Re: Time for HA, finally. Thinking Insteon. Mulling this for 20 years. What is best?

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 04:21:07 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston) wrote
in message  <459dcfa0.53417796@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>"Greg" <gharrison2@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>>Wish they would make an in-socket wall plug, but they are probably
>>wrestling with the conundrum of dimmer or switch.
>
>That will probably come. In the meantime they have inline relays and
>dimmers so you can accomplish more-or-less the same results.

I doubt that INSTEON/SmartHome would offer a dimming wall outlet that
accepts standard plugs.

As I've written previously in this newsgroup, an in-wall dimmer with a
standard receptacle would be a violation of the US National Electrical code
110-3(B)+ 404.14(E) and bad practice to boot.

And an in-line dimmer powering a duplex wall receptacle would also be a
violation and should not be recommended for that and other good reasons.

Lutron has a dimming wall outlet product that will not accept a standard
plug that they sell as conforming, but ABIK, there has never been an X-10
in-wall duplex outlet that dims.

>>The Insteon people have continued to produce new products, and they
>>offer a 7-year warrantee.
>>So I just placed an order:
>
>In addition to strong warranties they have a lenient return policy.
>Unfortunately, you will probably need one or the other. They have a lot of
>recalls.

>>a powerlink usb controller, rf repeaters, dimmers and switches, finally
>>after 20 years of research, hemming and hawing, and waiting!

Alas, you waited four days too many ;-)  Up until 12-31-06, the ICON
dimmers were available for $17.60 each ($19.99 each less the 12% discount
on all SmartHome products) and free shipping to boot.

ABIK, they are now $29.99 each and shipping extra. The half-price sale on
INSTEON products for developers may still be going on though.

....Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org