Batteries not charging on evohome - solution

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  • Rameses
    Industry Expert
    • Nov 2014
    • 446

    Batteries not charging on evohome - solution

    There are a few units which we have had reports of batteries not charging. 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
  • JCK
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Dec 2015
    • 19

    #2
    Thanks, i have just taken the action to sort out the batteries and at last i can move the controller without beeps after 5 mins .

    Comment

    • DBMandrake
      Automated Home Legend
      • Sep 2014
      • 2361

      #3
      Originally posted by Rameses View Post
      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
      Removing the battery while the unit is powered from the dock until the X appears and then refitting it is indeed what solved the problem for me - both times it has happened, and I stumbled upon this solution myself.

      Originally posted by Rameses View Post
      There are a few units which we have had reports of batteries not charging. 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.
      Mine did not ship with this problem, it occurred much later, and has now occurred twice.

      I have a theory for what is causing it - I leave my controller on the wall mount all the time with very rare exceptions. It is normal for it to stay on the wall mount without any loss of mains power for weeks or months at a time, so the battery never gets a chance to discharge normally by running the unit.

      During such a long period of time there will be significant self-discharge of NiMH batteries unless they are trickle charged periodically and I suspect this is not done. If the battery management algorithm of the device is not accounting for battery self discharge it makes sense that it will think the battery is still full a month later because the device has not run from battery at all during that time, thus it won't start a recharge cycle even though the battery might be down to 60% charge by now.

      Disconnecting the battery while the unit is powered must trigger a full battery recharge / calibration cycle.

      On a controller that is used off the base station for enough time each month to run the battery down enough so that the device believes it requires charging will get charged back up and experience no problems. Only devices that are left powered on the charging mount nearly all the time and for very long periods of time would be affected...

      Do others who have had this problem leave their unit almost exclusively on the charging mount for weeks or more at a time like I do ?

      The good news is that it is almost certainly fixable in a software update by making the battery management algorithm a bit smarter in regards to battery self discharge and determining whether the battery does need charging or not...

      By the way, there is nothing wrong with my batteries, (which are still the originals) last time I tested it off the dock from a full charge I got about 3 hours until the "place the unit back on the dock" warning appeared and almost 6 hours before it went dead.
      Last edited by DBMandrake; 20 August 2016, 05:44 PM.

      Comment

      • The EVOHOME Shop
        Site Sponsor
        • Dec 2014
        • 483

        #4
        Originally posted by DBMandrake View Post
        Removing the battery while the unit is powered from the dock until the X appears and then refitting it is indeed what solved the problem for me - both times it has happened, and I stumbled upon this solution myself.
        All by yourself? - http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...ll=1#post26977

        Glad, Honeywell have 'officially' responded on AH and suggested a solution.

        Comment

        • DBMandrake
          Automated Home Legend
          • Sep 2014
          • 2361

          #5
          Originally posted by The EVOHOME Shop View Post
          Yes - I think you have forgotten my reply a couple of pages later in that thread where I pointed out that your method of parting the batteries while the unit was already powered did NOT work for me on that occasion.



          Funny thing is, parting the batteries without powering the device down did work this time, but did NOT work the first time I had the issue - the first time I had to actually power the device right off and then boot without the batteries, wait for the X, then insert the batteries before it would start charging. So there seem to be variations on this problem where a reboot is required as well.
          Last edited by DBMandrake; 21 August 2016, 08:49 PM.

          Comment

          • The EVOHOME Shop
            Site Sponsor
            • Dec 2014
            • 483

            #6
            Originally posted by DBMandrake View Post
            Funny thing is, parting the batteries without powering the device down did work this time, but did NOT work the first time I had the issue - the first time I had to actually power the device right off and then boot without the batteries, wait for the X, then insert the batteries before it would start charging. So there seem to be variations on this problem where a reboot is required as well.
            Nice to see you haven't lost your sense of humor!

            However, there has been no variation for all the units (maybe 100-150) that I have personally done this with when pre-binding. The best way is the first suggestion Rameses said, to boot evohome on the dock with the tab still in place and then remove the tab once the device is booted (this is what we have been suggesting to new customers with a slip in the box). There is no need to remove the batteries with the second method, just part the batteries in the middle and wait for the X in the battery symbol.

            Like you suggest, hopefully this can be resolved with some sort of software update.

            Comment

            • G4RHL
              Automated Home Legend
              • Jan 2015
              • 1580

              #7
              Following guidance in this forum I have "serviced" my panel batteries about 3 monthly, taking the panel off its stand, letting the batteries go flat, taking them out, back on stand and batteries back. I have had no issues at all but I don't get the X now to tell me they are flat when they must be with the panel having been out of its cradle for a long time. Last time was all day as I forgot about it! All I get is a message telling me to put it back in the charger. It also seems better in the desktop charger than the wall mount. The previous panel was the same and sometimes I'd find it wasn't charging. However, I do not believe that is a problem with the construction of the mount and more how it is mounted on the wall and possible uneven pressure on it. I will put that right when the boiler fails and I need to replace it as there will be some tiling to do!!

              Comment

              • chrisgare
                Automated Home Guru
                • Dec 2013
                • 182

                #8
                This probably explains some problems I have had when my wife dusts! I'll try this and see what happens.

                Comment

                • DBMandrake
                  Automated Home Legend
                  • Sep 2014
                  • 2361

                  #9
                  Originally posted by G4RHL View Post
                  Following guidance in this forum I have "serviced" my panel batteries about 3 monthly, taking the panel off its stand, letting the batteries go flat, taking them out, back on stand and batteries back. I have had no issues at all but I don't get the X now to tell me they are flat when they must be with the panel having been out of its cradle for a long time.
                  In my testing you will not see the X just because the batteries are flat, you'll only see that if the batteries are completely absent. Even a "flat" battery will have some voltage.
                  Last time was all day as I forgot about it! All I get is a message telling me to put it back in the charger. It also seems better in the desktop charger than the wall mount. The previous panel was the same and sometimes I'd find it wasn't charging. However, I do not believe that is a problem with the construction of the mount and more how it is mounted on the wall and possible uneven pressure on it. I will put that right when the boiler fails and I need to replace it as there will be some tiling to do!!
                  As someone with some electronics and programming background, I'm of the opinion that this is purely a software bug in the battery charge management system and that the connection on the dock is not the issue at all - at least not on my unit.

                  The power supply for the wall unit outputs a significantly lower voltage than the table top dock, but this doesn't seem to cause any problems. I don't recall the exact reading off hand, but it was something like 5.0 volts for the table stand and 4.7 volts for the wall dock - I can measure it again if anyone is interested.

                  2x NiMH cells will be at most 3 volts when fully charged, so 4.7 volts is still plenty to charge them if the charge regulator is well designed.

                  Comment

                  • chrisgare
                    Automated Home Guru
                    • Dec 2013
                    • 182

                    #10
                    Originally posted by chrisgare View Post
                    This probably explains some problems I have had when my wife dusts! I'll try this and see what happens.
                    Yes it did - I saw the 'cross' and the unit was still charging 9 hours later - now fully charged next morning.

                    Comment

                    • FullBore
                      Automated Home Guru
                      • Jan 2016
                      • 140

                      #11
                      Rameses wrote:-

                      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.
                      Firstly thank-you for this suggestion...

                      Do you have any idea of how long it should take to fully charge the batteries please? The controller has been showing the "charging" indication for over 8 hours now.

                      Second question... somewhat Obessesive Complusive but I am contemplating replacing the batteries, can you recommend the best replacement?

                      FB
                      Last edited by FullBore; 20 December 2016, 06:52 PM. Reason: To clarify.

                      Comment

                      • CT1
                        Automated Home Guru
                        • Apr 2016
                        • 189

                        #12
                        ally153 - I have bumped this old thread as it covers the battery charging problem that can affect the controller from time to time and gives the work around for those who are not familiar. I have never found any problem with the contact resistance, possibly because the batteries fit so tightly they are very, very difficult to remove (I have tried several brands but they are all a tight fit). Regularly letting the batteries run down helps but the controller gives irritating beeps soon after removing from the wall until the batteries finally run down.

                        Comment

                        • The EVOHOME Shop
                          Site Sponsor
                          • Dec 2014
                          • 483

                          #13
                          Blimey... Hi everyone! Long time no speak...

                          Comment

                          • CT1
                            Automated Home Guru
                            • Apr 2016
                            • 189

                            #14
                            Welcom back, your input is always helpful, and sadly in this case stil valid.

                            Comment

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