Any suggestions for dealing with an ISY994 that has grown erratic?

[rslaufer]

Hello,

 

I have been a ISY994 owner for many, many years (I upgraded from the older model).

 

I haven't modified any programs for a year, but I updated its firmware (4.5.4) a month or two ago.

 

In the past week my ISY994 is acting quite flaky. It seems to become dysfunctional for a while and then works again, only to become dysfunctional again. My IOS Mobilinc  can't connect to my ISY994, then it connects but can't successfully query or send any commands and the timer functions fail for a time, but then it suddenly comes back to life and during those periods the timed functions are carried out and mobilinc works fine!

 

There is no specific interval for this on again, off again periodicity. I have rebooted it back into activity before I go to sleep, only to notice 1/2 hour later it is unresponsive, but when I wake up the next morning it is responding and the morning timed events were performed, then it stops working for another while, then it suddenly comes back on line...

 

The only sure thing is that a power off-on reboot restores it for 15-45 minutes before it goes off somewhere again!

 

I rolled back to a previous firmware version (4.3.26), but that had no effect. I have repeatedly powered it down and disconnected everything.

 

Does anyone have any constructive suggestions.

 

The linking and programming was adjusted thru many years with interacting devices, so I would not prefer the "nuclear option" of doing a factory reset and re-installing everything back over time from scratch.

[larryllix]

I think there may be some quirks in the firmware upgrade process at times.

 

I had some real bad ones and an ISY factory reset did wonders for it.

 

Just make sure you have a good backup and reset you time zone, password, and location after.

 

Sent from a tiny keyboard. Response may be brief.

[stusviews]

How old is your PLM? There's a four digit date code on a white label in the back. Any PLM older than two years is suspect.

[Brian H]

Your PLM is a 2413S not an older 2412S from the previous ISY994i interface?

 

I would suspect the PLM is starting to go bad.

Any hardware revision 1, 2413S PLM has a history of failing after two years in service.

 

Working for a short time after a power cycle is one of the symptoms of a PLM going bad.

LED on the side dim or off is another sign the PLM is going bad.

 

In the Diagnostics Tab. PLM Info/Status also may show something.

 

The information on the sticker that Stu mentioned. Will give us a better understanding of its age.

[rslaufer]

My PLM ain't no "spring chicken"!

 

It is a #2412S.

 

It has two tiny stickers on it:

 

2412S

0814

 

and

 

V2.8

0372

 

BTW, are any modules "hard linked" to the PLM? I have EZX10RF modules that were a pain to program correctly a long, long time ago...Will swapping PLMs be relatively painless?

 

(I am amazed that all this "stuff" hasn't gotten easier and more powerful after all these years.)

 

Roy

[stusviews]

You're PLM was made early 2014, so it's likely that it's failing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rslaufer]

Didn't the 2412S get phased out around 2010?

 

I don't think I got this PLM only 2-3 years ago...

 

BTW, the 2412S supplies power to the ISY994 - I seem to recall that the 2413S does not!?

 

Anyone have specs for power wart (Volts, mAmps, connector size), and a source if I can't find one in my "drawer of wall warts"????

 

Roy

[smokegrub]

I have ISY's at two locations. I have had to replace the PLM's for both.

[Brian H]

Correct. The 2412S PLM also supplied power thorough the serial interface cable. The 2413S does not.

 

Didn't your upgrade ISY994i have a power supply in the box? They normally ship with an included power supply.

 

UDI's sales page lists a replacement ISY994i power supply and indicates the upgrade should have a supply in the box.

https://www.universal-devices.com/sales/

 

Smarthome also sells a power supply.

http://www.smarthome.com/universal-devices-isy-power-supply.html

 

I can't find the thread where this was pointed out.

The ISY994i has an internal power supply regulator. Five volts 1 amp supply was in my kit.

I believe five to twenty [maybe higher]  volts was acceptable. I know some here have twelve volt ones and the old 2412S was supplying around eighteen volts.

[rslaufer]

The upgrade might have included a wall wart, but since I continued to use my 2412S, it was redundant.

 

Fortunately a have a dresser drawer filled with wall warts from the ghosts of gadgets past. It took me minutes to find a 5V 500mA wall wart with the right size connector. I placed an order with Amazon for another 2413S PLM, which I should have by Friday.

 

I hope this solves my problem - I have grown very used to all the niceties that I have programmed my ISY994 to do for me.

 

Thanks for all the help!

 

I'll let everyone know how it all "turns out"!

 

Roy

[Teken]

Hello Roy,

 

When the new 2413S PLM arrives please follow this related thread for the steps to complete: http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/19331-my-plm-died-and-i-bought-a-new-one-what-should-i-do-next/

 

If you're handy with a soldering iron you may try your hand in this repair process: http://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/13866-repair-of-2413s-plm-when-the-power-supply-fails/?hl=%2Bplm+%2Bfail Also, for the benefit of the forum members when the new 2413S PLM arrives could you let us know what the white sticker notes as the production date and hardware revision.

 

Lastly, once the new 2413S PLM is up and running please let us know what the ISY Series Controller notes as the firmware in use for this new piece of hardware.

[Brian H]

The repair procedure for the 2413S will not work with a 2412S.

 

100% different design.

Power transformer driven.

No power line switching supply.

Completely different capacitor values, voltage and ripple current ratings.

 

The schematic for the 2412S was in the Modem Developers Guide that can be found online.

The Serial Daughter Board schematic shows the smaller 24LC32 chip used in the original 417 link database version.

http://cache.insteon.com/pdf/INSTEON_Developers_Guide_20070816a.pdf

[rslaufer]

Well, all's well that ends well.

 

For those interested, my new 2413S has two pairs of digits on an attached label: 1635 and V2.2. When I query my PLM by my ISY994, I get: v9E.

 

Long story, very short: replacing my 2412S with a new 2413S solved all my problems! Everything is working very well - it was quite annoying to be without my Insteon gadgetry, even for a short while.

 

The repair instructions are for the 2413S not my old 2412S.

 

Time is money, and the time and trouble of hunting down the errant components and soldering a replacement would not be the best use of my time...

 

Thanks to everyone here that advised me about the 2413S!

 

RSLaufer

[Teken]

Well, all's well that ends well.

 

For those interested, my new 2413S has two pairs of digits on an attached label: 1635 and V2.2. When I query my PLM by my ISY994, I get: v9E.

 

Long story, very short: replacing my 2412S with a new 2413S solved all my problems! Everything is working very well - it was quite annoying to be without my Insteon gadgetry, even for a short while.

 

The repair instructions are for the 2413S not my old 2412S.

 

Time is money, and the time and trouble of hunting down the errant components and soldering a replacement would not be the best use of my time...

 

Thanks to everyone here that advised me about the 2413S!

 

RSLaufer

 

Roy,

 

Thanks for circling back with the group about the success along with the details for the new 2413S PLM.

[asbril]

I have ISY's at two locations. I have had to replace the PLM's for both.

That is why I have moved away from Insteon and have gone Zwave all the way.

This being said, I recently experienced erratic behavior of my ISY994ZW as well (slow reaction, Mobilinc issues...) and I did a factory reset, which resolved everything. Make sure to follow all steps of factory reset, including backup and restore.