More INSTEON quality control issues!
- Thread starter Xpendable
- Start date
- Status
-jim,
I mentioned the I2 protocol since it had been referred to by others. There should not be an issue with this since your units pre-date it's inception.
I understand that removing the your Boosterlinc devices may not be acceptable. My Intent was to allow you to make a determination if these were the cause of your Insteon communication problems. Your actual resolution of the problem is obviously a personal decision.
While your surge suppression could be a source of noise/absorption, your X10 system is working with this in place. X10 and Insteon are similar enough in frequency that they should respond similarly (i.e. if this were the cause I would expect both protocols the fail).
The only way that I have been able to verify that my boosterlinc was "actively corrupting" the Insteon signal was
A) Observation - remove the boosterlinc and observe the Insteon integrity over a period of time.
B) Oscilloscope monitoring - I'll try to post some plots when I get home tonight.
Please understand that I am not defending nor condemning Smarthome. I'm simply trying to resolve your current issue. Where you go after that is up to you. Aside from the booserlinc communication issues, I have been very satisfied with Insteon.
IM
O-Scope Captures - Normal Insteon Traffic
Insteon communication corrupted by Boosterlinc
apostolakisl
Senior Member
I, like many, am having issues with the microswitch issue on my 2476d's as well as getting Smarthome to do anything about it. I have about 50 of them purchased at various locations (home depot, smarthome, etc.) and at least 20 of them are on the fritz. Smarthome is giving me all kinds of hassle returning them. Home depot says it isn't their issue, it is the manufacturer's.
Two questions, how do you get smarthome to honor their warranty. They are giving 7 years on this item and I am pretty sure it hasn't even been out for 7 years, so they should be taking back all failures do to the micro switch failures, no questions asked, right? I did buy several of them from smarthome, but I don't know which are which and I sure as heck don't have receipts from stuff I bought years ago.
Seconed, even if I get them to take these things back, have they really fixed the problem? It seems like these things have been giving headaches for people with widely dispersed production dates. Am I just going to be beating my head against the wall pulling them out and replacing them with brand new defective units? Would I be better off going to the trouble of replacing the microswitches myself with known high quality replacments.
I have to say, it is just crazy that they cut corners like this on cheap switches. Heck, the really good ones only cost 10 to 15 cents a piece, probably less when you buy them thousands and thousands at a time.
Lastly, I recently tried the isy-99. Really like it. And it is going to really make a huge difference when/if I start swapping out switches.
Two questions, how do you get smarthome to honor their warranty. They are giving 7 years on this item and I am pretty sure it hasn't even been out for 7 years, so they should be taking back all failures do to the micro switch failures, no questions asked, right? I did buy several of them from smarthome, but I don't know which are which and I sure as heck don't have receipts from stuff I bought years ago.
Seconed, even if I get them to take these things back, have they really fixed the problem? It seems like these things have been giving headaches for people with widely dispersed production dates. Am I just going to be beating my head against the wall pulling them out and replacing them with brand new defective units? Would I be better off going to the trouble of replacing the microswitches myself with known high quality replacments.
I have to say, it is just crazy that they cut corners like this on cheap switches. Heck, the really good ones only cost 10 to 15 cents a piece, probably less when you buy them thousands and thousands at a time.
Lastly, I recently tried the isy-99. Really like it. And it is going to really make a huge difference when/if I start swapping out switches.
Call SH and ask for Matt P. and explain everything to him. He seems to be empowered to do the right thing and honor the warranty when other CS people can not. I got the same run around and eventually (over a year of fighting like hell) got them to exchange many of my defective switches. He is a good guy trying to deal with a very difficult problem of a company obviously not willing to do the right thing all of the time (based on your own experience you know its true). Home Depot has washed their hands of the problem and SH is using that to their advantage. The documentation does say the mfg warranties the product not the reseller. SH says they are not the mfg Smart Labs is. If you ask to talk to a SL CS person when you call SH the same CS person working for SH and answering their phone says they can help you since they really are one company playing the name game.
My opinion (not a fact) is that they have resolved this issue as we would have heard by now if they had not. There was one person on their forum recently saying he had new switches that did not respond to local commands after a while but did respond to commands from linked devices. The moderator over their blamed everything but sunspots (I should not give him ideas). The moderator and Steve L blamed overvoltage condition from open neutrals but that does not explain no paddle response but response from other linked devices. Never found out what it was (bad switches were sent to SH for testing) but he had between 10 or 20 over a one month period that had the problem and they were all recent purchases. I dont think it was the tact switches but a new problem.
Good Luck!! IF SH tells you to jump in a lake again there is always UPB or Zwave amongst other fine systems.
It is my opinion that they have resolved the tact switch problem.
The original person noting a new device high failure rate is FASTIMES and there is now another person MOZMAN where 4 out of 24 failed within a few days. Also JDICKENS said 4 out of 8 new switches failed.
Some people are seeing a total failure of the device. Look in the thread how SH representatives kept blaming the customer before finding out what was really happening. They kept saying he was the only person it must be his wiring. Then all of a sudden others have it and SH is not answering the original persons emails (per his post).
Techmall Thread
I haven't seen any tact switch issues since the updated switch rollout 1.5+ (I believe) years ago.
I can't speak for Smarthome, but it's not uncommon for companies to require receipts showing proof of purchase when requesting warranty service. Most companies will not honor warranties from products that are purchased used or from non-authorized distributors. This is extremely common in the consumer electronics industry (computer, AV, etc.)
Try PMing "SteveL" here on Cocoontech - he is a great guy, and I'm sure will be able to point you in the right direction.
apostolakisl
Senior Member
A defect in material and workmanship is still just that, regardless of where the receipt might be found. These "rules" are really just loop holes for getting out of standing behind your product. Now I have to go through years of old receipts in addition to the headache of removing the switches and reprogramming, if I am lucky enough to find the receipts. I am probably going to succeed, and I will just be that much more bitter becuase I not only had the extra work of fixing their failures, but the additional headache of getting them to own up to their failure. They mail me a new switch, I have hours of work I should not have. It would be one thing if it were 7 year warranty and the product had been around for 15 years, but I am pretty sure the 2476d hasn't even been out for 7 years. I am right on this?
Look at a company like Costco. The more business I do there, the more I want to do additional business there. On the other hand, the more I interact with Smarthome, the more I look for alternatives.
Look at a company like Costco. The more business I do there, the more I want to do additional business there. On the other hand, the more I interact with Smarthome, the more I look for alternatives.
apostolakisl
Senior Member
Thank you. I will get all of my receipt hunting done and do as you suggest.
Lou,
SH has a record of every purchase you have ever made from them if you provide your email address or phone number they can look it up. They just have to want to help you (they should have asked you for that when you called if they were trying to help you and not blow you off). Dont spend hours looking when they can find it in 2 mins. They will know the model number, quantity, date of purchase etc etc.
Home Depot is another story. I had the same problem where they did not want to take the time to research it since they feel it is the mfg problem to handle the warranty (SH says otherwise but look what is in writing where is says the mfg warrants the product which is why they defer you to SL which is really SH behind the curtian).
Steve
Senior Member
Still, its just plain piss poor customer service to not handle this right, especially if it really is a 7 year warranty. Like Lou said, why insist on a receipt when you know your product has not even been on the market that long. Even if it was an ebay sale or whatever, a mfg defect is a mfg defect. Seem like some company just doesn't want to learn from their previous blunders.
So it sounds like my prediction was pretty much accurate. Sad really, I already figured there would be no response from SH just based on all the other complaints about them on other forums. Thank goodness I never bought any Insteon hardware! To be honest, I'll never buy anything from SH either given how they have treated Insteon customers. Granted, my purchases don't amount to squat for a large company like SH, but I'll still be happy to give my business to other companies that stand behind their sales and products.
They are going to fall flat on their faces if they are not careful. There is a new failure that seems like it may be widespread in the Icons. When first reported SH tried blaming the customers wiring. Now 4 people have reported a 50% or so failure rate and I bet more might come out of the woodwork soon (but if you call up $5 says its the first time they heard of it).
The products should be put on hold until the problem is identified and corrected and then resume shipping. All they do is piss off customers.
If they would just apologize to the customer and replace the products with known good devices (if they exist) then people would not be as upset.
- Status
