New installation issues

[Alexc]

Thanks to the support on this forum, and of course from Karam, I now have my Idratek system up and running!

I'm using a Samsung NC10 running Windows 7, and powered up the network today.
I have a PLH-001 in the kitchen, which also links to a door contact on the kitchen door. A THS-001 monitors temperature and humidity in the utility room (that will one day operate the extractor fan!). I have enough cable around the house now to add further modules, mostly for lighting and heating, and then also things like the doorbell.

I encountered four problems today. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be grateful.

I do have an old DFP (bought 2nd hand), which I plugged into the network. I have the sound set up. I can send a 'bong' when the kitchen door opens, but it won't read any speech. I have speech enabled in the same properties window. I installed 'Mary' and turned up the speech volume in the speech engine window. I just can't get any speech.

My second problem concerns a (2nd hand) DRB-002. I connected it up to my kitchen lights (2 circuits, both LED). I configured it so that each button controlled one circuit, toggled on/off. It worked a couple of times, then one of the circuits stayed on, whether or not the module was on or off. I tried resetting the unit, controlling it from Cortex, rebooting, cutting the power, etc. but I just couldn't turn it off. Does it sound like it's broken?!

Thirdly, this same DRB-002 has the same ID as the PLH-001. When I 'read' the node in Cortex, it lists all the features of both units together. I guess it was already commissioned with the same ID, and the order in which I installed the units created the problem. I tried changing the ID, and following instructions in other threads, but when I plug it back in, the issue is still there.

As both of these issues relate to the same unit, the answer might be to scrap that one?

Finally, when I try and access Cortex via a web browser (either locally or on another machine, including iPad), after logging in, I get the error 'XSL XML HTM Transform error'. Any ideas? A search doesn't throw any light on this.

Many thanks in advance. I'm looking forward to expanding my Idratek - I've got so many ideas!

Alex

[chris_j_hunter]

well done, good choice ...

all bar one of problems sound familiar & are hopefully easy to fix ...

speech - we've not tried speech recognition yet, but speech generally gave us problems until we got the tick-box settings right (need to read the text carefully, sometimes ticking turns off rather than on) ...

DRB - sounds like the relay's welding, due to excessive in-rush currents due to a poor LED-driver - we had the problem on one of our's, found it was intermittent, repeated switching would free the contact ... the solution in our case was to fit inrush resistors - eg:

http://www.rapidonline.com/Electroni...nrush-Limiters

NB: they get warm, so need to mount them appropriately !

DRB / PLH - sounds like you've reset only half the settings - we do this :

- stop the network & physically unplug one of the modules ...

- in Node Profile Utility, read the node / expand Max NID's (Node ID's) / select NID 01 / right-click Change all ID's / Save profile to (say) 6666 / close Node Profile Utility ...

- go to the object's Properties | Unique ID & change that to 6666, too ...

- plug back-in the second module, which still has the original address ...

transform error - beats me !

HTH

Chris

[Alexc]

Thanks Chris. That's really encouraging.

... the solution in our case was to fit inrush resistors... NB: they get warm, so need to mount them appropriately!

Did you mount one of these in the backbox behind the module, or elsewhere? My lights are 5 x 9w (45w).

Alex

[chris_j_hunter]

we felt they ran too warm to include in the back-box, so we put them in another box (of similar size) on their own, drilled a few holes for ventilation, and mounted it by the driver …

ours were used over the hob - about 55W, using these :

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ngs/index.html

[Alexc]

The circuit that works is the one supplying the strip lights under the cupboards too. I went for 12v 1m flexible strips (used two wired in parallel), driven by a transformer.

image-3247690185.jpg

This is a view looking up at them, before the wall was tiled. I'm really pleased with them - being very thin, very cool (in all ways!) and so easy to install.

The lights giving the problem are these from Toolstation - http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ligh.../sd3293/p38060

9w each, and five of them. They have their own drivers. They do look good, and I can highly recommend them. If the resistor is the solution, would I need one per lamp, or get away with one on the whole circuit?

Alex

[Alexc]

The webserver issue:

Looking at the logs, when the error appears in the remote browser, the log shows

image-3129598442.jpg

Not sure why it's looking for .xsl without a file name. Am I missing something?

Alex

[chris_j_hunter]

>resistor ...

just one, for the lot ...

[chris_j_hunter]

>.xsl ...

looks to me like one for Karam / Viv !

[Karam]

Speech recognition: Sorry, this is a known issue with Windows 7 and 8 which we have yet to address.

As Chris suggests, the DRB relay is likely spot welding. Unfortunately LEDs, CFLs and SMPS tend to have a large capacitor facing the mains switch and manufacturers often don't bother with inrush limitation, so if you happen to switch on at peak mains voltage into the empty capacitor you can get a very high momentary current which unfortunately can cause contact spot welds particularly on small relays and quicker wear in any case. Again as Chris suggests, one solution is to fit external inrush limiters. You can probable compromise between heat generation and effectiveness. E.g a limiter with a starting value of say 10ohms as opposed to 50ohm will likely get less warm for a given load but still offer a reasonable degree of protection. A physically larger component will also likely get less hot at its surface.

Changing the module ID: Yes one of the two modules must be unplugged and the remaining connected one could then have its ID changed via the Node profile tool (right click on NID value and then follow prompts). then its parent object ID will have to also be manually changed to match (via properties menu for parent object). Alternatively the connected module could be reset to its factory default state by sending a direct command to it of the form FA90xxyy440006000000FF <Transmit> (where xxyy is the present module ID. Then set the module's parent object ID to 0000 (makes it a 'free' object). Now hit the reset button on the module andafter it initialises it will come up in factory default state so Cortex will prompt to commission it. When asked whether you wish to assign to an existing 'free' object you say yes.. Cortex will then create a new ID and re-assign that module to its old object (so you don't lose any previous set up). BTW, all these procedures must be carried out with the network in a stopped state!

Browser: Which XSL file have you selected for that user (from the drop down list in the Web server user menu)?

[Alexc]

Thanks all - I shall get on with trying those things.

The XSL file - that was the issue. I hadn't found that menu, and it said 'user defined'. Once I selected the cortex option, the web server now works fine. Thanks Karam.

Alex