Temp probe triggering (false?) Alarm

[ilangi]

I have recently configured my P3ex to email me when an alarm is triggered.

About every 8 hours or so the Temp 2 probe (connected via my Ex Box) keeps tripping the alarm and I then receive the following information by email from the ProfiLux:

ALARM
Alarm: Temp 2


LEVEL-SENSORS
Level 1 - On
Level 2 - Off

SENSORS
pH-value 1 - 8.20pH
Temperature 1 - 26.3C
Conduct.(S) 1 - 1.0229
Redox 1 - ---
pH-value 2 - ---
Temperature 2 - COM
Conduct.(S) 2 - ---
Redox 2 - ---


The temperature probes appear to working fine and I've tried unplugging and re-plugging them in to make sure that they are connected properly.

The temperature is stable and is not moving outside of the range set for the Temp 2 probe.

My question is: what does "COM" mean

[Matthias]

COM means that the communication between P3 and Expansion Box was (temporarily) blocked

could you tell us more about your setup? what is connected to PAB? cablelength between, etc.

[ilangi]

Thank you ofr your response.

The P3eX is situated near the sump in my garage and the Expansion Box is situated near the display tank in my living room. They are connected using approximatly 20m of CAT6 ethernet cable, daisy chained with 3 x Powerbars (6D-PAB) also using CAT 6 ethernet cable (2 of the Powerbars are located in the garage and 1 is located with the display tank in the house)

Here are the plans to my house:


The ethernet cable was professionally wired to a CAT 6 Patch Panel.

I will have the cables tested to see if there are any problems and let you know...

[ilangi]

OK - a technician has rewired the data points that the Expansion Box is connected to and tested all other data points to be sure that everything is wired correctly, but I am still getting the COM error from both Temp 2 and pH 2 probes (that are connected to the Expansion Box). Also the Optical Level Sensor (4), which is connected to the Expansion Box, has false alarmed a few times, but it has not done this for the last 12 hours.

I have un-assigned and re-assigned all PAB devices.

I have turned all devices (including the P3eX) off and back on again.

It seems that I am getting the COM errors by email more frequently, about every hour, e.g:

ALARM

Alarm: Temp 2

LEVEL-SENSORS
Level 1 - On
Level 2 - Off
Level 4 - Off

SENSORS

pH-value 1 - 6.40pH
Temperature 1 - 26.4C
Conduct.(S) 1 - 50.2mS
Redox 1 - 267mV
pH-value 2 - 8.36pH
Temperature 2 - COM
Conduct.(S) 2 - ---
Redox 2 - ---


Everything is connected as follows:

The ProfiLux 3 eX is connected to a Switch (via the Patch Panel approx 15m away)

The Switch is plugged into my Modem/Router (directly above the Patch Panel)

The ProfiLux 3 eX is also connected via the PAB port to the first Powerbar 6D-PAB (Sockets 13-18)

This first Powerbar 6D-PAB is connected directly (by 1m ethernet cable) to the second Powerbar 6D-PAB (Sockets 7-12)

The second Powerbar 6D-PAB is connected (via a patchpanel about 15m away) to the third Powerbar 6D-PAB (Sockets 1-6)

The third powerbar 6D-PAB is connected (via the Patch Panel approx 8m away) to the Expansion Box

The Expansion Box has one PAB port available (nothing connected to it).

The Powerbars, the Ex Box and the P3eX are all running the latest firmware.

The only other things that I can think to try are:

1. Plug the P3eX directly into the Modem/Router instead of via the Switch?

2. Reflash the firmware to the Powebars, since the Ex Box is connected through them to the P3eX?

Everything else works great and if I had not set up the P3eX to email me upon alarm I probably would not even know that there was a problem

Could the Expansion Box be faulty? Do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks

[ilangi]

I just tried the following:

1. Plug the P3eX directly into the Modem/Router instead of via the Switch; and

2. Re-flash the firmware to the Powebars, since the Ex Box is connected through them to the P3eX

But I am still getting the COM errors :mad:

I have run out of ideas now

[GHL Support]

We will take care of your problem and will get back to you. We kindly ask you for a little patience - thank you!

[ilangi]

Thank you Carolin - I look forward to hearing back from you soon

[GHL Support]

First: DO NOT flash a PAB device since other PAB devices are connected! As you could read in the messagebox in PLC only one PAB device should be connected during the PAB update!

We try to reproduce the COM errors on EXB sensors and are working on the problem.

[ilangi]

Thank you Frank.

I did read this in the warning before flashing any of the PAB devices.

Ialready flashed the PAB devices on Friday 21 January but I made sure that only one at a time was connected to the P3eX.

All PAB devices have been successfuly flashed to their latest firmware respectively.

Everything works perfectly except for the COM errors on pH 2 and Temp 2 that are connected via the Ex Box.

I have disabled the email feature for the time being (because it was driving me crazy when I was receiving an alarm twice every 45 minutes).

I am curious and would like your feedback with the following idea I just had... at the moment the PAB devices are ALL connected in an open ended daisy chain as described in my posts above, however I could try connecting them as follows:

I could connect the two Powerbars located next to the P3eX (in an open ended daisy chain) from one of the avialable PAB ports of the P3eX and then I could connect the other Powerbar and the Ex Box (via the patch panel in an open ended daisy chain) from the other available PAB port.

I am thinking that this could reduce the amount of traffic to the P3eX through the single PAB port and hopefully eliminate the COM error?

If you think the above suggestion is worth trying I will give it a go and let you know if it works.

I look forward to hearing your opinion.

[GHL Support]

Maybe this is a try worth. But I can't say, if this solve the COM errors.
I still try to identifiy the source of these COM errors...