I have four GoControl GC-TBZ48 Z-Wave thermostats. (And I will never buy another - GoControl/Nortel refused to answer any questions after a power flicker damaged one! They hung up on me, so I've had to replace that thermostat and I'm doing the same to all of them.) Two are in the house and two in our renovated barn. Right now I'm trying to deal with one in the house and I can't remove it from the network.

I'm going to present this in chronological order to avoid confusion. I removed one thermostat in the house and I'm stuck on the 2nd one. So here it is, in order:

I tried to remove the 1st one and, without taking time to read all the directions, I went to the 1st thermostat and, in the Z-Wave menu, picked "Remove." It'd flash "Remove" and "Waiting," then it would end with "Failed." I tried that a few times. It was late, I gave up. The next day I looked over things, went to the Admin panel for my ISY994i, and picked "Remove/Exclude a Z-Wave device." I got the "Listening for Z-Wave devices to remove from the network" message and, soon after, it gave me a list of what I think is all my Z-Wave devices and I picked the 1st thermostat. It successfully removed it. Then I did the stuff I had to do with that one for replacement and so on.

Okay, good, now we get into trouble.

Time to do the 2nd thermostat. On the ISY Admin console, I go to "Remove/Exclude..." again and pick that. I get the Exclude window and the "Listening for Z-Wave devices" message. That's it. That window stays that way. No list of devices like I got previously. I go to the 2nd thermostat and go to the Z-Wave menu and pick "Remove." (My only choice!) I get the same message as before: It flashes between "Remove" and "Waiting." Finally I get "Failed." I check my Admin console - still on the "Listening for..." message. I've tried this in different orders - picking remove on the thermostat first, then on the console. I tried just using the Remove option by itself on the thermostat several times (since that worked the day before) and it didn't work.

First, I'd like to know what's supposed to happen when I use Remove /Exclude on the ISY Admin console. Is it supposed to give me a list of all devices like it did that one time? Or is it supposed to only listen for a device being removed?

Second, If I turn off the ISY (or, say, it died), how do I remove my devices from that dead network? I assume if a device dies, I can remove it as a failed node, but I'm wondering about the other end - if the ISY or any Z-Wave hub dies, how do I get a device to forget that network so I can add it to another?

35 minutes ago, Tango said:

I have four GoControl GC-TBZ48 Z-Wave thermostats. (And I will never buy another - GoControl/Nortel refused to answer any questions after a power flicker damaged one! They hung up on me, so I've had to replace that thermostat and I'm doing the same to all of them.) Two are in the house and two in our renovated barn. Right now I'm trying to deal with one in the house and I can't remove it from the network.

I'm going to present this in chronological order to avoid confusion. I removed one thermostat in the house and I'm stuck on the 2nd one. So here it is, in order:

I tried to remove the 1st one and, without taking time to read all the directions, I went to the 1st thermostat and, in the Z-Wave menu, picked "Remove." It'd flash "Remove" and "Waiting," then it would end with "Failed." I tried that a few times. It was late, I gave up. The next day I looked over things, went to the Admin panel for my ISY994i, and picked "Remove/Exclude a Z-Wave device." I got the "Listening for Z-Wave devices to remove from the network" message and, soon after, it gave me a list of what I think is all my Z-Wave devices and I picked the 1st thermostat. It successfully removed it. Then I did the stuff I had to do with that one for replacement and so on.

Okay, good, now we get into trouble.

Time to do the 2nd thermostat. On the ISY Admin console, I go to "Remove/Exclude..." again and pick that. I get the Exclude window and the "Listening for Z-Wave devices" message. That's it. That window stays that way. No list of devices like I got previously. I go to the 2nd thermostat and go to the Z-Wave menu and pick "Remove." (My only choice!) I get the same message as before: It flashes between "Remove" and "Waiting." Finally I get "Failed." I check my Admin console - still on the "Listening for..." message. I've tried this in different orders - picking remove on the thermostat first, then on the console. I tried just using the Remove option by itself on the thermostat several times (since that worked the day before) and it didn't work.

First, I'd like to know what's supposed to happen when I use Remove /Exclude on the ISY Admin console. Is it supposed to give me a list of all devices like it did that one time? Or is it supposed to only listen for a device being removed?

Second, If I turn off the ISY (or, say, it died), how do I remove my devices from that dead network? I assume if a device dies, I can remove it as a failed node, but I'm wondering about the other end - if the ISY or any Z-Wave hub dies, how do I get a device to forget that network so I can add it to another?

You don't say what your firmware and UI are so I can only make assumptions based off the latest firmware.

I've never seen the Isy give a list of devices when removing since zwave support first came out so I'm not sure how you got a list of zwave devices. Typically, you choose the remove device in the Isy, then go to your device and trigger it's inclusion process. This will remove the device from the Isy network.

Should your controller go down, you would do the same with the new controller. Use the new controller to Remove and then add it back to it. 

4 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

You don't say what your firmware and UI are so I can only make assumptions based off the latest firmware.

4 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

I've never seen the Isy give a list of devices when removing since zwave support first came out so I'm not sure how you got a list of zwave devices. Typically, you choose the remove device in the Isy, then go to your device and trigger it's inclusion process. This will remove the device from the Isy network.

That's what I thought should happen - I wondered why I was getting a list of what looked like ALL my devices. It didn't make sense to me. My understanding is that, for security, a Z-Wave node must be added or removed at both ends.

The problem is I go through that step ("Remove/Disable") and the ISY doesn't seem to get any communication from the 

4 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

Should your controller go down, you would do the same with the new controller. Use the new controller to Remove and then add it back to it. 

Part of what I'm considering (didn't think this would matter) is that I'm thinking of selling some of the devices I've removed from the network over the past year. I know some devices (like the locks I've removed) will delete the network with a factory reset.

If I knew a factory reset would do that with this thermostat, I'd do it. I bought this through Amazon, where the seller is "Brand: GoControl." Turns out they're not the official reseller, so GoControl/Nortel won't even let me ask a basic question like that. They just keep saying, "We can't answer any questions. Your authorized dealer that sold it to you needs to do that for you." (Which is why I will NEVER buy this brand again!)

3 hours ago, Tango said:

That's what I thought should happen - I wondered why I was getting a list of what looked like ALL my devices. It didn't make sense to me. My understanding is that, for security, a Z-Wave node must be added or removed at both ends.

The problem is I go through that step ("Remove/Disable") and the ISY doesn't seem to get any communication from the 

Part of what I'm considering (didn't think this would matter) is that I'm thinking of selling some of the devices I've removed from the network over the past year. I know some devices (like the locks I've removed) will delete the network with a factory reset.

If I knew a factory reset would do that with this thermostat, I'd do it. I bought this through Amazon, where the seller is "Brand: GoControl." Turns out they're not the official reseller, so GoControl/Nortel won't even let me ask a basic question like that. They just keep saying, "We can't answer any questions. Your authorized dealer that sold it to you needs to do that for you." (Which is why I will NEVER buy this brand again!)

I wouldn't blame the company for not talking to you. It's the person who sold you thermostats designed for dealers. Companies do not talk to end users to protect that network. It sucks that people will sell them to end users but many companies do this so be careful with your replacement devices.

All devices will delete their key with a factory reset so that's not a problem. Most controllers recommend doing the remove process prior to adding a device (even for new devices) so that wouldn't be an issue regardless should you sell your devices.

If the Isy is having problems removing your thermostats, it could be that your mesh is broken. Have you removed any devices used for your network?

 

30 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

I wouldn't blame the company for not talking to you. It's the person who sold you thermostats designed for dealers. Companies do not talk to end users to protect that network. It sucks that people will sell them to end users but many companies do this so be careful with your replacement devices.

Maybe they don't, but I haven't run into this before. I consider it a warning, now, to watch for all those Amazon vendors that have names like "Brand: GoControl." I'm seeing that more and more.

At this point, I'd like to just do a factory reset on this but, guess what? That's not in the manual and I'm SOL with nobody to call to find out how to do that, since GoControl won't even offer basic information about their product.

30 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

All devices will delete their key with a factory reset so that's not a problem. Most controllers recommend doing the remove process prior to adding a device (even for new devices) so that wouldn't be an issue regardless should you sell your devices.

If the Isy is having problems removing your thermostats, it could be that your mesh is broken. Have you removed any devices used for your network?

I removed that first thermostat, that worked, although not as it should and I did upgrade the firmware before that. I'll try healing the network.

Is Insteon this much of a pain to deal with? I've been finding Z-Wave frustrating. When it works, it works, but it's like dealing with a witch doctor when something goes wrong. I can't Google and get under the hood to find out how to fix it.

1 hour ago, Tango said:

Maybe they don't, but I haven't run into this before. I consider it a warning, now, to watch for all those Amazon vendors that have names like "Brand: GoControl." I'm seeing that more and more.

At this point, I'd like to just do a factory reset on this but, guess what? That's not in the manual and I'm SOL with nobody to call to find out how to do that, since GoControl won't even offer basic information about their product.

I removed that first thermostat, that worked, although not as it should and I did upgrade the firmware before that. I'll try healing the network.

Is Insteon this much of a pain to deal with? I've been finding Z-Wave frustrating. When it works, it works, but it's like dealing with a witch doctor when something goes wrong. I can't Google and get under the hood to find out how to fix it.

Insteon is much easier to use than zwave but at this time it's nearly impossible to get everything you need from them to get up and running. They're out of plms for the foreseeable future which is needed and they no longer make thermostats.

Did you try to Google how to factory reset your thermostat. Sometimes people will post videos or on other forums little tips like that for others. 

18 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

Insteon is much easier to use than zwave but at this time it's nearly impossible to get everything you need from them to get up and running. They're out of plms for the foreseeable future which is needed and they no longer make thermostats.

I found USB PLMs in stock. Serial ones - not so much. I know Aeotec is having supply issues as well. Zooz, apparently, has enough stuff in stock for now.

I'm just wondering about Z-Wave, Insteon, and even Zigbee. It seems like Z-Wave can be frustrating to deal with in some ways and I'm just wondering how the others out there compare.

18 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

Did you try to Google how to factory reset your thermostat. Sometimes people will post videos or on other forums little tips like that for others. 

That'll be about midnight or so. We got hit with a major flood last year (a 700 year storm) and I got it all fixed up and then, exactly a year later, got hit with TWO floods, both topping the 100 year floodplain (we have markers on our lot for that) in ONE day. So I've been working like mad to get that taken care of, since it's during 'cane season. I have to get my spreadsheet to a county engineer (along with an explanation, so he can check the high points and be sure I'm doing it all correctly without having to take too much time on it) and get drain designs to a subcontractor. Found out about both today and need to get those docs out ASAP - as in tonight, so they can see them in the morning!

When those are done, if I'm still awake...

But, seriously, I'm so caught up dealing with the flood stuff, I am glad you reminded me to do that! Thanks!