plasmadrive Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 This is sort of a redundant post but I need ideas. I have been using ELLs for years without any real issue. Over the last week or so I have had two stop working. The first was connected to the same Gen 2 controller over the past 3 seasons. During setup that controller was found to have a dead comm chip. (must have gotten board in storage I guess). Anyway, I replaced it with a Gen 3 controller and continued on. A few days later during testing it seems the ELL would no longer work. I opened that ELL up and there were no lights lit so I assumed it was just dead. Tried reseating the cable but no luck. I replaced that ELL with a second one. The first was then set aside. Couple of days later I went to see about fixing it and it was working just fine. I did nothing to it. The second ELL was working fine until last night in the middle of my show (I think the middle) that portion of my display stopped working. I grabbed another ELL and plugged it in as soon as I found the problem. I immediately regained the display. After the show shut down for the night I tested the bad ELL and it was not showing data received from the transmitting one. I know the transmitter was working because there are two other ELLs receiving data and they were working just fine. I plugged that 3rd one back in and it was working just fine. I took the 2nd ELL that stopped working to my shop and plugged it in and it was working with the HU just fine. I still haven't tried any RF on it but that is today. My problem is that this is the 2nd time an ELL has stopped working and when tested later was fine. The 1st went completely dead, the 2nd just stopped receiving data. Both test OK later. The network and that first controller all worked fine when each of those ELLs was replaced. Worked right away. So.. Where is the problem? ELLs? Controller? Comm chips? Cables? I ruled out the comm chips and cables because they all work fine with just a quick ELL replacement. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I'm using ELL's as well but so far, no problems. If I was you, I'd submit a help desk ticket and get them involved just in case they've heard about this before. It might be the firmware needs updating is a possibility or maybe there's interference on the frequency selected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Benson Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 If it were me, I'd check or change out the cat 5 cables. Cant tell you how many times they have caused me grief. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 dgrant, LOR really had no idea either. They thought it might be water splashing into the hole where the cable comes in. Not sure that is the case since I have two others out there that are mounted the same in the rain.. and this one has been out in the rain for 3 prior seasons.. As well the PCB is up inside the plastic enclosure. It would have had to have water go up to the board. Just in case I finally put a plastic bag over the entire ELL and controller.. Tim, not the Cat5 cable. replaced and tested the old one.. didn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGabriel Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Plasma So far this year I haven't any issues with the ELL. (I probably just jinx myself). But the past two to three year I had a problems with a couple of them. I remember two got moisture in it from the antenna. Dry them out and resealed the antenna. No more problem with them. The another one mounted in my garage (5th year) acted just like yours. Stopped working, changed it out with the spare. Check it out in HU and it would be working just fine. This one is mounted in a dry location, so no moisture problem. It has been working just fine this year so far mounted back in the garage. I think my problem could be the location I have it mounted in. Was going to change thing around this year, but didn't not get to it. Will check all ELL in HU at the end of the season and compare the reading on them to see any different. Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Maybe this is a slight corrosion issue where the fingers of the RJ45 get dirty with exposure? Mine are are on top of the controllers with black plastic bags over them and tied at the bottoms but of course not sealed. I try to keep water out/off them and balck bags helps to hide those out in the open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Nope.. not a corrosion issue.. clean as a whistle.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Maybe you should consider changing frequencies on them as there could be something else on the same frequency causing interference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I've been using ells for 4 yrs now with out issues (Hope I didn't jinx myself,fingers crossed) BUT when other have mentioned frequency I have noticed that my garage door opener when in use has caused temporary lags, but then it comes right back. don't know if you might have issues with the garage door opener or some other item that might be messing up the frequency of the ell Just food for thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I'm seeing problems on my pixel tree but that's going through an N-Bridge to wireless router. Its secured but probably means people are trying to login to that network, causing issues. Its not related to the ELL's but interference in wireless communications can happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Not the wireless part.. The ELL for my trees is 3 times the distance and on the same channel.. There is nothing for about 400' in any direction other than my house.. Besides, that would not have anything to do with the first one going out completely.. as in no LEDs.. like no power.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 No power at all from the controller or the ELL is receiving power but dead....circuit board is clean, as in no bugs, dirt/dust on the card surface or backside? Just as a thought from someone who's worked on electronics, take some iso alcohol and a Q-tip and clean all of it, both sides. Let it thoroughly dry, then see if it'll power up again. If it doesn't then its probably done...surge, lightening strike close enough or who knows what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 (edited) I have been an industrial controls Eng for very long time (over 30 years).. and this one has me stumped. No lightning strikes around here for either one.. the only constant is that they both stopped on the same controller and both after a pretty good rain. The other two ELLs are also out in that same rain and have been for the last 3 seasons as well. Both started working when taken off and tested on the HU. One was tested days later and the other right away. No water or moisture traces visible on either PCB or in the plastic box. Cable was replaced, Controller is still working on the third ELL. One died outright, as in no LEDs lit at all. One just would not receive data but the LED was blinking. The third which is still working, is working with the same cable as the second one. First cable tests just fine but I pulled it anyway. This one I am afraid will have the voodoo tag on it for a long time. LOL. Edited December 23, 2014 by plasmadrive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Sure sounds like it and you've done all the correct things in my view. Stuff happens...order up new ones from LOR right away or run Cat5/6's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGabriel Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Maybe something to do with the controller, since its your only constant. Were the ELL receiving for the controller or transmitting from the controller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Controller works fine and does right away with the replacement ELLs.. There should be no reason for it to stop working then start up again on the HU.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 One other thing to check...look very closely at the wire fingers of the RJ45 connectors. See if by chance any are pushed in slightly and did not retract back out to their original positions. This has been happening a lot on controllers but I've not heard of it on ELL's...doesn't mean its not happening on them too. I had one where they were all pushed in so it appeared normal, but far from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasmadrive Posted December 24, 2014 Author Share Posted December 24, 2014 All connectors are in perfect shape.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Sorry...just wish I knew what to tell you. You could send it to LOR and see what they can figure out...might be better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viennaxmas Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I wonder if it might be a bad solder point. With temperature changing it might just be enough to open or close the connection... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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