Cardaccess garage contacts

[shareez]

I have these CA garage contacts installed but I notice at random times that C4 will show an incorrect status i.e. it will show that the garage is open when its actually closed. We have 4 garage doors and this happens on all doors randomly. I can't to repeat it. What I did next was to program email notifications everytime each garage opens or closes. What I noticed is that when the garage opens and closes (when someone leaves) I get about 6 emails usually 3 stating the garage is open and 3 for closed. Is this normal behavior? It makes it difficult to program notifications or reminders that someone left the garage open with this glitch because of many false alarms.

Anyone else experience any of the above issues?

[Cyknight]

No shouldn't do this.

When programming email notifications, consider using a variable and a timer for each state, this prevents repeats example:

on garage door open

set variable [garage door open] to true

reset timer [garage open counter]

Then on the variable, program the email

on the timer program variable back to false

Do NOT program garage close to set the variable to false, if you want to do an email for open and close make separate variables and timers.

The most common reason for unexpected duplication I can think of is that you have WiFi extenders/repeaters going (not true AP, the type that takes a wifi signal and repeats it without a hard-wire connection) - these can grab ZigBee signals and repeat them - repeat as in resend them several times. Don't use these - fot this and other reasons...

One reason why a sensor in the system can inadvertently show the incorrect one is if the main controller reboot - as it assumes all contacts/sensors to be OPEN, and won't know anything else until the contact gets triggered again.

[snipboy]

Not sure if this related, but I get similar random incorrect statuses as well from both my garage contacts and doors. I think it has more to do with my phone app. If I wait for 30-40 seconds I'll see that the statuses all change as if the app connection was refreshed. This does not inspire confidence...so like you I programmed email notifications and I am relying on those to tell me what the state is of each door.

[Cyknight]

I've found apps slow to update these contacts too - the native tscreens should be quick though.

[Godzilla]

Use the generic driver with sensor....all in 1, and if it still shows Incorrect, then invert it, sometimes that's the issue, also make sure u use the black and white as I think the red is NO...instead of NC

[shareez]

No shouldn't do this.

When programming email notifications, consider using a variable and a timer for each state, this prevents repeats example:

on garage door open

set variable [garage door open] to true

reset timer [garage open counter]

Then on the variable, program the email

on the timer program variable back to false

Do NOT program garage close to set the variable to false, if you want to do an email for open and close make separate variables and timers.

The most common reason for unexpected duplication I can think of is that you have WiFi extenders/repeaters going (not true AP, the type that takes a wifi signal and repeats it without a hard-wire connection) - these can grab ZigBee signals and repeat them - repeat as in resend them several times. Don't use these - fot this and other reasons...

One reason why a sensor in the system can inadvertently show the incorrect one is if the main controller reboot - as it assumes all contacts/sensors to be OPEN, and won't know anything else until the contact gets triggered again.

Would the main controller reboot on its own? because only when i experience significant issues do I unplug the controller and plug it back in. This does not coincide with the issues i have with the garage contact sensors. Are there other ways of restarting the controller that i am not aware of?

[Godzilla]

^hes just saying that after a controller reboots.....it might display the wrong status until the doors have been opened or closed to resync the status within the system

[ILoveC4]

^hes just saying that after a controller reboots.....it might display the wrong status until the doors have been opened or closed to resync the status within the system

My system does that too. It think the doors are open, when they are not.

[Cyknight]

Indeed that's what I meant, just pointing out the possibility that that's what it is - I can tell you my garage door indication is NEVER out of synch EXCEPT after a reboot so it may be something to investigate.

We had this at a client where we ended up having an oft rebooting HC800 - which it did so fast it was barely noticeable (completely separate reason WHY it was doing this).

[ILoveC4]

Yeah, I have my garage doors checked at a set interval to make sure they are closed (this can change if the "yard work" variable is true, but still has a timer set). These timers automatically reset on a reboot. Anytime a garage door timer expires and sends the command to close the garage, there is a 15 second delay. If the garage is still open, it sends the command to close the garage again. If the garage is still open 15 seconds after that, it sends me an email letting me know the garage is open and the system has tried to close it. I know at this point there is some sort of problem (IE: something blocking the door).

This creates a fail safe so that in the unlikely event the system has rebooted and therefore it thinks the garage is open when it's really closed, it doesn't open it and leave it open for 10 minutes (my default timer for how long the garage doors can stay open).

[shareez]

Great information, thanks guys!

I am now a little more confused about the rebooting. I also have an HC800 as my main controller and I am wondering if rebooting every so often is normal behavior? (even if its so fast it was barely noticable as Cyknight mentioned) Should I be worried that my controller is also doing this?

[Cyknight]

It would not be normal - but there can many reasons for it - poor power, network issues, something wrong in the system.

You could program the system to send an email on reboot - while not a 100% accurate, it could tell you of the possibility it's doing it.

[shareez]

and how do i program it to email me on reboot?

[Cyknight]

Under programming - select the project itself. It's called "when project loads" - which is essentially on reboot.

Program in a good delay or better timer to allow everything to be done before sending the email.

[ILoveC4]

^ 60 second delay works for me. I have it set to restart all my repeating timers, as well as shoot me an email letting me know the system rebooted.

Reboots are very rare. In fact, I don't know that I've EVER had a reboot that wasn't initiated by me.

[shareez]

great info. thanks guys!