Any issues with the latest SmartThings patch? Mine stopped working

[Fallon]

About a week ago my wife's CoopBoss stopped working completely. After about 30 minutes of checking the linear actuator & working  with my multi-meter I determined the dam turkey unplugged the power supply. Not my finest hour as an IT professional. Forgot troubleshooting step 1, always make sure it's plugged in.  Anyway the door & button started working again immediately.

However while the button works, it's no longer communicating with SmartThings. I deleted the device, device definitions & SmartApp definitions, re-added them, then reset the unit. Its showing binary 5 (LED 1 & 3) after the reset which the manual says it's looking to pair. However my SmartThings hub isn't finding it when I tell it to look for new devices.

It all happened roughly the same time as the most recent SmartThings platform update.

Feature suggestion - a notification that SmartThings has lost communication with the CoopBoss after an hour or so.

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

No issues that I'm aware of.  The first thing I would try is to tell the coopboss to leave the ZigBee network and start looking for a new one to join.  Follow these steps on page 9 of the manual
Leave ZigBee Network (PCB button command)
To leave the ZigBee network and reset back to factory condition, remove the power to the CoopBoss for a few minutes, push the PCB button (see area “K” in Figure 5) and hold while powering the CoopBoss back on. Remove finger when all three LEDs quickly flash on and off. At this point the CoopBoss has been reset back to factory and is looking for a new ZigBee network to join. Once joined you will need to check your close light and open light settings as well as Set Normal Door close current as discussed above.

Then put your hub into join mode and it should join again.  If it doesn't it may need to be closer to the hub to get a good signal.

[Fallon]

Took the SmartThings hub out to the coop & it still couldn't find it. Finally removed it & brought it inside. Removed the ZigBee module & reinstalled it, antenna popped loose & I reseated it. Reset the unit again & SmartThings promptly found it again. Guessing the temperature change causes something on the radio or the antenna to come loose. Unsurprisingly it's complaining about not knowing if the door is open or closed & an electrical issue. Need to go hook everything backup, but working up the motivation to go back out into the 2 degree weather out there at the moment is challenging.

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

Ohh that is cold.  Thanks for the update!

[Fallon]

It's still giving me issues. Got it rejoined to SmartThings, but it stops communicating after a handfull of opens & closes, less than half an hour or so. It generaly communicates for a bit after cycling the power. But stops again within a few cycles of half an hour or so. I replaced the power supply hoping that would fix it, but I'm getting the same results.

The button continues to work all the time so it just seems to be the radio misbehaving. I've cracked it open a couple times to make sure everything is connected properly & reseated the ZigBee module & antenna. When its open I usually see LED 3 on solid. I need to grab a video of  the startup sequence.

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

I wonder if it is a signal strength issue?  Has anything changed with your ZigBee network?  Are you seeing any errors in your live logging?

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

I know your pretty technical and if your interested in mapping out your ZigBee network I posted an guide on how to do that with a Digi USB ZigBee dongle here https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-mapping-your-zigbee-network-with-digis-xctu/28477.

[Fallon]

Interesting, I might check that out, although at $50 its a bit steep. I'm pretty sure the CoopBoss is the only Zigbee device I have, all the switches & other stuff is Zwave. My SmartThings is in the same spot it's always been on the top shelf on my desk with a direct line of sight though the window 40-50' or so to the coop.No errors under the Recently tab for the CoopBoss, just a handful of status & voltage stuff that shows up for a couple minutes, then nothing until I reboot the CoopBoss again, then a few more messages, then nothing.

As it's just the remote control part having issues & the button works fine, it definitely seems like it could be the Zigbee module or something with the connection. How much is just that module & where did you source it?

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

The xBee module is a Digi XBee-PRO ZB SMT Part number XBP24CZ7UIS-004.  My cost is $29 and that is what I would charge you for it. I would be happy to send you a new ZigBee modem.  The ZigBee modems need to be programed before they are placed into service you can do that in the field but you will need to connect your new ZigBee modem to your PC first and that requires a programmer.  If you want to go that route I will be happy to walk you through it but it would be easier to just get it from me.  I should have them in stock.   In fact If you send the bad one back after you get the new one I would like to test it and only charge you if it is bad. I will also send you a new antenna cable that you will have to unscrew form the aluminum box to install.  Shouldn't be a big deal. Let me know if that is the route you want to go. Please eMail you address to me at John.Rucker@Solar-current.com. 

One more thing:
Just so you know the coopboss has the ability to send a detailed log to a PC over your ZigBee network.  It requires a USB ZigBee dongle, and PuTTy installed on a Windows machine.  I would be happy to let you borrow a ZigBee dongle if you send it back when we are done.  I have to caution you that this will require some time set everything up and we still may end up replacing the ZigBee modem.  So it may be best to just replace the ZigBee modem first just wanted you to know this was an option.

[Fallon]

Gonna fiddle with it one last time here this weekend  & try to re-seat all the connectors & what not before moving onto one of those next steps.

I'll likely snag one of those Digi USB dongles after thinking about it a bit. Can utilize it for some of the wireless CTF & other Defcon hacking stuff.

[Fallon]

Cracked it open again after unpluging it. u.fl connector might have been loose, but its hard to tell as those are so tiny . I pulled it & the Zigbee module  & hosed everything down with some electrical contact cleaner. Buttoned it back up after everything had dried off. It closed via SmartThings just fine & showed normal logs for about 2 minutes then stopped working again. I see notes in the log where it notices it opened when I pushed the button about 10 minutes later, but I haven't seen any other updates & it still won't open or close via Smartthings. So still the same as before.

That Zigbee  USB module should be here in a few days to debug further.

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

When you do close the door does it complete the close cycle or stop in mid close like the system rebooted?
Do you think it will stay connected if you don't send it the close or open command from SmartThings? 
Can you open and close it with the button and it stays connected?
Once it is disconnected from the network will it reconnect if you cycle the power or do you have to rejoin it to SmartThings?

When you get your new Digi USB dongle it wont join the SmartThings hub until you reprogram it as I outlined in the blog post I previously mentioned: https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-mapping-your-zigbee-network-with-digis-xctu/28477.  If you want to enable the logging of the coopboss to your Digi dongle let me know I will eMail you the commands. 

[Fallon]

if I recall, it's stopped connecting to SmartThings within a few minutes regardless of opening or closing the door  via SmartThings or via the button. The button has always worked no matter the status of SmartThings control, pretty sure it's never short stroked either. I've only re-joined it to SmartThings once in the past few months & that was because I deleted it doing troubleshooting. The testing yesterday got it briefly back online & talking to SmartThings by just pulling the power plug, waiting a few then plugging it back in (did the electrical contact cleaner while it was off). It communicated just fine for a minute or 2 when it came back online, no re-adding needed.

I  don't recall it ever stopping half open or closed like it got rebooted due to power issues or what not either under button or SmartThings control. Also tried 3 different power supplies with the same results.

[John Rucker (Solar-Current.com)]

It sounds like SmartThings is kicking it off the network for some reason.  When you get a chance (if you haven't done this already) please power off your SmartThings hub with the batteries removed and power off the coopboss.  Leave them both off of a few minutes then power on the SmartThings hub and let it get connected and completely booted up.  Then power on the CoopBoss.   I know we talked about this before but just to double check your not seeing anything strange in the Hub's log??  I'm talking about the hub log "list Events" under the My Hubs tab not the live logging log.  You might want to keep an eye on it when you reboot everything.

Are you on Hub 1 or Hub 2?  Hub 2 has batteries.

One last thing just came to mind are you using the official device type for the coopboss?  I know a couple of my early customers installed a beta device type (does that ring any bells?). It would be a good ideal to make sure your using the official version. 

[Fallon]

Official? When I reinstalled the CoopBoss I pulled the stuff from GitHub as noted in the published manual, the same as I did before it was certified. Is there a new process? Need to update the published manual.