UPS for my Insteon computer?

Posted on
Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:08 am
seanadams offline
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Location: Saratoga, CA

Re: UPS for my Insteon computer?

In other news, my own 2413 has been exhibiting similar problems since yesterday - definitely USB interface problems and possibly Insteon failures too. At first I had a suspicion it was my garage fluorescents, but the USB errors suggest otherwise. I'll do some tests but unless it's that, there's really nothing that has changed in my system. If a warranty replacement fixes it I'll let you know.

There is one more possibility here which is that a firmware bug in the PLM causes it to lock up on certain power line issues. That's the best explanation I can think of as to why you might see comm failures on your Mac that are correlated with AC noise.

Posted on
Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:44 pm
matt (support) offline
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Re: UPS for my Insteon computer?

seanadams wrote:
There is one more possibility here which is that a firmware bug in the PLM causes it to lock up on certain power line issues. That's the best explanation I can think of as to why you might see comm failures on your Mac that are correlated with AC noise.

We've definitely had reports of that happening with the older 2414Us. That is, if there is significant power line noise then it gets confused/busy trying to decode the noise on the power line and the USB communication back to Indigo starts to flake out. I don't know if the 2412/2413 also has that that characteristic or not.

Image

Posted on
Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:27 am
eme jota ce offline
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Location: SW Florida

Re: UPS for my Insteon computer?

seanadams wrote:
PLMs are "transformer isolated"...

Secondly UPSes can operate in a variety of different modes...

So does it go out in "all directions"... yes, ...

One more thing you might try is to run an extension cord and test the PLM on a completely different branch circuit. Have you tried the iHealth script?

Thanks,

Very useful information, which I could not have found via google without a few years engineering course, first.

I had not run the iHealth script you initially created since March. I ran it, and used it as the basis for some application of the troubleshooting suggestions throughout the site. By the end of March, I was consistently receiving reports like this one, even with more than 50 or 100 iterations of the test:
Whole-house statistics:

Success rate: 630 / 630 100.0%
Good, bad, total devices: 63, 0, 63 (good means >=95% reachable)
Average RTT: 0.188


Based on your comment, I ran iHealth last night at 10 iterations and had slightly worse results compared to what I was consistently finding several weeks ago.
Whole-house statistics:

Success rate: 638 / 640 99.7%
Good, bad, total devices: 62, 2, 64 (good means >=95% reachable)
Average RTT: 0.203


I'll try to run more tests for better data to compare whether there's really an iHealth difference evident between having the APC connected or not. Regardless, if the difference above is confirmed to be related to the APC, I'm not too concerned about it.

Posted on
Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:20 pm
eme jota ce offline
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Location: SW Florida

Re: UPS for my Insteon computer?

For anyone considering adding an APC BR900 UPS to their Indigo setup, here's some good, anecdotal data.

I connected a Mac Mini running Indigo to an APC BR900. APC BR900 is plugged into a10A Insteon Filterlinc (Item# 1626-10).

Then ran SeanAdams and berkinet's iHealth script with the maximum setting of 100 testing iterations while the UPS was connected and received the following report summary:
Whole-house statistics:

Success rate: 6392 / 6400 99.9%
Good, bad, total devices: 64, 0, 64 (good means >=95% reachable)
Average RTT: 0.189


The UPS was already fully charged when I ran the test, and I was not simulating or experiencing a power failure. That seemed like the sensible and most realistic testing condition. Power is very reliable at this site.

Posted on
Tue Sep 22, 2020 4:41 pm
ppespepe offline
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Joined: May 27, 2020

Re: UPS for my Insteon computer?

I keep recycling old threads but I think is best :D

Any experience using the the Insteon 2448A7 portable USB adapter? I was wondering if I use one of those, if I have any other dual band device will it repeat from wireless to powerline?

I saw this on the description of Indigo insterface support that makes me think it should: "This interface is RF only and can send extended messages. Will require another dual-band device in order to communicate with INSTEON power line only devices. It does not support X10."

The idea behind this question is, perhaps the ability to support at least wireless insteon sensors while on a power outage. I don't use any X10 device.

Thanks!

Posted on
Tue Sep 22, 2020 5:18 pm
jay (support) offline
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Location: Austin, Texas

Re: UPS for my Insteon computer?

Yes, that's correct - as long as you have a dual-band device (preferably relatively close to the USB stick) that will repeat the messages to the power line.

If your Mac is on a UPS and using the USB stick, then theoretically yes, you might still receive the messages. But of course that's only if they are within range of the stick. I personally wouldn't attempt to rely on Insteon sensors though - they are just not nearly as reliable as Z-Wave sensors are in the majority of cases.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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