FortrezZ MIMOlite Input stops working

[integlikewhoa]

I have a few MIMOlites for a several years now controlling some garages and driveway gate. The garages all have alarm on them which is integrated into HS so I don't use the inputs on the MIMOlite just the relay. But the driveway gate I added a contact sensor and use both the input and the relay on that one. My problem is after a few months the input sensor stops updating on the MIMOlite and a power cycle the MIMOlite and all goes back to working. The relay has never had an issue it continues to work it's just my gate shows always closed when this happens.

Anyways I'm getting tired of this and reading the forums I found old posts about the same thing from Smartthings, Vera and others. Problem is I'm not sure if this is due to a faulty old version of the MIMOlite (mine are probley 3 years or more old) or if this is an old firmware version (not sure if there is an update i can perform) or what. I really didn't want to purchase a new one and find out 3 months from now that it too stops responding to the input. I also like that it's line powered not battery as I know I could put a battery Z-wave door sensor out there and not use the MIMOinput. I really just don't want to worry about a battery device out there.

Anyone have any insite on this issues and can confirm that a newer unit wouldn't have this issue.

[logman]

I have several of the MIMOlites but have not experienced this problem. You might try contacting FortrezZ support to see if they have a fix for the issue... (704)940-9118. I have contacted them in the past with an issue I was having on a water flow valve and they actually have decent support and follow-through.

--Barry

[integlikewhoa]

I have several of the MIMOlites but have not experienced this problem. You might try contacting FortrezZ support to see if they have a fix for the issue... (704)940-9118. I have contacted them in the past with an issue I was having on a water flow valve and they actually have decent support and follow-through.

--Barry

I have already called them and they know nothing. Couldn't even tell me the current firmware version they are using now. They told me they recommend replacing the unit as it sounds defective. They said if I wanted more detailed info like firmware version I would have to email support (phone level doesn't have much info he told me). Which I have sent in an email but have not gotten a response. More then likely I will find no real info out and I'll be forced to buy a new one and hope that it doesn't have then same issues in the coming months. My units are well outta warranty by several years so i don't expect a replacement. And in reality I have atleast 4 of these units currently running.

[andyf]

Sounds like you could swap out one of the ones that you don't use the input on rather than buying a new one.

[integlikewhoa]

Sounds like you could swap out one of the ones that you don't use the input on rather than buying a new one.

Thanks, that was/is an option.

They were all bought at the same time and they all have the same firmware. So that would help me if the unit is defective but not if what the forums say which is the old firmware was the problem. I might do that in the future, but honestly its probably less hassle for me to amazon a new one in then to go threw the hassle and swap all my events and such if I move mimo's around.

Sounds like new units don't have this problem (more people chiming in would help me feel better about that). So I'll probley end up that direction and never know if this unit just failed or if its an old firmware issue. I guess I'm just looking for some feedback or maybe someone that had this problem in the past and found a solution or upgraded and all is good now.

[logman]

I have already called them and they know nothing. Couldn't even tell me the current firmware version they are using now. They told me they recommend replacing the unit as it sounds defective. They said if I wanted more detailed info like firmware version I would have to email support (phone level doesn't have much info he told me). Which I have sent in an email but have not gotten a response. More then likely I will find no real info out and I'll be forced to buy a new one and hope that it doesn't have then same issues in the coming months. My units are well outta warranty by several years so i don't expect a replacement. And in reality I have atleast 4 of these units currently running.

Wow, that's no good. It's been probably 3 years since I contacted them, so sounds like either they went to crap afterward or else I was lucky with who took my case.

--Barry

[AllHailJ]

Any chance that the contact sensor is going flakey? I have two of the devices for garage doors (purchased 3-4 years ago after go-control failed) and have not had a hiccup ever. My other thought is to rescan the device and see if that helps.

[integlikewhoa]

Any chance that the contact sensor is going flakey? I have two of the devices for garage doors (purchased 3-4 years ago after go-control failed) and have not had a hiccup ever. My other thought is to rescan the device and see if that helps.

No, After the first time i had a problem I thought it was the alignment of the mag, or the wiring which has been buried part ways (I spent way more time then I would like to admit without testing resistance at the MIMO to start with). I tested it for some time only to find that resistance test showed fine at the wires going into the MIMO. I have then learned that a power cycle on the MIMO is all it takes to fix the problem which if it was a MAG sensor (cycling the gate open and closed a few times might fix it but not power cycling the MIMO and it wouldn't be instantly fixed that quick, If i don't power cycle the MIMO it will go for days without showing the gate as opened). Honestly the gate is outside and there is a GFIC on that setup with a reset button inside the garage. I now know I can just hit the test and reset button on that and it power cycles and fixes my issue. It's just I don't want broken sh*t.

I have ran a Rescan, but I have never Completely removed and readded it (which maybe hard since it's not Z-wave Plus and it is outside and a few hops from the controller. If I need to remove and reinstall I'll probley just do it with a new one as I have to rebuild my auto open and close and other events.

[sparkman]

I use one with a water meter and it stops updating occasionally as well. I have the power supply on a z-wave outlet, so if HS does not get updates from it after a while, I have HS "reboot" the Mimolite. This has been reported to Fortrezz many times in the past. Not sure if the newer versions have the bug fixed, but mine are about 5? years old and not upgradeable AFAIK.

[integlikewhoa]

I use one with a water meter and it stops updating occasionally as well. I have the power supply on a z-wave outlet, so if HS does not get updates from it after a while, I have HS "reboot" the Mimolite. This has been reported to Fortrezz many times in the past. Not sure if the newer versions have the bug fixed, but mine are about 5? years old and not upgradeable AFAIK.

Thank's this is the info I have seen on the older units like mine and yours. I don't seem to see this posted recently so my guess is that either hardware or firmware has been updated since and fixed the problem. Or maybe people are not using them as much as they used too? Not sure but doesn't seem to be an issue recently that I can see.

Fortrezz has confirmed they are not firmware upgradable on the user side via my phone call. Years ago there was forum post of people saying Fortrezz swapped theirs out with newer firmware (1.17 was the fix at the time) units at no charge. Mine is to far out of warranty to even ask for it.

My units currently all have version 1.15 on them.

Thanks for the feedback, more then likely I'm going to order one new unit from AMAZON and replace and test. I might find a relay only application for this old one later down the road.

Also my MIMOlite is powered off the 24V transformer inside the Gate control unit. I have the MIMO in the same box as the control board for the gate unit. So I don't have a wall wort or easy way to kill power to this unit electronically as you do. I guess if I get a new MIMO this only relay can be used to kill power to the new one. LOL

[sparkman]

My units currently all have version 1.15 on them.

Thanks for the feedback, more then likely I'm going to order one new unit from AMAZON and replace and test. I might find a relay only application for this old one later down the road.

Also my MIMOlite is powered off the 24V transformer inside the Gate control unit. I have the MIMO in the same box as the control board for the gate unit. So I don't have a wall wort or easy way to kill power to this unit electronically as you do. I guess if I get a new MIMO this only relay can be used to kill power to the new one. LOL

haha. Mine are 1.15 as well.

[AllHailJ]

I have ran a Rescan, but I have never Completely removed and readded it (which maybe hard since it's not Z-wave Plus and it is outside and a few hops from the controller. If I need to remove and reinstall I'll probley just do it with a new one as I have to rebuild my auto open and close and other events.

You don't have to change everything if you use replace node. It saves a lot of pain rebuilding the events. I have done this in the last few weeks when I lost a switch. It works very well. You have to remove old node and install the new node and not remove the device in homeseer. Hope this helps.

[integlikewhoa]

You don't have to change everything if you use replace node. It saves a lot of pain rebuilding the events. I have done this in the last few weeks when I lost a switch. It works very well. You have to remove old node and install the new node and not remove the device in homeseer. Hope this helps.

Yes, thanks

I'll do that if I buy the same MIMOlite unit. That only works good on same devices. I have been burnt trying to upgrade HS100 switches to 200. Even a rescan after the replace didn't work. Had to be fresh install to get all functions (LED options). But I think that might have been fixed recently now.

[HSAccord]

I went through three different Mimolites a few years back. One died under warranty and was replaced by Fortrezz. That one died out of warranty and I bought a new one. The new one (which has worked fine since 2017) is v 1.17. The others were 1.15.

Don't know if this will help you, but here it is.

BTW, I recall your presence on the Vera forums - I'm a refugee from there as well.

[bkanuka]

eeyyyy I signed up for the forum just to say I have the same problem but on version 1.16 Thanks for all the info and confirming it's just a bad firmware version.