Feature request - comms error

[jsteed]

Presently the plugin does not give any indication if it has lost communication with the thermostat. The feature request is that it alert somehow that it has stopped receiving data from the tstat. Ideally the plugin would have an event trigger for lost comms but even a periodic error message to the logfile would be of benefit.

I’ve had two occasions now where I’ve had a problem with my furnace that has shut down the unit and has taken the thermostat, a TR16, offline as well. The one time a fuse had blown in the control circuit so the tstat was without power. Therefore, it couldn’t respond to any polls. From what I could see via the plugin though nothing was wring – I could apparently still change setpoints and change modes with never an error shown. It seems like once initialized that it assumes that all messages sent get through even if it never sees any response from the unit..

A helpdesk/request has also been entered.

thanks
jim

[cadillackid]

I know thats something i implemented on the "OLD" plugin that I still use.. the new plugin does a better job at comms with zone controllers however just too many features left out of it for my liking. basicilly If I get 3 successive bad reads from the zone controller or the garage TR-16 I set a devicecode to ON.. this causes the rest of my HVAC system to go into "Limp" mode.. its a real easy feature that HST could implement in the current version of the plugin.
-Christopher

[williamwyoung]

[cadillackid]

sorry about the long delay but that looks like the communication I get when using a USB RS232 port or a non-powered RS-485 converter, I had no luck running my ZCV on a USB serial port.. I run mine on a PCI card and have great comms now..
-Christopher

[druide]

RCS TR40 Comm Errors

Comm errors are common on TR40's Serial interface when not using a shielded and grounded cable between the 'control unit' and the RS485/232 converter.

Anything RS485 must be grounded to work properly; This scenario was tested in our labs over a period of 5 months on 2 TR40, 1 with ground and the other without and the ungrounded TR40 gave us 18 errors on average per day.

Yan.