PLM / ISY Communications Issues "somplace"

[Badrobots]

Hi All,

We had a power failure a while back that might have damaged some components - I've been trying to fix the system, but hit a snag.

I have an ISY 99i pro with a number of insteon devices (switches, motion sensors, etc). After the power failure nothing worked via the console, only local control.

I purchased a new PLM, and used the "restore PLM" command, as well as doing a factory reset on several of the devices that seemed to be buggy.

The system now works on a "push basis", meaning I can send commands from the console to the devices and they respond. However if I adjust them locally, the status does not seem to reach the isy (unless I do a manual device query, which does read the device status correctly).

On the console if I do a "show plm links" it comes up empty. So I did "restore plm" again. No changes. It's a brand new plm.

Also, I'm still showing errors on the Remote link. Tried setting it to link mode, and restoring device, and nothing seems to happen. In the console the device shows a red exclamation next to it. But it can't have been related to power failure, since its not plugged in.

Any idea what is going on?

Thx in advance.

[paulbates]

It might be that the bad PLM information from the old PLM made it on the ISY's Link table, the system of record of your insteon network. Restoring that in some cases could be "restoring nothing" and explains what you're seeing

Try this:

• Pick any one of switches that displays this behavior.
• Right click on it in the admin console and pick restore device
• Make sure that completes and there are no 0101s next to the device in the admin console
• See if you can control it and look at the links table

If this works, your choices will be either

• repeating this process, device by device, or ...
• find a recent backup, that's before the electrical problem, restore that backup then restore the PLM

Paul

 

[Techman]

In addition to what Paulbates suggested did you follow the replace PLM procedure. See attached file

Replace ISY PLM.pdf

[Badrobots]

Hello All!

Thanks for the ideas. I did the replace plm procedure. No links showing. Doing the restore device resulted in no errors, and the console can control the device just fine. But if the status is changed locally (say, I turn the dimmer from 25% to 50% at the switch) the console will still read the old status of 25%. Do a device query, and it will update with the 50% number. My biggest issue with this is a synchrolink that is reading if a device is on or off, but will not act as a trigger, since you have to manually query it to determine the status.

Looking at the device links, it does have some values in it.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

 

 

[paulbates]

The PLM needs the appropriate device links to respond to... so if you turn on "swtich a", a message for "switch a" on is sent. The PLM will on pass along programmed device links to the ISY. If the ISY is not getting updated from the Insteon network, those device links are not in the PLM

There is a "Restore Devices" option on file menu of the admin console. Its unusual to have to use it , but if restore device didn't work on individual devices, that's the only other option I know of... short of deleting all of the devices from the ISY and adding one by one

[Techman]

What's the 4 digit date code and firmware version of your new PLM

What vendor did you buy it from?

Do a restore device on one device then see if that device's status properly show up in the ISY.  If it does then you'll have to do a restore device on each of your devices.

 

[Badrobots]

Ummm, not sure what you mean. The number on the back is 2413S, Rev 2.4.2017. I got it from amazon. The device code on the back matches what it says on the console under PLM info. Is that what you mean?

[larryllix]

1 hour ago, Badrobots said:

Ummm, not sure what you mean. The number on the back is 2413S, Rev 2.4.2017. I got it from amazon. The device code on the back matches what it says on the console under PLM info. Is that what you mean?

There should be an additional four digit number that is composed of the YY(ear) and WW(eek) of manufacture. Perhaps that is the 2017. Were those four digits separarted from the 2.4 slightly?

[Techman]

4 hours ago, Badrobots said:

Ummm, not sure what you mean. The number on the back is 2413S, Rev 2.4.2017. I got it from amazon. The device code on the back matches what it says on the console under PLM info. Is that what you mean?

The PLM was built the 20th week of 2017.  The PLM hardware version is 2.4

The PLM is fairly current. I would try doing a factory reset on the PLM then the restore PLM procedure again. How many devices do you have. Are any of them battery operated.

What is the ISY firmware and UI version?

 

 

[paulbates]

Did  you try "restore devices", plural, on the admin console file menu as mentioned above?

[rlcrook]

I'm somewhat in the same boat as the original poster. Had a storm, several breakers tripped and lost one of my ethernet switches in my home network. Got the network piece fixed, then realized later that evening that my outside lights didn't come on as expected. Opened the admin console, and it opened in safe mode. Ordered a new PLM from smart home, and followed the restore modem instructions, including factory reset of the new PLM. The admin console still starts in safe mode. I've replaced the cable from the PLM to the ISY with a known good cable. When the ISY reboots, power, TX, RX and memory LED are bright for a bit before going off. When I check the PLM info / status, it shows 000.v0/ Not connected.

How can I verify that the ISY is not somehow hosed and the cause of the communication issue?

[Techman]

Safe mode means that the ISY is unable to communicate with the PLM

The blue power light on the ISY should be on. Try rebooting the ISY.  Is the PLM plugged directly into the ISY or via a switch?

[rlcrook]

The blue power light is on. I have rebooted the ISY multiple times, and the PLM is plugged directly into the ISY, and not connected via a switch. As I look in the admin console, i see that while all of my insteon devices show, I have lost all of my zwave devices (except the repeater) and my programs are also gone.

[Techman]

It's possible that your power failure damaged the ISY or the ISY firmware.

I would suggest opening up a support ticket with UDI. They're quick to respond.

Submit a Ticket:          http://www.universal-devices.com/contact-support

 

[rlcrook]

Thanks for the suggestion. I know UD is very good at responding to support tickets.

I think at this point, I'm going to go ahead and do a factory reset on the ISY and see if that allows the ISY to communicate with the PLM. Fortunately, I only have a handful of simple programs which should be easy to recreate, and I have listing of all the Insteon devices and addresses so I'm hopeful it won't take long to get them back up and running. I also only have few zwave devices, so rebuilding that piece shouldn't take terribly long.

[ELA]

If a person is interested in testing a PLMs serial communications apart from the ISY, and willing to work at it a little bit ....

Should one want to exclude the PLM as the issue.

You can download a terminal program called Docklight ( used to be free - not sure anymore).    You then hook the PLM to a serial port on your computer using serial cable supplied with PLM. ( if you dont have a serial port you may need a USB -serial adapter).

There is a pre-made serial package that was called "PLM_Basic_Command_Set.ptp"  that can be used in Docklight to send a command to the PLM to see if it responds.

Here is a picture of the command being used.  If you cannot get docklight or its pre-made command set there are other terminal programs that will allow you to send hex characters.

Then just send "02 60" and see the response.

[Brian H]

The evaluation copies of both Docklight and Docklight Scripting are still available. Just looked 2.2.8 is the current versions.

https://docklight.de/

The Serial Port cable should be in the box the PLM was shipped in. Though kind of easy to miss as there is no printing on the box where it is in the packing.