Any luck with 2420M low battery indication?

[slopdog]

How do you capture the low battery signal in the ISY? I read on smarthome website on product description that

 

"On command is sent to 'Group 3', which can be utilized with INSTEON software or an INSTEON automation controller"

 

http://www.smarthome.com/2420M/Wireless ... sor/p.aspx

 

I would like to try out the low battery notification, if someone can tell me how to ISY can send a notification that would be great, thanks.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi slopdog,

 

When you add your Motion Sensor, you get three nodes in the tree one of which has Low Battery suffix in its name. You can use this node to test for on/off events in scenes and/or programs.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

How do you capture the low battery signal in the ISY? I read on smarthome website on product description that

 

"On command is sent to 'Group 3', which can be utilized with INSTEON software or an INSTEON automation controller"

 

http://www.smarthome.com/2420M/Wireless ... sor/p.aspx

 

I would like to try out the low battery notification, if someone can tell me how to ISY can send a notification that would be great, thanks.

[slopdog]

I just realized that last night and forgot I posted this. Thanks I think I read some where you have to clear the status of that LB sensor after it is initiated?? Does that sound right? If so, how is that done?

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello slopdog,

 

Yes, this is correct. All you have to do is to replace your battery and then issue a Query on the low bat node in the Admin Console.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

I just realized that last night and forgot I posted this. Thanks I think I read some where you have to clear the status of that LB sensor after it is initiated?? Does that sound right? If so, how is that done?

[slopdog]

easy enough, thanks

[wrj0]

Yesterday, I received the first low battery email alert from my ISY-99 Pro. Whu-hoo! The original battery installed did not report the low battery condition before the battery completely died, but the second battery that was installed correctly reported the low battery condition by the ISY-99. No changes were made to the low battery report program. The first battery died with the ISY-99 running 2.7.0; the second low battery condition was reported by rev 2.7.12 just fine yesterday. Rev 1.1, 2420M Motion Sensor, marked "4908."

[upstatemike]

Wouldn't that node automatically get a query each night during the 3AM polling process? Is the manual step really needed?

[IndyMike]

Congratulations wrj0,

 

I believe yours is the first report of a Rev 1.1 sensor reporting its low battery status. Curious that your sensor date code indicates that it's actually older than my unit(s) (0909 date code).

 

Can you post what type/brand battery gave you the "low battery" confirmation?

 

Yesterday, I received the first low battery email alert from my ISY-99 Pro. Whu-hoo! The original battery installed did not report the low battery condition before the battery completely died, but the second battery that was installed correctly reported the low battery condition by the ISY-99. No changes were made to the low battery report program. The first battery died with the ISY-99 running 2.7.0; the second low battery condition was reported by rev 2.7.12 just fine yesterday. Rev 1.1, 2420M Motion Sensor, marked "4908."

[wrj0]

IndyMike,

The 9VDC battery was a cheap one my wife picked up at the local discount store; sorry, I don't remember the make.

[markens]

Another data point: I just got a low battery indication from my 2420 (rev 1.1, 0909). It's been in service for a year, outside in my driveway. The battery was the original "GP super alkaline" that came with it.

 

Interesting observation: I have the 2420 jumpered to turn off the LED indicator on motion. When the low battery indicator activated, so did the LED (with its double-flash). I think this is indeed the correct behavior (so you'll see a low battery indication regardless of whether ISY sees it or not). Good to verify this.

 

I think I read some where you have to clear the status of that LB sensor after it is initiated??

Yes, this is correct. All you have to do is to replace your battery and then issue a Query on the low bat node in the Admin Console.

 

I tried this without success on my 2.7.15 ISY99i. It appears the ISY simply ignores the query request for this device. (Yes, the 2420 was in SET mode; clicking the options button successfully returned the correct device paramters.)

 

Is there other magic to be done to make the query work?

 

I was able to clear the low battery status in the ISY by disabling the device, then enabling it again. So it's reset, just not using the QUERY technique.

 

Thanks,

--Mark

[ELA]

I realize this tread is a little old but I had some information to add and also to ask a question about the battery low threshold value.

 

First a real world data set: I have just had to replace a battery in one 2420M (ver 2.0). The ISY99i running version 2.7.15 reported the battery low. I noticed the double blink on the units LED for a day or so before measuring the battery voltage at 7.2Volts.

 

I have read IndyMikes tests on battery thresholds. Very interesting. It sounds like there is no defined low battery battery threshold value when testing at the battery leads? IndyMike indicated power source impedance variances affected his test results.

 

Surely there is a defined threshold internal to the unit that the microcontroller is set to activate a low battery warning at.

 

It would be nice if we knew this threshold. We should then be able to define a test condition under which to test at the battery terminals (or externally).

- With the 2420M in a known condition - or at known current demand value.

[wrj0]

Looks like the low battery report capability from an old motion sensor is not consistent - Rev 1.1, 2420M Motion Sensor, marked "4908." First dead battery did not report the low battery report. Second battery did. Last night I found the third battery was dead, but received no low battery report. Probably time to replace the Rev 1.1 2420M.

[matapan]

Has anyone actually found a workaround or solution to this issue of no low battery indication in ISY? I asked the Insteon support department at Smarthome about this, and they believe there are no issues with the device, even with rev 1.1, and that the problem lies with the ISY software:

 

"[scott] Once again, that is an issue with ISY as far as we can tell. They need to correct the problem in their software."

 

For all three of my motion sensor, I never got a low battery warning. The only indication that the battery was flat was when Dusk/Dawn and Sensor nodes for the 2420M provided no info, with the Low Battery node showing OFF for status.

[LeeG]

matapan

 

How frequently is the ISY rebooted?

 

Was the ISY rebooted toward the end of the battery life?

 

Lee

[LeeG]

matapan

 

The reason I ask is I think the Motion Sensor sends only 1 Low Battery On message. If the ISY is rebooted the Low Battery node On indication will be lost. I have set up Scenes where two of my Motion Sensor Low Bat nodes are linked to KeypadLinc buttons, I've set the KeypadLinc aside so that it will not be disturbed by any other testing. If the Motion Sensor Low Bat node sends an On message it will turn on a KPL button LED which will survive an ISY reboot. This is also independent of the ISY as the MS will turn the KPL button On through a link, not an ISY event. The batteries in both Motion Sensors are a few months old so it will be a few months at least before I see any results from this test.

 

Lee

[gviliunas]

Here is a possible workaround to consider:

 

Several months ago, I ran into this issue. In checking the forum for information and solutions, I noticed an alternate battery check method that was posted by Mike B. (My apologies if I am attributing this the the incorrect author).

 

Rather than rely on explicit battery low reports from wireless devices, a program was started for each of my wireless sensors at ISY reboot and is retriggered with each wireless device trigger. Once running, the program waits 3 days and then sends me notification of any sensors that have not activated in 3 day. (possible dead battery) Since I trigger most of the sensors in my home each day, I count on that action restarting these watchdog programs and not alllowing the three day limit to expire.

 

Unfortunately, you don't get an early warning of impending battery failure with this method. The again, the 2420M low battery signal has not been that reliable.

 

Greg

[C Martin]

why not trigger an Integer Variable with the Low Battery event. That way the value will remain even with a reboot.

 

Clarence

[matapan]

I'm sure that I've restarted ISY a number of times in the past two months. Perhaps the low battery status was lost when the unit was restarted.

 

That said, I looked at the ISY log for more clues. The motion sensor checked died on 11/4 almost 5am. I searched for any update to a Low Bat node in Excel, but found nothing. Assuming the Low Bat node gets updated, I would assume from looking at the log that there were no Low Battery messages ISY saw on the network all this time.

 

Is this a correct assumption? Or, does ISY and Insteon behave differently? When does the motion sensor actually send a Low Bat indicator update?

[LeeG]

"When does the motion sensor actually send a Low Bat indicator update?"

 

My testing showed the battery voltage had to drop below 4.5v before the Motion Sensor sent an On message for the Low Bat node and it sent the message only once. The Motion Sensor continued to work at that point so it is unknown how far back in time one would have to look to find that one message versus when the Motion Sensor would stop working. Hopefully at least weeks, maybe a month or more. If it sends a Low Bat message a few days before the Motion Sensor stops working it is not much use.

 

I am hoping others will jump in here with observations regarding the number of Low Bat messages generated. My expectation in the beginning was to see a Low Bat message periodically once the voltage level dropped below some point. That may not be possible for the Motion Sensor since it has no means of judging time beyond the small timeout interval window.

[TJF1960]

I only received a Low Batt signal once in 1 year with v2.0 MS, before that I have the v1.0 which were supposed to send Low Batt signals but didn’t. I had programs set up to send emails signaling the Low Batt conditions, only received 1 email and I had six MS!

 

The thing that troubled me was that when the batteries got sufficiently low the MS could enter a state of randomly sending On signals. I had a couple of v2.0 which would constantly send an On signal to linked devices when the batteries were low. I would turn the devices Off and they would turn back on in minutes.

 

Tim

[wrj0]

My first 2420M Motion Sensor, Rev 1.1, "4908" provided a single low battery report on the second battery installed (running ISY rev 2.7.12). I changed out the battery before finding out if multiple reports would have been received. The first (original) battery in the same MS (with ISY rev 2.7.0) did not provide a low battery report - I found the battery dead after noticing motion sensor enabled lights were not turning on. Programs now run once every day to notify when no MS activity has been received in the last 24 hours.

[matapan]

wrj0: Writing a program to check daily for any sensor traffic sounds like a good approach. What does the code for the condition look like?

[wrj0]

Here's one method to monitor your motion sensors:

 

First setup a program that looks for any activity from your motion sensor.

Program: Motion 1 Detect

If
       Control 'Motion 1-Sensor' is switched On
    Or Control 'Motion 1-Sensor / Dark' is switched On
    Or Control 'Motion 1-Sensor / Dark' is switched Off

Then
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

Detects Motion Sensor, so we can monitor battery with Verify Motion Sensor pgm.

 

Then setup another program to watch for that activity every day. This program will reset each time the motion sensor is activated, but if 24 hours elapse without any activity detected, it will send out a notification. This program is also called by an Init program at ISY startup so it is triggered to start monitoring.

Program: Verify Motion 1 Sensor

If
       Time is Last Run Time for 'Motion 1 Detect' + 24 hours 

Then
       Send Notification to 'wrj0 email' content 'Motion Sensor 1 Fail'

Else
  - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

If no motion detected for 24 hours, then battery may be dead.
Send notification.

 

Set up similar programs for the rest of your motion sensors. Hope this helps.

[C Martin]

Good Program.

You might want to include the Low battery Trigger.

I would also consider putting a counter variable so that you can see the number of triggers that happened....this is especially for the Low Battery Trigger.

 

Clarence

[matapan]

Thanks, wrj0. I get the jist of it.

 

Does your startup program call a series of programs to start watchdog timers desired each time the ISY is restarted?