Insteon US products working with Insteon International products.

[Ben Law]

Hi fellows,

I'm new here & live in Hong Kong. I'm using Insteon for over a year & they're working fine as planned. Here are the devices I'm using -
2242-442 Control hub (UK)
2843-422 Open / Close Sensor (EU)
2443-422 Micro Switch (EU)
2633-442 Plug-in on/off switch (UK) x 2
2477D Light Dimmer x 6
75790WH IP cam

I'd like to add water leak sensor & found Insteon do not provide international products but just 2852-222. After studying manuals, found my 2477D dimmers are not international products as well. I believe they're working by powerline with 2242-442 control hub. May I know if 2852-222 will also working in my home ? I do expect 2852-222 can connect with 2477D dimmers by RF, & signal be repeated & connected with the hub by powerline.

The other question is, just found Amazon Echo / Echo Dot & they are so cool as can control Insteon devices by voice. (I love Ironman so much, hahaaa ~~ ) I know I need to change the control hub from 2242-442 to 2245-222. Just similar to the above question, will my existing Insteon devices be worked with 2245-222 ?

Thanks in advance.

[stusviews]

The Insteon power line signal protocol is international. What differs is the power line frequency, 50 or 60 Hz, and/or the voltage, nominally 110/120V or 220/240 volts. Some Insteon device are designed to work with both frequencies and voltages.

A more serious consideration is RF. There are international organization that have set standards for geographical regions. Virtually every country has laws that regulate those frequencies. That's done to avoid interfering with emergencies and aviation. Using RF devices not designed for the country they're intended for can lead to at minimum, a fine and possible arrest. All equipment will be confiscated.

BTW, an ambulance or police car passing your residence [I]may[/I] experience interference if they're using radio at the time an Insteon signal is sent. Except for the On/Off outlet, there is no way to turn the RF signal off.

[Ben Law]

Thanks stu, thanks for your clarification & RF rules be a complicate issue.

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) & International Special Committee on Radio Interference (ISCR) do have the standard & luckily both 869.85mHz & 915 mHz not be restricted in Hong Kong if output of the devices not greater than the limit.

[BLH]

Also they may not have the proper electrical certification's needed for your country. CE, TUV etc.
I believe Amazon is not allowing Echo and Echo Dot sales out of the USA at the present time.

[EVIL Teken]

Just to clarify at this very moment there are two Insteon devices which allows the end user to enable / disable the RF - Powerline: On/Off Module, Dual Outlet Linc.

Looking forward to seeing the remaining Insteon product line support this capability.

[lchiu7]

[QUOTE=Ben Law;n85585]

The other question is, just found Amazon Echo / Echo Dot & they are so cool as can control Insteon devices by voice. (I love Ironman so much, hahaaa ~~ ) I know I need to change the control hub from 2242-442 to 2245-222. Just similar to the above question, will my existing Insteon devices be worked with 2245-222 ?

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

Well I just got the 2245-222 and tried in outside the US. Since it is labelled as 125V I used a stepdown transformer. I didn't try too hard but it was unable to locate my 240V wall module. I think that is because 1) the RF frequencies are incompatible and 2) the powerline signal is destroyed going through a transformer. That is disappointing.

I wonder if the 2245-222 can handle 240V directly since sometimes manufacturers make devices that are world voltage (Dlink wall modules are an example where the US ones are marked as 120V only but work in 240V) but for local certification, they are required to label them as 120V only. I will have to ask Insteon directly.

OTOH I did get my DOT working with the 2242-222 hub using IFTTT so that's one way through the issue.

[stusviews]

Even if there was no RF your devices should be found if and only if the frequency of the power line is correct. The 2442-442 Hub id designed for 50 Hz whereas the 2445-222 Hub requires 60 Hz.

[Ben Law]

Hi fellows,

Would like share updates of my experience on using Insteon US & international lines devices.

I've rec'd the new 2245-222 control hub, with some 2852-222 water leak sensors.

What I did be manually deleted all scenes & connected devices at Insteon app, then delete login by following instructions provided -
[FONT=Tahoma][SIZE=2][URL]http://www.insteon.com/support-knowledgebase/2015/10/20/migrating-to-a-new-insteon-hub[/URL][/SIZE][/FONT]

After that, disconnect the old 2242-442 UK hub & connect with 2245-222 US hub, create login & add devices + build scenes again just like before. Luckily I've just around 10 devices & my house is not very big, I can do it within an hour.

[FONT=Tahoma][SIZE=2]Adding sensors (2852-222 water leak sensors & 2843-422 door sensors) be a bit trouble & failed in a single time. I do believe RF only devices cannot communicate with the hub very good. However, finally getting connected & working fine.

My devices list now updated as follow -[/SIZE][/FONT]

2245-222 Control hub
2477D Light Dimmer x 6
[FONT=Tahoma]2852-222 Water Leak Sensor x 3[/FONT]
2843-422 Open / Close Sensor (EU)
2443-422 Micro Switch (EU)
2633-442 Plug-in on/off switch (UK) x 2
75790WH IP cam

[FONT=Tahoma]Mixed devices technically work, but quite trouble to removed & re-add the devices when switching the hub. I don't know it can still work or not if create a new login & forget the old one........

Get an Amazon Echo / Echo dot be the next step ~~[/FONT]

:)

[BLH]

The US and European Insteon RF frequencies are different.
Mixing both US and European RF devices will not work. If one is sold with the US and the other one European RF specifications.

[Ben Law]

HI BLH,

I think my 2843-422 Open / Close Sensor (EU) will not work after replacing 2242-442 (UK) with 2245-222 control hub before. I've dual band Insteon devices in the network maybe the catches.

I've asked Insteon support on the issue before. They just replied 2852-222 Water Leak Sensor will not work with 2242-442 hub as RF frequency issue, & 2245-222 hub is not designed to use outside US. Just left the question of mixing use of both US with EU devices. (Insteon support: Could try, but unable to guarantee if it will work or not)

Those dual-band devices [ 2477D Light Dimmer (US), 2443-422 Micro Switch (EU) & 2633-442 Plug-in on/off switch (UK) ] playing as key members in the issue.

[stusviews]

All dual-band devices communicate via the power line as well as RF, so if the RF of the devices don't match, communication is still possible if the power line device are rated for both 50 Hz and 60 Hz.. RF only devices (all battery powered) must be the same frequency to communicate. A US dual-band device can receive signals from a US battery powered device and re-transmit those signal on the power line.

[BLH]

The Insteon RF frequency will also not be authorized for use. If it was for a different country.
Possibly interfering with communications and possible issues with the authorities.

[thanwintun]

[QUOTE=Ben Law;n85585]Hi fellows,

I'm new here & live in Hong Kong. I'm using Insteon for over a year & they're working fine as planned. Here are the devices I'm using -
2242-442 Control hub (UK)
2843-422 Open / Close Sensor (EU)
2443-422 Micro Switch (EU)
2633-442 Plug-in on/off switch (UK) x 2
2477D Light Dimmer x 6
75790WH IP cam

I'd like to add water leak sensor & found Insteon do not provide international products but just 2852-222. After studying manuals, found my 2477D dimmers are not international products as well. I believe they're working by powerline with 2242-442 control hub. May I know if 2852-222 will also working in my home ? I do expect 2852-222 can connect with 2477D dimmers by RF, & signal be repeated & connected with the hub by powerline.

The other question is, just found Amazon Echo / Echo Dot & they are so cool as can control Insteon devices by voice. (I love Ironman so much, hahaaa ~~ ) I know I need to change the control hub from 2242-442 to 2245-222. Just similar to the above question, will my existing Insteon devices be worked with 2245-222 ?

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

Hi mate. I know this is 3 yr old thread but i really need your advise. Did you use step down transformer or straight 240V to the hub? thanks

[SeanM]

The 2242 Hub had a power supply that was rated for 110-240v 50/60Hz so no transformer is needed.

[thanwintun]

[QUOTE=SeanM;n107955]The 2242 Hub had a power supply that was rated for 110-240v 50/60Hz so no transformer is needed.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the quick response. Actually i meant 2245-222 US version which labels 120V 50/60Hz. I am from Australia 240V 50Hz. Because i like key pads and wall switches (most of keypads and wall dimmers are 120-277V and they are not available in Aus) I decided to go with US version. So i ordered some switches and 2245 222 hub. When i tried keypad and roller shutter open close switch without hub they are ok. I powered the hub with step down transformer it looks ok and light go solid green. But when i download app and setup, my phone cannot find hub. I tried both iphone and samsungs.
But as manual suggested when i follow this:

"You can check to see if the Insteon Hub was able to properly “phone home” to Insteon. This will at least tell you that the Hub is up and running, even if a network configuration problem is preventing you from connecting to the Hub. On your mobile device or computer, open a browser and visit connect.insteon.com/ getinfo.asp. Any detected Insteon Hubs will be displayed on this page."

The hub is found on the computer as it suggest.

I concern if it is anything to do with stepdown transformer and want to know if it handles 240V direct then i can plug in straight and eliminate the transformer worry.