PCS, creators of UPB, considering offering HAI OmniPro repair service, input needed!

[electron]

So this little bombshell dropped in my mailbox today. I quickly checked with Marshall, @mlester on the forums, and he confirmed the email. I highly recommend you post in this thread if you have any investment in the HAI ecosystem, and/or have detailed knowledge about this hardware. I removed the email address and phone number for obvious privacy reasons, but Marshall says he will monitor the thread, and if needed, I can share the details in private if you didn't receive this email.

PCS has been around for a long time, and have always been impressed with both customer service and hardware quality, so I do believe this would be a huge win for the many OmniPro users out there. See below for original announcement.

PCS may offer OMNI PRO repair service ​

We need your input- please read and respond​

At PCS, we think it will benefit the 10,000's of OMNIPRO customers, dealers and UPB community in general to setup a service to keep OMNIPROs working far into the next decades. If PCS can setup a reliable, cost-effective repair service there is no reason OMNIs cant keep working indefinitely. To abandon an entire HAI system because some inexpensive IC on the main PCB goes bad is ridiculous.

Many UPB contractors have expressed customers concern that the HAI controllers might fail and as there is now no HAI/Leviton support it might be foolish to maintain a system that is outdated and has no support.

Another important task is to get Leviton to keep updating the phone apps as Apple and Android operating systems keep changing. At PCS we need to update the apps every year or so to keep up with the phone operating system changes.

There are a few things I would like your input on in order to get this service going.

Please respond by email to REMOVED_FOR_PRIVACY_REASONS.
Or call Marshall Lester directly, cell: REMOVED_FOR_PRIVACY_REASONS.

1) Are you are a dealer or customer interested in being added to a HAI USER LIST? If so send me your info. I want to setup a group of OMNI users to contact for info and advice.

2) What is a reasonable price for repairing, updating firmware, testing, and 1 year warranty, for a OMNI controller?

3) What other HAI products are also important to repair? (keypad, charging board, etc)

4) Does anyone out there have the schematics for OMNIs and/or other HAI devices ? (not the wiring diagrams, actual PCB schematics)

We were told by Jay McClellan the ex CEO of HAI that there are over 20,000 OMNIs out in the field. We think this service idea will benefit everyone. If you agree, please chime in.​

 

[dwalt]

1. Yes, Dealer interested in being added to HAI User List.
2. HAI was charging $150-$250 for repairs
3. Console(Keypad), 16 zone expansion, Touchscreens
4. Don't have any board schematics.

 

[mlester]

Hi Marshall here.
To get this off the ground please send some bad HAI OMNI products to my attn at PCS. Main boards, consoles, expansion, etc.
If you know what doesn't work put a note on the part.
I will send you some PCS switches or SPR's in return. Tell me what you want/need.
To actually help the users I think we need a stock of working parts so HAI dealers can order a replacement with no turnaround time. Not just - we will repair your board.
If anyone out there has any schematics please email them to me.

 

[RobinsonNi]

Hi Marshal,
For the past few years I have been pulling apart some of my HAI parts and reverse engineering them. I have copied the 16 zone/16 output expansion board, the 16 zone expansion board (connects via the 20 pin ribbon cable), water temp sensor, made up a few different versions of relay boards. As well, I managed to download/print a lot of info from the homeauto.com website before it was taken down. Including the formulas needed to convert temp and humidity to the frequency required for the system.
I had looked at copying the Omni LCD displays and the Omni Stat Thermostats but like most of the IC’s used in the Omni system they are very hard to find. I have found a few over seas (China) but it’s always a craps shoot wether they will work or NOT!
A user on here (@dwalt ) sent me an older omni touch display to trouble shoot the backlight issue, and I think I’ve almost got it figured out!
I have been looking at making a replacement for the OmniTouch 5.7e using a Raspberry Pi W, Pi touch screen running Windows CE as I found the source code for the 5.7e. Either that or have it run Windows 10 and run the Omnitouch software for the PC but I cannot find a serial number (or a hack for it) in order to test it.
I had suggested a while back of having an FTP site that we could upload what ever software and pdf manuals that the community has, create a repository, and have been looking into creating one as I have collected a lot of the years!
My only thoughts about creating and selling new replacement units is the UL, CSA rules and requirement. But I’m sure PCS would know how to go about doing this. As well, if they were direct copies of the HAI boards is there licensing issues? That’s why I created my own versions with a few modifications and would be able to call them “HAI Compatible“ boards.
I will post a few pictures of the boards later today or tomorrow, if you are interested send me a DM and I will give you my email and phone number.
Thanks,
Nick

PS: Please add me to your HAI List!

 

[electron]

I had suggested a while back of having an FTP site that we could upload what ever software and pdf manuals that the community has, create a repository, and have been looking into creating one as I have collected a lot of the years!

FYI, some of the software can be found here in the Resources section. I'm still working on getting additional material up, but it's a very time consuming task as I have to verify sources and worry about copyright issues.

 

[RobinsonNi]

Hey;
Here are a few pics of the HAI boards.

Original HAI Expansion Board



My Version




Expansion Enclosure




My Versions (Its hard to find the Motorola 40-DIP processor but I can find the 44-PLCC version)




A different version with a 20 pin IDC connector for a ribbon cable to connect to the relay boards.




Continued on next post....

 

[RobinsonNi]

Post #2
My version with 44-PLCC Motorola IC..




Common bus relay board, good for irrigation valves..




16 Channel (8 SPDT & 8 SPST) Relay Board




Original HAI Water Temp Sensor Board (not extended range!)



My Version (through hole LM331)




Continues on next post..

 

[RobinsonNi]

Post #3
Surface Mount (LM331) I was able to find some!




Finally, I've been working on a wireless soil moisture sensor that connects to the GE Interlogix 315mhz system, it will just trigger a zone into alarm and would activate one or many sprinkler zones until the desired level is reached. No more over watering my wife's gardens! Can be powered from a small replaceable lipo battery or with the dual CR2032 watch battery add-on board.


Simple dual watch battery add-on board.


One of the main issues I keep having with making the HAI boards is the fact that a lot of the components are no longer made. For instance, trying to find the 16 pin barrier terminal blocks (with the correct spacing, and correct screw terminals) was proving very difficult so my versions use 8 pin and a smaller pin spacing.
I do have a number of other versions, brain storming ideas, of the expansion enclosure boards. Mainly with the expansion board and relays in one unit as I believe most of us use them with relays.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[McKinneySmart]

Post #2
My version with 44-PLCC Motorola IC..
View attachment 11158

View attachment 11159

Common bus relay board, good for irrigation valves..
View attachment 11160

View attachment 11161

16 Channel (8 SPDT & 8 SPST) Relay Board
View attachment 11162

View attachment 11163



Continues on next post..

WOW. All I can say right now is you have VERY busy. Excellent job.
Are any of these products available now?

I could spend days responding/commenting on all of this.
But will address the Expansion Enclosure first. I like how you use a ribbon cable to connect to the relay board. And placing 16 relays on this board. This way there is a direct 16-to-16 ratio. I presume in the same foot-print. (Better than having to install two 8-relays boards.)

 

[McKinneySmart]

Hi Marshall here.
To get this off the ground please send some bad HAI OMNI products to my attn at PCS. Main boards, consoles, expansion, etc.
If you know what doesn't work put a note on the part.
I will send you some PCS switches or SPR's in return. Tell me what you want/need.
To actually help the users I think we need a stock of working parts so HAI dealers can order a replacement with no turnaround time. Not just - we will repair your board.
If anyone out there has any schematics please email them to me.

Marshall,

I have a number of bad OMNI products.
Do you have a separate shipping address?
Do you want me to email you a list of them first before I send them?

How far back are you planning to cover the products?
Let me mention the OmniPro II (OP2) as an example.
The original OP2 had only 3 serial ports on the board, the firmware was on a programmable chip, and was the only board with Ethernet access.
Some versions later, the latest OP2 has 5 serial ports and FLASH firmware EEPROM.
So my question is, are you planning to support all these versions or just the latest?

Similar question with the OMNI II and later the OMNI IIe.
And then there is the OMNI LTe.

The latest OP2, IIe and later the LTe, all appear to use the same basic printed circuit board. (I always wondered if you could convert an OMNI IIe to an OP2.)

...just fuel for thought...

 

[McKinneySmart]

Hi Marshall here.
To get this off the ground please send some bad HAI OMNI products to my attn at PCS. Main boards, consoles, expansion, etc.
If you know what doesn't work put a note on the part.
I will send you some PCS switches or SPR's in return. Tell me what you want/need.
To actually help the users I think we need a stock of working parts so HAI dealers can order a replacement with no turnaround time. Not just - we will repair your board.
If anyone out there has any schematics please email them to me.

Marshall,
Another question, would this repair service also include re-branded products?
Namely, OnQ also marketed the product line.

 

[RobinsonNi]

Marshall,
Another question, would this repair service also include re-branded products?
Namely, OnQ also marketed the product line.

McKinneySmart,
The ribbon cable is a simple/direct 20 pin IDC (pin1 to pin1) to the relay boards, nothing fancy just kept it simple. I have a few unpopulated boards, as I only made up what I needed. But the others could be assembled. All of the boards are the same foot print so the will fit the current aluminum backplates.
Would you happen to have any damaged Hi-Fi 2 boards and power supplies? I bought one from ebay that had obviously been "repaired" before and it looks like the 24v rail was applied to the 5v rail!
Thanks,
Nick

 

[RobinsonNi]

McKinneySmart,

Expansion Enclosure with relays, its a work in progress. Includes DIP switches to turn off/on the use of each relay in case you are using the output for another reason.



And of course with the 44-PLCC Motorola IC..


I am working on another version with SPDT relays instead of the SPST ones.
Thanks,
Nick

 

[McKinneySmart]

McKinneySmart,

Expansion Enclosure with relays, its a work in progress. Includes DIP switches to turn off/on the use of each relay in case you are using the output for another reason.

View attachment 11172View attachment 11173

And of course with the 44-PLCC Motorola IC..
View attachment 11174View attachment 11175

I am working on another version with SPDT relays instead of the SPST ones.
Thanks,
Nick

Nick,
Personally I like the EE and Relays all on one board. Less SKUs to worry about.

As far as SPDT, (or even DPDT) is concerned, I would think there would a small audience for them. If someone needed anything beyond a SPST, they can always add an external SPDT (or DPDT) relay to meet the requirement. Just an opinion.

What are you using for driving the raw outputs? ULN2803s?
Jay

 

[McKinneySmart]

McKinneySmart,
The ribbon cable is a simple/direct 20 pin IDC (pin1 to pin1) to the relay boards, nothing fancy just kept it simple. I have a few unpopulated boards, as I only made up what I needed. But the others could be assembled. All of the boards are the same foot print so the will fit the current aluminum backplates.
Would you happen to have any damaged Hi-Fi 2 boards and power supplies? I bought one from ebay that had obviously been "repaired" before and it looks like the 24v rail was applied to the 5v rail!
Thanks,
Nick

Nick,
I was a dealer for a number of years but never installed Hi-Fi system. So I can't help you there.

24V => 5v ouch!!!