Venstar T1700 Owner's Manual download pdf (Page 10)

Thermostat Adapter Owner’s Manual (Rev 2.0+)

Page 10 of 13

ABOUT INSTEON

Using Dual-Band INSTEON Devices to Upgrade Your Network

What are phases?

The majority of single-family homes in North America have two phases (or “legs”) of 110 Volts coming into their

electricity panels. From the panel, they are distributed throughout the home, providing power to outlets and wall

switches. These phases come together in some parts of the home to provide 220 Volts of power to large

appliances, such as an electric oven or pool pump.

Why do I need to bridge these phases?

Single-band power line devices send commands via the home’s electricity, but only on a single phase. If the

command is intended for a device on the opposite phase, there is a good chance the command will go

unnoticed. Installing dual-band INSTEON devices, such as Access Points (#2443), on each phase will allow for

devices to communicate between the two phases via RF.

Dual-band INSTEON devices embody the full potential of a true INSTEON mesh network. Taking the power

line band signal and working in conjunction with the RF band signal, its dual-band function plays out in two

ways:

• Phase bridger – a receiver of commands, reacting to and translating signals sent from one power

phase to the opposite via RF

• Signal repeater – a participant in an INSTEON network, repeating commands intended for other

devices whether those commands are generated from RF or power line-only devices. To ensure

reliability, every INSTEON device confirms that it has received a command. If a Controller does not

receive this confirmation, it will automatically retransmit the command up to five times.

While using at least one dual-band device is required when using an RF-only device, at least two dual-band

devices are recommended in any INSTEON network to ensure reliable communication across two-phase home

wiring systems. For larger applications, it is recommended to install at least one dual-band device for every 750

– 1,000 square feet.

Search for dual-band INSTEON devices at: www.smarthome.com/dualband

Important Note about INSTEON Networks; Split Single-Phase vs. 3-Phase

Installation

For the best INSTEON network performance, be sure you have properly installed at least two dual-band

INSTEON devices. INSTEON has only been officially tested in a split single-phase residential environment but

has been known to work in many 3-phase systems, where three dual-band devices are used (one on each

phase). However, due to the potential complexity of its troubleshooting, the INSTEON Gold Support Line is

unable to support INSTEON in 3-phase environments.

Further Enhancing Reliability

As signals travel via the power line or RF throughout the home, they naturally become weaker the farther they

travel. The best way to overcome weakened signals is to increase the coverage of the mesh network by

introducing more INSTEON devices.

It is possible that some audio-video devices, computers, power strips, or other electrical equipment may

attenuate INSTEON signals on the power line. You can temporarily unplug suspected devices to test whether

the INSTEON signal improves. If it does, then you can plug in filters that will permanently fix the problem.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Find home automation solutions, helpful tips, interactive demos, videos, user forums, and more at the

Smarthome Learning Center: www.smarthome.com/learningcenter.html

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Venstar T1700 Owner's Manual Page 10

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