LFMc

UPDATE: After about 2 weeks, I got a call from a tech at ONCOR in response to my email asking for support. He apologized profusely about the delay getting back to me and was extremely helpful in resetting the HAN link on my meter to get my ISY ZS working with the meter again. He asked me about the brand of my gateway and he recognized the UD brand immediately and was very complimentary of it. So, it seems that ONCOR is still at least servicing the existing HAN customers. I have no idea what might happen if we move to a new home in the ONCOR area, but thankfully there are no plans for that right now. Not being a hard core programmer, I am looking for a way to run an automated query of the smarthometexas.com web site to retrieve the "get meter reading now" button response. I have no idea if this is possible with something like CURL or not (or maybe a custom node in Node-Red), but it would replace the need to even have a ZS card in my ISY if I could program it. Looking at their API doc, it says they allow up to 3000 queries a day (about 2 queries per minute), but the rest of the info in the doc is over my head for the most part. If anyone is interested, I will post a link to the API doc.

More depressing news. Some how the TDU's have convinced the Texas Legislature that HANs are not needed for "new" customers. Now you have to go the the SMT web site and click on the "green" button to get a "demand" reading. Totally useless and is nothing but a gimmick to appease some users. How would you ever know that your billing rate just peaked to 1000x higher for the next hour? We are going backwards. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-regulators-approve-new-smart-meter-rules-limiting-access-to-real-tim/576093/

I agree, obviously. I think this is possibly a legal issue, at least in Texas. The consumers had smart meters forced on us in the name of "money saving" and ability to manage usage. In addition we have to all pay a fee every month for the benefit of having a smart meter. Given the onslaught of bad press this last week about people being billed $10,000 for power because they were on "wholesale" contracts, this refusal to support HAN devices will make them look even worse in the public's eyes. I guess now would be the time to bring this issue up with the media and with the legislature.

Just Googled Oncor han support and saw this article. I pray it is not true. But who knows. https://www.rainforestautomation.com/state-texas-residents/

Hi V, welcome to the confusing world of HAN devices. :-9 After Texas shut down HAN management via SmartMeterTexas.com, I have had no interaction with them. About 4 weeks ago, I somehow accidentally reset my ISY trying to copy the SD card in preparation of upgrading it to 5.x. After restoring it, the ISY no longer talks to my meter. My SEP repeater does still talk to my meter, so I probably need to ask Oncor to open up the "join" feature on the meter so my ISY can reconnect to it. So, you are ahead of me trying to get Oncor to respond. I have had actual phone discussions in the past with Oncor engineers and they did send a tech out to my house once to check the meter's HAN function. So they are responsive to me prior requests. It seems that once or twice a year my meter's HAN function locks up and stops feeding data to me. It turns out if power is removed from the meter (i.e. hard reset), then the HAN function returns to normal for another few months. So when that happens, I have to wait for a power outage or go through the trouble of convincing the Oncor service person that I know what I am talking about and cajole them into humoring me and resetting my meter. Of course that shuts down the power to the house for about 1 second and resets everything. ? Simply rebooting my internal HAN devices never fixes the problem. I will probably call them this week and cross my fingers that I get someone that even knows what a HAN is. Please let me know how you contact them and how it goes. If I succeed before you, I will post it also. As to your last question, I have no idea if there has been any change releasing them from the PUC ruling that they have to support HAN devices.

Great to hear the good outcome and good support help. But do you mind sharing any root causes you/Brad found that solved your problems so others don't stumble on the same issues?

Inseon switches cannot be combined with standard switches to control a single load. Each switch in a multi-way must be replaced. I have instances in my house where I have dual and triple switches that just are not used. On these I put in one insteon and cap the others off. Then If I want to have another second or third switch, I will put in a KPL 6 button switch as a primary to another light and use one of the soft keys as a secondary switch to the primary of the other 2 or 3 way. Also, even if you have multiple panels, I would think you still only have two legs of power (110x2 in the US). So technically only one bridge would be needed to support PL signaling. But PL losses on long runs to and from any power panel is a possible problem. One way to minimize this is to put your ISY PLM in an outlet right at the power panels to cut the PL signaling losses in half. But this also may put your PLM in an area that is "off center" to the rest of your Insteon wireless devices making the chance of more wireless hops probable. It depends on the configuration of your house and if the power panels are centrally located or not. The PLM doesn't have to be right next to the ISY. Also, do not forget the whole house surge protector! Cheap insurance.

One year on, and Oncor is still sending my ZS data without any issues. Have you heard anything further?

Until you can ping the IP, there is nothing else to do. In a direct PC to ISY connection, there is no DHCP to even give the ISY an IP address. Have you looked up the default IP on the ISY so you know your computer is on the right sub net?

Was it on a static IP or still using DHCP? Any chance the IP changed? Maybe something going on with your DHCP server? If you have it direct to the computer port, there may not be a DHCP connection. If the ISY defaults to it's own default IP, your computer may not even be on the right sub net. Also, have you researched the blinking light to know what it is telling you?

How does the Global Cache IP2IR compare with the Harmony Hub? I guess one difference is the IP2IR doesn't need Polyglot? Other differences? I am still using 4.7.3 and don't have a polyglot server.

ELK is an insteon compatible security system. My KPL shows the same thing it must be some alternate address for the ELK option. The ELK address given looks like the old "X-10" address scheme. When I add my KPL-A button (on my 8 button KPL and my 6 button KPL) to Google Home or Alexa in the portal, it's category switches to "Light". So yours doesn't? I probably can't help much from here other than to tell you to reset the KPL to factory default and re-add it to your ISY. It might not hurt to know your exact model number of your KPL also.

I use cURL.exe in a windows command line to do this. I think Libcurl version works for Linux variants, but can't be sure in your situation. Here is a link to libcurl: https://linux.die.net/man/3/libcurl Hope this helps unless someone has a better way.

Michel, I seem to think your interpretation of the SMT 2.0 notice shows some concern about participation of the ISY going forward. I did do some more research and I do not read into it any reduction in the HAN connection services based on device type. It seems the vast majority of this change is centered around the Green Button initiative to reduce the effort needed by a consumer to get access to their data or to give 3rd party access to their data. The additional item in this change is moving the process of opening HAN permissions for the customer to add a device to the TDU. I think the statement about "existing" customers can be taken incorrectly, not as a grandfathered requirement but just as a current user permission requirement. I.E. you have to be an Oncor customer before they can let you add a device to the HAN. I cannot find anything, at least yet, that shows any weakening or watering down of the requirement by the PUC in Texas that mandates allowing customers real time access to the meter data via the HAN or the optical plug in, regardless of the device type. Are you seeing or know of something else that concerns you in this area? I know you mentioned something previously in this thread. I'd be glad to further research it with some input/direction from you.

Yes, I think we are reading it the same way. They will offer Green Button data access so users do not have to create an SMT account. Also, smartmetertexas.com (which technically is for all TDU's customers if the TDU subscribes to it) is not going to handle HAN provisioning and the TDU has to do it themselves. I can't see them eliminating access in any way for HAN customers as it would cause so many devices to no longer work. Hopefully they are not taking away anything, just rerouting access permissions. Yes on the 24 hour delay also. Which really works out to "up to" 48 hours of delay as it has a 24 hour wait that starts from the last day's end. Hopefully this will not be the case going forward.

Latest on SMT 2.0 which is rolling out soon. https://tcaptx.com/legislative-watch/blog-puc-green-lights-smart-meter-texas-2-0-expected-in-2020 The one item that is of close interest to me is the removal of using the SMT web site to gain HAN permission and attachment. Looks like the ball is being handed off to the local TDU. "Smart Meter Texas 2.0 will no longer support Home Area Network functionality, although individual transmission and distribution utilities must maintain access for existing customers who request it. Home Area Network devices include smart thermostats and smart appliances that work with digital smart meters."

BTW, I got this email from SmartMeterTexas.com yesterday. It appears that Oncor may be expanding their offerings to us involved in meter watching. With them being able to provide data via an API, would this mean we can (possibly) dump Zigbee and consume the data directly over the internet via a (future) nodeserver? Probably just a hypothetical question at this point. But reading between the lines, this may be an attempt to dump dealing with Zigbee in the future (as your previous message alluded to). Right now I am getting data every 30 seconds and have the option of polling more often. I bet that any API they allow to see their data directly will never allow polling that often. I will have to do some more research on what the details are in this "approval" from the PUC involves, after all, "the devil is in the details". There are lots of very vague claims in the email. Another interesting issue occurred in August. Some Oncor users are buying power through brokerage wholesalers who pass along "the cost" of the electricity for a flat fee of $10 per month. What they don't tell you is they are buying power hourly on the spot market. Last August during a particularly hot day, the spot market for power in Texas jumped to $9.10 per KWHr for an hour in the peak power hour of the day. My friend uses one of these brokers called "Griddy" and his bill for electricity was $135, for one hour! Ouch! I did't pay that much for the entire month. Email from SMT: "Due to recent approval by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Smart Meter Texas will be releasing new functionality on December 10, 2019. A few key highlights of improvements and changes are the following: Ability to receive your data via an Application Programming Interface (API) Ability to receive your energy data via email Enhanced mobile awareness Enhanced to display 24 months of data Improved access to generation information An improved customer experience with a new website look and feel Watch for future emails for additional information and action required. Thank you for being a Smart Meter Texas user. Regards, Smart Meter Texas Team"

Thanks for the corroboration of Oncor meters being faulty. One very weird situation I haven't mentioned yet was after they reset my meter (without telling me) is both of my HAN devices reconnected automatically without permission. I had previously removed both of them from my HAN list of approved devices. I verified this through smartmetertexas.com. So they both "logged in" to the Zigbee HAN network and were working correctly without showing at the SMT dashboard or HAN log. I even let them run for a week or so in that condition to see what would happen, i.e. would Oncor wake up and figure out something was wrong. What this leads me to believe is possibly Oncor has an "accept all" setting without credentials on the HAN in an effort to appease my haranguing (albeit nicely) them over their meter causing the problem. I finally did put in a request via the SMT website to officially register my devices just in case Oncor came back and turned on security restrictions, if my theory is correct. Lastly, if you are registered on SmartMeterTexas.com, you can see the last firmware update date on the site under the meter information. That was one of the first things I suspected, but my meter, at that time, had not been updated in a few months, but today I see that they updated the meter about two weeks of rebooting it. Here is where you can see the info on the meter. Thanks again for the feedback.

Thanks Michel, Their support for a HAN user is fairly non-existent as it is. Just so you are aware of some other changes that have occurred since Oncor rebooted my meter. I had my SmartenIT repeater still located next to my smart meter instead of mid-distance between the meter and the ISY. But since the meter reboot the ISY has been almost flawless on data flow (from the meter) which has never happened before without the repeater and other enhancements strategically placed. So I turned off the repeater and the data flow is still near perfect at the 80+ feet through the house from the meter, even without the aluminum reflector. I bring this up because of the prior range issues I had trying to get the Zigbee interface on the ISY to connect up to the meter. I know it caused you (and me) a lot of concern about why the Zigbee range was so limited. Now it seems the range has easily more than doubled since the reboot. I have no idea if the Oncor tech somehow boosted the meter's Zigbee power output or if it was just the reboot of the meter that solved the "no connection" and range issue at the same time. Clearly the option of getting the TDU to reboot the smart meter is a valid option when there are range or connectivity issues. This is also a confirmation of the ISY's Zigbee interface as being solid and more than adequate for a much longer range (as the UDI specs state), even through multiple walls. I'll update you if I see any further anomalies in my SEP communications.

Being there is a PUC rule in place (§25.130(j)(8)) requiring HANs connections on the meters, I would have a hard time believing they could justify taking it away. In fact, I believe they are due for a major update to the smartmetertexas.com web site that should include more features such as "green button connect my data" universal access, but I cannot be sure. I found this web site that seems to be an advocate for more consumer access in all states. http://www.missiondata.io/activities#index They specifically discuss activities state by state. There doesn't appear to be much recent activity in Texas. But there is an un-referenced comment stating: "Third party access has been challenging due to poor technical support of SMT" on the Texas activity. I can personally testify as to the level of difficulty they made it for me to get someone who even knew what I as talking about to address my problem. What I had to do was to ask the Oncor gate keeper if they were familiar with the PUC ruling §25.130(j)(8) (pg. 69 of this document http://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/rulesnlaws/subrules/electric/25.121/31418adt.pdf) and were they taking responsibility for not complying (after I got their name of course). That immediately got me to a supervisor in charge of dealing with HAN device issues. Then I was told it would take up to 10 working days to get around to it. In reality, it took about 5. Clearly there seems to be a low priority and a lot of foot dragging about getting anything done with valid HAN issues. On the other hand, I can also see their side as they probably get LOTS of issues with people buying HAN devices and can't figure out why they just don't work by just turning them on. Please feel free to update me if you get more detailed information. I would think that it might help UDI to be a part of the Mission:Data alliance. --Leon

Just an update. Hopefully this helps someone else out in the future. Thanks to UDI's assistance, @Michel Kohanim, we pretty much ruled out any of my 2 disconnected Zigbee items having a problem, so that left my Oncor smart meter as the culprit. After 4-5 phone calls over 3 weeks to Oncor, they **finally** conceded that I knew what I was talking about and agreed to pay a visit at my site to test the Zigbee HAN system on the meter as they claim they could not test the HAN from remote. I decided to put both my devices (SmartenIT repeater and ISY) back in to search mode and did the same on the Oncor website, smartmetertexas.com on 8/28 which puts the meter, supposedly, into accept devices mode. I did this because Oncor apparently will do anything they can not to have any contact with a customer. From experience, I suspected they would not honor their promise to contact me before and during the visit so I would know what is going on and be able to test the system. Just as I suspected, 3 days later, my Smart Meter's Zigbee network just woke up and my 2 smart home Zigbee devices magically reconnected to the Home Area Network on their own. No contact before or after on what Oncor did to fix their meter problem. It now appears they issued a remote reset on the meter as at the same time I had 3 PCs shut down and reboot. But apparently it was quick enough of an outage that my ISY did not reboot and it isn't on a UPS. So now when I go to SmartMeterTexas.com to see the status of my devices that should be connected to Oncor, it says the meter is still waiting for me to connect my devices. This is very weird because both my Zigbee devices are showing on their side that they are connected, but the Oncor side is showing they have never authenticated. Sounds like more phone calls are needed to get their software working correctly. In the end it just seems like big companies like this will typically do most anything to not expose problems on their side. So, I should have insisted originally that they reset the meter from remote. I did ask originally for them to do this and they told me it wasn't possible. They may have been referring to just a Zigbee/HAN reboot only, but I would have taken anything to get the meter's network back up.

This morning at 5:45am, my rest communications to my smartmeter went into error mode and then stopped even trying to communicate 15 minutes later. Now looking at the rest logs, it only shows an entry when I restart the ISY994i saying "system start". I moved the ISY to within 3' of the meter and still nothing. On the ISY Dashboard, My Electricity module show the time as "unsynchronized". There is an LED at the base of the Zigbee antenna that is not on. It faces away from me in my cabinet, so I am not sure what it's normal illumination should be. Any ideas? I have not re-seated the Zigbee module in the ISY yet. Does this seem to be a dead zigbee module? Any help would be appreciated.

I understand, but my ISY DNS wasn't pointed to my router, just a down server. I am in the process of moving dns and dhcp services to the router as I simplify my network.

Thanks, I wasn't considering the ISY going outbound to the portal. Good point. It's DNS setting was to the internal server, so I changed it to an external DNS. I can't imagine that not having access to internal DNS would cause it any issues, but I could be wrong. It would be nice if the ISY had a secondary (fail over) DNS setting like PC's have. Leon

While on vacation, i started getting a "no isy found" or similar error message when trying to login to my ISY while on the road using the ISY portal. But, I was able to open up a VPN PPTP tunnel to my router and connect directly to the ISY from remote. When arriving home, I realized my server that runs my DHCP server had crashed and DHCP was not working. But my ISY has a fixed private IP address and works without access to DHCP. Upon restarting the server with DHCP, it now responds to the portal connection. As a rule of thumb, all critical equipment I have has a fixed, private IP address. I am a bit confused as to what caused the portal to fail, because without DHCP, I would think the problem would be reversed and my remote device using the VPN wouldn't get a DHCP private IP assigned to it and the portal should continue to work directly. The VPN is being handled by my Mikrotik router. Also the down DHCP server was also handling internal DNS. Thoughts? I would like to make sure my ISY portal access is independent of most other network services other than the internet, router and ISY being up.