Frequent Lockups

[accessha]

Over the past two months I've had the ISY-99i/ IR PRO lockup on me several times. The Mem light is solid green and the Error light is solid red.

 

I am running ver 2.6.6 and have the ISY talking to an Elk M1.

 

Where do I start?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello accessha,

 

With sincere apologies. This is a known issue on 2.6.6 ... you may want to downgrade to 2.6.5 or wait for 2.6.7 which should be available shortly.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Over the past two months I've had the ISY-99i/ IR PRO lockup on me several times. The Mem light is solid green and the Error light is solid red.

 

I am running ver 2.6.6 and have the ISY talking to an Elk M1.

 

Where do I start?

[accessha]

Thanks Michel, I appreciate the info.

[Cartwrig]

I too experience lock-ups. Arrived out at customer's home and none of the automated staircase lights, and walk-paths are triggering.

 

Rebooted ISY and it's working again.

 

However, I need a method to keep this from happening. As customer is not happy when everything just stops working.

 

Systems I put in a zillion years ago used to have a "Watch Dog Timer Board" (these were PC based); and, if the software locked up entirely, and didn't send a refresh to the Watch Dog Timer Board, then the board would auto-reboot the DOS based PC.

 

Something like that maybe, here? Even if it had to be a remote Insteon module that would power cycle the power to the ISY/PLM combo, if the software didn't keep sending some sort of refresh.

 

How much better does ISY work, for example, if powered from it's own Power Supply (rather than the PLM's RJ45 cable); especially, if I put such a power supply on a back-up power supply as well?

 

That way it never gets hit with any power grid glitches or other.

 

Gotta do something,

- Rob

[accessha]

2.6.7 fixed the issue.

[Cartwrig]

2.6.7 is what is running?

 

Any further ideas?

 

Thanks,

- Rob

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Rob,

 

Apologies for the inconvenience.

 

We have been asked about the watchdog timer many times and we will surely incorporate it in a future release. The main problem is that in our Beta releases, we would like to find the reasons for lockups and thus a watchdog timer simply covers up the root causes.

 

Also, you can surely purchase a separate power supply and plug it in to ISY; this way ISY switches to the power supply if the PLM is removed.

 

Now, back to the issue at hand:

What do you mean by not running? Does this mean that you could not even access the system by browser or is that only the timers/schedules do not work?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

2.6.7 is what is running?

 

Any further ideas?

 

Thanks,

- Rob

[accessha]

Hi Rob,

 

Also, you can surely purchase a separate power supply and plug it in to ISY; this way ISY switches to the power supply if the PLM is removed.

 

Michel, what size/type power supply do you recommend? I would like to do this as well.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello accessha,

 

You need 5volt, 300mA (or above), center positive. We are currently out of stock but this is a fairly generic AC adapter that you can find in Radio Shack or Digikey.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Hi Rob,

 

Also, you can surely purchase a separate power supply and plug it in to ISY; this way ISY switches to the power supply if the PLM is removed.

 

Michel, what size/type power supply do you recommend? I would like to do this as well.

[MikeB]

I'm sure you can find something cheaper, but for the record I'm using this adapter from Radio Shack:

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... 552559&cp=

[Cartwrig]

Unfortunately, I don't remember.

 

I'm usually meticulous about taking down a note; let me go through daily reports from jobsite and see what I find....

 

Thanks,

- Rob

 

 

Hi Rob,

 

Apologies for the inconvenience.

 

We have been asked about the watchdog timer many times and we will surely incorporate it in a future release. The main problem is that in our Beta releases, we would like to find the reasons for lockups and thus a watchdog timer simply covers up the root causes.

 

Also, you can surely purchase a separate power supply and plug it in to ISY; this way ISY switches to the power supply if the PLM is removed.

 

Now, back to the issue at hand:

What do you mean by not running? Does this mean that you could not even access the system by browser or is that only the timers/schedules do not work?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

2.6.7 is what is running?

 

Any further ideas?

 

Thanks,

- Rob

[Cartwrig]

Michel,

 

Big question I have is:

 

Does the ISY handle things just fine if it loses connection with the PLM for a while (due to power outage), then suddenly gets a connection again. Specifically, and especially, if I start powering the ISY from an external supply, which I would then plug into a UPS Back-up Unit?!! Wherein ISY would never lose power; but, the PLM would....

 

Thanks,

- Rob

 

Hi Rob,

 

Also, you can surely purchase a separate power supply and plug it in to ISY; this way ISY switches to the power supply if the PLM is removed.

 

Michel, what size/type power supply do you recommend? I would like to do this as well.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi Rob,

 

I must confess that we have not really tested this scenario thoroughly enough to be able to definitively answer your question. This said, however, I can tell you the following:

1. ISY should withstand power failures and spikes on the power (from PLM) to up to 30 volts (normally, the PLM power supply is at 12 volts). Anything above that may damange ISY

2. ISY should be able to handle PLM connect/disconnects as long as it is itself connected to the power

 

So, the only thing to be tested (and mostly in real life scenarios) is to see how the PLM really reacts after a power surge. I would sincerely appreciate any input you can give us.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

Big question I have is:

 

Does the ISY handle things just fine if it loses connection with the PLM for a while (due to power outage), then suddenly gets a connection again. Specifically, and especially, if I start powering the ISY from an external supply, which I would then plug into a UPS Back-up Unit?!! Wherein ISY would never lose power; but, the PLM would....

 

Thanks,

- Rob

 

Hi Rob,

 

Also, you can surely purchase a separate power supply and plug it in to ISY; this way ISY switches to the power supply if the PLM is removed.

 

Michel, what size/type power supply do you recommend? I would like to do this as well.

[dougspence]

Michel,

I have been using a UPS protected power supply for my ISY 99ir Pro for several months. Because a 'whole house' surge protector is installed, it is not clear whether or not the system has experienced significant surge loads, but we have had several short power outages which would have affected the PLM which is, of course, not on the UPS. To date no problem has been encountered with the PLM re-establishing communication with the ISY after power is restored and without human intervention.

Doug

[Michel Kohanim]

Doug,

 

Thanks SO very much for this information as it makes our theory more credible.

 

Thanks again and with kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

I have been using a UPS protected power supply for my ISY 99ir Pro for several months. Because a 'whole house' surge protector is installed, it is not clear whether or not the system has experienced significant surge loads, but we have had several short power outages which would have affected the PLM which is, of course, not on the UPS. To date no problem has been encountered with the PLM re-establishing communication with the ISY after power is restored and without human intervention.

Doug

[Cartwrig]

Indeed!, thanks Doug!

 

This is extremely helpful info. Gives me a real sense that it will be worth it to put the ISY on a UPS-backed power supply, separate from the PLM's power.

 

Thank again,

- Rob

 

 

Michel,

I have been using a UPS protected power supply for my ISY 99ir Pro for several months. Because a 'whole house' surge protector is installed, it is not clear whether or not the system has experienced significant surge loads, but we have had several short power outages which would have affected the PLM which is, of course, not on the UPS. To date no problem has been encountered with the PLM re-establishing communication with the ISY after power is restored and without human intervention.

Doug