Ocelot problems

[DC]

I am using supervised and analog inputs on an Ocelot / SECU-16. Today I noticed in my log a series of messages that indicate my 3 garage doors and the door to my automation equipment room were all opened and closed within about 2 seconds. I'm very skeptical that happened. I would think maybe a short power outage caused the glitch but all my equipment is plugged into a battery UPS so I don't think that's likely either.

Later, I turned on an audio receiver into which I have a low voltage transformer plugged with the transformer connected to an analog input on the SECU-16. When I turned the receiver on, HS crashed. I restarted HS, and when I turned the receiver off, HS crashed again. I looked in the HS log and found HUNDREDS of messages indicating the analog input changed states from 1 to 0 and from 0 to 1 EACH SECOND for 3 or 4 seconds, until HS crashed.

Next, I started C-MAX Control and when I select "Attach to CPUXA", I get these messages continuously:

CommsRetry ROM version 104 RX0
CommsRetry crc 103 RX0
Comms Retry crc 105 RX0
Comms Retry crc 113 RX0
the 113 message repeats indefinitely, every second or two.

I want to use the Ocelot for some serious automation, but I can't if this flakiness is normal. For example, I can't tie it to my alarm system if it's going to sporadically think the alarm state changed from armed to disarmed and back like it did with the garage door loops.

Any ideas what is wrong? Dan Boone, any thoughts? Thanks.

[rjh]

It looks like its Ocelot related if the CMAX software is reporting these errors. In any event, I have released a new version of the Ocelot plugin that handles IO point changes better. Its on the support page at:

Support Page

-Rich

HomeSeer Technologies LLC

[hanarmco]

DC,

It sounds like something similar that I had several years ago it was either a loose power connection or a loose RS485 connection somewhere in the chain.

HTH,

Jon

[Dan Boone]

DC,
No, that is not normal operation.
First: On your input, are you reading it as an analog value? Or, are did you setup the input limits to report ON/OFF?
You will have the best results with the second approach.
Dan Boone, ADI

[DC]

Dan, I have the lo and hi limits set so that it reports on/off appropriately for the 4.5VDC transformer I am using. The Ocelot seemed to work better before I started trying to use an analog input. I may hook a relay up to the transformer and make it a simple on/off input instead. That seems to work better but I would prefer not to have to add that extra layer if I don't have to.

Rich, I will download and try the newest plug-in. I am currently using 1.0.13.

Joh, I will check the connections to be sure they are secure.

[rjh]

Note that HS does not handle analog inputs, you would need to use a script command to read these, or better yet, use CMAX to copy the analog value to an Ocelot variable. However, HS should not log any messages related to this.

-Rich

HomeSeer Technologies LLC

[Stuart]

Hi,
I myself had upgraded the ocelot to 3.01 flash while I was running ECS automation software. I too had the same complaint that was "front door open, garage door open, front door closed, garage door close" in about two seconds. This would happen about every three hours, but the first time was while I was sleeping late at night. so I went back to version 2.85 for now. I have been running Homeseer about 2 months now. I have not seen the problem on Homeseer and I'm not anxious to reflash at this time.
Stuart

[sponnath]

I am having these intermittent contact schizophrenia attacks where it can't decide if it's off or on.

So going back to 2.85 cures this?

SteveP

[Stuart]

Hi Steve,
Yes at the time when I was running ECS 2.85 did cure the problem. And just to be sure I did it twice and it was repeatable. (1.61e 2.85)
Give it a try, I'd interested to hear what happens as I had called Applied Digital at the time to notify them of this.
Stuart

[sponnath]

Spoke with Kevin today. He checked my setting of parameter 7 of the CPUXA. It's at 10. This means that the Ocelot will look for modules every 10 minutes. While it's looking for modules, it won't be looking at contacts. He had me set the parameter to 0 to keep the Ocelot from looking for modules.

Stuart, you might check this parameter just for grins.

I will keep 3.01 in place and see if the problem shows up again.

SteveP

[Dan Boone]

Steve,
I was pretty tied up most of the day. I asked Kevin to call you back.
We are thinking that the problem might be occuring while the Ocelot is scanning the network for attached devices.

For HA, there is no need to have parameter #7 at any value other than 0.
We do use the rescan feature in other applications.
Kevin is testing the theory out in the engineering lab.
Dan Boone, ADI

[sponnath]

Thanks for the quick turnaround on this request. After a lot of data logging and research (including new Ocelot plug-ins), thanks to Rich, it seems like the problem is fairly narrow in scope. It was great to see that someone else was having the problem to reinforce the issue.

Hopefully, the fix is as straightforward as setting parameter 7.

SteveP

[rjh]

Dan,

Would it make sense for the Ocelot plugin to just set parameter 7 to 0 at startup? I am setting some other parameters so its not a problem.

However, I don't think we sure that the parameter is the problem, are we?

-Rich

HomeSeer Technologies LLC

[sponnath]

I don't think we are sure that it's the problem just yet. Kevin said he would try to recreate the issue.

I have not had the problem since making the change (fingers/toes crossed).

SteveP

[Dan Boone]

We have not re-created the problem.
Based on customer feedback, it appears that the rescan option may be the source of the problem.
Set the parameter to "0". This option is rarely used in the HA market.
Dan Boone, ADI