So ... looks like my 2413S PLM is toast. Is it repairable?

[KenN]

Sometime during Sunday night, all PLM communications quit working, so my morning programs that operate insteon devices didn't work.  My thermostat settings did run, so I know the ISY is running programs and communicating with z-wave devices.  While troubleshooting this evening, I unplugged/replugged the PLM and cycled the ISY power - ISY has now come up in safe mode.

 

The ISY is a 994i, PLM is 2413S v1.6.  Both are just over 2 years old, having been installed summer 2012.  From the threads I've read it looks like 2 years is typical for PLMs of that vintage to fail.

 

Has anyone dug deep enough to see if there are any typical components that fail?  I've seen a couple comments relating to capacitor failure, so just wondering if I can replace a cap or two on the board.  I opened up the housing and the boards are pretty accessible, though nothing looks obviously failed (eg., blackened or mis-shapen from heat).  If I can fix this up with a little soldering work I'd be all for it!

 

[Teken]

All the required information and parts listing can be found by using the search feature.

 

Many people have reported great success in restoring a failed PLM.

 

 

Encrypted By: Phoenix Security Solutions

[Brian H]

Mine was two years and four months old. When it failed.

The main unregulated +12 volts that is normally closer to +18 to +20 volts. Was like +7 volts and varying as it warmed up.

The four caps didn't look bad {one may have been slightly bulged}. Replaced  them and now it is 100% rock solid again.

 

Before putting it back in service. I temporarily jumped the Fuse F1 pads on the serial daughter card {like in a 2412S} and monitored the unregulated +12 volts on the RJ45 Serial Port Jack. Was 100%. It is now back in service and fine.

 

If you do the caps. Use good quality low ESR caps like the ones mentioned in the cap replacement thread.

 

This is the thread that may give you more information.

http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/13866-repair-of-2413s-plm-when-the-power-supply-fails/

[apostolakisl]

Mine was 2 years and 2 months old.

 

How old was yours?

 

I swear SH had that figured out, like a timed self destruct sequence.

 

The cap replacement fixed mine as well.

[Teken]

Mine was 2 years and 2 months old.

 

How old was yours?

 

I swear SH had that figured out, like a timed self destruct sequence.

 

The cap replacement fixed mine as well.

 

Given its 2014 MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) is lab tested and well known. Companies can build things to last for days, weeks, months, years.

 

It comes down to the price point vs profits they are trying to achieve.

 

With the advent of consumer safety such as cUL / UL, ETL and and extremely low prices for electronic components from across the world. Its not that hard or expensive to produce a high quality item that will last 5-10 years. It comes down to the will of the company and what importance they place on said product.

 

Back in the day for those over (50) know the hall mark and the industry view was to produce something that was high quality, and would last a lifetime. Sadly, we are not in that era or period any longer and pretty much are a throw away society.

 

Its the race to the maximize profits before people.

 

If something lasts beyond one year you're just plain lucky these days. Obviously, this depends on the maker and how much you paid for something. The reality is that is only part of the problem, assembly, design, and intent, are other factors that need to be considered besides quality parts.

 

If the design was flawed from the onset all the quality parts in the world wont make a difference. If the great design, parts, were all top notch but the assembly was poor, you get the same results.

 

This comes down to the last point which is intent . . .

 

If a company built a fridge that lasted forever its safe to say they wouldn't be in business very long. Because no one would need another fridge for say 20 years.

 

So, built in obsolesce is indeed something that is designed, implemented, and deployed in consumer goods. It comes down to the company balancing all of the above while maintaining brand loyalty of the item / company.

[Techman]

One downside in repairing a failed PLM is that you don't get the advantage of the updated firmware now being offered in the latest version of the PLM which includes the fix for the all on issue.