Ceiling fan issues with version 5.3.3

[ctviggen1]

I upgraded my zwave board and also the software.  I do not have much Zwave, only 3 ceiling fans on the second floor of the house, and the ISY 994i is in the basement (vertically) on the wall.  I also have a basement door lock, which is about 5 feet away from the ISY.

With the previous zwave board, I never had issues with the ceiling fans.

With the current board and software:

- One of the ceiling fan controllers was not found until version 5.3.3, no matter what I did (I did everything, including resetting the controller)

- Now there are issues with not only that ceiling fan controller but also another one.  So, 2 of 3 ceiling fans get "lost" periodically.  Right now, both the 2 of the 3 are lost, meaning I got warnings I could not communicate with them.  Trying to contact one of them, I get "No network connection [[DHCP] state = RENEW]".  Oddly, for the second one, the admin console originally said it could not communicate with it, but just now, it could.

I have a ton of Insteon switches, but no Zwave switches.  I did not like the Insteon fan controllers, so I went with Zwave for those.

These are the fan controllers though technically mine are labelled as GE (but made by Enbrighten):

Enbrighten fan controller

Do I have to "strengthen" the zwave network, such as by adding something on the first floor to help bridge the gap between the first floor and the basement?  Do I have to move the ISY 994i to the first floor?  (Possible, but a pain, and what about distance now to the basement door lock?)

[asbril]

2 hours ago, ctviggen1 said:

I upgraded my zwave board and also the software.  I do not have much Zwave, only 3 ceiling fans on the second floor of the house, and the ISY 994i is in the basement (vertically) on the wall.  I also have a basement door lock, which is about 5 feet away from the ISY.

With the previous zwave board, I never had issues with the ceiling fans.

With the current board and software:

- One of the ceiling fan controllers was not found until version 5.3.3, no matter what I did (I did everything, including resetting the controller)

- Now there are issues with not only that ceiling fan controller but also another one.  So, 2 of 3 ceiling fans get "lost" periodically.  Right now, both the 2 of the 3 are lost, meaning I got warnings I could not communicate with them.  Trying to contact one of them, I get "No network connection [[DHCP] state = RENEW]".  Oddly, for the second one, the admin console originally said it could not communicate with it, but just now, it could.

I have a ton of Insteon switches, but no Zwave switches.  I did not like the Insteon fan controllers, so I went with Zwave for those.

These are the fan controllers though technically mine are labelled as GE (but made by Enbrighten):

Enbrighten fan controller

Do I have to "strengthen" the zwave network, such as by adding something on the first floor to help bridge the gap between the first floor and the basement?  Do I have to move the ISY 994i to the first floor?  (Possible, but a pain, and what about distance now to the basement door lock?)

Though I don't know if this is factually true, I have read other comments on the 500 series Zwave board reducing the distance. I don't have that issue as I have about 80 Zwave devices.

I always give the same advise when people have issues with their Zwave mesh network, which is get a few plug-in devices such as this one. Non-battery Zwave devices extend/repeat the network and plug-in devices are better (and often cheaper) than sole-purpose repeaters in the sense that they can be used to control a lamp or something else. Get a couple of these and put them along the route between your ISY and the fans.

Then right click on your fan controllers (and maybe also on the new plug-in devices) and do a Update Neighbors.  With the 500 series board this should be automatic but it does not hurt to do it manually.

Edited May 31, 2021 by asbril

[ctviggen1]

Thanks, Asbril.  I'll put those on my Amazon wish list. I have multiple plug-in Insteon modules, so I could probably replace a few of those with these (and these are cheaper).

I wrote the original post while in the basement and testing the system from there.  Even though the Admin console said I could not communicate with the ceiling fan, my wife came down and asked me why the ceiling fan went on and off.  So, even though the ISY admin console said it could not communicate with the ceiling fans, it did.

[lilyoyo1]

1 hour ago, ctviggen1 said:

Thanks, Asbril.  I'll put those on my Amazon wish list. I have multiple plug-in Insteon modules, so I could probably replace a few of those with these (and these are cheaper).

I wrote the original post while in the basement and testing the system from there.  Even though the Admin console said I could not communicate with the ceiling fan, my wife came down and asked me why the ceiling fan went on and off.  So, even though the ISY admin console said it could not communicate with the ceiling fans, it did.

Thats a sign of a poor network. I would still take Asbril's advice as it doesn't take much to knock a poor network down and it could potentially affect future automations you may attempt to do. 

What you are experiencing is akin to your wife yelling at you from the other side of the house. You may hear her and respond most times, but there may be some moments where you don't such as other things creating noise

[larryllix]

12 hours ago, ctviggen1 said:

Thanks, Asbril.  I'll put those on my Amazon wish list. I have multiple plug-in Insteon modules, so I could probably replace a few of those with these (and these are cheaper).

I wrote the original post while in the basement and testing the system from there.  Even though the Admin console said I could not communicate with the ceiling fan, my wife came down and asked me why the ceiling fan went on and off.  So, even though the ISY admin console said it could not communicate with the ceiling fans, it did.

It takes many different comms to talk between a device and PLM. The commands channels may be intact while the status coming back may be ruined from previous noise corrupting data while it was being updated. Then there are immediate response channels and query updates that all use their own codes.

[ctviggen1]

I will order some of the Z-wave plug in modules.  I find the Insteon versions to be sketchy.  I've had to go to outlets instead.  For instance, I had a plug in module for a towel rack heater.  It was always coming on at random times.  I replaced it with an outlet and haven't had any troubles.

I currently have another lamp with an Insteon plug-in module that's coming on at random times.  I could use an outlet, but I could also get a few Z-wave plug-in modules to test them and get a stronger Z-wave system.

[asbril]

1 hour ago, ctviggen1 said:

I will order some of the Z-wave plug in modules.  I find the Insteon versions to be sketchy.  I've had to go to outlets instead.  For instance, I had a plug in module for a towel rack heater.  It was always coming on at random times.  I replaced it with an outlet and haven't had any troubles.

I currently have another lamp with an Insteon plug-in module that's coming on at random times.  I could use an outlet, but I could also get a few Z-wave plug-in modules to test them and get a stronger Z-wave system.

Let us know how it goes.

[ctviggen1]

On 6/1/2021 at 10:48 AM, asbril said:

Let us know how it goes.

Will do.  I have four plug-in modules added to my cart, and when I get them, I'll install them all on the first floor.  This should provide a "bridge" between the basement (where the ISY is) and the second floor (where the ceiling fans are).

[ctviggen1]

So, I bought 3 zwave plug in modules. One is a dimmer, which I used to replace an Insteon dimmer for a lamp we use in a foyer on the first floor. This is in the middle of the first floor. 

The other two are on/off modules with nothing plugged in.  One I plugged into a not-used outlet in the living room, so about 15 feet away or so from the lamp. 

The third one I thought did not work.  I had a hard time with it.  But it did seem to work after a while.  I stuck it on the other side of the house from the one in the living room.

Since these are all on the first floor, the ISY 994i is in the basement, and the ceiling fan zwave controllers are on the second floor, I'm hoping this helps strengthen the zwave network. 

Of course, when I opened the Admin console, before putting any of the zwave plugin modules into outlets...there were no error messages.  Since there errors are intermittent, it'll be hard to tell whether I've succeeded.

I'm going to try the "update neighbors" now, and then back up both zwave and the ISY.

[ctviggen1]

By the way, for the "update neighbors", there doesn't seem to be an response, such as "neighbors have been updated".  You say "update neighbors", get a warning about battery-powered devices, say "proceed", and that's it. 

Should there be a response?

[gzahar]

By the way, for the "update neighbors", there doesn't seem to be an response, such as "neighbors have been updated".  You say "update neighbors", get a warning about battery-powered devices, say "proceed", and that's it. 
Should there be a response?

I believe it’s in the event log.

[ctviggen1]

I think you are correct about it being in the event log, which does show some "ZWCMD" commands, though I don't know what is what. There is [ZWCMD cmd.67] and a .51.  Though there are more 67s than 51s.

[gzahar]

I thought it specifically mentions starting the update neighbors process and lists each device as it updates neighbors then a final update complete. Maybe you need to change your log level. I’m on 5.0.16x still so that may be a difference also.

[ctviggen1]

Thanks.  How do I change my log level?  I'm on 5.3.3. Or at least when I choose tools, about, both firmware and UI are listed as 5.3.3.

I believe I have strengthened my Zwave system.  Or at least when I go into the admin console, I don't get random errors associated with the ceiling fan controllers.  Or I haven't yet, anyway. 

[DennisC]

4 minutes ago, ctviggen1 said:

Thanks.  How do I change my log level?  

In the lower section of the event viewer there is a drop down box with different logging levels. Change it to 3 which is the higher level. Leave the event viewer open while operating your device.

[ctviggen1]

Thanks, that did work.  I was trying to use the log and not the event viewer.