ISY-994i / PLM Serious Gremlins...

[jesse.clauson]

Hi, long time reader, but this is the first time I've had an issue that I am unable to resolve on my own with the help of reading the support forums & wiki. I've found that things have never really been 100% reliable, but tolerable. I don't recall if this also was the case with the ISY-99I. A couple devices have been less reliable than others, but I don't use them often so I put up with it. Figured it was due to being on an opposite phase or something.

 

The system seems to have been degrading over the last few months and now it's completely hosed. I'm having an issue where the ISY can seemingly not communicate with any device. Of course my first thought was... ah crap. another dead PLM (this was the second dead one) as the comms had been flaky for a few months and then have stopped completely.

 

So, I figure my issue is a PLM and order up a new one from Smarthome, fullfilled by Amazon. It arrives and I'm excited that it's the new 2.3 HW version and it should (hopefully) last a bit longer than the previous two, and also I ordered up some new capacitors to re-cap the old PLM power supplies as backups. The new one arrives and I plugged it in, go to do a restore PLM, and it's just stuck... keeps trying to communicate with an switchlinc and ends with an ERROR 1, same as with the other PLM. I swap to the last re-capped PLM, same issue. Swap to the original re-capped PLM, same thing. I installed a signalLinc to try to improve communications, I've tried countless reboots, restores and PLM factory resets. Tried 3 different PLM's (1 brand new latest HW revision, 2 re-capped), 3 different short (3ft) ethernet cables between Port A and the PLM. I've checked the connector pins on the PLMs and ISY and all appear straight and clean w/ no obvious defects. Restored an ISY backup from a September, 2017 and tried again... same thing. Restored a backup from 2016, same thing (safe mode). Checked / Updated SW version (4.6.2) and Admin Console version (4.6.2). Moved everything to different power outlets (closer to computer to troubleshoot). With the event window open on 3 - communication events, sometimes there is no activity logged at all, but the system busy indicator and progress bar continue their deceitful shenanigans.

 

I believe the issue lies somewhere between the ISY-994i and the PLM as all of the other linked devices in the house continue to work together even with the controller is wonked out. I'm hoping that the answer is not that the brand new PLM with about 2 minutes of use is dead.

 

Sometimes the ISY boots and gets the PLM address, sometimes it goes to safe mode (which takes at least 20x longer to boot, or at least access via HTTP) and says the PLM is offline. I'm about at the end of my troubleshooting steps.

 

Ok, so with the everything disconnected, moved to a different outlet and reconnected there is more activity during the PLM restore but still many failures and retries... I'll let it go overnight and post the log in the morning. Mostly a lot of INST-TX-I1 followed by an INST-ACK and repeats at least a twenty times (still going) before declaring that it cannot communicate with the device.

 

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:11 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 14 72 CE 0F 0D 00

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:11 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 14.72.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:35 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 14 72 CE 0F 0D 00

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:35 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 14.72.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

... repeats until it gives up and declares an error with the device.

 

 Thanks in advance for your time!

[Teken]

Hi, long time reader, but this is the first time I've had an issue that I am unable to resolve on my own with the help of reading the support forums & wiki. I've found that things have never really been 100% reliable, but tolerable. I don't recall if this also was the case with the ISY-99I. A couple devices have been less reliable than others, but I don't use them often so I put up with it. Figured it was due to being on an opposite phase or something.

 

The system seems to have been degrading over the last few months and now it's completely hosed. I'm having an issue where the ISY can seemingly not communicate with any device. Of course my first thought was... ah crap. another dead PLM (this was the second dead one) as the comms had been flaky for a few months and then have stopped completely.

 

So, I figure my issue is a PLM and order up a new one from Smarthome, fullfilled by Amazon. It arrives and I'm excited that it's the new 2.3 HW version and it should (hopefully) last a bit longer than the previous two, and also I ordered up some new capacitors to re-cap the old PLM power supplies as backups. The new one arrives and I plugged it in, go to do a restore PLM, and it's just stuck... keeps trying to communicate with an switchlinc and ends with an ERROR 1, same as with the other PLM. I swap to the last re-capped PLM, same issue. Swap to the original re-capped PLM, same thing. I installed a signalLinc to try to improve communications, I've tried countless reboots, restores and PLM factory resets. Tried 3 different PLM's (1 brand new latest HW revision, 2 re-capped), 3 different short (3ft) ethernet cables between Port A and the PLM. I've checked the connector pins on the PLMs and ISY and all appear straight and clean w/ no obvious defects. Restored an ISY backup from a September, 2017 and tried again... same thing. Restored a backup from 2016, same thing (safe mode). Checked / Updated SW version (4.6.2) and Admin Console version (4.6.2). Moved everything to different power outlets (closer to computer to troubleshoot). With the event window open on 3 - communication events, sometimes there is no activity logged at all, but the system busy indicator and progress bar continue their deceitful shenanigans.

 

I believe the issue lies somewhere between the ISY-994i and the PLM as all of the other linked devices in the house continue to work together even with the controller is wonked out. I'm hoping that the answer is not that the brand new PLM with about 2 minutes of use is dead.

 

Sometimes the ISY boots and gets the PLM address, sometimes it goes to safe mode (which takes at least 20x longer to boot, or at least access via HTTP) and says the PLM is offline. I'm about at the end of my troubleshooting steps.

 

Ok, so with the everything disconnected, moved to a different outlet and reconnected there is more activity during the PLM restore but still many failures and retries... I'll let it go overnight and post the log in the morning. Mostly a lot of INST-TX-I1 followed by an INST-ACK and repeats at least a twenty times (still going) before declaring that it cannot communicate with the device.

 

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:11 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 14 72 CE 0F 0D 00

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:11 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 14.72.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:35 PM : [iNST-TX-I1 ] 02 62 14 72 CE 0F 0D 00

Sat 10/14/2017 11:25:35 PM : [iNST-ACK ] 02 62 14.72.CE 0F 0D 00 06 (00)

... repeats until it gives up and declares an error with the device.

 

 Thanks in advance for your time!

 

You have three options which assumes its stuck on a piece of hardware:

 

- Find the device listed up above and right mouse click and select disable.

- Delete the device from the ISY Series Controller.

- Assuming this device is a switch pull the *Air Gap* on it. 

 

If its not because its stuck on a piece of hardware power down the ISY Series Controller. Eject the Micro SD card and clean it and put it back and let it boot ~ What happens?

 

- Also something you can try which can help narrow down the fault. Go to this link and update the ISY Series Controller using the firmware that ignores a missing 2413S PLM: https://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/22000-release-462-is-now-official/page-1

 

If after installing this firmware the system states the 2413S PLM is not connected ~ replace the Ethernet cable and let me know.

[Brian H]

In your communications post.

I see the ISY command sent to the PLM and the PLM acknowledging the message as a valid command.

I don't see any responses back from the addressed module.

There maybe a communications issue to the module.

If the communications with the older PLM where going down hill. Maybe something in the home is deteriorate and also effecting the new PLM.

You may want to try a new network cable between the PLM and the ISY994i. Since you seem to be getting Safe Mode at times.

You are powering up the PLM first. So it initializes first. Then the ISY994i so it can find it?

[cayz]

(I've made my very similar issue it's own topic - https://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/22680-gremlins-part-2/ )