Insteonplm; How to configure INSTEON devices in groups

Add-ons Bindings
1

I have followed the instructions in 3-way switch configurations and the “related” keyword for creating two switches in my .items file that are related. This is a classic 3-way switch configuration, at each end of a hallway:

Dimmer switchHallwayNorth "Hallway North Switch" {insteonplm="30.43.28:F00.00.01#dimmer,related=2A.25.65"}
Dimmer switchHallwaySouth "Hallway South Switch" {insteonplm="2A.25.65:F00.00.01#dimmer,related=30.43.28"}

The “South Switch” is connected to the load (lights). The “North Switch” is not connected to anything, just has power.

Manipulating the slider controls in my sitemap causes each light switch to turn on/off correctly. When the South switch is turned on, the lights come on since they are directly connected. However, when the North switch is turned on/off, it does nothing…has no effect on the South switch/lights, even with the related keyword.

How can I accomplish to have either switch turn the other on, and off together, as a group in OH?

Once I figure out this simple configuration, I have many more “scenes” in my Insteon Hub app setup that I’ll want to mimic in OH.

Thanks,

2

Ok so we need to south switch to be a “slave” of the “north” (No references intended…)

Rule:

rule "insteon switches"
when
    switchHallwayNorth changed of ON or
    switchHallwayNorth changed of OFF or
    // Had to put two triggers to ON or OFF here because your items are Dimmers
then
    if (switchHallwaySouth.state == ON) switchHallwaySouth.sendCommand(OFF)
    if (switchHallwaySouth.state == OFF) switchHallwaySouth.sendCommand(ON)
end

Whenever the North switch is toggled it will toggle the South

3

Unfortunately, this is the way the insteon protocol works. I’ve only added the devices with loads to my sitemap. The “related” keyword is needed to help the binding track when a non-load device updated a load device. In this case your north switch was manually toggled and it is a controller of your south switch.

4

I have tow switches like this (top and bottom of stairs) and I’d not recommend using a rule to link these two switches. It will work, but be way slower than just cross linking them natively. Use the rule to just update the switch statuses in OH and not actually command them on/off.

I’d also recommend not bothering having both switches on your sitemap. Typically you only care about the load (likely a light) they are controlling and its status. On my sitemap I just have one item “Stairs Lights” and I use the load controlling switch for that. The other switch doesn’t matter to OH.

5

OK, fair enough. I don’t know that technology so that a switch can be the slave of another. So I proposed a rule.

6

Thanks guys for the comments. I wasn’t really thinking big picture, but yes it makes sense to just have the switch connected to the load/light in my sitemap as something like “Hallway Lights”. I did test that pressing either switch does indeed update the status of my display in the sitemap, so that works.

Thanks again!

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