Controller, Comms Sensor Fault Symbol

[JimG]

I installed an Evohome System to control the heating and hotwater system in my home in late Dec 2015. My system functioned faultlessly until 10/02/16, the date on which my firmware was automatically updated by Honeywell, from 01.00.01.00/01/00.01.00 to 01.00.02.01/01.00.02.00. On this day, the controller screen greeted me with a message asking me to sign on to my wifi system, which I duly did. The whole system seemed to be back to normal except that I noticed the majority of my Zone names, in fact 9 out of 11, had been changed/switched. This problem I overcame by simply renaming the zone names that had mysteriously been changed/switched, back to what they were before the firmware update. – This issue was reported to Honeywell but I received no feed back.
After this particular hiccup my system basically worked without any issues, that is until Thurs of last week 19 Jan 2017, when I changed the batteries of one HR22 unit (the reason for the relatively short life of the batteries of this particular unit is known). After I replaced the batteries I decided to check the unit was fully functional again and for convenience took the Honeywell WiFi Controller off the wall mounted charger/power supply. Before I had the opportunity to check anything, I became distracted and for a couple of hours the controller being left on my desk rather than in its wall charger cradle. – What greeted me when I returned was a totally blank screen. I placed the controller back into the wall cradle and waited for many minutes for communication to be re-established with the various zones etc. Upon initially checking I noted that a red triangle with a white exclamation mark was displayed on the controller screen for zones 5, 9 and 11 – If I selected any of these zones I was greeted by a screen message advising sensor comms fault, but thereafter was permitted access to change etc the zone settings. After a further approx 30 minutes, the zones showing the red triangle had changed to zones 1 and 8; after a further approx 20 hrs, to zones 1, 4 and 8; and after a further 24 hours until now, 24 Jan 2017, to zones 1 and 8 plus the Hot Water (If I select Hot Water on the Controller am initially advised “comms fault hot water sensor”).

In an attempt to indentify cause and remedy the fault symbols being display on the controller, I have checked etc the “potentially faulty zones” HR22 units and tried out the following:
i) Checked the display screens of the HR22 units for presence of the “Radio Communication” symbols – none displayed;
ii) Checked the display screens of the HR22 units for battery Status – all OK;
iii) Checked the HR22 units for signal strength – either were excellent or good;
iv) Removing batteries from these HR22 units and reinsert after approx 1 minute – nothing changed;
v) Changed temperature of zone using controller – controller communicated change to HR22 but fault symbol remained;
vi) Changed temperature of zone using HR22 “adjustment dial” – HR22 communicated change with controller but fault symbol remained;
vii) Replaced batteries in these HR22 units – no change, controller fault symbol remained; and
viii) Un-bound one HR22 unit and reset to factory settings PLUS deleted zone from controller. Set up “new” zone in controller and re-bound to the HR22 unit – no change, controller fault symbol remained for "new" zone.
Please note that I have not investigated or tried to remedy “comms fault hot water sensor” issue.

Despite these comms fault warnings symbols the system does appear to be working substantially as it should, the only thing that I’ve noticed is that some zones appear to climb to temperatures above the zone temperature set points.
Has anyone experienced this problem before, and is there an easy remedy available?

[Richard]

Have you cleared the fault log under the 'SETTINGS tab? Maybe contact Honeywell on 0300 130 1299 to get the latest firmware pushed to the evohome Controller before investing too much time looking for issues.

[JimG]

Since initial installation have never cleared fault log. What I just noticed is that some dates and times etc of “Faults” as recorded in controller log, do not accord with the appearance/disappearance of the fault symbol in the various zones displayed on the controller - presumably fault symbols only displayed on screen when a zone comms fault persists for a certain period of time.
FYI - Based on zone fault symbols currently displayed on screen of my controller, there would appear to be comms problems with zones 1 and 8 plus the Hot Water system whereas based on analysis of Fault Log, the comms problems with zones 1, 4 and 8 plus the Hot Water system remain unresolved, since initially being recorded on 19 Jan – the Fault symbol for zone 4 disappeared from screen of controller on 21 Jan.

[JimG]

Clearing the Fault Log appears to have resolved the issue.
Had thought the Fault Log was a simple log of events and nothing more, this presumably is not the case.

[Richard]

Sadly not, previously logged faults can show as new faults. First thing to do is clear the fault log when you have issues.

[JimG]

I obviously still have a lot to learn. Thanks for advice.

[Richard]

lol, indeed...