ELK-M1XSP — Lighting Interface, Thermostat Interface & Serial Port Expander Installation Manual

Installation manual for the ELK-M1XSP — a "3 in 1" lighting interface, thermostat interface, and serial port expander for ELK-M1/M1G/M1EZ8 Control systems.

Overview

The ELK-M1XSP adapts the M1 Control to many brands of lighting control products using serial communications, adapts the M1 to HVAC serial communicating thermostats (RCS, Aprilaire, HAI), and expands the M1's RS-232 communication ports for serial ASCII devices like PCs. Jumpers select the application, connection, and protocol. The M1XSP operates from the 4-wire (RS-485) M1 Keypad data bus, so RS-232 ports can be located far from the control. The M1G and M1EZ8 Controls support up to 7 M1XSPs. Communications baud rate is adjustable from 300 to 38,400. Ships with cable and a black surface-mountable housing.

Features

• Adapts M1/M1EZ8 to specific serial lighting control products and HVAC communicating thermostats (RCS, Aprilaire, HAI)
• Expands M1/M1EZ8 RS-232 serial ports
• Connects to and operates from the RS-485 data bus
• Address settings via DIP switches; jumper options and LED diagnostic indicator
• On-board EOL bus termination jumper; Flash memory for firmware updating

Specifications

General Installation and Setup

1. Mount using two #6 x 1/2" screws (not provided), or inside the M1 cabinet using ELK-SWG Plastic Glide brackets.
2. Turn off the M1 Master Power Switch before wiring.
3. Connect terminals +12V, A, B, and Neg from the M1XSP to the M1's Keypad Data Bus (+VKP, Data A, Data B, Neg).
4. Set the Data Bus Address using the 4 address switches (values 1, 2, 4, 8 — binary sum sets address 1–7). First M1XSP should be address 1; additional units get sequential addresses.
5. Set the Mode jumpers according to the application (see compatibility chart below). For Lighting/Thermostat use, baud rate is internally fixed. Baud jumpers only matter when used as a Serial Port Expander.
6. For Serial Port Expander use, set the Baud Rate jumpers and connect via a standard 9-pin RS-232 cable (10 ft. nominal, 50 ft. max).
7. Set Format jumper JP3 to match required communication format — "232" in 99% of cases.
8. After wiring, turn the M1 Master Power Switch back on.
9. Enroll the M1XSP into the M1: Installer level programming → Menu 01-Bus Module Enrollment → press RIGHT arrow to start, then RIGHT arrow again to view results (should show a type-5 device at address 01).

Diagnostic LED: Slow blink (1/2 sec) = normal M1 communication. Fast flicker = communicating with other equipment. No blink = no communication (unit unplugged/off).

Important — HAI Thermostats: address switches on the M1XSP may only be set to 1–4 (each address maps to a block of 4 HAI thermostat addresses: Address 1 → HAI 1-4, Address 2 → HAI 5-8, Address 3 → HAI 9-12, Address 4 → HAI 13-16).

Firmware

Firmware is stored in Flash memory for field updates via ElkRP (Direct Com port or Ethernet/M1XEP connection — dial-up cannot be used). Firmware volumes: 1.x.x factory out-of-the-box (Aprilaire, RCS, HAI, OnQ-ALC, UPB, Centralite, EDT, Dynalite, LutronRA, W800RF32); 10.x.x AES Intellinet Radio (also supports Uplink AnyNET); 25.x.x Elk-M1XZW Z-Wave Module; 50.x.x Insteon-specific.

To update: connect PC to Control via RS-232 or M1XEP Ethernet → open the account in ElkRP → Connection → Update/Verify Firmware → select the Serial Expander device and "Update to new firmware" → select the .bin file (stored in ~Program Files\ElkRP\Updates) → check "Update" and click Continue.

Thermostat Interfaces

Aprilaire 8870

Requires the Aprilaire 8811 Protocol Adapter and 8818 Distribution Panel (one per 8 thermostats). Mode jumpers: S5=1, S6=0, S7=1, S8=1; JP3="232". Use the Aprilaire-supplied 6 ft RJ-to-DB9 cable (not the ELK-WO37A). Up to 16 Aprilaire 8870 thermostats total on an ELK-M1G using 1 M1XSP; ELK-M1 (Std) supports max 2.

RCS TR16 (RS-232 format)

Mode jumpers: S5=1, S6=0, S7=0, S8=1; JP3="232". Uses the ELK-WO37A cable (Black/Red/Green to RS-232 terminals; White/Yellow optional +12VDC). Each RCS RS-232 thermostat requires its own M1XSP — up to 7 on an ELK-M1G, 1 on ELK-M1 (Std).

RCS TR16/TR40 (RS-485 format)

Mode jumpers: S5=1, S6=0, S7=0, S8=1; JP3="485". Connect GND, D+, D- via 22 awg 3-conductor cable (max 1500 ft). Up to 16 RCS TR16/TR40 thermostats total per M1XSP on an ELK-M1G (each with a unique address 1-16); ELK-M1 (Std) limited to 2.

HAI RC Series (RS-232 format)

Mode jumpers: S5=1, S6=0, S7=1, S8=0; JP3="232". Wire the ELK-WO37A cable to the HAI's 4-pin flying lead cable (Black/Red/Green/Yellow). In the HAI Installer Setup Mode, set Item #00 Address (1–16), Item #01 Communications Mode to 0 (300 baud RS-232), Item #03 Display Options to a non-programmable option (4-7) to disable internal setback schedules, and optionally Items #05/#06 Cool/Heat Setpoint Limits. Max 4 HAI thermostats per M1XSP, max wire distance 500 ft.

Thermostat Programming (ElkRP, all brands)

1. Automation tab → Thermostat icon → name Thermostat 1.
2. Task icon → create "Economy Mode" and "Comfort Mode" tasks.
3. Rules icon → create rules: Area Armed Away → Activate Economy Mode; Area Disarmed → Activate Comfort Mode; Economy Mode task → set Cooling Desired Temp to 85°; Comfort Mode task → set Cooling Desired Temp to 70°.
4. Verify via Keypad: ELK key → Right arrow → Menu 1 → press 6 for Thermostat sub-menu → Right arrow to view T01 and current temp.

Lighting Controller Interfaces (RS-232 Serial)

Examples: OnQ-ALC, UPB, Centralite, Lutron RadioRA, Insteon, EDT-iLine. General setup: install the lighting controller per its manual, install the M1XSP (enrolling it into the M1), set JP3="232", set MODE jumpers per the brand (see compatibility chart), set BAUD jumpers to 000 (auto-set by mode), and connect via 9-pin serial cable. Program at least one M1 Lighting device via ElkRP (Name, Format=brand, Type=Switch/Dimmer/Appliance) and test with simple arm/disarm rules turning a light on/off.

OnQ-ALC

Low-voltage wired lighting technology; supports 31 ALC modules on each of 4 branches (124 devices total) plus 4-button scene switches on branch 1. ALC device addresses map sequentially to M1 Lighting devices 1-127, with devices 32/64/96/128 reserved for "Virtual Scenes" 1-4. Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=1, S6=1, S7=0, S8=0; JP3="232".

UPB

Powerline communications; requires a UPB Computer Interface Module (CIM). Supports 192 individual addresses (mapped to M1 Lighting 1-192) and 64 links/scenes (mapped to M1 Lighting 193-256; requires M1XSP firmware 1.0.14+). Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=1, S6=1, S7=0, S8=1; JP3="232", JP5=ON. The unique UPB Network ID must be programmed into both the UPB switches and the M1 (ElkRP Globals, G29-G42 Special tab) — never use Network ID 0 or 255.

Centralite

LiteJet/Elegance (wired) supports up to 192 loads and 64 scenes; StarLite (wireless, via Master Control Station) supports up to 96 loads and 64 scenes (set StarLite DIP switch #7 ON to emulate LiteJet). Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=1, S6=1, S7=1, S8=0; JP3="232". Individual loads map to M1 Lighting 1-192, scenes to 193-256. Receiving load status changes requires M1XSP firmware 1.0.14+ and Centralite LiteJet firmware 5.5+ (turn ON LiteJet dipswitch 6).

Lutron RadioRA

Requires M1XSP firmware 1.0.14+ and a Lutron RA-RS232 Interface. Mode jumpers: JP3="232", JP5=ON, S4=1, S5=0, S6=1, S7=1, S8=0. M1 Lighting devices 1-256 map to: Phantom Buttons 1-15 (devices 1-15) and All On/Off (16); Security Flash mode for phantoms (17-32); Lighting Zones system 1 (33-64) and system 2 if bridged (65-96); Security Solid mode (97-112); Window Treatment zones (113-176); and Master Control unit buttons (177-248, receive-only, usable as rule triggers if unassigned). Turn OFF Hardware Handshaking per the Lutron RA-RS232 setup guide.

Insteon

Requires dedicated M1XSP firmware version 50.x.x (field-flashed via ElkRP) and a Powerlinc Serial Controller V2 (#2414S, rev 1.6+, firmware 2.12+ with "timerCoreApp"). Supports 192 individually addressable modules (M1 Lighting 1-192) and 63 scenes/groups (M1 Lighting 193-255); device 256 is reserved for remotely starting/ending Insteon "linking" mode. Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=0, S6=0, S7=1, S8=1; BAUD jumpers initially 111; JP3="232".

Key limitations: devices link starting only at M1 Lighting device 1 and cannot be individually removed/re-arranged (must clear all and re-link); a firmware update erases all linked addresses; devices don't report dim-level status (only full On/Off, or via optional polling — one device every 15 seconds via Jumper S3).

Linking process: turn M1 Lighting device 256 ("Insteon LinkMode") ON via the keypad to start a 4-minute linking window; press and hold the Insteon device's SET/paddle to link it (each link resets the 4-min timer); tap the link mechanism again to stop that device's link mode; repeat for each device; turn device 256 OFF to end linking. To fully erase all links: power down, move jumper S1 to "0" for 5 seconds, then back to "1".

Jumper S5 lets the M1XSP mix Insteon and X-10 devices via the same Powerlinc: S5="0" (factory) supports 192 Insteon/X-10 lights + 63 Insteon groups; S5="1" disables groups but frees addresses 193-254 for additional X-10 devices.

Radio / RF Integrations

UPLINK "AnyNET" Cell Radio Backup

Interfaces an UPLINK AnyNET cellular radio for Contact ID reporting to the Central Station. Requires M1XSP firmware 1.0.14+, M1G/M1EZ8 firmware 4.3.8+, ElkRP 1.6.2+. Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=0, S6=0, S7=0, S8=0; JP5=ON, JP3="232". Program a telephone number as "Always Report" or "Backup," format "7-Serial Expander", account number 999999 for each active area. The M1XSP's data-bus supervision (40+ sec loss = "Expander Missing") inherently supervises the radio; text-string rules ("uplinkloss"/"uplinkrest") can drive additional trouble outputs.

W800RF32 X-10 RF Receiver

Receives X-10 RF transmissions (from remotes, keychain fobs, motion detectors, panic buttons, door/window sensors) and passes ASCII text strings to the M1XSP for rule triggers. Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=0, S6=1, S7=1, S8=1; JP3="232". Requires M1XSP firmware 1.0.14+. Only On/Off RF commands trigger M1 rules (not Dim/Bright). For DS10A door/window transmitters, use the W800RF32 32-Bit Data Decoder to identify the correct 4-character ASCII text string and match it in ElkRP.

AES Intellinet Radio

Contact-ID reporting to the Central Station via AES Intellinet radio. Requires dedicated M1XSP firmware 10.x.x, M1/EZ8 firmware 4.4.12+, ElkRP 1.6.18+. Mode jumpers: S4=1, S5=0, S6=0, S7=0, S8=1; JP5=ON, JP3="232". Program a telephone number as primary or backup, format "7-Serial Expander". Text strings "aesloss"/"aesrest" can drive trouble-condition rules.

Data Bus E.O.L. Termination — Very Important

The M1's RS-485 data bus runs at 38,400 bps and requires End-of-Line terminating resistors (120 Ohm, via a 2-pin shorting jumper) to prevent reflection errors. Never install more than 2 terminating jumpers on the RS-485 data bus. Terminate the last device on each of up to 2 home-run cables (marked JP2 on keypads, JP1 on expanders); if only one data bus cable is used, terminate at JP3 on the Main Board instead. For 3+ home-run cables, use an ELK-M1DBH Data Bus Hub (CAT5/CAT6, RJ45) or an ELK-M1DBHR Active Data Bus Hub Retrofit (4 managed branches, 2 home runs each, max 4000 ft. per branch) to properly series/branch the data lines.

Setting Keypad/Device Address and Enrolling

1. Keypad address: hold "*" + F5 for 5-10 sec to enter setup mode, press F1, set address 1-16 with Up/Down arrows, press Exit twice.
2. Enrollment: ELK key → 9 → Right arrow → enter Installer Program Code (default 172839) → "01-Bus Module Enrollment" → Right arrow → wait for enrollment to complete and display the total enrolled Bus Modules.

M1XSP Mode Jumper Compatibility Chart

Other jumpers: JP1 = terminate M1 RS-485 data bus (120Ω). JP2 = terminate outbound/external RS-485 bus if required by the other manufacturer. JP3 = select RS-232 (left) or RS-485 (right) on outbound connections. JP4 = not used. JP5 = supplies +12V to DB9 pin 4 (DTR) for certain modes — can be left on always.

Thermostat Compatibility Summary

Manufacturer

Elk Products, PO Box 100, 3266 US Hwy 70 West, Hildebran, NC 28637. Phone: 828-397-4200. Fax: 828-397-4415. Website: elkproducts.com.