Access Points

Posted on
Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:18 am
Paul Chernoff offline
Posts: 12
Joined: Jun 28, 2012

Access Points

I am starting to bring in Insteon switches to my very small X-10 setup. The Indigo software meets my needs very well which is my reason for using X10 and Insteon software. However, I am considering giving up on this home automation stuff.

I installed an Insteon light switch I bought a few years ago. I bought a PowerLinc 2413U this week so I could control X10 and Insteon (I didn't previously have an Insteon controller). The 2413U works fine with the 2 X10 wall plugins, but it cannot sync with the Insteon light switch. If the switch itself is dual band (I will have to check, I'm at work) shouldn't the 2413U linked to it via RF? Or is it possible that the battery in the switch has died in the meantime (I can see a round battery in the switch) and RF won't work?

I also have an Insteon Dual-Band Access Point I bought a few years ago. I am assuming that it will work with the 2413U and that I don't need 2 access points. I press the setup button on the 2413U and it starts blinking. I then go to the access point, press it's setup button, hear a beep and get a solid green light. I go back to the 2413U and it's light is now solid green. It there any way to know if the 2413U is connecting to the Access point?

I am wondering if there is a way to know if I plugged the access point into a receptacle that is on another leg of the electrical system? So far the 2413U is still not seeing the Insteon light switch. I can blindly plug the Access Point into different outlets on different circuits randomly, but I am wondering if there is a better way to trouble-shoot my issues.

I have looked into getting a bridge to connect the 2 legs of the power circuit but I have not seen one that works with a 4 prong plug, they either work with a 3 prong plug or require installation into the circuit breaker box.

Posted on
Thu Feb 22, 2018 9:27 am
johnpolasek offline
Posts: 911
Joined: Aug 05, 2011
Location: Aggieland, Texas

Re: Access Points

The access point does not need to be linked to the powermodem; it copies ALL insteon signals it sees on the RF side to the powerline and vice versa; it's up to whatever devices are sending and receiving them to look at the addresses and decide if they are going to do anything in response. If entering the 6 digit insteon address of the switch in the define and sync box in the device dialog in Indigo doesn't immediately respond with the device type and version number, then the switch is either not dual band or too far away to communicate over RF. If you don't have the insteon ID on the switch, hitting the sync button should fill it in on the define and sync dialog unless it can';t communicate OR it is a VERY old insteon device; the very first generation devices used a different addressing system and could only be remotely programmed with an X10 address by sending the same X10 "ON" command 3 times when you hit the sync button. The access point should be placed on the same power leg as the switch to act as a bridge; are there any plugs that are on the same circuit breaker as the insteon switch? If not, every second breaker on that same side of the panel is typically on the same leg, while the ones on the opposite side of the panel are interspersed; IOW if you look at the breakers in the panel and A is one leg while B is the other, the breakers are aligned
AB
BA
AB
BA
AB
. .
. .
. .

The 110v breakers use one slot, (either A or B) each while the 220 v use both an A and a B... So if you know which breaker the switch is on, you should be able to find a plug that matches the leg and is reasonable close to the powermodem.

Posted on
Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:27 pm
Paul Chernoff offline
Posts: 12
Joined: Jun 28, 2012

Re: Access Points

Thanks. I didn't see your response until I made some progress. I used a lamp connected to an X10 device to test outlets, assuming that if I couldn't control the light then I I was on another leg. Didn't work as I expected but I downloaded and printed the Access Point 2443 instructions. I tested some outlets until I could make the link. I then tried to Define and Sync... the light switch, a 2466SW. It was able to grab the 6 digit number but failed to identify the device. So I will try other locations I'm surprised it didn't work either with RF or over power line, the 1st floor of the house is open. However, I might have a lot of circuits and electrical lines for a house my size, it was built only 10 years ago.

Posted on
Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:00 pm
Paul Chernoff offline
Posts: 12
Joined: Jun 28, 2012

Re: Access Points

BTW, with one minor except all circuits are either for lights or for outlets for for something else, so no circuits have plugs and lights. I will now be able to do better planning for future switches, hopefully I will only need this one access point.

Posted on
Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:21 am
Paul Chernoff offline
Posts: 12
Joined: Jun 28, 2012

Re: Access Points

This is odd. I looked at my circuit box and the breaker for my bedroom outlets, where I have my iMac and PowerLinc, covers 2 circuits. The same for the outlets for the other bedroom. This is one large switch and not 2 switches bonded together. Does this somehow cross the circuits together or is it really 2 separate circuits and for convenience once switch turns both off and on?

Posted on
Sat Feb 24, 2018 3:17 pm
johnpolasek offline
Posts: 911
Joined: Aug 05, 2011
Location: Aggieland, Texas

Re: Access Points

That's something I haven't seen before; the only way to tell what is going on would be to pull the cover panel and see if those breakers have one wire coming out of them or two. One wire would be a 110 v circuit on the "level" where the wire was connected; 2 would indicate that it is a 220 v breaker even if the two legs are used for different purposes (ie lights in two separate rooms, which would be very odd, but not as odd as wasting a slot by covering it unused). All I am familiar with is the opposite type of breaker; two half high switches on one 110 v breaker because they ran out of slots in the box.

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