Alexa Integration Issues?

[rgnet5]

If you got a new hub then you most likely will have to start from scratch. Disable the Alexa-Insteon skill, remove all Insteon Smart devices from Alexa app, add all Insteon devices back to your new hub (I recommend a factory reset of each Insteon device - not the hub, just the devices - before re-adding). Then re-enable the Alexa Insteon skill and have Alexa discover devices. It’s painful, I know.

[kgolding]

Alexa Issues after Smart Hub replacement

I recently had an Insteon Hub stop working and Insteon was fantastic about replacing the unit with a new one. For the most part the replacement went well, but thought I would share a few challenges I encountered, including one with Alexa.
When replacing a device with Insteon and there is a desire to re-use the same account, Insteon unfortunately needs to delete the “old” account prior to allowing a user to associate a new hub with that account. This is the option I chose.

If you end up in this situation:

1. Insteon support was very helpful and offered to supply me a list of device IDs associated with my account to help get things setup again, do this. By and large, I did not need this but had one device that was very difficult to access.
2. Commit to resetting all the devices
3. Get the Insteon App and all related devices and Scenes setup PRIOR to working with any 3^rd party integrations, including Amazon Alexa
4. Verify that the new Hub knows where it is, and what time it is. I had some issue with this but fixed it after a few times through the Insteon apps settings, my home, location update process.
5. Amazon Alexa
   1. Even if you disable the Insteon Skill all the associated Insteon devices AND scenes remain!
      1. Delete all Insteon devices and scenes
   2. Disable the Insteon Skill
   3. Re-enable the skill
   4. Re-Scan for devices
   5. Re-Scan for scenes

Regarding Alexa, I had a feature that I loved: Alex, “turn on the Kitchen Lights”. This stopped working initially. So I setup a group in Alex and called it “Kitchen”. Still no dice. After pocking at it for a bit, finally realized that I had not created a new Scene in Insteon called “Kitchen Lights”. I then looked in the Alexa app, and sure enough the scene from my OLD hub “Kitchen Lights” was still there, as well as other devices and scenes associated with my old device/account. After deleting all the scenes/devices related to Insteon then re-scanning, things started working great!

Request to Insteon App developers, it might be very helpful to delete all related devices and scenes from Alexa if a user disables the Insteon Skill.

[Denver]

Alexa and insteon devices seem to work perfectly with the Universal Devices ISY994i/IR PRO controller.

I was reading his forum and thought that I would pass this along. We have a bit over 90 Insteon devices but rather than use an Insteon hub we use an ISY994i/IR PRO which was purchased in 2013. In April it will be 6 years old with no problems. Using the ISY, we have over 40 different automatic programs that act autonomously and 22 scenes all of which can be controlled by Alexa and smart phone apps without a problem.

We have no issues with Alexa integration or maintaining the commands. The only issues we have had are with the Insteon LED light bulbs failing so I replaced them with standard LEDs and insteon outlets, switches or controllers. The problems stopped. All of the lights inside and outside of the house are LED so I don't think that is a problem. Additionally we manage the power to 6 computer monitors, 4 printers, and other indoor and outdoor equipment which has reduced our energy consumption quite a bit. Layer in smart thermostats and other Alexa controlled devices and our system has quite a bit of demand all without the failures I have read here. Also Alexa is used for commands to the harmony TV remotes and other functions without a problem.

I prefer the Insteon approach since we have so many WiFi devices now and the Insteon communications doesn't compete for bandwidth.

Hope this helps.