I purchased a HAI 81A00-2WHZB Zigbee Interface Module which worked OK until I attempted to update its firmware. The radio FW update went fine, but when I attempted to update the main FW, the ZigBee Updater said it was complete, but the display on the ZIM was blank, and it never returned. Luckily Amazon is great about returns, so I have a new one, but how do I prevent the same thing from happening again? Also, how do I know what has been fixed/changed in each update?
How not to brick a ZIM
- Thread starter ano
- Start date
RArbour
Member
Ano,
Did you let the device sit there with a blank screen for 5+ minutes?
Per updating instructions:
***************************************************************** NOTICE *************************************************************
After the non radio update has been sent to a device with a display, the display may go blank during the update. This is normal and will recover in roughly 5 minutes after the update has completed.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
I know this is not the most intuitive, but unfortunately the way the hardware is designed when you update the the device that controls the LCD, will go blank during this update. I would recondite attempting the update again but make sure you give it 5 minutes after the download from PC -> ZIM completes.
Please note if you happen to power cycle the device during this 5 minute update, this will not brick the ZIM. Once you plug the ZIM back in the 5 minute update will restart and should recover itself.
Ryan
Did you let the device sit there with a blank screen for 5+ minutes?
Per updating instructions:
***************************************************************** NOTICE *************************************************************
After the non radio update has been sent to a device with a display, the display may go blank during the update. This is normal and will recover in roughly 5 minutes after the update has completed.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
I know this is not the most intuitive, but unfortunately the way the hardware is designed when you update the the device that controls the LCD, will go blank during this update. I would recondite attempting the update again but make sure you give it 5 minutes after the download from PC -> ZIM completes.
Please note if you happen to power cycle the device during this 5 minute update, this will not brick the ZIM. Once you plug the ZIM back in the 5 minute update will restart and should recover itself.
Ryan
Hi Ryan:
Yeah, saw that in the Worthington University webinar today. In any case, it sat for days but never returned. Since I didn't see any reset buttons, I even opened the case and disconnected the battery. No luck. The battery was fully charged. I tried to reflash it, but the updater no longer saw the USB port. I guess it was just a bad one. I got the replacement that seems to work OK. (But my ZigBee network is not working good. See my other post.)
Yeah, saw that in the Worthington University webinar today. In any case, it sat for days but never returned. Since I didn't see any reset buttons, I even opened the case and disconnected the battery. No luck. The battery was fully charged. I tried to reflash it, but the updater no longer saw the USB port. I guess it was just a bad one. I got the replacement that seems to work OK. (But my ZigBee network is not working good. See my other post.)
@Ano:
If you're still here, can you help me? I acquired a 81A00-2WHZB, thinking that it could be used as a Zigbee ZIM driven by the OmniPro. All of the documentation seems to suggest that it is a stand-alone controller, but it does state several times that it can be part of an OmniPro-controlled network, whatever that means.
Your posts seem to indicate that you have connected it to the OP via RS-485 and it functioned as a ZIM. Do I have that right? Anyone else with experience or knowledge is encouraged to chime in. Thanks.
-Tom
If you're still here, can you help me? I acquired a 81A00-2WHZB, thinking that it could be used as a Zigbee ZIM driven by the OmniPro. All of the documentation seems to suggest that it is a stand-alone controller, but it does state several times that it can be part of an OmniPro-controlled network, whatever that means.
Your posts seem to indicate that you have connected it to the OP via RS-485 and it functioned as a ZIM. Do I have that right? Anyone else with experience or knowledge is encouraged to chime in. Thanks.
-Tom
Hi Tomxlurkr said:
It's a bit complex. So HAI designed a ZIM to be sold by electric utilities to read their smartmeters. Not sure if they REALLY designed it, or just bought a design. In any case, they modified this design to work on the OMNI. So yes the ZIM can run on batteries, or it can be connected to the OMNI.
So if you connect it to the OMNI, it can be controlled by PC Access, and when you pair a device, it stores the pairing in the OMNI. Sounds good except for one thing. Battery operated devices, like door locks have very short range, so the ZIM, when next to the OMNI likely won't receive the signal DIRECTLY. So you need to pair the ZIM to locks by moving the ZIM to near the locks. After they are paired, you nrrd to move the data to the OMNI manually. In operation, you need a 120V Zigbee device (or repeater) near the locks to extend the signal. That works, but you just can't pair a lock through a repeater. A terrible design, I know.
So yes, the ZIM has to be connected to the OMNI to operate in normal mode.
Ano:
Thanks. What I want to do is connect to a Zigbee version of the Omnistat. It sounds like that will work, as long as they are not too far apart.
What wasn't clear to me was if the 81A00-2WHZB acts as as a ZIM when connected to the OP by wire, in addition to its stand-alone functionality. Sounds like it will. Correct me if I'm wrong.
-Tom
Thanks. What I want to do is connect to a Zigbee version of the Omnistat. It sounds like that will work, as long as they are not too far apart.
What wasn't clear to me was if the 81A00-2WHZB acts as as a ZIM when connected to the OP by wire, in addition to its stand-alone functionality. Sounds like it will. Correct me if I'm wrong.
-Tom
So I should explain, Zigbee has three types of nodes: 1) a ZIM, and there can be one and only ONE of these 2) a battery node like a lock, and these have very limited range, and 3) a 120V powered node which is always a repeater. Each 120V device can store and forward data from 5 or more battery nodes. A battery device does not typically talk to a ZIM directly, but it can. So the more 120V Zigbee devices you have in your house, the better your battery devices will work. Battery nodes and a ZIM alone is cause for failure.
An Omnistat is a 120V device, so acts as a repeater. That should have good range.xlurkr said:
It can be wired to the OMNI and it can be wireless. It you want it to CONTROL the Omnistat, then it HAS to be connected to the OMNI. If you want to put it next to your bed to read the Omnistat temp or manually change it, it can do that too. Its likely you want the OMNI to communicate with the Omnistat, correct?
Ano:
What I'm trying to put together is this:
81A00-2WHZB connected to the OP by wire (RS-485). Zigbee Omnistat in another room, for temp monitoring, but not for furnace control. No wiring except for power.
I have another (wired) thermostat controlling the furnace.
Really just want to make sure that the 81A00-2WHZB can work as a ZIM when connected to the OP via RS-485. The Leviton docs aren't clear, and make it sound like the 81A00-3ZB is the ZIM intended to connect to the OP by wire, whereas the 81A00-2WHZB is a stand-alone controller only.
-Tom
-Tom
What I'm trying to put together is this:
81A00-2WHZB connected to the OP by wire (RS-485). Zigbee Omnistat in another room, for temp monitoring, but not for furnace control. No wiring except for power.
I have another (wired) thermostat controlling the furnace.
Really just want to make sure that the 81A00-2WHZB can work as a ZIM when connected to the OP via RS-485. The Leviton docs aren't clear, and make it sound like the 81A00-3ZB is the ZIM intended to connect to the OP by wire, whereas the 81A00-2WHZB is a stand-alone controller only.
-Tom
-Tom
All the ZIMs are the same hardware, but slightly different firmware. There was the first version hardware that had a problem of rebooting when you unplugged the power (even though the ZIM has a battery). The second version hardware fixes it. Its not a big deal, because you will likely connect it to the OMNI and not disconnect it.
If your firmware doesn't allow OMNI connection, you can download the firmware that does. (If you can still find it.). But just connect it and it should work. The ones without the OMNI connecting FW were pretty rare, if they actually exist. I think they were just marketed different, but the hardware (and firmware) of both is actually the same.
If your firmware doesn't allow OMNI connection, you can download the firmware that does. (If you can still find it.). But just connect it and it should work. The ones without the OMNI connecting FW were pretty rare, if they actually exist. I think they were just marketed different, but the hardware (and firmware) of both is actually the same.
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