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#19780 - 04/18/08 12:26 PM Ocelot Touble
Chris Anderson Offline
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Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
My old Ocelot was giving me problems. It would send out "storms" of various X-10 signals. And it would sometimes quit communicating with other unit on the ADI bus (the Ocelot was the "master"). Eventually all communication cease.

I hadn't changed anything in my program so I assumed it was a hardware problem and purchased a new Ocelot. I had the Ocelot plugged in for a few days and finally loaded my old program a while ago. I now have a huge X-10 storm (monitoring with one of my Leo's). Looks like all A1 and A2 commands. Just saw a G1 command flash by. Oh, I forgot to mention I can longer communicate with the Ocelot.

Is my program corrupt or my Ocelot bad? The old Ocelot would send out various X10 signals every so often. This one is just a HUGE storm. Seems like a remember a way to re-load the exec and stop the program from running to escape from this but can't remember the procedure. Attach to controller then quickly hit "reload executive?" Can't remember.

Thanks, Chris
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#19781 - 04/18/08 01:12 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
How did you confirm that it was the Ocelot that was creating the storm? Did it stop if you disconnected the RJ11 cable between the Ocelot and the PSC-05? Could it be an error in the C-Max code that is causing to chase it's own tail? Are you using X-10 addresses A1 and A2 in your home at all? Just things to consider...

Reloading the executive should not be a problem when it is in a X-10 sending spree. Just disconnect the RJ11 cable to avoid it receiving interrupts from the PIC chip.
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#19782 - 04/18/08 04:40 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
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Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Hi guy,

As soon as I plug the RJ11 into the Ocelot the storm starts. I don't use A codes for anything. I can't re-load the exec or communicate with the Ocelot at all now, ever since I loaded my program. This sounds like a bad unit to me. Chris
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#19785 - 04/18/08 06:51 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
...But to have two of them do this?! And no one else has ever reported this kind of problem.

If you want, email me the C-Max code and I could look it over to see if anything might stick out as a possible cause. Click on my name to see my email address in my profile.
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#19787 - 04/19/08 06:38 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Hi Guy,

Thanks, I'll send you the code. The problem did start when I downloaded the program. However, I can't find any references to A - 1 or A-2 anywhere in the program. Even if it is my code it seems the unit is toast now as I can't seem to break it out of it.

Also I have a question. When I first installed the Ocelot with no program installed the red comms light blinked rapidly on the Ocelot and one of the slave Leo's. So I'm thinking variable 3 was set to 1 by default and just the Ocelot and Leo were talking. At that time I could still access the Ocelot in CMAX but no slave units showed up on the screen. Is that normal? I would think it should have showed the one slave Leo.

The behavior of the old and new Ocelots are summarized below:

RS 485 Communication:

Old Ocelot - Would sometimes drop out as evidenced by the lack of a flashing red LED on slave units. When communication was OK I could "see" the slave units in CMAX. Eventually all communication ceased.

New Ocelot - Very active red LED on Ocelot and all slave units seem to be talking to one another. However, I can't access CMAX to look at the slave units.

RS 232 Communication:

Old Ocelot - Could connect with CMAX for a while then eventually dropped out.

New Ocelot - Could connect with CMAX until I loaded my program.

X10 Anomalies:

Old Ocelot - Lights would every once in a while come on by themselves. I suspected the Ocelot and unplugged it and the problem went away.

New Ocelot - Huge A1 / A2 storm.

Thanks, Chris
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#19788 - 04/19/08 08:42 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
Have you tried accessing the new Ocelot with C-Max with no other modules or slaves connected?

How is everything powered? I imagine that the Leopards probably have their own power supplies. Are they 12vac floating output supplies? Something else?
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#19789 - 04/19/08 10:52 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Hi Guy,

The power supply is a big honkin' 50 VA 12V alarm system power supply. Powers all of my components including 2 Leo's. I tried accessing the Ocelot with the system bus disconnected. No luck. Also re-verified the Ocelot is the source of the A2 storm. Plug it in = A2 storm. Unplug it ("it" meaning the RJ11 connector) A2 storm stops. Did you receive the program I e-mailed to you?

Thanks! Chris
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#19790 - 04/19/08 05:06 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
I got the program and nothing in it would appear to cause any problems.

Here is something you could test if you're willing to dig a bit deeper: How about trying to determine if it's the contents of the flash chip itself that are somehow causing the X-10 storm (as opposed to an actual hardware problem). You could try the following: Take the flash chip out of one of the Leopards and try it in the Ocelot (yes, this actually works). See if the X-10 storm is no longer happening, and see if you can now connect to the Ocelot with C-Max. Don't try to load the program in the Ocelot however, in case this would do the same thing to the chip... Then put things back the way they were. If this test is successful, you might even try it on the other Ocelot to see if it has the same problem.

If this test works and if you have access to a flash programmer (for a 29C040A chip), I could send you an image of an Ocelot's flash chip and you could try reinitializing it this way. This still doesn't quite tell us the actual cause of the problem, but would at least help us narrow it down.
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#19791 - 04/20/08 08:01 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Hi Guy,

It sounds like an interesting experiment but I don't have access to a flash programmer. So even if the experiment works, it sounds like it would then render my Leo inoperative. At this stage I think it may be worthwhile to just send it back to Worthington. The unit is brand spankin' new and I think they would probably replace it.

Thanks, Chris
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#19792 - 04/20/08 02:54 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
Getting it exchanged sounds like a good idea, but I'm just wondering if something similar might happen to the new one when you get it... Hence the idea to try and pinpoint what is happening to it. Let me know what becomes of all this. I'm intrigued!
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"If you don't know what you're doing, do it neatly..."

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#19793 - 04/20/08 05:59 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Guy,

Well, I guess I'm a little intrigued too. It's now Sunday night and back to work. Lemme see If I can maybe swap flash chips here in the next couple days if I can find time. Can you remind me which one is the correct chip?

Thanks, Chris
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#19794 - 04/20/08 06:31 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
It is the chip part # 29C040A. It is a large (32 pin) part and will have a label on it. Like I said, just try the Leopard's chip in the Ocelot to see if it comes up without causing a X-10 storm, and if you connect to it successfully with C-Max. Don't try loading any C-Max program or executive into it, to avoid any chance of doing something that might then take your Leopard out of commission. If this test works, then something is corrupting your flash chip when the C-Max program is loaded into it for some reason. That would require a bit of investigation and maybe even trying your program in another test unit (I do have a flash programmer by the way...)
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"If you don't know what you're doing, do it neatly..."

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#19798 - 04/21/08 02:47 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Guy,

I swapped the flash chips and can now communicate with the Ocelot. No more A1 / A2 storms. So something corrupted the flash chip, eh, possibly the program I loaded? Luckily I have an earlier version of that program with only slight changes if my program is toast. What do you suggest with the Ocelot itself?

Thanks, Chris
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#19799 - 04/21/08 06:44 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
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Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
Interesting.

I will actually try loading your program in a test Ocelot that I have here to see if it does the same thing. Don't worry, as I mentioned before I have a flash programmer, etc.

How did this problem exactly show up? Did it start the X-10 storm as soon as the program was loaded or did something else seem to trigger it?
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#19800 - 04/21/08 07:08 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Guy,

The X10 storm started as soon as I loaded the program. The inability to communicate with the unit using CMAX started as soon as I loaded the program as well.

"I will actually try loading your program in a test Ocelot that I have here to see if it does the same thing. Don't worry, as I mentioned before I have a flash programmer, etc."

Guy, I do appreciate this but it's my Ocelot I'm worried about at this stage. \:\)

Thanks! Chris
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#19806 - 04/22/08 08:13 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
*****

Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
Chris, I came back home quite late this evening so I didn't have a chance to try what I wanted with your program (it might go to Thursday). But here is something you could try to wipe out the program in the flash memory:

Power off the Ocelot and remove the PIC chip. This is the long narrow chip with a label located near the RJ11 connector. Then power up the Ocelot again and see if you attach to it with C-Max. If so, try loading a single line program in it (like just an "End of Program" statement). It might proceed very slowly with the load. If it finishes successfully, power it off again and reinstall the PIC chip, then see if the Ocelot can now boot back up without creating a X-10 storm.
_________________________
"If you don't know what you're doing, do it neatly..."

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#19808 - 04/23/08 05:02 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Thanks Guy - I'll give this a try tonight.

Chris
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#19820 - 04/24/08 05:21 PM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
*****

Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
I finally got a chance to load your program in the test Ocelot and there was no sign of any trouble. No X-10 was being transmitted and C-Max stayed connected to the Ocelot without any problems.
_________________________
"If you don't know what you're doing, do it neatly..."

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#19828 - 04/27/08 09:56 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Guy Lavoie]
Chris Anderson Offline
addict


Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 483
Loc: Michigan
Hi Guy,

I finally tried the last test this weekend. I re-installed the original flash chip and unplugged the PIC chip but still could not communicate with the unit. Unless you have some more ideas I think I'm going to send this unit back to Worthington.

Thanks again, Chris
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#19830 - 04/28/08 06:27 AM Re: Ocelot Touble [Re: Chris Anderson]
Guy Lavoie Administrator Offline
Beyond All Hope
*****

Registered: 12/21/02
Posts: 5809
Loc: Montreal, QC, Canada
It looks like you have reached the end of the road in easily done tests and attempts at fixing it yourself. You'll need to send it back. \:\(
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"If you don't know what you're doing, do it neatly..."

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