Old Omnipro ii board

[ntwk2000]

I have an old omnipro ii board, purchased in 2003.  It is the board with the 3 serial ports built-in and non-flashable firmware.  I successfully updated the firmware to version 3.11D with a new plug in chip.  I have had this system for 10 years and never really got it working other than for the 3 thermostats and zoned cooling/heating.  Originally I purchased X10 switches and that was a disaster, every single one of them went bad and it was terribly unreliable (they were the smarthome brand that all had the same problem where the rocker switch broke and you could no longer even manually turn on or off the lights).  After wasting $4000 on these switches that never really worked correctly I was a disillusioned and really gave up on this but left the controller in place.  I have revisited this system again, and after playing with Automation Studio, omnitouch pro, and snap link I think this may be worth it with the HAI UPB switches.
 
I have purchased 20 of these 35a00-1 to start, and made a serial cable and got this working with UPStart software and have 1 test switch turning on and off with pc commands.  I have an HAI PIM that I purchased in 2006 (36a00-1). 
 
My question is if I need the 10a17-1 serial interface board?  I called tech support and they said I could use serial port 1, 2 or 3 but I found an article online for firmware release 2.6 that says you must purchase this board for an older omnipro ii and that the onboard ports will not work with the PIM.  I have made sure to set the PIM to message mode, and I also did the reset on the pim with the 5, 10,1 button sequence to put it in defaults.  When I try to program the light switch with PC Access 1105w, it says starting configuration and never gets beyond that, and the PIM led stays the same color (constant non blinking amber/yellowish color).  It seems to me like there is no communication to the PIM from the omnipro ii unit, and I am wondering if I do need that 10a17-1 despite with HAI tech support said.
 
Thanks
 
 

 

[pete_c]

Welcome to the Cocoontech forum ntwk2000
 
Personally my very first HAI UPB PIM purchased new was broken and could never figure out why my older HAI OPII panel  (purchased around 2003 also) didn't work right.
 
Guessing here that your original HAI PIM came with a serial connector. 
 
It sounds like you already tested the HAI PIM with a computer serial port and Upstart.
 
Here I started with the original HAI OPII panel that you have and upgraded it to current revision of HAI OPII panel. 
 
Thinking I did test and implement UPB on it using one of the 3 serial ports on it and older firmware.  I started here with the 2nd floor of the house and kept the rest at Insteon / X10 for a while (years?).
 
That said the legacy HAI OPII board is still utilized in another house and works fine with Leviton X10 switches there today.  I have not had any issues with it to date. 
 
Today I have two HAI PIMs on line; one to the HAI OPII panel.  I also have two floaters.  One is just for testing software and the other one to check UPB signals around the house and comparing them to the UPB PIM by the HAI Panel.
 
Here too I use a mix and match of HAI, SA and Pulseworx.  That said I have never used the HLC programming on any of my HAI stuff via PCA, Keypads or Omnitouch screens so I can't say much about what you are doing.
 
There are folks on the forum that have configured their UPB switches using the HAI HLC methodologies that might be able to shed some light on what you are doing.
 
It should be plug n play,
 
Try just configuring PCA (PC Access for dealers) for that one UPB switch manually (uploading your changes); then use PCA to turn on and off the switch.
 
See the following attached picture.

 

[pete_c]

Goofing around I set one HAI UPB switch to programming mode; then went to an Omnitouch (legacy) screen to program it. 
 
Even though I am not using HLC mode in the PCA configuration; it programmed the switch just fine. 
 
Note the pictures were quick snapshots. I did the same with PCA programming one switch.
 
The update was fast and I didn't catch all of the screens while it programmed the switch.
 
This is the first time I have ever programmed an HAI switch using the Omnitouch 5.7 screen or HAI PCA.

 

[JonW]

My question is if I need the 10a17-1 serial interface board?  I called tech support and they said I could use serial port 1, 2 or 3 but I found an article online for firmware release 2.6 that says you must purchase this board for an older omnipro ii and that the onboard ports will not work with the PIM. 

 
I'm not knowledgable on the earlier board requirements, but I can tell you that the PIM requires 5V line on DTR I believe.  That may be the reason you need the add-on serial board.  When I used the PIM on my HomeVision system, I had to splice the cable to provide the 5V feed to the PIM since the serial port didn't provide that pin.

 

[pete_c]

I was looking for the reference relating to using UPB and 10A17-1 board and found this. 
 
I am pretty sure that I initially tested UPB while I still had my legacy HAI OPII board.
 

Hardware Check:

1. PIM type – HLC or other
2. Connection type – on-board RS-232 or 10A17-1.  NOTE: When using non-HAI PIM, it can only be connected to 10A17-1.
3. Adapter type (if using 10A17-1) – HAI (36A05-2) or other

 
Under the firmware release also found another reference to the 10A17-1 Serial Module.

 

Required Equipment

• HAI OmniLT, Omni II, or OmniPro II Controller:
Version 2.6 or later firmware is required.
• HAI Model 10A17-1 Serial Interface Module:
The PCS Serial PIM will not work with built-in serial ports on the OmniPro II controller. It must be used with the Model
10A17-1 Serial Interface Module.
• UPB Powerline Interface Module – Serial (PIM-S):
Available from PCS and/or its distributors. To work with OmniPro II, the PIM must be Version 4.15 or later and it must be
the “Serial” version (not the USB version). The PCS Serial PIM comes with the proper cable for the 10A17-1 Serial Module.
• UPB Switches, Modules, and/or Keypad Controllers:
Available from PCS and/or its distributors.
• UPB UPStart Setup Tool Software:
Free download from PCS (www.pcslighting.com). UPB switches, modules, and keypad controllers are configured using the
UPB UPStart program running on a PC while connected to the PIM. Instructions on installing, configuring, and operating
UPB UPStart and PCS UPB devices are available from PCS. This document will give you some general guidelines for
configuring UPB devices with UPB UPStart for optimal communications with the OmniPro II controller.

 

 

[ntwk2000]

Thank you for your input.  I found the above references to the 10A17-1 board and also read that the legacy Omnipro ii serial ports will not support UPB.  The PIM I have connected to my pc turns on and off the light switch with UPstart and serial connection to com1 on the computer just fine, test shows no noise and full signal strength, but when I take the same PIM and connect it to the omnipro ii in message mode, it does not communicate with the switch.  I have 39a00-1 but it is not installed, and the PIM on the Omnipro ii is plugged in to a different 120v circuit in another room.
 
The 10A17-1 is due to arrive today.

 

[ano]

I had an old Omni Pro II and it worked fine with UPB with the built-in ports.  Its likely your serial cable was not correct.  I would highly recommend the HAI PIM with the HAI cable.  If there is a setting for UPB available for the serial ports, it should work.