Re: Insteon with 400amp service (2 panels)

[Someone <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Okay. I'll stop messing with the Set button on the 2nd unit. According
to the guide, if it flashes slowly, that means it connected with the
1st, but is on the same phase. I guess I'll keep trying.

Thanks.

  - Leon

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:27:43 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)
wrote:

>You need to follow the instruction in the Quick-Start Guide.
>
>Plug 1 RF unit in. Then press and hold its SET button for 10 secs. The LED
>should start blinking. It will continue to blink until you plug the second
>RF unit into an outlet on the other phase (but still within RF range). Do
>not press SET on the second unit. The fact that it isn't blinking rapidly is
>an indication that you are on the same phase (or are out of range).
>
>I'm not sure what it means when the second unit blinks slowly. Maybe Bruce
>Robin can enlighten us.
>
>Someone <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>I've been trying just about every combination of outlets without any
>>luck ... I think. One thing I haven't quite figured out yet is how to
>>get the second Signalinc RF to try to connect. The instructions say
>>just to plug it into the wall. However, when I do that, the LED comes
>>on and stays on. If I press the Set button, the LED will flash. The
>>question is - is Smarthome confused again? Should the RF automatically
>>try to connect, or do I need to hit the Set button? When I have hit
>>Set on the second RF, then go back to the first RF and hit Set, the
>>first RF LED stays on, but the second one goes off.
>>
>>
>>On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:19:21 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)
>>wrote:
>>
>>>8 feet should be close enough. Vertical/horizontal doesn't matter as long as
>>>they both are the same. When I tested, I could create problems at 10-12'
>>>with different antenna orientations.
>>>
>>>I suspect you have them on the same phase.
>>>
>>>SmartHome needs better training for their support people. There really
>>>shouldn't be any problem with two panels. You may need additional RF units
>>>but I would try it first with just two. As long as Phase A on both panels
>>>and Phase B on both panels share the same utility company transformer, you
>>>should be OK but you may need a few more Insteon switches or modules to
>>>prove this.
>>>
>>>They should work between floors as long as the floors are not made of
>>>something that blocks RF. You may need to experiment with antenna
>>>orientation.
>>>
>>>Someone <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Sorry, I realized that I didn't even answer your question about
>>>>distance. On my latest attempt, I had the units about 8 feet apart.
>>>>That appears to be the closest I can get them while still being on
>>>>different phases. This assumes that the way I've tried to identify the
>>>>phases is correct - I've assumed that breakers on one side of the box
>>>>are on the same phase.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks.
>>>>
>>>>   - Leon
>>>>
>>>>On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:33:43 GMT, Someone <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Thanks for the quick response, Dave.
>>>>>
>>>>>I don't have a lot of options for distance, based on what the labels
>>>>>on the panel tell me. On panel 1, one phase appears to cover the
>>>>>second floor,while the other phase covers the first floor. Will the RF
>>>>>signal make it from one floor to the next? I'm not sure I had them as
>>>>>close as I could (one room above the other), so I can try that. Also,
>>>>>I had both antennas oriented veritcally. Would horizontal orientation
>>>>>for both make a difference?
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> - Leon
>>>>>
>>>>>On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:21:20 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)
>>>>>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>How far apart are the two RF units?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>When you initialize the RF units they need to be on opposite phases and
>>>>>>within RF range of each other. The range is rather limited. Both antennas
>>>>>>need to have the same orientation (i.e. both vertical or both horizontal)
>>>>>>for maximum range.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Someone <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I just got my Insteon starter kit and discovered that I cannot get the
>>>>>>>to Signalinc RFs to talk to each other. I have 400 amp service using
>>>>>>>two panels. I talked to Smarthome and they said they don't support
>>>>>>>this because they don't know if the signals will get through reliably.
>>>>>>>I thought maybe I could get things to work if I started with both
>>>>>>>phases of one panel. I had hoped that I could figure this out by
>>>>>>>reading what the builder had marked on the panel (which seems to be
>>>>>>>quite accurate). Once I got Insteon working across one panel, I was
>>>>>>>hoping two more Signalinc RFs would bridge the two panels.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Am I missing something here? Is this even possible? If Insteon doesn't
>>>>>>>work, do I have any hope even for X10?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Thanks in advance for any advice.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  - Leon