LampLinc by INSTEON

Posted on
Wed Oct 16, 2013 3:31 pm
jay (support) offline
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LampLinc by INSTEON

Use this forum to discuss LampLinc plug in devices.

Device Details
How to use with Indigo

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Sun Dec 01, 2013 2:38 pm
kwm3 offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

I just got back to trying to use my Insteon devices. So I upgraded to the 6.x and downloaded the software. I got my registration code and when I tried entering it I got a message indicating it was an incorrect code.

But that's another issue. I have a 2457D2 LampLinc device. When I plugged it in (in the same room with my computer) I did the define and sync and there were no errors in the Event Log. When in the Devices window, I click on the appropriate items and when I do a Turn on and Turn off the LED switches from red to green and back with each appropriate click. However, when I plug a lamp into them the lamp is unaffected by the changes in the status. I even tried doing a Factory Reset and resyncing. No joy. Any suggestions.

Posted on
Sun Dec 01, 2013 5:26 pm
matt (support) offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

kwm3 wrote:
I just got back to trying to use my Insteon devices. So I upgraded to the 6.x and downloaded the software. I got my registration code and when I tried entering it I got a message indicating it was an incorrect code.

Did you enter an Indigo 6 registration code? (major upgrades are paid upgrades, or you can get a 30 day trial code) Email us to troubleshoot this further if you need to.

If you press the on/off buttons on the LampLinc does the lamp turn on/off? If not, then I think the module must be a malfunctioning.

Image

Posted on
Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:07 am
kwm3 offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

Yes, the light changes from red to green when I press the button on the device as well as from software control.

Posted on
Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:07 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

Perhaps a silly question, but is the lamp you're plugging into the lamplinc turned on? And the bulb is working? If so then it sounds like the lamplinc has malfunctioned.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:24 am
kwm3 offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

Actually, having worked a help desk at one time, that is a perfectly appropriate question and the answer is yes, the lamp is functional and turned on. Is there any "secret handshake required" last ditch effort that I can try?

Otherwise, I'm wondering if you think it would still be usable as a kind of "relay" between the Insteon devices in my house?

Am I correct in the understanding that as long as they are relatively close to each other that they have a sort of wireless connection to each other (and with my motion detectors)?

Also - are my old x10 devices on separate phases "bridged" when Insteon devices are on different phase circuits?

Posted on
Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:55 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

From the behavior of the LEDs and feedback from the PowerLinc to Indigo, the device says it's working correctly, so given that you did a factory reset on it I'm guessing it's bad. They have a 2-year warranty so you can probably just get it exchanged.

What kind of bulb is on the attached lamp? I wonder if the lamplinc is having an issue with that? You might try a different lamp/bulb combination.

If the device is bad, then there's no guarantee that it's doing the appropriate message forwarding so I can't really answer that question with any certainty. A working dual-band lamplinc should relay traffic whenever it's plugged in regardless of what's plugged into the load.

INSTEON dual-band device do not bridge X10 signals across RF (which is how it bridges INSTEON across the phases in your house) so if you've got X10 devices on each phase and they aren't working reliably you'll want to get an X10 bridge device.

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Posted on
Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:04 am
nsheldon offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

I had the exact same problem with one of my dual-band LampLincs a while back (as well as a SwitchLinc Dimmer). Light would always stay off regardless of the LampLinc's brightness or on/off setting. The LampLinc LED and communication with Indigo worked fine. In the case of the SwitchLinc Dimmer, the light would stay on all the time regardless of LED indication on the switch. I believe in both cases, the TRIAC circuit that controls the current to the load (lights) had failed. SmartLabs provides a 2 year warranty, though, unless you buy it directly from Smarthome, dealing with them to get a warranty repair is troublesome. If you bought it from MacHomeStore and it's still under warranty, Norm's real good about helping out with that, and I'd contact him to see what he could do.

Posted on
Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:05 am
wwhigginsjr offline
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ApplianceLinc V2

I think this post may belong in a new Sub-Forum. Please create if so. Thanks.

On to the issue/problem…

I have a ApplianceLinc V2 (Model 2456S3) from 2007. Still works VERY reliably with a simple table lamp connected to the Controlled power outlet. However, when I connect a power brick/small transformer to the Controlled power outlet on the ApplianceLinc V2, it is NOT able to turn power OFF to that device. Odd, I think.

The device I'm trying to control is a small modem that occasionally needs rebooting. The power brick/small transformer is a 120 VAC to 9 VDC transformer. Again, I need a way to turn off power to the power brick/transformer in order to re-boot the attached device.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Posted on
Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:23 am
nsheldon offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

I don't think this is related to the non-functioning dimmers, which use a very different method to enable and disable power (a triac instead of a relay). In the cases described in the above posts, I believe the triac in the dimmers failed, causing the devices not to function.

In the case of the ApplianceLinc V2, it has a built-in load sensing feature which requires it to apply a small voltage across the attached load in order to know when the load is on or off. Unfortunately, for devices that require very little input power to operate, even when the ApplianceLinc is switched off, the attached load may still be on (though probably not at full power). While it is able to disable the load sensing feature (which is off by default with firmware versions 2.0 and higher), disabling the feature probably won't disable the sensing voltage. You can try though. To disable load sensing, press and hold the set button on the ApplianceLinc for 3 seconds until it beeps. Then double-tap the set button. This disables load sensing (triple-tapping the set button after the beep enables it, if you're curious). I believe the only real solution is to attach an extension cord or outlet splitter to the load outlet on the ApplianceLinc and connect another device that requires more power (such as a lamp or fan, etc).

Posted on
Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:52 pm
wwhigginsjr offline
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Re: ApplianceLinc V2

nsheldon-

Thank you for your reply.

I tried to DISABLE the load sensing feature via your instruction. After holding the SET button down for 3 seconds, the ApplianceLinc V2 did not beep, but the LED on the ApplianceLinc V2 did begin blinking. Is that the same? I did perform a double tap after the LED was blinking, but doing so does NOT seem to DISABLE the load sensing "feature" (aghhh!).

I went back to testing with a simple table lamp. I tried to DISABLE the load sensing feature as instructed above. With the table lamp switch in the ON position (bulb ILLUMINATED), I can reliably turn the table lamp ON and OFF via Indigo and the ApplianceLinc V2. Following that basic test, I tried the following:

Starting with (a) the switch on the table lamp in the ON position; and (b) Indigo indicating the AppliancLinc V2 relay is OFF (that is: Indigo status request (received: 0)), confirm the the bulb in the table lamp is DARK. It is.

Next, cycle the switch on table lamp itself (i.e., turn the switch on the table lamp to the off position, then turn it to the on position).

The result was the table lamp turning ON (bulb ILLUMINATED) and the ApplianceLinc V2 relay changing state (an audible "click" and status request (received: 100)). That should not happen if load sensing is DISABLED, should it?

What am I missing???

BTW, when I "edit" the ApplianceLinc V2 in Indigo, the window displays the following:

Model: ICON Appliance
Address: 12.AB.34
Firmware: 28 (i1 engine)

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Posted on
Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:52 pm
nsheldon offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

Hello again.

It looks like Indigo thinks that's an ICON Appliance module (model 2856S3B) and not a ApplianceLinc V2 (model 2456S3). If that's actually an ApplianceLinc and not an ICON model, you should probably factory reset the module (most likely by unplug it then holding the set button while plugging it back in until it beeps) then use the Define and Sync button in the Indigo device dialog to re-define that module and re-apply the links.

If it really is an ICON module, I don't think load sensing can be disabled on those. If it isn't and resetting it doesn't fix the problem, I'm not sure what will. But again, even if you can disable the load sensing feature, that doesn't necessarily mean it will disable the load sensing voltage sent to the load, it just means the module won't respond when it's sufficiently interrupted to indicate the load is turned on. In that case, I think you're only two options are to either add a higher wattage device to the ApplianceLinc (fan or light) or get one of the new dual-band ApplianceLincs which do not have a load sensing feature.

Posted on
Tue Apr 22, 2014 9:39 pm
wwhigginsjr offline
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ApplianceLinc V2

nsheldon-

I performed a factory reset (or at least I think I did):
    1) Unplugged the module.
    2) Waited 30 seconds
    3) Held in the SET button while plugging it back in.
    4) Waited for a beep, but did NOT get one.
    5) Got tired of holding/waiting for beep, so released the SET button.
    6) Module powers ON; bulb ILLUMINATES on table lamp.

I then erased the old device/module from the Indigo Device list, and used the Define and Sync button to re-define the module.

Got the same result:

Model: ICON Appliance
Address: 12.AB.34
Firmware: 28 (i1 engine)

Paradoxically, the device has labels/stickers on it indicating it's a Model 2456S3, and it came in a box (that I still have) labeled "ApplianceLinc V2 Model 2456S3."

I'm still unable to DISABLE the load sensing "feature" via the SET button plus double tap. Behavior of module is the same as before. Cycling the on/off switch on the table lamp causes the module to change state from OFF to ON, whereas the desired behavior is for the module NOT to change state from OFF to ON unless/until I instruct it to do so via Indigo.

On a side note, your first option (adding another/higher wattage device to the CONTROLLED outlet on the module; e.g., a lamp or a fan PLUS the transformer/modem) did work/caused the module to stay in the OFF state and kept the modem/transformer in the OFF state. Exception to the above solution: toggling the switch on the table lamp to OFF, caused the module to change state from OFF to ON (again, NOT the desired behavior). Additionally, I don't regard attaching a lamp or a fan to my normally ON transformer/modem as a very practical solution when all I'm really looking to do is have the ability to reboot/power-cycle a remote device.

The second solution (getting a new dual-band ApplianceLinc) seems much more attractive to me. Will it work? That is, will the new dual-band ApplianceLinc stay in the OFF state when I tell it to via Indigo?

Really appreciate all your help.

Posted on
Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:19 pm
nsheldon offline
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Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

wwhigginsjr wrote:
The second solution (getting a new dual-band ApplianceLinc) seems much more attractive to me. Will it work? That is, will the new dual-band ApplianceLinc stay in the OFF state when I tell it to via Indigo?


If it were me in the same situation, I'd probably do the same thing and just buy a new dual-band ApplianceLinc too (they're calling them "INSTEON On/Off Modules" now). Will it work? I can't guarantee it as I don't have any of them to test, but the specifications on SmartHome's page for it specifically states that it does not have load sensing capabilities. So there's a good chance it will.

Posted on
Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:33 pm
wwhigginsjr offline
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Joined: Feb 06, 2007

Re: LampLinc by INSTEON

Nsheldon-

Thanks for your reply. I think I'll go ahead and get one of the new Insteon on on/off modules next time I put an order together. Not sure when that will be, but I'll post back here. Understood that there are no guarantees, but I truly appreciate your help in working through this. Thanks again.

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