Insteon Scene Controllers

Latest revision as of 02:34, 15 April 2010

Vera allows you to control any type of device, including Z-Wave and infrared, using an Insteon Scene controllers, like the smarthome 2486.

To do this, you must first add Vera's PowerLinc Modem to each of the scene buttons on the scene controller you want Vera to recognize. For example, on the 2486, you press a scene button so it lights up, then press and hold the air gap button for 3 seconds so the scene button starts flashing, then press and hold the 'set' button on Vera's PowerLinc Modem for 3 seconds until it beeps. Now that scene button will send a message to Vera whenever the scene button is pushed.

Go to Devices, Insteon/X10 and locate the scene controller which you just setup. Note that some devices appears as 'compound' devices because they have several different functions. For example, the 2486 shows up with 2 compound devices: one for the on/off switch, and one for the scene controller. Make a note of the device id number for the scene controller you want to use.

Go to the 'Scenes' tab in Vera's setup page and create a scene. It can do anything and control any type of device. Then click 'Add Event', and choose the scene controller. Choose the event 'A scene is activated', optionally you can name this event, and for the scene number, enter 1 for the 1st Scene button on the Insteon controller, 2 for the 2nd Scene button, and so on.

Now when that scene button is pressed, Vera will create an 'event', and that will execute the scene.

You can also attach the event 'A scene is de-activated', which occurs when a scene is turned off. For example, you may want a button on your scene controller to turn some lights and lower the thermostat when the scene button is turned on, and turn the lights off and raise the thermostat when the scene is turned off. Accomplish this by creating 2 scenes and attaching the 'A scene is activated' to one, and the 'A scene is de-activated' to the other.