IRLinc Receiver Owner’s Manual
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 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.
ADDITONAL RESOURCES
Find home automation solutions, helpful tips, interactive demos, videos, user forums, and more at the
Smarthome Learning Center:
www.smarthome.com/learningcenter.html
