Insteon PLM died

[reidfo]

My Insteon 2413S PLM died, likely due to power surge / lightning. This is a fairly regular occurrence here in the lightning capital of the world.

My question is what is the best replacement for it? I prefer serial interfaces, but open to Ethernet too. USB is not an option. Low cost is also good, since anything not plugged into a UPS seems to get fried every few years around here. I'm thinking of another 2413S but want to hear other opinions.

[mnsandler]

i would stick with the 2413s. The hub is more expensive but gives you the flexibility to locate it away from the server.

do you have a whole house surge protector? I realize these don't help much with lightning.

[Pete]

My first Insteon Serial PLM just up and died one day. (rest in peace PLM)

Not relating this though to lightning. It was little bit after the post salad days.

The second Insteon Serial PLM still works fine (years now); not using it much these days though.

It remains connected to the Digi 8 port Edgeport.

They do make those little RS-232 surge / lightning protectors; tiny things.

Note that every piece you add to the topology of the transport makes it less resilient and more susceptible to some surge or lightning bolt or hiccup or gotcha.

Then again if it is a self contained programmable saving its program tiny device; then you don't really need a computer connection to it to function.

The wire (RS-232) is most resilient. Moving the RS-232 to the network is a bit less unless you provide redundant power to the networking device and switch. Moving it to wireless then you have the wireless piece and the network piece you have to add resilience to.

[reidfo]

Thanks Mark and Pete. This is actually the second PLM that's died on me in the last 5 years. I don't have it on a surge protector since I have heard it can make communication unreliable across the power line. I'll stick with the 2413S since it works flawlessly (until it dies anyway).