ELK-M1XOVR install (or non-install)

[ctwilliams]

I finally got the chance to begin installing my Elk system. I was able to overcome all of my issues thus far with the exception of the installation of the M1XOVR.

I am using the data bus hub which now has four keypads, two input expanders, and the one M1XOVR. Everything else works, I believe I have the data base hub terminated correctly (checked the data bus error rate as suggested in a different thread by Spanky). and I have replaced the cable with a known good cable/connector.

The status LED on the M1XOVR is flashing three times. The only comment I could find on the fourum was by someone wondering why ELK does not document the status led on this expander.

The board does not show up when I do the enroll in ELKRP.


Any ideas?

Thanks,

CT

 

[electron]

I have had the same problems with my own M1XOVR, but it ended up being a wiring issue after all (eventho I checked it many times). Have you tried JUST the M1XOVR connected to the DBH? I do agree that the status led should be documented.

 

[Mike]

I think I may have been the one commenting about the status light. I had a similar issue and thought it was wiring but was able to get it to work by changing the order of things in the databus expander (changing the plug locations). Note it is possible that there still was some wiring issue but if there is I seem to have bypassed it by doing this (and I had remade the wiring connections at the time to try and rule that out).

I took a bit of time to get to this, and I never went back to trace it out again (but I had redone the wiring and used the same replaced wiring to another device which worked fine).

The symptom (that I remember, it has been awhile) was the keypad was acting very flakey when the ovr was plugged into certain positions. It would be very slow and would hang when trying to go into the installer menu (again it has been awhile).

I did not document the positions I was using. I think my configuration looks like this now:

3 keypads
1 input expander
1 M1XOVR
2 Serial Expanders
1 Ethernet Expander

I think that is it. Hope this helps.

 

[Digger]

I also had to "experiment" when I originally set up my system. For whatever reason I found that one of the modules had to be hooked up directly to the databus and not go through the retrofit hub for the M1 to be able to enroll it.

I wrote it off as a "quirk" of the system at the time. It has worked perfectly since.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

It's been a while, but if my memory serves me correctly (i.e. take this information with a grain of salt) you have to bypass the data bus hub to enroll the module if you are using older firmware.

Again, I'm remembering something like the newer firmware corrects this issue as a lot of people were experiencing this problem of trying to enroll modules via a data bus retrofit hub.

I would call Elk and see exactly which firmware revisions had this problem. I'm also thinking you may want to bypass the hub to enroll the module, then upgrade the firmware.

 

[Spanky]

Trying connecting the M1XOVR directly to the M1 at the control. It will not need any terminating resistor close to the control.

Make sure NO other output expanders have the same data bus address.

Use installer menu 1 to re-enroll all data bus devices. The LED should go to a single, predominately off blink when it is successfully enrolled.

FYI: 3 blinks mean it is not enrolled to the M1. On the output expanders, you can still operate the outputs even though it is not enrolled on the network.

 

[Steve]

It's been a while, but if my memory serves me correctly (i.e. take this information with a grain of salt) you have to bypass the data bus hub to enroll the module if you are using older firmware.

Again, I'm remembering something like the newer firmware corrects this issue as a lot of people were experiencing this problem of trying to enroll modules via a data bus retrofit hub.

I would call Elk and see exactly which firmware revisions had this problem. I'm also thinking you may want to bypass the hub to enroll the module, then upgrade the firmware.

The issue is really more with the serial expanders, or I guess any expander using older version of bootware 1.0.0. If you have that you will not be able to flash (upgrade) the firmware on the device if it is connected thru a retrofit hub - there is a timing bug. The sad part is that there is no way to upgrade the bootware in the field, the XSP needs to be sent in. The good news is this is a very old problem and all devices shipped probably within the last year are probably fine.

 

[ctwilliams]

OK, thanks for all of the troubleshooting tips, I had not thought of them. (This board and the people on here are a great resource, thanks).

I attached the output expander straight to the Elk as suggested and it enrolled with no problem. I then hooked it back up to the data bus hub and tried it again and...... of course it enrolled.

I do not know how, but maybe I did not have a wire in all of the way, or maybe I did not sacrifice the chicken/mule/fish/whatever correctly the first time. I thought I had ruled out wiring because I took the wire and connector of of a working expander and put it on this one and it still did not work.

Whatever the issue, it is working now.

BTW, I hooked up a speaker for the first time today not expecting anything. I about jumped out of my skin a little while later when it spoke the first time. Almost dropped a serial expander on the concrete!

Thanks for all the help!

CT