Webswitch won't communicate

[wb4gcs]

All:
My webswitch 1216H has been working fine.  After reading temperatures, I shut it down (removed all power) to add some additional 1-wire temperature sensors.  Added the first one.  Power  back on.

Can't find it on the browser  (Fixed IP address, 192.168.1.226)
Can't ping it.
Yet, the link light is lit and the activity light flashes on the webswitch and the network switch to which it is connected.

Power down, disconnected new 1-wire sensor, power back on -- same problem.

Thinking IP settings got corrupted, I ran SetupManager and plugged in the USB connection.  Windows7 complains that it can't find a device driver, and then shuts down the "Unknown Device".  Tried it several times, including rebooting Windows, it won't connect to the Webswitch.

Webswitch has the rotor controller board attached (Used to work fine).
Webswitch firmware version is 4.4.

SetupManager is latest, 1.27, I think.

This is the first problem I've ever had with it.

Any suggestions??

Thanks,
Jim

[Jan (Microbit)]

It seems something has happened which most likely causes the WS to reboot repeatedly, making both network and USB access impossible. If that's the case then it might work by trying to power cycle it a number of times and/or disconnecting everything, including USB and network, while applying power.

[wb4gcs]

Jan:

Thanks.

I have power cycled it several times, including one iteration where I left it de-energized for hours.

I will try this again, disconnecting everything while the power is off.

Will advise.
Thanks,
Jim

[wb4gcs]

Jan:

Powered down for four days.  Disconnected everything.  Power up -- it came up and I could connect to it.  Of course, nothing worked, but settings (labels for temperature sensors) were still there.

Powered down and reconnected relays 1 and 2, both of which switch 12VDC at < 1 Amp.

Powered up.

Can't connect.  LEDs on webswitch and network switch sggest network activity, just like before.

Relay 1 and relay 2 connections were part of the original installation over a year ago and have worked fine.

I'll power it down for 24 hours and see what happens tomorrow.

Jim

[wb4gcs]

Jan:

After leaving power off for 24 hours, it responded and controls the two switches I reconnected.

I just powered it down and reconnected the rotor controller.  I'll let it sit overnight and see what happens.

Jim

[wb4gcs]

Jan:

Powered up after being off 24 hours with rotor controller (only, no temp sensors) connected.  Won't respond.  Power off. 

Disconnected rotor controller.  Will let it sit 24 hours and see what is happening.

This is incredibly perplexing, especially since the LEDs at the ethernet port sure look like they're acting normally.  Green on and Yellow intermittently on and then off.

Jim

[Jan (Microbit)]

Yes, it sounds strange indeed! I would suggest that if you are able to communicate with it using USB then use Setup Manager to set factory defaults. That would make sure there are no invalid setup data causing problems.

[Jan (Microbit)]

Also, have you checked that it gets minimum 12 volts? A voltage dip could also cause strange behavior like those you see.

[wb4gcs]

Jan:

I tried USB long ago.  Windows 7 reports faulty USB device and disables it.
Interesting suggestion on power.  Since it is not functioning, it is on the battery backup, which I measured at 10.69 volts.  Removed all power and applied primary power -- came right up.  You may be on to something here.

Will advise.

Jim

[wb4gcs]

Jan:
Interesting developments today.

I discovered that, with both 1-wire busses disconnected, it comes up fine on the normal power supply, but not the battery, even when the battery is at 12.6 volts.

Then I discovered that, with both 1-wire busses (temperature sensors and rotor), it wouldn't respond, whether I powered up on battery or normal power.   (battery and normal power connect to WebSwitch through "auctioneering" diodes.)

Then I discovered that, the "ground" on the rotor 1-wire buss had become disconnected from the common on the WebSwitch.  Reconnected it, and now it responds fine when I power up on the normal power supply.  Still does NOT respond when I power up from the battery.

Then I was able to successfully add one of the new temperature sensors that started all this, scan it, name it, and have it read properly.

Additional information:  The backup battery is a gel-cell, about 1 year old.  When normal power is on, it is monitored and charged as necessary by a "BatteryTender" device.  Ultimately it will be charged by some solar panels, connected via controllers which will prevent it from being over-charged and disconnecting the load if battery voltage gets too low.

Additional observation:  When WebSwitch powers up, the green and yellow LEDs near the ethernet jack come on.  When powering up on battery, the green flickers in sync with the "data" LED on the adjacent switch; the yellow stays on.  It will not respond.  When powering up on normal power, both LEDs come on, but then the yellow goes out, and only the green flickers.  Once I can see the green only, it responds instantly to the browser.

Additional observation:  Battery voltage during startup attempts ranged from 11.6 to 12.6 volts; label on WebSwitch says 8 VDC is minimum.

Question:  What does the yellow LED indicate?

Question:  I have the 1-wire "ground" connection isolated from power ground and cabinet ground.  Should it be?  Or should it be connected to power ground and/or cabinet ground?  Or are they connected inside WebSwitch, and it doesn't matter?

Making progress and learning things here.

Thanks,
Jim

[Jan (Microbit)]

Question:  What does the yellow LED indicate?

Are you making any progress?

Your hardware version of the WS has as you say two leds near the Ethernet connector. The green led shows link activity and the yellow link speed(100 Mbit ON, 10 Mbit off).