Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: Strange Behavior  (Read 3460 times)

lviper

  • PI Expert
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Helpful Post Rating: 10
  • Posts: 294
Strange Behavior
« on: October 03, 2014, 05:28:21 PM »

My AHP install is acting weird. First off, I'm running v3.318 on an old XP Pro box. Luckily this box has been running since before the original X1 went under. So it is a very old running install.

Here lately I've noticed some flags being set that aren't in any macros. I've also noticed a time or two there were some house code commands in the logs that I'm not even using. I haven't made any changes except recently to try and figure out what is happening.

I've had a macro setup that when the front door is opened it will turn a phantom module on. Then I have a macro triggered by that module to set a flag. That way when someone leaves the house the porch cime will not get triggered. The front porch has a motion sensor to trigger the chime if the flag set by the door opening not to chime. Problem is it does run. It never used to and I haven't changed it.

I've tried clearing the interface within AHP and re-uploading the macros but that didn't work. So then I unplugged the cm15a, removed the batteries, waited a few minutes and reconnected the cm15a and uploaded the macros. Problem is still there.

Right now I'm running defrag and then I'll check the drive for errors, but I'm wondering if maybe my cm15a is going bad. The biggest puzzle to this is the additional flags that are not used, or ever used, being set for no apparent reason.

Anyone have any thoughts?
Logged

Tuicemen

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Helpful Post Rating: 283
  • Posts: 10509
  • I don't work for X10, I use it successfuly!
Re: Strange Behavior
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2014, 06:54:42 PM »

Make sure your AHP recycle bin is empty. (AHP has ben know to run deleted macros timers if this isn't cleared.)
Then clear the interface and purge delayed macros.
Then upload to the interface. Flags getting set is software related not hardware (cm15)

It may be possible a neighbour has just started using X10 and using the same address as you. (this would explain unexpected flags status changes and unexplained x10 signals)
You may wish to try other house codes for your phantom module.
Also be sure AHP is set to only transceive  house codes you have in your setup( not all house codes.
Logged
Please Read Topic:
General Forum Etiquette
Before you post!

IPS

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Helpful Post Rating: 3
  • Posts: 285
Re: Strange Behavior
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2014, 04:35:53 AM »

I have been using AHP for a long time and have the original 3.318 installed and working  since 2011. Some of the macros have a option to send an email. After a break, due to X10 downturn, the emails are being sent again.
However, what is different, I don't know why as I have not changed any thing on my setup, is that email , flag And other modules are missing from the macro setup options.
Does any one know what could have happened?
Logged

lviper

  • PI Expert
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Helpful Post Rating: 10
  • Posts: 294
Re: Strange Behavior
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2014, 10:33:25 AM »

Make sure your AHP recycle bin is empty. (AHP has ben know to run deleted macros timers if this isn't cleared.)
Then clear the interface and purge delayed macros.
Then upload to the interface. Flags getting set is software related not hardware (cm15)

It may be possible a neighbour has just started using X10 and using the same address as you. (this would explain unexpected flags status changes and unexplained x10 signals)
You may wish to try other house codes for your phantom module.
Also be sure AHP is set to only transceive  house codes you have in your setup( not all house codes.

Recycle bin is empty. I did clear the interface and purge delayed macros. Then I disconnected the cm15a and removed all power including the batteries. Waited a few minutes and inserted the batteries and plugged it back in to the outlet. Downloaded the macros once again and the problem was still there. So I did that all once again but this time I changed the hardware from auto house codes to just the codes I use. Problem still there.

I also asked my neighbor if they use X10 and he didn't know what it was. Besides, I don't have very close neighbors so I doubt that would be a problem anyway. But for some reason when I check for house codes in use, E shows full and I do not use E.

What I have noticed is the flags being set is random but I haven't figured out if it's happening constantly with one of my macros. But I suspect it might be happening mostly, if not always when it happens, when the front door is opened. That is a ds10a that runs a macro that turns on a phantom module and sets flag 3, delay 30 seconds and clears flag 3 (that keeps the chime from sounding for 30 seconds). Then there is a macro triggered by the phantom module that turns on a lamp, clears flag 1, delay 4 seconds and turn off the lamp. When the door closes the phantom module turns off and sets flag 1. This way when the front door is left open and does it hourly heartbeat check, it doesn't keep turning the light on and off.

Here is the macros.
Trigger - Front Door with DS10a
Turn P1 on and set flag 3
Wait 30 seconds
Clear flag 3

Trigger Condition P1 on and flag 1 on
Turn I2 on
Clear flag 1
Wait 4 seconds
Turn I2 off

Trigger Front Door Closed
Wait 4 seconds
Turn flag 1 on

I've also noticed, but doesn't seem to be happening for the past few days, when I leave in the mornings and set the alarm, it would turn on the wrong light and not turn it back off. My alarm is set to I1 and the porch light is I1 but setting the alarm would turn on I2. So now I'm wondering is my alarm console is sending out the strange codes.

Logged

JeffVolp

  • Community Organizer
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Helpful Post Rating: 122
  • Posts: 2299
    • XTB Home Page
Re: Strange Behavior
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2014, 11:15:34 AM »

I've also noticed, but doesn't seem to be happening for the past few days, when I leave in the mornings and set the alarm, it would turn on the wrong light and not turn it back off. My alarm is set to I1 and the porch light is I1 but setting the alarm would turn on I2. So now I'm wondering is my alarm console is sending out the strange codes.

There is only 1 bit difference between I1 and I2.  In addition to the wrong code being sent, there are two other possibilities.  Noise might be corrupting the transmission and morphing one command into another.  I saw that happen myself during testing.  The second possibility is that the unit code switch for the light is becoming intermittent due to oxidation, and it is responding to the wrong code.  Spinning the switch around a couple of times will clear off the oxidation.

Jeff
Logged
X-10 automation since the BSR days

lviper

  • PI Expert
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Helpful Post Rating: 10
  • Posts: 294
Re: Strange Behavior
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2014, 12:10:49 PM »

I've also noticed, but doesn't seem to be happening for the past few days, when I leave in the mornings and set the alarm, it would turn on the wrong light and not turn it back off. My alarm is set to I1 and the porch light is I1 but setting the alarm would turn on I2. So now I'm wondering is my alarm console is sending out the strange codes.

There is only 1 bit difference between I1 and I2.  In addition to the wrong code being sent, there are two other possibilities.  Noise might be corrupting the transmission and morphing one command into another.  I saw that happen myself during testing.  The second possibility is that the unit code switch for the light is becoming intermittent due to oxidation, and it is responding to the wrong code.  Spinning the switch around a couple of times will clear off the oxidation.

Jeff

Jeff, thanks for that. The porch light (I1) uses the LM15a. The I2 lamps use LM15a and LM465. But I'm thinking noise might be the problem. You chiming in made me remember I had to move my XPCR. It used to be at the top of the panel but now is further down. So it may not be as effective as it once was. I was going to get some tandem breakers for it but they didn't fit my panel and I never moved it back. I think I will just replace that XPCR with your equipment. I've been procrastinating that for a while now.
Logged

lviper

  • PI Expert
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Helpful Post Rating: 10
  • Posts: 294
Re: Strange Behavior
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2014, 07:47:36 PM »

Ok, pretty sure it's something to do with the front door ds10a or the macros it is running. I checked the status after every action as my wife came home and once she opened the door I saw all the random flags being set. So maybe I'll try changing my phantom module and recreating the macros for the front door using the new phantom module.
Logged
 

X10.com | About X10 | X10 Security Systems | Cameras| Package Deals
© Copyright 2014-2016 X10.com All rights reserved.