PowerHome2 & Elk M1 Gold Manual

PowerHome2 & Elk

1 Using PowerHome2 to Download Insteon Links to

ELK M1XSP

To use Elk M1G to control Insteon devices you need an ELK M1XSP Serial Port

Expander ‘flashed’ with a special firmware version that only supports Insteon. The

current firmware version as of this writing is 50.0.28 and is available from Elk. You also

need an Insteon Powerlinc Serial Controller V2 (2414S). The Insteon 2414S Controller

is attached to the M1XSP via an RS232 cable supplied with the controller. The Elk M1G

is connected to the M1XSP via the RS-485 data bus on both units.

For the Powerlinc Serial Controller V2 (2414S) to function with the Elk it must be

preloaded with SmartHome’s TimerCoreApp. However, according to Elk, some of the

newer 2414S from SmartHome no longer come preloaded with the TimerCoreApp. If

you suspect that your 2414S does not include the TimerCoreApp, PowerHome2 can

load this software into the 2414S for you. The instructions are found in the Appendix to

this document. You may also need to program your 2414S with the Insteon ID’s of your

linked devices. This procedure is also explained in the Appendix. Alternatively, you can

contact Elk or SmartHome for an application which will load the TimerCoreApp into the

2414S.

1.1 Connecting Your PC to the Elk M1XSP

Connect your PC to the ELK M1XSP through a direct connection using a serial port on

your PC and the RS232 port on your Elk M1XSP.

Note: this connection is NOT to the RS232 connector on the M1Gold panel but to the

DB9 Pin RS-232 connector on the M1XSP.

This is the same connector on the M1XSP where the Insteon Powerlinc (2414S) would

normally be connected. If the Powerlinc is connected to the M1XSP disconnect it now.

You will reconnect the Powerlinc after you have loaded the lnsteon device information

into the M1XSP from PowerHome2.

The connection is made through a null modem adaptor. You may also need a gender

adaptor depending on the connectors on the null modem adaptor and your cable. Both

the null modem adaptor and the gender adaptor are available for a couple of dollars from

your local electronics store.