Open/Close Sensors

[simplextech]

I have noticed now on several occasions that my Open/Close sensors do not always register their state. I can open a door and the state in HS does not change. Same with closing the same door. It sometimes takes one or two open/close of the same door before the state changes. I've experienced this also with the ISY and these sensors. This leads me to question if it's bad sensors? (multiple bad?) or if the Insteon Open/Close sensors are not reliable?

[Burrington]

Very likely a communication problem. Try putting one of the sensors into programming mode and then do a communication test using the "Test Communications" button at the bottom of that sensor's "Edit Insteon Device" page. If it shows failures, that's your problem.

All wireless sensors communicate by RF only, and the RF signal must be picked up by either the PLM/Hub, or a dual-band Insteon device that can relay the message back to the PLM/Hub. How far is the sensor from the PLM/Hub, and do you have any dual-band devices in your system?

[mnsandler]

Have you tried doing a manual factory reset on the sensor, and the reprogram it from the plugin? don't delete it from the plugin

[simplextech]

If it's a communication issue then it's only affecting these open/close sensors that are less than 6 feet from other dual band switches... I've tested and re-tested communications. As to the reset I've reset all of my devices many times as I have moved them several times in the last few months between HS and ISY testing them and evaluating the ISY and capabilities. The move between systems also rules out the PLM as they are separate.

All of my other devices are flawless in response and reliability. It's just these open/close sensors that I've noticed have issues which makes me wonder if they are maybe bad (bad batch?) or if they have a known weak RF radio.

The other possibility would be a bad switch that they are sending through which is possible. One in particular in the bathroom is a dimmer and two switches. The dimmer I've noticed has communication errors where the two switches do not. So I've ordered a new dimmer to replace that one if by chance the open/close signal is being mangled by that dimmer. This is unlikely as the other two switches should also be repeating the signal but it's a possibility.

[mnsandler]

I had a bad switch once which caused an open/close sensor to malfunction just as you describe. I used a 900Mhz spectrum analyzer to figure this out.

[simplextech]

I had a bad switch once which caused an open/close sensor to malfunction just as you describe. I used a 900Mhz spectrum analyzer to figure this out.

Well unfortunately I don't have a 900Mhz spectrum analyzer at my disposal... but I do have a new dimmer in the mail

[simplextech]

Something else that's very odd mnsandler with this particular Dimmer is I had it configured with a motion sensor and using events for on and then off rather than using the MSII linked. I was having massive communications problems to the dimmer through the HS3 events but when I use the PI and test everything is great. What I've done while waiting for the new dimmer is set the MSII to on-only (security mode) and linked it to the dimmer and using the combo of a "switched-on" and cancel event with the door sensor to then turn off the light. In this method there aren't any errors from the "off event" which is again...odd.

So through my above rambling above... the commands of turning on the dimmer from the event worked fine but the turning off the dimmer from the event sometimes went south and would just constantly repeat 40-50++ times trying to turn the dimmer off and then the PI would show lots and lots of comm errors but again when I would manually run the tests everything was fine....Also the lights are not halogen, CFL or LED just plain bulbs so there's no interference/noise from them to block the "off" signal. just weird or something I'm missing?

[Burrington]

Can you post the events you were using to turn the light on and off - the ones that were constantly repeating.

[simplextech]

Can you post the events you were using to turn the light on and off - the ones that were constantly repeating.

I would have to recreate them.

[Burrington]

Check out this thread which was related to motion sensors, but also might apply to your on/off sensors.
https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/li...tion-sensor-ii