Upgrade for Automated Members / Evohome - 25/3 > 28/3

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  • rcopus
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Nov 2014
    • 49

    I don't think anyone is ignoring your information evohomeshop but Honeywell asked for feedback and this is clearly a fundamental issue of them getting the basics wrong with what they market as a consumer product. You shouldn't have to stand on one leg then do a rain dance whilst throwing salt over your shoulder to have something basic like the batteries charging out of the box. From a consumer point of view of course...

    Comment

    • The EVOHOME Shop
      Site Sponsor
      • Dec 2014
      • 483

      Originally posted by rcopus View Post
      I don't think anyone is ignoring your information evohomeshop but Honeywell asked for feedback and this is clearly a fundamental issue of them getting the basics wrong with what they market as a consumer product. You shouldn't have to stand on one leg then do a rain dance whilst throwing salt over your shoulder to have something basic like the batteries charging out of the box. From a consumer point of view of course...
      I had already offered a solution to the issue that works, so was just repeating myself for those that may have missed it.

      As a business only dealing with Honeywell products, we already provide feedback to Honeywell about any issues we find, long before a consumer gets their hands on them and posts the same issue on here. You can probably appreciate most peoples experience is just one evohome device, where I deal with 100's a month so patterns quickly emerge when there are 'issues'. I always try and find my own solutions, as nothing worse than not giving my customers the best experience possible when selling this equipment.

      Unfortunately, the solution isn't a direct problem with the evohome Controller it is more the factory charging of the batteries, then sitting them on the shelf for 6 months (discharging at about 1% per day) and then the consumer not charging the batteries again when the device is then docked and powered.

      If you read about Ni-MH batteries you will see that they are designed for fast discharge items (which evohome is when off taken off the dock). However, the batteries don't like slow discharge like they get when they sit on the shelf or on the dock for prolonged periods and hence they don't work out the box very well or when the device is removed after months of sitting on the dock.

      This is a good website about Ni-MH batteries, well worth a read - https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...h-battery.html

      Comment

      • Mavis
        Automated Home Ninja
        • Oct 2014
        • 322

        Originally posted by The EVOHOME Shop View Post

        Unfortunately, the solution isn't a direct problem with the evohome Controller it is more the factory charging of the batteries, then sitting them on the shelf for 6 months (discharging at about 1% per day) and then the consumer not charging the batteries again when the device is then docked and powered.

        If you read about Ni-MH batteries you will see that they are designed for fast discharge items (which evohome is when off taken off the dock). However, the batteries don't like slow discharge like they get when they sit on the shelf or on the dock for prolonged periods and hence they don't work out the box very well or when the device is removed after months of sitting on the dock.

        This is a good website about Ni-MH batteries, well worth a read - https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...h-battery.html
        So should I be making an effort to take the controller off the desk stand regularly and let the batteries run down before replacing it? (It is very rare that I do)

        BTW I have followed your instructions

        Comment

        • The EVOHOME Shop
          Site Sponsor
          • Dec 2014
          • 483

          Originally posted by Mavis View Post
          So should I be making an effort to take the controller off the desk stand regularly and let the batteries run down before replacing it?
          I personally do and I have no issues at all with battery life when its off the dock.

          The design of my evohome here in the office is the same as the current MK3 model and mine was built in March 2015 and my MK3 at home is a Honeywell test unit and is nearly 2 years old with no issues and same design too.

          Comment

          • DBMandrake
            Automated Home Legend
            • Sep 2014
            • 2361

            Originally posted by DBMandrake View Post
            I think I may have just had this "non-charging" battery issue myself.

            I have had the controller off the wall mount today testing and binding a new DT92E, normally it is always left on the wall mount.

            When I had finished I noticed that the battery was about "half full" on the indicator, (it had been off the mount for some time) however when I put it back on the wall mount I noticed that the battery symbol went away completely - which normally only happens if the battery is 100% charged. If the battery is not fully charged it normally changes to a battery symbol with a lightning bolt through it when replaced on the wall mount.

            Although it may have only been a glitch in the display of the icon, I suspect my battery was not charging...

            I remembered the suggestions you made here and tried them, but they didn't work. Parting the batteries while powered on did not display a battery with a cross through it, only the time. Also when I allowed the batteries to reconnect it still stayed with only the time and no battery charging symbol.

            What finally did work for me was to shut the unit down completely - removing both battery and external power, then applying only mains power to let it boot up, after booting up I inserted the second battery and now I have the proper battery charging symbol, and the charging symbol returns each time I put it back on the dock, while the battery is not yet fully charged.

            If I shut the unit down and then started it up on battery power then applied external power after it booted it did not show a charging symbol. I had to boot up with only external power and then add the battery after booting.

            At no point did I ever see battery with a cross symbol through it appear - even now if I part the batteries I don't see such a symbol.

            Just though I would pass this technique on for anyone who might be having trouble getting their battery to charge, as it appears there is a bug in the charging logic of the unit that can cause it to believe the battery does not need charging when it does.

            First time it has happened to me in 6 months use though.
            Just had this same issue happen again...

            I took the Evotouch off the wall charger (which it spends all its time on) and immediately the battery indicator showed less than half battery remaining. Putting it back on the charger it acted as if the battery was fully charged - eg the battery symbol went away entirely rather than showing the battery charging symbol. (Battery with a lightning bolt through it) Took it off the charger again and it shows half full again. It won't charge even though it's indicating a half flat battery.

            Just like last time I had to remove it from the charger, remove the batteries, then put it back on the charger without the batteries fitted, wait until it boots and shows a battery with a cross through it (missing battery warning) then fit the batteries - then they start charging with the charging symbol. Now when I lift it off the dock then return it to the dock the charging symbol comes back on. And after half an hour on the dock when I remove it it is now showing nearly full, confirming that it is now charging and that it was not prior to the reboot with batteries removed.

            Are Honeywell aware of this charging bug ?
            Last edited by DBMandrake; 12 August 2016, 11:21 PM.

            Comment

            • G4RHL
              Automated Home Legend
              • Jan 2015
              • 1580

              Mine always shows full charge when I take it out of its desktop mount but on many occasions when it has been in the wall mount and I remove it it shows half charge. I am fairly sure the contact between the panel and the wall mount is not wonderful. This is not new though. I had the same with the old panel and old wall mount which indicates it is perhaps a design fault not yet picked up.

              Comment

              • The EVOHOME Shop
                Site Sponsor
                • Dec 2014
                • 483

                As the firmware has not been updated since the last revision (December 2015), even if Honeywell have corrected further issues nothing has been pushed through.

                Comment

                • Rameses
                  Industry Expert
                  • Nov 2014
                  • 446

                  There are a few units which we have had reports, have this battery issue. This issue occurs because the batteries supplied have been pre-charged (to assist installation). Depending on the level of charge remaining when the controller is commissioned, the charge cycle and monitoring can be interrupted. Once correctly in the charging cycle the batteries will be work as designed.

                  The following process will correctly fix this issue.

                  From new install
                  1) Place the evohome on powered dock/wall plate (ensuring correct electrical contact – for dock units make sure the power supply plug is firmly and fully inserted into the charging base)
                  2) Remove face plate and remove the battery tab. Check the battery symbol appears top right with the charging flash
                  3) Continue install as normal, if you remove the controller from the base when commissioning check the battery symbol shows the charging flash when you return it.

                  For existing install
                  1) With the evohome powered on the dock/wall plate
                  2) Remove face plate and Remove batteries and wait until the battery symbol with an X appears top right (should appear after >5 seconds)
                  3) Re-install batteries and face place
                  4) Battery symbol should now show the charging flash
                  5) Leave the unit on the charging cradle until the battery is fully charged and the symbol will disappear

                  This should allow the evohome to fully analyse the battery status properly and engage the charging cycle and then once fully charged allow operation for 3-4 hours off mains power when required.

                  However if customers still experience this problem after performing this process please contact customer services via http://getconnected.honeywell.com/
                  getconnected.honeywell.com | I work for Honeywell. Any posts I make are purely to help if I can. Any personal views expressed are my own

                  Comment

                  • bruce_miranda
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Jul 2014
                    • 2307

                    Originally posted by Rameses View Post
                    Miranda - Outside temp display - standby - all we can say right now . .
                    Still standing by. On a day like today, I really miss my own outside temperature display. I normally like to know what it's actually outside regardless of what BBC might think it is.

                    Comment

                    • DBMandrake
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 2361

                      Originally posted by bruce_miranda View Post
                      Still standing by. On a day like today, I really miss my own outside temperature display. I normally like to know what it's actually outside regardless of what BBC might think it is.
                      I wonder whether we are "standing by" for re-adding the ability to bind a (very expensive!!) outdoor temperature sensor, or whether it will take an online weather report for our location and display it on the screen like the phone app does... I'd be quite happy with the latter to be honest, given the cost of the outdoor sensor for something that doesn't do anything other than display an informational number on the screen...

                      Comment

                      • bruce_miranda
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Jul 2014
                        • 2307

                        Any upgrade at this stage might demonstrate progress.

                        Comment

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