Total loss of communication. ISY or PLM?

[Banichi]

I just got a few lamplincs yesterday and I was going to link them with the ISY. I put the ISY into linking mode and then did the same with the first lamplinc. I registered the lamplinc and put it in the list. I clicked finish and it was doing it's normal thing. Part way through the process it returned a "Could not determine Insteon Engine" error. I thought that maybe I was having some comm issues at that location so I moved to a new location, closer to another insteon device and an AP. Same result. I kept moving around the house and on my 4th attempt, the ISY was not able to see the lamplinc at all. To be sure I went back to the original location where it could see it at least and it didn't this time around.

 

So I then decided to install a new switchlinc that I hadn't quite gotten around to yet. Yet again no results. My ISY is on the 4.0.5 firmware. I decided that maybe a power cycle of the ISY/PLM might be a good option. This seemed to make my problem worse. While I hadn't tried to control some other insteon device during the whole linking business, after the power cycle admin console was, what I surmise was, reestablishing comms with my insteon devices. After each "system busy" type progress bar it would return an error stating that it could not establish communication with insteon device. So I click okay and that cycle continues until all of my devices are confirmed to not have communication.

 

So I power cycled again. To no avail. I wanted to check the firmware version of the PLM so I went to check "PLM Status/info" and it returned the address and what looks like a revision number stated that it was connected. Funny thing though was that the PLM wasn't in fact connected. So bottom line trying to figure out where I go from here since it doesn't actually seem like I'm actually having a comm issue since everything else worked perfectly before I attempted the lamplinc situation.

 

Thanks

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello Banichi,

 

I am so very sorry to hear and sincere apologies for tardy reply: our mail server were down all day today.

 

My first questions: do you have any baby monitors or INSTEON thermostats? If so, please disable them.

 

If not, please move your PLM to a different outlet. There have been many cases where there's too much noise on the outlet where the PLM is plugged into and it's intermittent.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Banichi]

I do not have any baby monitors or insteon thermostats. I was thinking of moving the PLM although I haven't had any problems since installing it 8 months ago. But still I was planning to move it to the outlet that is just below my breaker panel. This just requires adding a cat5 run into the hallway. I haven't had the time to do that since I posted though. I might have that time tonight but it is unlikely that I will be able to get to it until next week All work and no play.

 

It still seems odd that the ISY thinks that the PLM is connected even when it is unplugged though doesn't it?

 

I may need to purchase a few filterlincs to improve my network as it is getting large and I have no filterlincs on any of my battery backups or A/V equipment.

 

Nathan

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Nathan,

 

ISY would have no way of knowing that the PLM is disconnected unless you reboot ISY.

 

Please do keep us posted.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Banichi]

Hi Nathan,

 

ISY would have no way of knowing that the PLM is disconnected unless you reboot ISY.

 

Please do keep us posted.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Yeah copy that. The first time I restarted the ISY I also had the PLM unlplugged. I plugged the PLM in after the ISY had started up.

 

I did move the ISY and PLM to an outlet that it right next to my breaker box. This time after everything booted up and I logged in to the admin console, ISY told me that it was running in Safe Mode and that it was most likely due to no communication with the PLM. So I'm getting the feeling more and more that for some reason my PLM went down when I tried the linking process with the lamplinc.

 

Is there some sort of manual factory reset on the PLM that I should try? I couldn't find anything in any of the PLM's documentation.

 

Nathan

[Brian H]

First I would try a different cable between the ISY Controller and the PLM.

Also verify that none of the pins in the connectors are bent out of contact.

 

Yes you can do a manual factory reset. Just remember that sets everything back to blank. So no module IDs will be in it's Link Database.

 

Unplug the PLM and ISY Controller power supply.

Disconnect the ISY controller from the PLM.

While holding the set button on the PLM. Plug it back in and keep holding the set button for at least ten seconds. The LED will be Red. Then release the set button and wait for the LED to illuminate Green and beep.

[LeeG]

"The first time I restarted the ISY I also had the PLM unlplugged. I plugged the PLM in after the ISY had started up. "

 

That is the wrong sequence. The ISY looks for the PLM when it boots up. When it is not there there is no PLM. Plugging the PLM in later does not matter as the PLM does not indicate its there. The PLM needs to be there when the ISY boots.

[Banichi]

LeeG,

 

So I realize that I kind of abandoned this thread, (unintentionally). I did figure out that that sequence was incorrect. I had contacted smarthome after this and they just sent me a new PLM. Worked fine. However I recently decided to get some more insteon devices and when adding a new switchlinc dimmer 2477D the same thing occured. Couldn't add via regular linking nor could I add via manually entering the address. Then rebooted the ISY and PLM in the correct order and then the PLM could not communicate with anything again. It's sunday so no RMA for me today but I'm really curious what I'm doing here that is jacking up the PLM.

[LeeG]

Was the PLM factory reset?   If so a File | Restore Modem (PLM)  is required.

 

Has the ISY firmware been updated to 4.2.18 which is the latest Official release.

[Banichi]

I'm just really bad at replying to this thread apparently. So to answer your question Lee, no I never did a factory reset on the PLM. But just this last sunday I got communication issues with the PLM again. I got plenty of TX but no ACK. So I did a factory reset on the PLM and then rebooted the ISY again. Of course when I popped in to the admin console it was freaking out because it couldn't communicate with any of my insteon modules. I figure it might be because I need to restore the link database of the PLM, (but thinking about it now I would think it wouldn't need to to just get status of a module. Anyway I did try a restore modem and it gave me the following in the logs:

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:09 : [  17 80 32 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  2A A1 B7 1] Restoring PLM

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  16 7A D9 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  16 7A D9 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  17 80 32 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  17 80 32 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   18 1 E2 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   18 1 E2 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  19 43 EB 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  19 43 EB 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  22 F7 B4 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  22 F7 B4 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  22 F9 10 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  22 F9 10 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  23 EC C7 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  23 EC C7 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  23 EE 1F 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  23 EE 1F 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 23 65 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 23 65 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 8A 81 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 8A 81 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 A6 7D 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 A6 7D 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 A8 9B 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 A8 9B 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 AA EB 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 AA EB 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 AC 39 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  24 AC 39 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   25 9 C4 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   25 9 C4 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  26 9F C1 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  26 9F C1 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  26 9F D6 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  26 9F D6 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   27 B 2D 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   27 B 2D 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  2E 88 6F 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  2E 88 6F 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  33 68 B3 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  33 68 B3 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  33 82 B6 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  33 82 B6 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  33 83 64 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [  33 83 64 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   4 17 34 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   4 17 34 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   4 21 B2 1] Replacing PLM links (locally and in PLM)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : [   4 21 B2 1] Replacing PLM links Successful

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:22 : Reset PLM

Mon 09/21/2015 00:11:31 : [   18 1 E2 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:13:46 : [RST-ACK     ] 02 67 06 

Mon 09/21/2015 00:13:46 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 19 43 EB 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:13:46 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 19.43.EB 0F 19 00 06          LTSREQ (LIGHT)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:13:55 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 19 43 EB 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:13:55 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 19.43.EB 0F 19 00 06          LTSREQ (LIGHT)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:04 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 19 43 EB 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:08 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [19 43 EB 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:08 : [  19 43 EB 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:30 : Cannot reset the PLM

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:31 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 22 F7 B4 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:31 : [All         ] Writing 48 bytes to devices

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:31 : [27 B 2D 1   ] Link   12 : 0F98 [E2041943EB010004] Writing [E2041943EB010004]

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:39 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 22 F7 B4 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:48 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 22 F7 B4 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:52 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [22 F7 B4 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:52 : [  22 F7 B4 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:14:52 : [INST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 27 0B 2D 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 9F 08 E2 04 19 43 EB 01 00 04 E7

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:01 : [INST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 27 0B 2D 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 9F 08 E2 04 19 43 EB 01 00 04 E7

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:10 : [INST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 27 0B 2D 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 9F 08 E2 04 19 43 EB 01 00 04 E7

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:14 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 22 F9 10 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:14 : [27 B 2D 1   ] Link   12 : 0F98 [E2041943EB010004] *Failed Writing [E2041943EB010004]

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:15 : [2E 88 6F 1  ] Link   14 : 0F88 [E201167AD9FF0001] Writing [E201167AD9FF0001]

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:23 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 22 F9 10 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:32 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 22 F9 10 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:32 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 22.F9.10 0F 19 00 06          LTSREQ (LIGHT)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:36 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [22 F9 10 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:36 : [  22 F9 10 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:36 : [INST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 2E 88 6F 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 8F 08 E2 01 16 7A D9 FF 00 01 DD

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:45 : [INST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 2E 88 6F 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 8F 08 E2 01 16 7A D9 FF 00 01 DD

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:54 : [INST-TX-I2CS] 02 62 2E 88 6F 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 8F 08 E2 01 16 7A D9 FF 00 01 DD

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:54 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 2E.88.6F 1F 2F 00 00 02 0F 8F 08 E2 01 16 7A D9 FF 00 01 DD 06        (00)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:58 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 23 EC C7 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:58 : [2E 88 6F 1  ] Link   14 : 0F88 [E201167AD9FF0001] *Failed Writing [E201167AD9FF0001]

Mon 09/21/2015 00:15:58 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 23.EC.C7 0F 19 00 06          LTSREQ (LIGHT)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:07 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 23 EC C7 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:16 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 23 EC C7 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:20 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [23 EC C7 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:20 : [  23 EC C7 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:20 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 23 EE 1F 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:20 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 23.EE.1F 0F 19 00 06          LTSREQ (LIGHT)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:29 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 23 EE 1F 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:38 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 23 EE 1F 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:42 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [23 EE 1F 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:42 : [  23 EE 1F 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:42 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 23 65 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:16:51 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 23 65 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:00 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 23 65 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:04 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [24 23 65 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:04 : [  24 23 65 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:04 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 8A 81 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:13 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 8A 81 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:13 : [INST-ACK    ] 02 62 24.8A.81 0F 19 00 06          LTSREQ (LIGHT)

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:22 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 8A 81 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:26 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [24 8A 81 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:26 : [  24 8A 81 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:26 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 A6 7D 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:35 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 A6 7D 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:44 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 A6 7D 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:48 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [24 A6 7D 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:48 : [  24 A6 7D 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:48 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 A8 9B 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:17:57 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 A8 9B 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:06 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 A8 9B 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:10 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [24 A8 9B 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:10 : [  24 A8 9B 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:10 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 AA EB 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:19 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 AA EB 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:28 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 AA EB 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:32 : [D2D EVENT   ] Event [24 AA EB 1] [ERR] [1] uom=0 prec=-1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:32 : [  24 AA EB 1]      ERR   1

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:32 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 AC 39 0F 19 00

Mon 09/21/2015 00:18:41 : [INST-TX-I1  ] 02 62 24 AC 39 0F 19 00

Much of the bottom half there was just the lack of communication between the PLM and the rest of the insteon network. At this point I think that my PLM is dead again. Though I have no idea why they are not lasting more than a year. I do have some older switchlinc relays that sometimes create interference on my network when the lights are on. Not sure if that is due to the older switchlinc or the older LEDs that might be causing that particular problem. And no idea if that is related to my PLM problem. The PLM is plugged in in the halway where these switches/lights are located so that was my only thought there.

 

Is it the caps in these that are going bad? From what I understand a lot of other insteon modules failures are due to capacitor failure. Could that be the case here?

 

I'm pretty sure that at the time of my last failure my ISY was at firmware 4.2.18. I'm now on 4.2.30. I did update the firmware about a week before this became a problem. I doubt that there is an association there but may as well note the correlation just in case.

 

Nathan