Indigo Domotics

Really getting tired of the Insteon devices going bad. Just had a keypad start to fail. the buttons don't work. I can still send it commands and it work but it won't register anything that is pressed back to Indigo. In have a couple of the Z-Wave Remotec Scene Masters and like them.
Is anyone aware of anything else that is a good Insteon keypad linc replacement?

I love that the buttons light up. I am forced to replace the one that isn't working in the short term but looking for something else.

Matt and Jay, if you have any influence with any z-wave vendors, this is the only device that is lacking an equivalent on the z-wave side from what I can tell. I bet a vendor would get a lot of sales if they did one. I am switching to the homeseer devices with the LEDs but trying to remember how many up pushes or down pushes just doesn't work at my age.

Thanks!!!

I am not familiar with your Insteon device. I googled some images. Is the following Z-Wave device what you are looking for:

ZRC-90US, BW8510US, by Remotec, Cert ID: ZC10-15100007 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016YTTIVW/re ... kDb0CA5HG1


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I have two of those ZRC-90. It is great for launching things but you can't see statuses with it.

the Insteon device that is going bad is the INSTEON 6-button Keypad (https://www.insteon.com/wall-keypads). I can order more of those. I am just looking for a similar device to use instead of the Insteon keypad. the quality of the Insteon is, as many people have pointed out, going down hill. Something preferably z-wave.

Just trying to see if anyone who has had the insteon keypad, has found a suitable replacement other than the ZRC-90

I use the Insteon Keypad to indicate/control outside lights and variables (landscape lights, vacation mode, away mode, etc...). So it is nice to see the status of the item.

I suspect the answer is that there isn't anything like it. But thought I would check.

Have you looked at this site?

https://products.z-wavealliance.org/reg ... categories


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The closest thing I've seen are the Leviton VRCZ4-MOZ and the VRCS4-M0Z. I never managed to figure out how to get those to work (I don't believe the spec at the time allowed the controller to control the LED on the individual buttons) and we didn't support the scene commands (and it predates the Z-Wave Scene Manager plugin which might allow them to be used).

The KeypadLinc is (IMO) the biggest strength in the Insteon lineup (even more so when paired with a FanLinc) and could be even better if direct individual button control was less network intensive. I have had a couple fail over the years, but I also have had anywhere from 8-12 installed at a time, so I use them a lot.

Unfortunately, we have zero influence with any Z-Wave manufacturers. I like the look of Aeotec's WallMote, but what isn't clear is if there are LEDs on it, if they are specific to a button, of if they can be controlled. I have a feeling that if there is any LED, it's just a single one. Anyone tried those?

One think you might try it to totally power off the KeyPadLinc for a few minutes to see if it starts working again.. This may not help at all, but the first rule of fixing things is... un plug it, and then plug it back in. Hard to do with the KPL's as you've got to turn off the circuit breaker... but might be worth a try.

I've had a few that have gone belly up as well... mostly, the internal dimmer stops working, but all the other things work normally. I've been using those in areas where I had 2 or 3 way switches... don't need them to control any loads... but very useful under the right conditions and locations.\

And you might also try a hard Reset as well....

^ I have also had difficulties with some Insteon switches- but I am surprised that on more than 3 occasions the failed ones miraculously began working when I tried them again.

THE GOOD NEWS

My new Generator works great! Ready for the California Fire season!

THE BAD NEWS

Every Keypadlinc in the house (11 of them) has failed and no longer send button presses. They respond programmatically to indigo - just not to a human touch. I am assuming it is from a power surge/frequency thing of some sort.

Yes - I reset all of them - re-programmed the links did everything.

and Yes - I am frustrated at these things that cost near $1000 and are now junk (but a little glad I am forced to throw them in the trash).

Anyone found a device to replace these POC's?

THE UPDATE

3 weeks and 2 days after my keypads totally failed to send ANYTHING from the key presses - they all started working - every single one of them (11 in all) - and they weren't working yesterday.....

I guess I have to admit - they have won. I will accept them when they feel like working and when they don't equally and not judge them ever again..........

Seems pretty likely something happened yesterday to alleviate noise that started when you got your generator working (note that generators are notorious for causing signal issues on the power line). Not sure what though - diagnosing signal issues on the power line is a PITA.

In previous locations I had Insteon Switches fail either in no longer responding to remote commands or not working locally but only from remote commands.

But I've gone 3 years now with no failures (knock on wood!) of the fourteen 6 & 8 button Keypad Lincs that along with a larger number of Insteon Dimmer Switches I use to control all the lights and fans in my house. I attribute this to two primary things: 1) a whole house surge suppressor in the circuit box; and 2) I believe all but 1 Dimmer Switch are on a circuit that has nothing else on it other than the controllers and the Insteon USB Interface.

In my new house, which I designed and built, I was able to specify both of those things and so far it seems to have really helped. Also, in my case, none of the wall units have any load hooked up to them. They are only used as controllers to send the commands to my Mac mini running Indigo which then controls all the LED strip lighting with DMX controllers and issues the few commands to Insteon Mini Switches that are in outlet boxes for controlling exhaust fans and turning off the various sets of self powered speakers in my home theater.

Unfortunately, I ran out of money and couldn't put in the whole house power backup that I had planned on. So the only problem I have is if the power goes out and I'm not home, The DMX controllers power back up and turn ALL the lights on full blast. I'm trying to figure a way to have an automatic command issued to turn everything off after the Mac reboots. :-}

Lew

You've actually have a few options for this scenario. You can create a Trigger based on:
1. Indigo Server Startup
2. Interface Connection Initialized

Both should be able to handle when your house(and Indigo) regains power. Of course, in both cases, you'll run into those triggers executing at times you don't fully intend, but for the most part, this would take care of all the lights being ON when your power has been restored.

Sorry for the slow reply, things have been hectic. And when they aren't I just want to sit down and read!

Thanks for the tip on two possible triggers I could use to initialize the USB (or whatever) to DMX box.

My problem is that the EntTec DMXUSB Pro box requires an initialization string that I haven't been able to track down yet. I have to use their ENTTEC Pro app to initialize the box.

I'm currently trying to switch to an ethernet to DMX converter (the Pknight CR011R) but I can't get it to do anything yet as I'm still trying to figure out how to access it from within Indigo and the plugin I wrote.

All that coupled with I'm starting to find out the truth to the old statement "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." My 70 year old brain forgets the new stuff as nearly as fast as I learn it!