Remote Link eats batteries

[DBaldwin]

I have two RemoteLincs. One in the office and one in the bedroom. Both work very well with the exception that the one in the bedroom is really going through the batteries. It is usually used just once per day to turn the lights off before going to sleep and yet the batteries are only lasting about two weeks. The RemoteLinc in the office is still on the original batteries and gets used far more often. Seems kind of weird.

 

Just curious if anyone else is having battery longevity issues or perhaps I have a faulty unit with an unplanned parisitic load.

[Mark Sanctuary]

Mine did that too. Then it stopped draining them and I can't pinpoint why. The only thing I can think of something might have been in complete in the programming causing it to continue to transmit a signal. Because I reprogrammed mine and now it does not drain the batteries any more. It's a weird one but I don't really know.

[DBaldwin]

Mine did that too. Then it stopped draining them and I can't pinpoint why. The only thing I can think of something might have been in complete in the programming causing it to continue to transmit a signal. Because I reprogrammed mine and now it does not drain the batteries any more. It's a weird one but I don't really know.

 

Thanks for the response. Good idea, I'll do a factory reset and then reprogram it and see if that makes a difference. I'll know if it worked in about two weeks.

[Brian H]

The RemoteLinc should go into a very low power sleep mode in my tests 15 seconds from the last button push or 4 minutes if in the Linking mode. If the reset doesn't fix the problem. It may not be going into the sleep mode.

[Brignolo]

My RemoteLinc did that too. 4 sets of batteries later (not too quick) I had it exchanged by Smarthome. The factory reset did not work. Also that particular remote would not respond to having other devices entered into the scenes it controlled. Hmmmmm....

 

New remote as of yesterday, copied the attributes, installed it in the appropriate scenes (this in place of a "replace device") and I was good-to-go.

[Mark Sanctuary]

Yeah looks like mine died anyways. This time it was about 4 weeks (my guess, second batch was better batteries).

 

So did exchanging it fix the problem?

 

Did they give a known issue for the battery life problem?

[Brignolo]

Yeah looks like mine died anyways. This time it was about 4 weeks (my guess, second batch was better batteries).

 

So did exchanging it fix the problem?

 

Did they give a known issue for the battery life problem?

 

The exchanged fixed the problem. The gentleman I spoke with was not Matt or Jason, so it was an effort to get him to accept the problem. Therfore...I did not get a reason, but nor did I ask for one. From his reaction (and I do not remember his name) it appeared that once he acquiesced he acted as if he had encountered this problem before.

 

Maybe one of you guys closer to the SmartHome/Labs people may get us poor AAA users the scoop!

[yardman 49]

Hello all:

 

Wow! What I've been reading in this thread exactly describes what I've been seeing with my RTLs!

 

My first RTL was the "black" model. It went through the first set of included "GP" alkaline batteries in about 1 week. It then went through a set of (I think) Energizers in about a week. I called for a replacement. While I was waiting for that to arrive (and then time to swap them since I have a lot of complex scenes) I noticed that the third set of alkalines seemed to be working better! Maybe about 2 or three weeks of use? And they still hadn't died when I replaced it with the new unit.

 

In the mean time, my "free" silver RTL (from the SGL exchange program) unit arrived. I've now had it in use for maybe a month, and it's still on the original "GP" batteries.

 

However, the black replacement RTL is now doing the same thing as the original black RTL! Since it has now gone through 2 sets of batteries in two weeks, maybe I should not RMA it, and instead see how long the current set of batteries lasts.

 

Here's my poll: how many of your "battery eating" or failed units were the black ones, and how many were the silver model?

 

 

Best wishes,

[DBaldwin]

Well, I started this thread on the 6th and followed Marks suggestion to do a factory reset. I had put new batteries in on the 6th before posting and last night had to replace those batteries. I guess that doing a factory reset most have fixed it. Now instead of lasting 2 weeks, it lasted 3 days.

 

This morning, I decided to do a "Restore Devices". It took about 20 minutes to complete. When I started the "Restore Devices" command, it asked me to put the RL's (I have two) in linking mode. Did so, but I was only at 3% completed when they dropped out of linking mode. This time, unlike previous attempts to restore them, I put them both back into linking mode a second, a third and a fourth time and I noticed that initially the light on each blinked at the same rate. Later, following the second time to put them into linking mode, one started blinking faster for quite some time and then returned to the slow rate. At the same moment that it returned to the slow rate the second started blinking faster. Later it too returned to the slow rate and I was quite surprised that they both blinked at precisely the same moment and at the same identical rate. Does this mean anything? Possibly not, but then . . .

 

Are we supposed to have to put them back into relinking mode over and over again? If so, I would think that the notice that they should be put in linking mode before starting the "Restore Devices" should mention it. It sure would be nice if the device restoration could take place first for the RL's and thereby eliminate that concern.

 

To get back to the one eating batteries, I will wait for this set of batteries to fail in order to see if the "Restore Devices" has some effect and if they fail quickly, I will contact SH and ask for a replacement.

[yardman 49]

Hello Dave:

 

What color are your failed or failing RTLs?

 

 

Thanks

[DBaldwin]

Silver. I couldn't afford Black.

[Mark Sanctuary]

Rubbery Black

[Brignolo]

Black.

 

The silver one is fine.

[Guest]

Why would the color of the enclosure make a difference? Electrically they should be the same. Unless they made a change recently and have not manufctured any silver ones with the change.

 

Very Strange!

[yardman 49]

Why would the color of the enclosure make a difference? Electrically they should be the same. Unless they made a change recently and have not manufctured any silver ones with the change.

 

Very Strange!

 

 

If there is any relationship to the "color", I would think that it would have to do with "builds" or "lots". Maybe they even have different factories that are assembling the devices. So I don't think that the "color" per se has anything to do with the problems, but rather the builds or lots that the RTLs or components came from.

 

Remember that the "free" RTLs on the SGL trade-ins started shipping considerably later than the original release of the RTLs themselves. As such, I received my first black unit long before the free silver unit. So maybe there's are a large amount of black units that came from an early production run that all have a similar defect.

 

Again, this is just a theory of mine. That's why I asked for a poll of the colors.

[upstatemike]

Are we supposed to have to put them back into relinking mode over and over again? If so, I would think that the notice that they should be put in linking mode before starting the "Restore Devices" should mention it. It sure would be nice if the device restoration could take place first for the RL's and thereby eliminate that concern.

 

 

I don't have an ISY so I am not familiar with the "Restore Devices" function but when I am using PowerHome to work with RemoteLincs I always program or restore 1 or 2 buttons to a time to ensure that the process completes before the 4 minute programming window of the RemoteLinc ends. Unless you have a very small number of links I don't think you can completely program or restore a RemoteLinc within a single 4 minute linking session.

[Mark Sanctuary]

I think that it was mentioned a while back by Michel that the ISY does the remotelinc restoring part first so it usually gets its links finished way before the 4 minutes are up.

[Michel Kohanim]

Mark,

 

Yes, you are 100% correct (and thanks to feedback from Frank): we restore RemoteLincs prior to restoring anything else.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

I think that it was mentioned a while back by Michel that the ISY does the remotelinc restoring part first so it usually gets its links finished way before the 4 minutes are up.

[DBaldwin]

Hi Michael

Attached is a quote from an earlier message of mine in this thread regarding restoring devices. Notice that it was on the second effort at putting the RL's into linking mode that there was a noticable change in the RL's light flash. Of course, I don't know that this was an indication that the ISY was querying the RL at that time or not. It was indication that something was different. Later the RL light flash rate returned to the original speed. This was followed by the same pattern of the second RL.

 

I am using Ver. 2.6 in the ISY 26. Is it remotely possible that the RL's are no longer the first device to be queried? The flash rate on the second RL was still flashing rapidly when the second 4 minutes ran out and I put it back into linking mode for the third time and it continued to flash rapidly for about 1 min into the third linking mode before it to returned to a normal flash rate. Perhaps I'm reading too much into flashing lights?

 

This morning, I decided to do a "Restore Devices". It took about 20 minutes to complete. When I started the "Restore Devices" command, it asked me to put the RL's (I have two) in linking mode. Did so, but I was only at 3% completed when they dropped out of linking mode. This time, unlike previous attempts to restore them, I put them both back into linking mode a second, a third and a fourth time and I noticed that initially the light on each blinked at the same rate. Later, following the second time to put them into linking mode, one started blinking faster for quite some time and then returned to the slow rate. At the same moment that it returned to the slow rate the second started blinking faster. Later it too returned to the slow rate and I was quite surprised that they both blinked at precisely the same moment and at the same identical rate. Does this mean anything? Possibly not, but then . . .

Mark,

 

Yes, you are 100% correct (and thanks to feedback from Frank): we restore RemoteLincs prior to restoring anything else.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

I think that it was mentioned a while back by Michel that the ISY does the remotelinc restoring part first so it usually gets its links finished way before the 4 minutes are up.

[yardman 49]

Hello Michel:

 

I know that once an Restore process gets started, the ISY gets "locked down"; that is the reason that the Busy Status is sometimes not accurate.

 

But is there anyway that there could be a notification in the GUI that "goes away" once the RemoteLincs have been updated?

 

For instance, when performing a complete "Restore Devices" to the whole network, if you have more than one RTL with multiple scenes, how do we know when there is no longer a need to re-enter "Linking" mode?

 

And how do we know which RTL is actually being Restored at any point in time when restoring Restoring (all) Devices? Do we just keep putting all the RTLs back into Linking mode until we think that they are done?

 

Or maybe there is a way to tell if they are still being restored by watching the "blink rate" of the RTL status light?

 

 

Thanks!

[yardman 49]

Hello all:

 

Well, it's Sunday 1/20 (AFC Playoffs -- Go Patriots!), and my "black" RemoteLinc has just gone through another set of batteries.

 

I forget the date when I last replaced them, but it was between 1 and 2 weeks.

 

I'm noting this here, and I'll reply back again when the next set dies.

 

It looks as though I'm going to have to RMA this one, also.

 

PS: my "silver" RTL is still on its original SH set of alkalines.

 

Best wishes,

[DBaldwin]

I'm in the process of doing an RMA on my RL at this time. The RL has been going through a set of batteries about every three days. I finally had the brains to switch to rechargables and luckily they can be recharged faster than the RL eats them. BTW, both of my RL's are silver and the other one is still on it's original batteries as well

 

BTW, when you call for an RMA and they tell you that the wait time is xx minutes, 23 minutes in my case, the computerized voice will ask you if you would like a call back when your name gets to the top of the list.

 

Don't buy it, to date, they haven't called back and I've been waiting to see if they would. I know, kind of stupid, but I always have to test. Can't help it.

 

My suggestion, just sit and wait on line if you truly want an RMA in a timely fashion.

 

 

Hello all:

 

Well, it's Sunday 1/20 (AFC Playoffs -- Go Patriots!), and my "black" RemoteLinc has just gone through another set of batteries.

 

I forget the date when I last replaced them, but it was between 1 and 2 weeks.

 

I'm noting this here, and I'll reply back again when the next set dies.

 

It looks as though I'm going to have to RMA this one, also.

 

PS: my "silver" RTL is still on its original SH set of alkalines.

 

Best wishes,

[yardman 49]

Hello Dave:

 

Thanks for the feedback on this. I was thinking about going to rechargeables, also.

 

Hello Michel: Will the "Replace...with" feature for the RTL be available on release 2.7? I think that I may hold on RMA'ing my RTL until you get the functionality added. That way I can test it on the RTL.

 

Best wishes,

[Brian H]

I have not had to call them in awhile; but the last time; I chose a call back. About 20-30 minutes later. I got the call.

That said things maybe declining at Smarthome.

[DBaldwin]

FYI while this is a little off topic I wanted to give you a heads up on rechargables. There is a new kind of rechargable battery available by Sony and Ray-O-Vac that is really a major improvement in rechargable technology. I've been buying the Ray-O-Vac brand and it is called "Hybrid" and I've only found it at WalMart to date. The big improvement is that the battery comes fully charged and will HOLD that charge for a year or more. It works really great in digital cameras, lasts much much longer and you can carry spare batteries with you that won't lose their charge like the standard rechargables do.

 

Stumbled onto it in one of my electronic trade mags when the product was first released and the writer was gushing about the new kind of battery. I've been using them for about a year and they are good enough that I have tossed all of my other rechargable batteries into the garbage. (Well, actually, I recycled them but you know what I mean.)

 

Take a look at them and be sure to look for the Hybrid name. RayOVac also makes the older style rechargables and they are nowhere near as good.

 

Hello Dave:

 

Thanks for the feedback on this. I was thinking about going to rechargeables, also.

 

Hello Michel: Will the "Replace...with" feature for the RTL be available on release 2.7? I think that I may hold on RMA'ing my RTL until you get the functionality added. That way I can test it on the RTL.

 

Best wishes,