Elk M1 / Insteon Questions

[Len12121]

I have four questions regarding Elk M1 and Insteon Devices.

I have around 90 Insteon devices and would like to make a task that would turn all devices off from the task screen on Touchscreen. We live in this house part time and I would like to make sure all lights are off. Is this possible?

Also I have just wired a detached garage with overhead door switches and entry door switches which work fine. What is the proper way to arm the system? I have armed it from inside the house from keypad or touchscreen , but by the time I walk to garage and get the vehicle out and close the door the alarm goes off. I have set alarm time to 90 seconds. I can increase this but I would like to know if there is a differnt solution besides adding keypad to garage.

Now a TS07 Touchscreen/ PC question. When you check Lighting in ELK RM should this screen be accurate? It shows various lights on that have been turned off. All light switches are linked to PLC. When I see this I tap the off position of the switch that says it is on and it then registers correctly. I correct all the switches and when I check later in the day it is not accurate.

Final question. Is it normal to have delays when rules tell M1 to turn on lets say all three garage lights. One light comes on instantly then a second or so later the second then a second or so the third. Same when they turn off. It is not just these lights but many others also when askeed to turn on at same instance.

 

[wuench]

I have four questions regarding Elk M1 and Insteon Devices.

I have around 90 Insteon devices and would like to make a task that would turn all devices off from the task screen on Touchscreen. We live in this house part time and I would like to make sure all lights are off. Is this possible?

Also I have just wired a detached garage with overhead door switches and entry door switches which work fine. What is the proper way to arm the system? I have armed it from inside the house from keypad or touchscreen , but by the time I walk to garage and get the vehicle out and close the door the alarm goes off. I have set alarm time to 90 seconds. I can increase this but I would like to know if there is a differnt solution besides adding keypad to garage.

Now a TS07 Touchscreen/ PC question. When you check Lighting in ELK RM should this screen be accurate? It shows various lights on that have been turned off. All light switches are linked to PLC. When I see this I tap the off position of the switch that says it is on and it then registers correctly. I correct all the switches and when I check later in the day it is not accurate.

Final question. Is it normal to have delays when rules tell M1 to turn on lets say all three garage lights. One light comes on instantly then a second or so later the second then a second or so the third. Same when they turn off. It is not just these lights but many others also when askeed to turn on at same instance.

You need to set the garage door to force armable. And there are two timers in the M1. Set your garage door to a longer Exit/Entry 2 delay and leave other doors Exit/Entry 1. Also you can adjust the Entry and Exit times differently. With the garage door set to force armable you can arm the system and leave the door up and it will be temporarily bypassed. Once you close the door after you leave it will be returned into the system.

Secondly you should seriously consider a Universal Devices ISY99. I think it will give you a lot better response and control than the M1XSP/PLC solution.

 

[Digger]

I have four questions regarding Elk M1 and Insteon Devices.

I have around 90 Insteon devices and would like to make a task that would turn all devices off from the task screen on Touchscreen. We live in this house part time and I would like to make sure all lights are off. Is this possible?

Also I have just wired a detached garage with overhead door switches and entry door switches which work fine. What is the proper way to arm the system? I have armed it from inside the house from keypad or touchscreen , but by the time I walk to garage and get the vehicle out and close the door the alarm goes off. I have set alarm time to 90 seconds. I can increase this but I would like to know if there is a differnt solution besides adding keypad to garage.

Now a TS07 Touchscreen/ PC question. When you check Lighting in ELK RM should this screen be accurate? It shows various lights on that have been turned off. All light switches are linked to PLC. When I see this I tap the off position of the switch that says it is on and it then registers correctly. I correct all the switches and when I check later in the day it is not accurate.

Final question. Is it normal to have delays when rules tell M1 to turn on lets say all three garage lights. One light comes on instantly then a second or so later the second then a second or so the third. Same when they turn off. It is not just these lights but many others also when askeed to turn on at same instance.

You need to set the garage door to force armable. And there are two timers in the M1. Set your garage door to a longer Exit/Entry 2 delay and leave other doors Exit/Entry 1. Also you can adjust the Entry and Exit times differently. With the garage door set to force armable you can arm the system and leave the door up and it will be temporarily bypassed. Once you close the door after you leave it will be returned into the system.

Secondly you should seriously consider a Universal Devices ISY99. I think it will give you a lot better response and control than the M1XSP/PLC solution.

Ditto

and

Ditto

Good advice on both

 

[Len12121]

Thanks for the input on the Garage Door. I will try that.

For the other questions I have all interior doors with switches, all rooms with Motion detectors and use these for a lot of automation actions throughout the house. Since we are not here all the time I want to use the Elk to accomplish this. How does this ISY99 device accomplish this and does it work with the Elk or standalone?

Also in regard to the other questions is this normal?

 

[wuench]

Thanks for the input on the Garage Door. I will try that.

For the other questions I have all interior doors with switches, all rooms with Motion detectors and use these for a lot of automation actions throughout the house. Since we are not here all the time I want to use the Elk to accomplish this. How does this ISY99 device accomplish this and does it work with the Elk or standalone?

Also in regard to the other questions is this normal?

The ISY is an insteon controller that runs on ethernet, it can be integrated with and controlled by the M1 over it's ethernet interface (M1XEP).

I can't speak to it being normal, I never really got off the ground using Insteon with the M1 directly. The PLC is buggier than the PLM that the ISY and other controllers use these days. Also you could just have signal issues, if the devices have to retransmit due to noise on the line, that could cause delays or missed signals. You could try unplugging any appliances/AV/PC gear and see if things improve, then if you find an issue filter them. Or if you are turning the lights on individually and not as a part of an Insteon Group, then that could also explain the delays as the signals are being sent one at a time.