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Thread: RA2 > RA3 Migration - DO NOT RESET RA2 MAIN REPEATER ON SITE

  1. #1
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    RA2 > RA3 Migration - DO NOT RESET RA2 MAIN REPEATER ON SITE

    Hi,

    Posting this here since there is no RA3 forum yet. Just had a nightmare on my first RA3 install. Hours on the phone with support. They were very good and patient (but we were all stumped). So here's what happened.

    Home has an existing RA2 system with about thirty devices. Owner saw the newer Sunnata keypads and wants them. I went over to just swap the processor yesterday and make sure it all went smoothly. At first it did. Everything seemed pretty seamless. We made a few small tweaks and were hopping in the truck to leave when I noticed all the lights were on. Went back for a quick check and nothing was responding to app or processor commands (picos etc). Tried to retransfer and every 2 way device threw an error. Spent HOURS trying everything to get devices back online. Factory resets. Forgetting and reactivating devices, restarting form scratch with RA2 file, testing a single device from a new file... Nothing would clear the errors. Even the Lutron techs were stumped. What we finally realized is that the RA2 main transmitter was factory reset onsite AFTER the devices were moved to the RA3 processor (I generally factory reset any customer equipment when it's no longer in use as a best practice). According to the tech this also resets the devices when it is done resulting in a communication failure from the RA3 processor. I'm not going to try to repeat this as the solve takes a long time and I've already lost a day on this. But if this happens to anyone else, here is what happened and the solve:

    1. RA3 Processor installed and updated with imported RA2 file in Designer. Everything goes smoothly.
    2. RA2 Main repeater is factory reset on site as it’s no longer being used. According to tech rep Bill, this also resets all the RA2 devices on the system.
    3. RA3 Processor can now no longer access RA2 devices on system - generates a failed to connect error with all RA2 2-way devices.
    4. We could not find a way to recover from this from within RA3 Processor/Designer Software.
    5. Power down RA3 processor and reinstate system from RA2 backup onto RA2 main repeater with RA2 software. Loading file and attempting to transfer results in the same error received in RA3 despite saying activated devices status is good - "Error: Unable to transfer to (device). The device is not communicating. Either the device is not powered on, out of range of any repeaters, or has been deactivated."
    6. Manually deactivate and reactivate every device on the system with RA2 software/main repeater. We did this by cutting and pasting serial numbers so we did not have to run around. Factory resets at the devices was not necessary.
    7. Save file and power down RA2 equipment.
    8. Power up RA3 Processor
    9. Factory reset RA3 Processor. This is the standard 3+3 reset but it was not documented anywhere.
    10. Import RA2 file into Designer and re activate Processor/Transfer file.

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  3. #2
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    Wow that sucks. Great info here. But I must ask- since the RA2 repeater was no longer being used, why factory reset it? Why not just unplug it and put it away?

  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnmax View Post
    But I must ask- since the RA2 repeater was no longer being used, why factory reset it? Why not just unplug it and put it away?
    That would be my sentiment as well.

    I've had mixed success using just serial numbers. I've had to do the added step of doing the reset button dance on each of them, and that does indeed take time.

    In my opinion there's always been an uncomfortable degree of 'fragility' in the way the Ra2 software handles the transfers. And there's no decent debugging tools to get a clear picture of exactly what's going wrong. Leaving open the risk of a LOT of time being wasted on site trying to 'correct' the uncorrectable. As you've now experienced (and thank you for sharing that warning!)

    My take-away from the post is don't do your step 2 until off-site. Was that the start of the problem? The unexpected resetting of the paired switches?

  5. #4
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    I don't begrudge anybody from wanting to factory reset the old main repeater. What is it, like $600? Why would you not want to reuse that or keep as a backup? Last year I was at a job trying to add a connect bridge and when updating the firmware on a brand new customer's house, the main repeater got bricked and Lutron said it would take almost a month to get the replacement and all my local suppliers were out of them too. I got lucky and got it in 3 weeks so those things are gold.

    But yeah, I learned 10 years ago that factory resetting main repeaters will end very poorly. I ended up orphaning a system after having non-responsive main repeaters and had to go back and factory rest 180 devices and it was not fun.

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  7. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by wkearney99 View Post
    That would be my sentiment as well.
    In my opinion there's always been an uncomfortable degree of 'fragility' in the way the Ra2 software handles the transfers. And there's no decent debugging tools to get a clear picture of exactly what's going wrong. Leaving open the risk of a LOT of time being wasted on site trying to 'correct' the uncorrectable.
    I have felt that from the start with wireless devices going back to illuminations software. Some days, a transfer is flawless the first time and no errors, the next day (or even later in the same day), your screen fills with red warnings. No explanation of what went wrong, no issues with signal reach...it's got to the point that I usually schedule jobs on any day but Friday so in case something goes very wrong, I don't have to deal with it over the weekend. There is just a mystery about the whole thing.

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  9. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by SparkyCoog View Post
    I don't begrudge anybody from wanting to factory reset the old main repeater. What is it, like $600? Why would you not want to reuse that or keep as a backup?
    Oh, me neither. I think the question was 'why bother'? And that's a sentiment I do support. If only because after years of dealing with technology and upgrades/transitions I've learned to only pull one rug out from under you at a time.

    Being able to 'punt' and go back to the "last known working" condition is ALWAYS my #1 line item when planning.

    Quote Quote
    Last year I was at a job trying to add a connect bridge and when updating the firmware on a brand new customer's house, the main repeater got bricked and Lutron said it would take almost a month to get the replacement and all my local suppliers were out of them too. I got lucky and got it in 3 weeks so those things are gold.

    But yeah, I learned 10 years ago that factory resetting main repeaters will end very poorly. I ended up orphaning a system after having non-responsive main repeaters and had to go back and factory rest 180 devices and it was not fun.

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  11. #7
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    Quote Quote
    But I must ask- since the RA2 repeater was no longer being used, why factory reset it? Why not just unplug it and put it away?
    Yes. Generally we would just take it back to the shop and reset them. I guess it's just my IT background that always wants to wipe any data. In this specific case the owner wanted the device back to sell on eBay and specifically asked to reset it. I get that it's an oddball scenario but I can certainly see someone else making this mistake (especially when homeowner wants it back). Just trying to document some of these bugs as there's so little info out there.

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  13. #8
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    Or even worse you leave it with the owner and two weeks later they do some googling and decide to reset it themselves. So I actually think all old main repeaters that are left with owners should be reset.

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