ELK-M1XSLZW and Leviton VRCOP-1LW+3 interface not working after power failure

[sbwright]

Looking for suggestions or guidance on troubleshooting this issue. Installed new M1 with XSLZW and the VRCOP at a remote site, had them working well, including rules that turned the lights on/off at dusk. Yesterday(monday) noticed the lights were still on when I arrived during the day. There is no phone or internet service at this location.
Started troubleshooting and found:

• That the M1 is no longer able to control the lights thru the XSLZW.
• The XSLZW still shows up on the Bus when I complete an Enroll. The heartbeat LED still working on XSLZW.
• Can't control the lights from the keypad.
• Checking the M1 log I found the power had been off for approx 4 hrs on Sat night due to storm I believe, the panel has battery backup.
• The building has surge protection on the main power panel.
• I can still control the lights using the Vizia RF Installer tool and USB stick, as well as manually.
• Completed a shutdown and resart of the entire system, still not working.

Some questions:

• Does the VRCOP lose its programming when power is lost?
• Are there any tools or methods of testing the XSLZW to ensure it is operational and able to interface with the VRCOP?
• Anyone else seen this behaviour?

Next steps:

• Update the programming in the VRCOP to ensure it wasn't wiped.
• Un-enroll the XSLZW from the databus, and re-enroll.
• Anybody else got any ideas?

 

[thill]

Assuming your PC has a conventional serial port (or a USB to serial converter), try this process of elimination.... Unplug the VRCOP's 9-pin connector from the M1XSLZW and connect it to your PC. Use a terminal emulation program like hyperterminal and set your serial port to 9,600, 8, N, 1. Connect to the VRCOP and type a command such as: >?Nx [carriage return] (for the x you need to substitute a valid node number in your network.) Expect to get a status message back if things are working properly. If that works then try commanding that same node with >NxON [carriage return] or >NxOFF [carriage return].

If the above doesn't work the problem may be in the VRCOP. If the above does work the problem may be in the M1XSLZW. It can be checked by serially connecting it to your PC using a null modem/gender changer in line on the 9-pin serial cable. Keep the same serial settings and trigger a lighting command from the M1. In the terminal emulator program you should see a similar command coming from the M1XSLZW just like you manually typed in your PC.

 

[sbwright]

Thanks thill, I'll give this a try today

 

[sbwright]

Findings from more troubleshooting:

• Tried to update the VRCOP thru the Vizia Installer tool, but was not successful
• Tried thill's suggestions regarding access using Hyperterminal and commanding the lights, was not successful.
• Tried to Exclude the VRCOP, was not successful.
• Forced a factory reset on the VRCOP, I was then able to Include it as a new device.
• Followed the forced exclusion process for the existing VRCOP device, this was successful.
• Completed the final steps as necessary to assigning associations for lights to the new VRCOP device.
• Completed an update to the VRCOP, was successful.
• Tried to command lights using Hyperterminal thru the VRCOP, was successful.
• Reconnected VRCOP to the XSLZW and rebooted the entire system, lighting is now fully functional and again being controlled by the ELKM1 thru rules and keypad.

Seems to have been an issue with either the VRCOP losing power for the 4 hrs, or there was a power surge that triggered a freeze up in the VRCOP. More testing to confirm the true cause of the issue is required. I may need to add the VRCOP onto a UPS to ensure reliable operation.

 

[brianjames]

Findings from more troubleshooting:

• Tried to update the VRCOP thru the Vizia Installer tool, but was not successful
• Tried thill's suggestions regarding access using Hyperterminal and commanding the lights, was not successful.
• Tried to Exclude the VRCOP, was not successful.
• Forced a factory reset on the VRCOP, I was then able to Include it as a new device.
• Followed the forced exclusion process for the existing VRCOP device, this was successful.
• Completed the final steps as necessary to assigning associations for lights to the new VRCOP device.
• Completed an update to the VRCOP, was successful.
• Tried to command lights using Hyperterminal thru the VRCOP, was successful.
• Reconnected VRCOP to the XSLZW and rebooted the entire system, lighting is now fully functional and again being controlled by the ELKM1 thru rules and keypad.

Seems to have been an issue with either the VRCOP losing power for the 4 hrs, or there was a power surge that triggered a freeze up in the VRCOP. More testing to confirm the true cause of the issue is required. I may need to add the VRCOP onto a UPS to ensure reliable operation.

I am having the same issue with the VRCOP with HAI Omni Pro 2 system. For me the VRCOP just stops responding all together and i have to reset to factory and add back with the installer tool. There is zero consistency on when it freezes. It can be a few hours or a week. I run a full Vizia RF branded 45 node network so I cant point fingers to a non branded device. I called Leviton and they were not much help. I thought I had a dud VRCOP so I bought a new one but the issue happens on it as well. I thought about adding the VRCOP to a UPS or a surge to see if providing it clean power will help. I was also thinking of monitoring the serial communications metween the HAI and the VRCOP with a program called Serial Port Spy to see if anything is wrong there. It will require me to create a custom cable to tap in but that is no big deal. I will let you know if I come up with anything that may help both of our issues.

 

[sbwright]

I am having the same issue with the VRCOP with HAI Omni Pro 2 system. For me the VRCOP just stops responding all together and i have to reset to factory and add back with the installer tool. There is zero consistency on when it freezes. It can be a few hours or a week. I run a full Vizia RF branded 45 node network so I cant point fingers to a non branded device. I called Leviton and they were not much help. I thought I had a dud VRCOP so I bought a new one but the issue happens on it as well. I thought about adding the VRCOP to a UPS or a surge to see if providing it clean power will help. I was also thinking of monitoring the serial communications metween the HAI and the VRCOP with a program called Serial Port Spy to see if anything is wrong there. It will require me to create a custom cable to tap in but that is no big deal. I will let you know if I come up with anything that may help both of our issues.

I'am not aware of any issues with the VRCOP since August 9th., but then the power has not been off since then either.

brianjames - From what I read you are having issues even without power failures, maybe blips or brown outs? My Zwave network is also currently a small number of Vizia RF branded devices.