Interchange modules

I have a LampLinc module (module A) that controls the lights over our kitchen table lights that has started to give occasional light "blinks". It is annoying because the table lights are the most used light in the kitchen. Rather than replace it with a new one, I would like to interchange it with another kitchen module (module B) that controls lights that are seldom used. To do this, I need to first physically interchange modules A and B and then interchange the addresses associated with these two Device Names in Indigo. The problem is that I can't just select Device Name A in Indigo and enter the address for module B since that address is already associated with an existing module. If I had a spare module (which I don't), I could first replace module B with the spare module, redefine and sync Device Name B with the spare module address, then redefine and sync Device Name A with the address of module B. Then I would replace the spare module with module B and redefine and sync Device Name B using the address of module A.

Is there a way to do this without using a spare module?

[matt (support)]

If I remember correctly you should be able to (temporarily) have 2 devices with the same Insteon address. So you should be able to just re-define/sync each of them with their new addresses sequentially after you have physically transposed the modules. If you get an error then try disabling communication on one of the devices first (via menu from right-clicking on device in main window).

Matt,

To explain what happened, let me use the following terminology. Module 1 was initially associated with Device A in Indigo. Module 2 was associated with Device B in Indigo. So I physically interchanged modules 1 and 2 and then first re-defined Device A with the address of module 2. I then re-defined Device B with the address of module 1. This worked fine with no address conflict.

However, the device links for Device A are now those that were previously associated with the controller links for Device B and vice versa. In other words, the links to the controller devices (almost all of which are KeypadLincs) did not get interchanged but are still linked to the original modules.

Steve

[matt (support)]

Ah yes, I understand now. I think you are correct – the only way to do this is with a 3rd temporary module. Feature request added.

Thanks for adding the feature request. That would be pretty useful.

Okay. So I found another LampLinc module that I've been using and replaced it with a z-wave module. I then deleted the links in this LampLinc module and did a factory reset to clear its memory. I'll call this the "spare" module. I then replaced the Kitchen Table LampLinc module with the spare module, did a Define and Sync followed by a Re-Sync Links. I then clicked on Manage Links but the window that came up was empty, that is, the links in the original LampLinc were not restored. Did I do something wrong?

[jay (support)]

Unfortunately, when you deleted the links in the original module they were deleted in Indigo, the device, and the PowerLinc.

The process to replace a module is to edit the original device in Indigo and change the Insteon address. That will sync all the links to the new module. Then you factory reset the original and the links in it's database will be erased.

I did NOT delete the links in the existing module for the Kitchen Table Lights. I deleted the links and did a factory reset for a LampLinc module that was controlling an outdoor light. I did this so that outdoor light module would then be just like it was a new unused module (since I didn't have a new unused LampLinc to use as a spare). The original module was and is still operating the Kitchen Table Lights. When I physically replaced it with the factory reset spare, and edited the Kitchen Table Lights device in Indigo and changed the address to the spare, the updated device did not have the original links as it should have.

[jay (support)]

I don't know what happened in that case: editing an existing Insteon device in Indigo and just changing the Insteon address to a new module and syncing will normally sync all the links to the new device that the old device had. If it didn't, then something went wrong but it's hard to know what.

Something weird is going on.

I tried it again, replacing the original LampLinc module (module 1) that controls the Kitchen table lights, with the spare module (module 2) that I created by doing a factory reset on another LampLinc module. When I did a Define and Sync for the Kitchen table lights in Indigo with module 2 in place and then clicked on Manage Links, I got a Manage Device Links window which shows all the original controller links to the Kitchen table lights.

After Define and Sync.png (180.91 KiB) Viewed 1908 times

However, when I tried using one of the KeypadLincs that control the Kitchen table lights, there was no response. So I went back to the Edit Device window in Indigo and clicked on Re-Sync Links. After doing that, the Manage Device Links window looked like this. All the original links were gone!

After Re-Sync Links.png (94.47 KiB) Viewed 1908 times

I've replaced numerous Insteon modules with new ones and never had an issue before. Fortunately, after I reinstalled module 1 and did a Define and Sync, all the links are once again working as they did originally.

What do I need to do differently to get module 1 replaced with module 2?

Since I could not get Indigo to successfully restore the Kitchen table lights device links when I replaced module 1 with the factory reset module, I took a screen capture of the Manage INSTEON Device Links window prior to replacing module 1. I then manually restored all the links and the replacement module is now working fine.

It's still a mystery to me why the factory reset module didn't behave as a brand new unused module when used as a replacement.