is a beta unit. Programming is done by pressing the set button for 10 seconds, then sending an X10 address 3 times (I used a MaxiController), and then pressing the set button on the switch or module. Worked fine for all three first time. I also found that you can program a module more than once so that it will respond to more than one code. I programmed the translator with X10 code C9, then linked a module to it so it would respond to C9. I then added O2 to the translator and linked the same module again. Now, the translator will control the module when it receives either C9 or O2 plus a command. I can think of some interesting applications for that.
As for timing, the translator seems to add no perceptible delay. While direct controller to Insteon is a bit faster, the translator makes it no slower than a normal X10 command. This weekend (or maybe sooner) I'll install 8 more switches/modules and start running some sequences to see how the translator fairs when digesting a steady stream of signals.
In article , snipped-for-privacy@NOhawaiiSPAM.com (BruceR) writes: | Of course, I was so frustrated by the other stuff that I forgot to do | that test. Here are the results: | I plugged one Insteon Appliance Module, one Insteon Tabletop | Controller, one Leviton X10 Signal Generator and one ELK ESM1 into a | basic powerstrip. The Insteon module responded flawlessly to every on | and off command sent from the controller and the ESM1 did indeed report | it as noise by turning off the green light about 2 seconds after the | Insteon signal was sent. I then plugged the controller into various | outlets around the house and it worked fine (except ,of course, from the | infamous bathroom).
Could you repeat this test but substituting a standard X10 mini or maxi controller with the DIM or BRI button wedged on for the Leviton signal generator?
Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com
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Dave Houston
I would also like to see it run with something that I'm sure is sending continuously with no significant gaps. Insteon only needs 5 powerline cycles
1 idle cycle for thr RF repeat. It might be slipping in during the 6 cycle X-10 gap between address and function.
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Dave Houston
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Dave Houston
That should read half-cycles for each instance of "cycles". The caffiene hasn't kicked in yet.
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The Alien
X-No-archive: yes On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 19:27:54 GMT, "BruceR" used recycled pixels to say:
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>
Cool! I'm willing to bet that the Insteon will not be able to function while "jamming" the X-10! ???
Because it is listening to both protocols? How about with *JUST* the Insteaon enabled?
------------------------------------------------ Autobot This Spammers!
mailto:postmaster@127.0.0.1 (to reply to actual address, dispense the dots before and after sirname.
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Billy
Look at the "detailed specs" for each of the web pages you have above and the comparison for SwithLinc and iCon is there. Regards,
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Marc F Hult
Hi Manny,
(It's been 8-10 years since we chatted in rec.photo.*)
Keep us posted on the capabilities of the Insteon motion detectors -- especially the latency between motion and receipt of the signal by the controller. I've not yet been successful in using even hard-wired motion detectors for 'motion vectoring', that is, calculating the direction that an object travels in a house. Motion vectoring is useful for (eg) determining which lights to turn on and off. Surprisingly (to me) the NAPCO 9600 system that I use has too much time lag. I'm installing an ELK M1Gold to see (among other reasons) whether that is fast enough.
Thanks... Marc Marc_F_Hult
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Marc F Hult
What else is on this circuit? (Do you have a house-wide diagram yet?)
Fan with solid-state controller? Infrared lamp with timer? Jacuzzi controller? Hair dryer plugged in?
Marc Marc_F_Hult
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BruceR
Dave, that's exactly right. The Leviton tester I used sends discrete commands and the Insteon is repeating during the gaps. When I hold down any button on the MaxiController, Insteon is stopped dead in its tracks. At least the controller shows that the command was not received. This isn't too bad as stuck controllers are somewhat rare and at least there is feedback that the command was not received. In other news, last night I was able to send Insteon from the notorius bathroom to the porch light and other modules even though I'm not using the RF repeaters! I attribute this to the "mesh network" approach where every module is a repeater. I have one wall switch and 2 app mods plugged in right now with one of those app mods in a closet next to the bath. I'm looking forward to installing some switches and modules this weekend and doing some more extensive testing. To All: Please add whatever tests you think of.
I've tested this with nothing at all plugged into the bathroom and I've even unplugged everything in the adjacent bedroom (where there are no problems).
You raise a good point here. The light over the toilet and the fan are both controlled by solid state timers but I they're supposed to be on a different circuit. I will disconnect them this weekend and see if thats the problem. Excellent pointer! Can't believe I haven't considered this already. I'll post the results this weekend.
From:Marc F Hult snipped-for-privacy@nothydrologistnot.com
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