Re: LampLinc 2000STW - mystery solved

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

"Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>"Dave Houston" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
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>Did you think that problem's been engineered out or is it likely to affect
>the Insteon line as well?  How would you simulate a brownout for testing?

I don't know. The recent event here was a few days before I started testing
the Insteon gear. I did not open up the Insteon modules to see what MCU and
EEPROM they use as they were on loan and I did not want to risk marring
them. It's not easily simulated as there may be characteristics (e.g. slope,
duration, magnitude) that are unknown.

There is one factor that may help with Insteon (or make this a bigger PITA).
Each Insteon device gets an ID number at the factory - analogous to an
Ethernet MAC number. You go through an enrollment procedure (see the Insteon
white paper) to add new modules to your network. Individual devices will
retain their hard coded ID number but the controller may lose its memory of
them. If so, you'll have to re-enroll _every_ device which is a bigger
problem than having a few anmesiac modules or switches.

However, SmartHome's ostrich-like behavior regarding an obvious design flaw
that is still affecting new LampLinc & SwitchLinc devices has to make one
nervous about Insteon. I _think_ I even saw reports here of recent (but
pre-Insteon) PowerLinc controllers losing their memory.