New Firmware 3.10A old comm/time problems back

[pete_c]

Problem of losing time and intermittent com with the thermostat never went away. Yesterday watching just the time; lost about 45 minutes in 12 hours.

That said replacing thermostat tomorrow with the Omnitstat RC-80 and will let that run for a bit. (that said wondering if the Omnistat2 with a Zigbee interface would work better - not too keen on going wireless though with my thermostat).

Concurrently here playing with a "prototype" do what do all box given out to different utility companies to monitor energy usage. This "do what" has a DECT VOIP phone set up, Zigbee, wireless network, wired network and blue tooth connectivity. The base OS is set up to connect to a thermostat and some zigbee based electric meter.

Thinking now of maybe getting the HAI Omnistat Zigbee model, and HAI Zigbee PIM to play....

 

[rsw686]

That said replacing thermostat tomorrow with the Omnitstat RC-80 and will let that run for a bit. (that said wondering if the Omnistat2 with a Zigbee interface would work better - not too keen on going wireless though with my thermostat).

I have two of the Omnistat2 with Zigbee interfaces and the ZIM. They paired on the first try with PC Access and communication has worked great.

That being said I did have a strange issue occur. When I disarm the controller changes the temp. At this time of year the heat will kick on immediately. I looked at the Haiku software after I walked in the door and it showed heating for the main level and off for upstairs. However the upstairs HVAC was heating and the thermostat showed the heating indicator. A few minutes later it corrected itself and the controller had the heating status. I log to mySQL with the HAI C# SDK and have attached a screenshot. A quick glance didn't show another occurrence but I only checked a few days.

 

[pete_c]

Interesting mention.

The communications problems with the thermostat (and timing issues) seem to be related to the switchover from no heat / AC to heat or no heat / AC to cooling. I want to try the Zigbee PIM and Omnitstat2 with the Zigbee interface. (someone mentioned that it still has the serial interface such that I could do both serial or Zigbee with it).

The temperatures here have gone from the 40's to the 30's-20's (like winter turned on like a switch). That said the timeframe of this changeover appears related to my issues.

Would it be possible to utilize your software (from the SDK) such that I could track this stuff with the mysql database?

I see the Zigbee PIM comes with a 6 foot cable. How far can I install it away from the HAI OPII? I mean can I extend the serial cable some 50-100 feet away from the OPII (mine is in the basement "server" room). Thinking of ordering a Zigbee PIM in the next day or so.

The little electrical utilities test box appears to be able also to control thermostats such that I can probably have it configured to talk to the Omnistat.

 

[rsw686]

The communications problems with the thermostat (and timing issues) seem to be related to the switchover from no heat / AC to heat or no heat / AC to cooling. I want to try the Zigbee PIM and Omnitstat2 with the Zigbee interface. (someone mentioned that it still has the serial interface such that I could do both serial or Zigbee with it).

The Omnistat2 with Zigbee has the serial interface. The Zigbee interface is a module that plugs onto the Omnistat2. From what I have read the same firmware is used for both. They just ship the module attached for those that purchase the Zigbee version.

The temperatures here have gone from the 40's to the 30's-20's (like winter turned on like a switch). That said the timeframe of this changeover appears related to my issues.

Would it be possible to utilize your software (from the SDK) such that I could track this stuff with the mysql database?

There are two versions: a debug console app that will show verbose output and a Windows service with output redirected to a log file. The configuration is rather primitive and stored in a .ini file. It logs to mySQL area status, unit status, zone status, and console messages as they occur and temperature once per minute.

It will only poll the thermostat for status if it hasn't received an update in the last 4 minutes. The thermostats can send updates multiple times a minute if humidity, etc is fluctuating between two values.

Alarm notifications are sent via email and prowl notifications will be sent for alarms and console messages. Prowl is nice as I receive a push notification on the iPhone a few seconds after the alarm occurs. I can then open the Haiku app and see the status.

I can package something together in a zip for download this weekend.

I see the Zigbee PIM comes with a 6 foot cable. How far can I install it away from the HAI OPII? I mean can I extend the serial cable some 50-100 feet away from the OPII (mine is in the basement "server" room). Thinking of ordering a Zigbee PIM in the next day or so.

You should be able to extend as far as the rs232 protocol will allow, which looks to be 50 feet. Mine is next to the controller in the basement. The thermostat is one level up and the upstairs is another level up from there. The devices are probably 20-30 feet line of sight from each other.

 

[pete_c]

The Omnistat2 with Zigbee has the serial interface. The Zigbee interface is a module that plugs onto the Omnistat2. From what I have read the same firmware is used for both. They just ship the module attached for those that purchase the Zigbee version.

Thank-you rsw686. I see the Zigbee firmware stuff on my Omnistat2.

I can package something together in a zip for download this weekend.

Thank you.

You should be able to extend as far as the rs232 protocol will allow, which looks to be 50 feet. Mine is next to the controller in the basement. The thermostat is one level up and the upstairs is another level up from there. The devices are probably 20-30 feet line of sight from each other.

Thank-you. I am today extending RS-232 up to around 100 feet with no issues via category 5 cable. I do have the Leviton HAI Z-Wave PIM adjacent to the HAI panel / Fuse panel and between conduit (testing it) and it does OK; so may leave the Zigbee PIM next to the panel to initially test.

I have a bit "too much" RF here with Z-Wave, wireless, propietary wireless, Insteon et al; not sure sure how Zigbee wireless will behave. The HAI panel has an X10, Z-Wave and UPB PIM; such that I will add the Zigbee PIM to the mix making the panel work a bit harder along with the addition of more wireless in the house.

Attached are pictures of my Omnitouch screens (both types installed). The serial Omnitouch is only showing ambient temperature maybe every 5 minutes. The POE Omnitouch only "flickers" the zero ambient temperature but mostly stays at the ambient temperature.

The most important thing is that the thermostat is working. The bad thing though is that my HAI OPII panel time will be totally off by later on this afternoon. That said the nightly lighting events will not trigger correctly tonight unless I unplug the network interface (losing my HAI POE screens).

 

[rsw686]

I have seen the 0 temp before, but it seems to coincide with writing the controller with PC Access. The C# logger doesn't log these values to mySQL as I intended to graph the output. It does log the occurrence to the file log so you will know when it happens. I would have to look at the SDK, but I should be able to add some code to check the controller every 10 minutes and set the time if more than a minute off.

 

[pete_c]

Thanks rsw686!

I see these issues too with PCA. When I make a change to the thermostat it doesn't change. This too with the Russound serial connections and control via Omnitouch.

 

[rsw686]

You can download the logger software from the below link. I have been running it for the last few weeks and it has been bug free, but let me know if you experience any issues. The notifications to alert you of an alarm by email or prowl are use at your own risk.

http://www.excaliburtech.net/downloads/HAILogger_1_0_0.zip

 

[pete_c]

Very nice!

Installed it tonight and it is running.

First time correction was:

12/30/2012 01:10:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 00:40:02 out of sync by 1798.1699667 seconds

After that its been around 20 seconds or so.

12/30/2012 02:27:59 INFO: CoreServer: Starting up server
12/30/2012 02:27:59 INFO: CoreServer: CONNECTION STATUS: Connecting
12/30/2012 02:28:00 INFO: CoreServer: CONTROLLER IS: OmniPro II (3.11)
12/30/2012 02:28:00 INFO: CoreServer: Retrieving named units
12/30/2012 02:28:00 INFO: CoreServer: Unsolicited notifications enabled
12/30/2012 02:29:00 WARN: ThermostatTimer: Not logging unknown temp for Thermostat
12/30/2012 02:30:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 02:28:58 out of sync by 62.1651805 seconds
12/30/2012 02:40:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 02:39:38 out of sync by 22.1684887 seconds

 

[rsw686]

Glad to hear it is working! I've had the time sync running on mine for 14 hours and it only adjusted once when starting. Your controller looks to drifting over 20 seconds in 10 minutes!

 

[pete_c]

Thank you providing the application to test with. It is a very odd intermittent issue. If I disconnect network cable then time will remain in sync. Historically I would do this for a couple of days and then plug it back in and it would remain just fine.

With HAI support I had installed the Omnistat-RC-80 while waiting for the Omnistat2 and the issue went away.

I am using a Category 5 cable for the serial connectivity to the panel . I am also using an autonomous power supply for the thermostat.

 

[pete_c]

Using PCA this morning changed the thermostat setting from auto heat/cool to just heat/cool to see if that makes a difference. I am seeing that the polling doesn't always get the temperature from the thermostat.

This morning trying something else.

Disconnected one serial connection; warm rebooting panel and watching logging for a period of time.

I did this in "vivo". It did ding the logger as it exited a few minutes later.

I noticed that if I didn't set the time with PCA after the warm boot the logger would exit as above.

I set the time with PCA and logger is running fine now.

Will initially start with the RJ serial connections; then Omnitouch; then thermostat and see if anything happens and to validate that its maybe the thermostat serial connection that is causing me grief.

I also just unplugged Thermostat; plugged it back in and did another warm boot. Its still showing a zero then a temperature on the Omnitouch consoles. The next serial disconnect will be the thermostat just to see if the clock stays out of sync or goes back in sync.

I don't understand this piece in the logging.

VERBOSE: ThermostatTimer: Unsolicited status received for Thermostat

 

[pete_c]

This granularity look is great. Thank you RSW686!

Afternoon now at 1653 central time; OPII is still losing time:

VERBOSE: ExtendedStatus: Auxillary 33 9 59 8 6 0 15 0 83 0 0 52 168
VERBOSE: ThermostatStatus: Thermostat, Status: 69 OFF, Heat: 68, Cool: 78, Mode:
HEAT, Fan: ON, Hold: OFF
WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 16:49:39 out of sync by 21.18109
76 seconds
VERBOSE: CoreServer: UNSOLICITED: ExtendedStatus
VERBOSE: ExtendedStatus: Auxillary 33 9 59 8 6 0 15 0 82 0 0 101 104

Going to try a warm boot / cold kinda boot of the OPII in a little bit by unplugging the power and battery after a warm boot to see it it changes anything.

Afterwards disconnecting the Omnistat2 serial lines from the OPII just to see what if anything changes. I wil also change the PCA configuration accordingly and warm boot controller.

 

[pete_c]

I have not done anything yet but looked at the logging. It appears that switching the thermostat from auto heat / cool to just heat / cool in PCA is causing an error in the logging. Switching it back to the original configuration for the time being and not making any more changes in PCA nor removing thermostat to watch a bit.

INSERT INTO log_thermostats (timestamp, id, name,
status, temp, heat, cool,
humidity, humidify, dehumidify,
mode, fan, hold)
VALUES (NOW(), '1','Thermostat','OFF','70','INVALID','78','0','25','55','HEAT','ON','INVALID')
ERROR [HY000] [MySQL][ODBC 5.1 Driver][mysqld-5.1.67-community]Incorrect integer value: 'INVALID' for column 'heat' at row 1
INSERT INTO log_thermostats (timestamp, id, name,
status, temp, heat, cool,
humidity, humidify, dehumidify,
mode, fan, hold)
VALUES (NOW(), '1','Thermostat','OFF','69','INVALID','78','0','25','55','HEAT','ON','OFF')
ERROR [HY000] [MySQL][ODBC 5.1 Driver][mysqld-5.1.67-community]Incorrect integer value: 'INVALID' for column 'heat' at row 1
12/30/2012 17:00:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 16:59:39 out of sync by 21.147625 seconds
12/30/2012 17:10:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 17:09:41 out of sync by 19.1140432 seconds
12/30/2012 17:20:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 17:19:40 out of sync by 20.1561328 seconds
12/30/2012 17:30:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 17:29:38 out of sync by 22.137472 seconds
12/30/2012 17:40:00 WARN: TimeSyncTimer: Controller time 12/30/2012 17:39:38 out of sync by 22.153368 seconds
12/30/2012 17:45:58 ERROR: CoreServer: Error inserting into mySQL:

Concurrently PCA shows the following (in attached JPG).

 

[pete_c]

The errors went away when I went to PCA and changed the setting from heat/cool to auto heat/cool and uploaded the changed settings via PCA.

VERBOSE: ThermostatStatus: Thermostat, Status: 69 HEATING, Heat: 70, Cool: 78,Mode: HEAT, Fan: ON, Hold: OFF

VERBOSE: ThermostatStatus: Thermostat, Status: 69 HEATING, Heat: 70, Cool: 78,Mode: HEAT, Fan: ON, Hold: OFF