Comments on: Disappointed with SmartHome Quality http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/ A father and programmer's skewed view of the world Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:45:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mike B. http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-811 Mike B. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:04:42 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-811 Wow, I went digging on problems as in the past 6 years, most of my dimmers have failed, and after trying to replace a few key ones, and resetting the others, just about every other switchlinc dimmer has failed the rest of the way. Absolutely terrible quality on these things! I'm rather afraid to bother spending more on the garbage since a few comments seem to indicate they really haven't fixed anything from a poor design started 6-7 years ago, but I really am not looking forward to replacing with zwave, especially when they don't have much (reasonably priced) options for colored dimmers (most of mine are black). Argh!!!! Wow, I went digging on problems as in the past 6 years, most of my dimmers have failed, and after trying to replace a few key ones, and resetting the others, just about every other switchlinc dimmer has failed the rest of the way. Absolutely terrible quality on these things! I’m rather afraid to bother spending more on the garbage since a few comments seem to indicate they really haven’t fixed anything from a poor design started 6-7 years ago, but I really am not looking forward to replacing with zwave, especially when they don’t have much (reasonably priced) options for colored dimmers (most of mine are black). Argh!!!!

]]> By: Jay Ireland http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-803 Jay Ireland Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:19:16 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-803 Yeah, I'm in the same boat, just gonna bite the bullet, take a loss on all the Insteon stuff and use another device protocol, if I'm going to swap out devices it's not going to be with something that I may have to repeat. Heard good things about Z Wave. Yeah, I’m in the same boat, just gonna bite the bullet, take a loss on all the Insteon stuff and use another device protocol, if I’m going to swap out devices it’s not going to be with something that I may have to repeat. Heard good things about Z Wave.

]]> By: Antonio http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-773 Antonio Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:42:58 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-773 Karl, I installed 40 of these piece of crap dimmers. They are all going bad. What is SA? I have to spend at 3,000 to replace all switches. Any advise welcomed. Ant Karl,

I installed 40 of these piece of crap dimmers. They are all going bad. What is SA? I have to spend at 3,000 to replace all switches. Any advise welcomed.

Ant

]]> By: Karl http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-771 Karl Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:41:54 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-771 @Greg: To be honest with you, I haven't replaced my failed INSTEON switches with any new SA products yet. But I can give you an update... about 3 months ago I removed 6 INSTEON switches because they just didn't work at all any more. They had failed so completely that even the paddle switch no longer works. I still have one of the "new and improved INSTEON wall switches" that is supposed to be free of issues. Well, even that one only works intermittently and has never been controlled remotely as we only use it as a hand operated wall switch. @Greg:
To be honest with you, I haven’t replaced my failed INSTEON switches with any new SA products yet.

But I can give you an update… about 3 months ago I removed 6 INSTEON switches because they just didn’t work at all any more. They had failed so completely that even the paddle switch no longer works. I still have one of the “new and improved INSTEON wall switches” that is supposed to be free of issues. Well, even that one only works intermittently and has never been controlled remotely as we only use it as a hand operated wall switch.

]]> By: Greg http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-770 Greg Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:34:53 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-770 Well, here I was all excited reading about how Insteon may have been the answer to revitalizing my HA interest. I'm still periodically pulling out X10 modules on a complete system that I gave up on years ago because of unreliability all around. I'm pulling them out because they'll no longer even function as a switch/dimmer. One had an uncool effect of constantly dimming up and down. LOL. Just because you have to LOL after your wife has lambasted you. Anyway, now I read this review. Glad I did. I kinda got the feeling it was just X-10 version 2 from a product quality standpoint. What are the "SA" products you have been having success with? I'll check your blog further now. Well, here I was all excited reading about how Insteon may have been the answer to revitalizing my HA interest. I’m still periodically pulling out X10 modules on a complete system that I gave up on years ago because of unreliability all around. I’m pulling them out because they’ll no longer even function as a switch/dimmer. One had an uncool effect of constantly dimming up and down. LOL. Just because you have to LOL after your wife has lambasted you.

Anyway, now I read this review. Glad I did. I kinda got the feeling it was just X-10 version 2 from a product quality standpoint. What are the “SA” products you have been having success with? I’ll check your blog further now.

]]> By: Mel http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-715 Mel Mon, 13 Sep 2010 22:58:10 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-715 OH -- Smarthome's customer support phone number in case you don't have it is 800-762-7846 and here is a link to there very clear return policy: http://www.smarthome.com/returnpolicy.html OH — Smarthome’s customer support phone number in case you don’t have it is 800-762-7846 and here is a link to there very clear return policy:

http://www.smarthome.com/returnpolicy.html

]]> By: Mel http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-714 Mel Mon, 13 Sep 2010 22:56:54 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-714 If you all have some many issues with your INSTEON products (I have a house full of them) contact their customer support. They are friendly and easy to work with in getting your products replaced (so long as they are under warranty). I don't know of any company accepting a product back for exchange or refund after a return policy ends - and that is just a fact of life. If you all have some many issues with your INSTEON products (I have a house full of them) contact their customer support. They are friendly and easy to work with in getting your products replaced (so long as they are under warranty). I don’t know of any company accepting a product back for exchange or refund after a return policy ends – and that is just a fact of life.

]]> By: Karl http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-664 Karl Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:25:02 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-664 I replace my Insteon modules with SA each time another Insteon device fails. Not one singe failure on any SA device yet. I replace my Insteon modules with SA each time another Insteon device fails. Not one singe failure on any SA device yet.

]]> By: Jay http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-663 Jay Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:42:28 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-663 Well, I would have to agree 100%, total junk, cheep on the components...i think it must be a heat thing, as they are always kind of hot. I did the same, spent about 5k buying all insteon for my house and poof...about 50% failed...they replace them but I still have to do all the work...@#$%#@$%@ Now Indigo does not support the Network module yet...and my USB controller has failed...past the 2 year warranty. Guess these guys made 5 cents more per module and wasted alot of my time and money. so you like the simply automated stuff? not junk... Well, I would have to agree 100%, total junk, cheep on the components…i think it must be a heat thing, as they are always kind of hot.

I did the same, spent about 5k buying all insteon for my house and poof…about 50% failed…they replace them but I still have to do all the work…@#$%#@$%@

Now Indigo does not support the Network module yet…and my USB controller has failed…past the 2 year warranty.

Guess these guys made 5 cents more per module and wasted alot of my time and money.

so you like the simply automated stuff? not junk…

]]> By: Karl http://blog.spoolz.com/2008/05/07/disappointed-with-smarthome-quality/comment-page-1/#comment-647 Karl Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:23:49 +0000 http://blog.spoolz.com/?p=6#comment-647 It was around 1 year when the started to fail. The most frustrating part is that some of the devices that have failed, started working again, only to fail again later. Of all the Insteon devices I own, only one has never experienced failure. It was around 1 year when the started to fail.

The most frustrating part is that some of the devices that have failed, started working again, only to fail again later.

Of all the Insteon devices I own, only one has never experienced failure.

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