#3 Controller wont' stop flashing green light this year...HELP

[howark2]

I have used 3 daisy chained CTB16PCg3 controllers for the last 4 years with no problems. This year I cannot get box 3 to stop green light flashing and begin to work.

Actions taken:

1. Rebooted the number 3 controller by moving the JP3 jumper to 5&6, powered, quick flash, unpowered, moved back to JP3 jumper back to 4&5 to reset controller.
2. Plugged the controller directly into the computer through SC485 serial connector and removed all additional controllers connected to computer. Went to light o rama hardware and ran the "auto configure" , I then received the message to connect 485 serial connector to the serial port and to make sure power was on ( which both were done). The following message was then received "Port not Found".
3. I unplugged the number 3 controller and re-plugged controllers 1 and 2 back into the computer through the same SC485 serial connector and they both work perfect.

Any thoughts on why I can't get this controller to work? The Ethernet connection from the computer seems to be fine as it works great when I plug in controller 1, so it won't let me auto configure to set the ID number. When I push the Refresh button in HU is says "0 units found" It continues to have a slower green flashing light.

Controllers 1 and 2 continue to work once re-connected so I know that it is getting signal from the computer.

Any thoughts on what can I do to fix this ASAP?

Thanks,

Kevin
 

[PhilMassey]

Have you tried the second RJ45 jack. Sounds like the one you are using may be bad. By the way, just to prevent possible confusion to others, the connection is using an ethernet cable, but is NOT ethernet as you are clearly aware.

Confusing the two protocols will fry something.

[Dennis Laff]

check the pins on the rj45 connectors on the controller

[saxon]

I'm not an expert at these controllers but I can think of half a dozen that are that you wil be hearing from - and there they are now, my thoughts exactly, check that rj45 and did you use a different cable when you tested #3 straight to computer? different that the on that normally goest between 2 & 3?

[bob_moody]

+1 to Phil and +1 to Dennis. 

Just to expand... look in the RJ45 jack on the controller. Are all 8 pins there and parallel ? Sometimes one of the fingers will lift out of the slot and slip over .. you can usually fix this with a careful toothpick.

Had a similar problem and it was a downstream cable. verify that all you cables are good .. my 3rd controller wouldnt work and it was the cable between the 1st and 2nd .... go figure .. thought I would never find it .. 

Also .. make sure you try Phil's suggestion and switch connectors. Either RJ45 will work... if its the last controller then your okay.. if there is another behind it, you might have swap them around to make the one with the bad connector the last in the chain. 

Bob