Elk Output Expander Trouble and Reset

[amos]

Occasionally, maybe once a year, lose comms to output expander 2.

This expander is in the garage on the longest run.
Not really temp related, since it last happened on xmas 2023 and has happened in the summer.
But rest assured it always happens when I'm away.

Easy solution is to hard boot the ELK via the onboard switch and all is well until the next time.

Is there a way to reset the output expander, or the ELK itself, via software?
Can't find anything in ELKrp or the ASCII commands.

 

[RAL]

I don't know of a direct way to reset the output expander. If your problem is due to something on the output expander hanging up, then the only way to reset it would be to cut and restore its power. Though I'm not sure that if you did that whether the M1 would recognize it coming back to life. If the M1 doesn't recognize it, then the only thing to do would be to reset the M1 as well.

There is no way to reset the M1 directly, either. Some people have used a relay to cut power to the M1 (or an expander) for a moment and then restore it. For the M1, you would need to cut battery power as well as AC power. The relay could be controlled by M1 rules and an M1 outptu to do a reset at a fixed time. Or you could use an external timer to trigger it. In resetting the M1, there can be the concern about what happens to any rules that were in the middle of executing at the time of the reset.

There is some discussion of this in this old thread.

Elk M1G Remote Reboot

Is there a way to remotely or locally reboot a M1 without using the ON/OFF switch? The switch is locked away in a panel and it is annoying to have to do a service call to reboot it. Doesn't happen a lot, but occasionally the M1XEP just stops working and a reboot of the M1 is the only...

cocoontech.com

 

[amos]

Thanks!

Never tried just resetting the OE by removing its power. Will try that the next time.

I'll look into an external relay to do a reset. Was thinking I could get a DPDT timer relay and kill AC and battery together.

This doesn't happen often enough to be a priority, its just a pain when it does.

 

[Mark S.]

Are you using a local power supply for the expander? Because it is an output expander, my first thought is a voltage or current problem when something activates, especially over that long distance. Any way to run a heavier gauge wire?

 

[amos]

Its 100' or less of cat5 cable connected to a DBH, power injected into the cable after the DBH. If it was a voltage/current problem, I'd expect to see it more often since that relay board gets some use just about every day.