Evohome comms faults on well-established install - now we can't bind boiler relay...

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • marionmck
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Jan 2016
    • 5

    Evohome comms faults on well-established install - now we can't bind boiler relay...

    We installed Evohome over 18 months ago and have been running it happily, using all 12 zones. It's had a few slight hiccups as batteries have lost power but generally things have been very successful - until recently. A few weeks ago we were away for a couple of days (without using the 'away' feature) and came back to a cold house because of a comms failure with the boiler relay. We managed to resolve it eventually by re-binding the relay. Yesterday we suffered a virtually complete comms failure with all devices, no idea why. I could re-sync to the radiators but could not establish comms with the boiler relay or the hot water. We then tried to re-bind the boiler relay as we had done before, but can't even do that. The BDR91 displays the correct light flashes but we get no response when trying to bind with the controller, even when holding the controller right near the device. Overnight most of the radiators have suffered further comms faults. So we are currently without heating or hot water and getting desperate!
    I've seen some references to rebooting the controller but would like to understand whether this is likely to help us before doing it, also the implications of doing it. Presumably we would have to set up all the devices again from scratch? I'd also like to know whether other people have suffered this type of event on an installation which has been working quite happily for over 18 months. For what it's worth, there have been no changes to our wi-fi, so I don't believe we've introduced something which could be interfering.
    Any help much appreciated, it's getting cold here!
  • DBMandrake
    Automated Home Legend
    • Sep 2014
    • 2361

    #2
    I can't answer the underlying cause of the issue but in the meantime if your house is getting dangerously cold then you can press the button on the BDR91 to bring the boiler on (unless it's really kaput) or turn on the boiler with it's own constant switch, then adjust each HR92 manually - even if they lose signal to the controller they will still control their own radiator valve to regulate the temperature of that room. Each one will run constantly at the set temperature with no schedule if it can't communicate with the controller of course.

    If for some reason an HR92 won't respond, you can release the locking clip on it and lift it off - you can then turn the black wheel anti-clockwise by hand to open the radiator just like an old fashioned hand wheel valve.

    Not ideal, but better than burst pipes and a freezing house!
    Last edited by DBMandrake; 23 January 2016, 01:38 PM.

    Comment

    • HenGus
      Automated Home Legend
      • May 2014
      • 1001

      #3
      Originally posted by marionmck View Post
      I've seen some references to rebooting the controller but would like to understand whether this is likely to help us before doing it, also the implications of doing it. Presumably we would have to set up all the devices again from scratch? I'd also like to know whether other people have suffered this type of event on an installation which has been working quite happily for over 18 months. For what it's worth, there have been no changes to our wi-fi, so I don't believe we've introduced something which could be interfering.
      Any help much appreciated, it's getting cold here!
      Re-booting the controller, by removing the batteries for 30 secs ,will have no effect on your settings. When the controller comes back on, you may find that some zones will re-synch initially and some will not. You can speed up the re-synch process by a quick press of the touchpad on the HR92 zone that isn't synching. You only need to do one HR92 in each affected zone. Re-booting will also clear the fault log so I would take a picture of the log in case you need to refer back to it.

      Comms actuator faults can be a pain to diagnose. Have you spoken to Evohome Technical Support. The common denominator does seem to be the controller so a re-set first might be a good idea.

      FWiW, I have long felt that the Total Connect app should show the fault log. I have come home from a weekend away to a locked controller; fortunately, for me, it occurred when I tried to turn the heating back on on my way home from a weekend visit. My first indication of an issue was when the server lost contact with my system. I now avoid changing anything if I am away for more than a few hours.

      Comment

      • marionmck
        Automated Home Lurker
        • Jan 2016
        • 5

        #4
        Many thanks! Duh, I hadn't realised I could just manually override on the BDR91. Anyway, now done that on both BDRs so at least the heating and water is back on!

        Comment

        • marionmck
          Automated Home Lurker
          • Jan 2016
          • 5

          #5
          OK, so we have tried re-setting the controller but it seems to have made no difference. We still can not re-bind the boiler relay and the comms check on the hot water is still saying 'not received'. We can re-sync the individual HR92s as we did before, although I suspect the sync won't last.
          I guess I'll try Evohome Tech Support on Monday...

          Comment

          • Fursty Ferret
            Automated Home Sr Member
            • Oct 2014
            • 84

            #6
            If you have a close neighbour might be worth asking if they've recently installed anything new - garage door openers / powerline networking etc.

            Comment

            • marionmck
              Automated Home Lurker
              • Jan 2016
              • 5

              #7
              Good point, I'll ask, although to be honest I don't think they would be near enough.
              Actually, I think the controller reboot did help. Although it didn't sort things out straight away on Saturday afternoon, we manually re-sync'd all the zones and those were retained overnight (unlike on Friday). We couldn't rebind the boiler relay on Saturday, but another attempt on Sunday evening worked. We also replaced the batteries in the hot water CS92 transceiver, as we couldn't sync comms with that. So we are back fully operational, although no wiser as to the cause of the original comms failures. Hopefully they won't happen too frequently.

              Comment

              • G4RHL
                Automated Home Legend
                • Jan 2015
                • 1580

                #8
                Originally posted by Fursty Ferret View Post
                If you have a close neighbour might be worth asking if they've recently installed anything new - garage door openers / powerline networking etc.
                Good idea. I have had conflicts using LightwaveRF gear for sockets and my garage door not then operating as it should. Years ago in a previous property I could get my neighbour's garage door to operate by simply transmitting on an amateur frequency, indeed I can switch a wireless speaker on in my lounge now if I transmit on the 10mtr band and it comes on playing Classic FM! So yes, check just in case there are some spurious emissions around. Years ago manufacturers used to leave filters out of equipment to save money and it left them very susceptible to interference. I have not had anything I do interfere with Evohome but as Fursty Ferret (that is a nice beer!) says, worth a discrete check. Or is there any other wirelessly operated equipment in your house?

                Also, the distance your relays are from each other, tanks and pipe work can have an effect but I suspect you have checked that.

                Comment

                • top brake
                  Automated Home Legend
                  • Feb 2015
                  • 837

                  #9
                  something was flooding the RF preventing communication

                  the clue to what went wrong here would have been in the fault log...
                  I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                  Comment

                  • marionmck
                    Automated Home Lurker
                    • Jan 2016
                    • 5

                    #10
                    I agree, and it would seem to have been temporary, as we were working fine before and have been ok again since Sunday evening. We have not changed any wireless devices in our house, and the neighbours say they haven't, although I don't think they would be near enough to cause a problem anyway. The fault log showed the comms failures, but is there anything other detail in there that we should have noted?
                    One thing which did occur to me, which someone may be able to confirm, is it possible that a device could drown the comms when its batteries are dying? We did find we needed to replace the batteries in the hot water CS92 transceiver (although I don't remember seeing a low battery warning in the fault log) - could that actually have been the cause of the wider comms failure?

                    Comment

                    • top brake
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Feb 2015
                      • 837

                      #11
                      Originally posted by marionmck View Post
                      is it possible that a device could drown the comms when its batteries are dying? We did find we needed to replace the batteries in the hot water CS92 transceiver (although I don't remember seeing a low battery warning in the fault log) - could that actually have been the cause of the wider comms failure?

                      indeed, if you ignore low battery warnings
                      I work for Resideo, posts are personal and my own views.

                      Comment

                      • Mavis
                        Automated Home Ninja
                        • Oct 2014
                        • 322

                        #12
                        Yes low batteries definitely cause comms failures. I got back from 2 days in Liverpool on Tuesday to see a message on the controller. Checked the log and the battery fault was showing over the last three days. I thought that I would leave it until the next morning and change the batteries then (as I needed to find a small screwdriver for the security screws) but in the morning there was no heating in that room and a comms failure.

                        These are the shipped batteries (installed August 2014) and my plan was to change them all a couple of months back when they started going but didn't get round to it .

                        This was totally my fault as I did know this would happen but if you don't happen to see the error on the screen at the time (once they manage to reconnect then this disappears) or check the log regularly then it is a bit of a surprise. What would be good is if a symbol appeared on the controller next to the temp if the batteries are low.

                        I have had it in the past that the whole system has gone down due to one controller's batteries.

                        Comment

                        • paulockenden
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Apr 2015
                          • 1719

                          #13
                          Ah, so YOU'RE the person who actually uses the security screws....

                          Comment

                          • Mavis
                            Automated Home Ninja
                            • Oct 2014
                            • 322

                            #14
                            No my INSTALLER used the security screws - they are an absolute pain in the ....... We have a garage full of every tool under the sun and I couldn't find a single one that would undo them - I only succeeded in stripping the head. Anyway I have a husband to do these things . Needless to say I have not put them back in.

                            Comment

                            • G4RHL
                              Automated Home Legend
                              • Jan 2015
                              • 1580

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Mavis View Post
                              Yes low batteries definitely cause comms failures. I got back from 2 days in Liverpool on Tuesday to see a message on the controller. Checked the log and the battery fault was showing over the last three days. I thought that I would leave it until the next morning and change the batteries then (as I needed to find a small screwdriver for the security screws) but in the morning there was no heating in that room and a comms failure.

                              These are the shipped batteries (installed August 2014) and my plan was to change them all a couple of months back when they started going but didn't get round to it .

                              This was totally my fault as I did know this would happen but if you don't happen to see the error on the screen at the time (once they manage to reconnect then this disappears) or check the log regularly then it is a bit of a surprise. What would be good is if a symbol appeared on the controller next to the temp if the batteries are low.

                              I have had it in the past that the whole system has gone down due to one controller's batteries.
                              Better still the app should tell us more and ideally replicate all the control panel does and displays. My batteries have recently begun to go, three TRVs needed replacement batteries last week, all original from December 2014. Others have had to be replaced more frequently. Simply displaying this important info only on the panel most would probably say is inadequate in this day of remote control. We look at our apps more than the control panel. Until recent times I never looked at mine very often, now it is in a different place in my study staring me in the face when I walk in, in case something like battery failure is being announced. But having all the data showing on the app ought to be possible. And whilst mentioning the app, it is time it is fully compatible with the iPad. I get dizzy having to keep turning my iPad round!

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X