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Troubleshooting Mains Devices

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RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK! Nero Dim should only be installed by a qualified electrician and with appropriate precautions taken to ensure that power is not present during installation.

Even when a device is turned off, voltage may be present on its terminals. Any works on changes related to connection mode or load must always be performed with power disconnected.

Assumptions

The following assumptions must be confirmed to ensure the installation is in a state able to be diagnosed.

Input (power feed)

  • Power supply is "clean" (doesn't fluctuate, doesn't exceed AUS standard supply specifications):
    • AS 60038 for 240V supplies (maximum +10%, -6% variation allowed from 230V as 0 point). If supply exceeds 253V raise this with the supplier as most will consider this the point they need to intervene.
    • AS/NZS 3000 for low voltage supplies (maximum ±5% allowed).
    • If the home is supplied by generators, etc there may be a requirement for power conditioning.
  • An appropriate fuse has been installed according to the wiring diagrams:
    • NERO-RELAY: 10A / 250V / 1500A (ESKA 522.727) inline with L
    • NERO-2RELAY: 4A / 250V / 1500A (ESKA 522.723) inline with O1 and O2 (2 fuses required)
    • NERO-DIM: 1A / 250V / 1500A (ESKA 522.717) inline with L
    • NERO-DRY: 10A / 250V / 1500A (ESKA 522.727) inline with L
    • NERO-DRY (DLPS additional): As appropriate for the power source to 10A, inline with IN
    • NERO-BLIND: 4A / 250V / 1500A (ESKA 522.723) inline with L
  • If ripple control is used in the supply area ensure appropriate ripple filters are installed at the switchboard. Refer to this article for more information about ripple control systems.

Output (load)

  • Load does not exceed the rated capacity of the device:
  • Non-dimmable loads are not connected to a NERO-DIM (e.g., Fluorescent lights).

Switching (i1/i2)

  • Appropriate switch type is in use and the required inputs connected to a switch:
    • NERO-RELAY: Toggle default, parameter 1 set for momentary on i1
    • NERO-2RELAY: Toggle default, parameter 1 set for momentary on i1 and i2
    • NERO-DIM: Momentary default, parameter 1 set for toggle (not recommended) on i1
    • NERO-DRY: Toggle default, parameter 1 set for momentary on i1
    • NERO-BLIND: Momentary only, i1 and i2
  • Any 2-way switching setup uses momentary mechs only with parameters set to match and switches wired in parallel.
  • Switching cable doesn't exceed 1m length.

Environment

  • Installation was carried out and certified by a qualified and competent electrician.
  • Ambient temperature does not exceed 40ºC
  • Cable joiners do not have exposed metal parts that could arc with the device terminals, especially when closed in a junction box.
  • Aerial is positioned as far from interference sources (metal, bundles of cables, etc.) as possible.

Troubleshooting

Once you have confirmed the above assumptions are correct you can begin to investigate specific faults more easily. This article does not cover flickering LEDs on dimming circuits, refer to this article to test customising the dimming range.

Remember to try power cycling your device, particularly in cases of Z-wave control failure as this can help determine if the issues is power related. Ensure that your load is not exceeding the limits of the device as well when testing this.

1. Confirm basic control works as expected

  1. Does the circuit switch from the gateway (app or web interface)?
  2. Does the circuit switch from the main switches (closest to the device, i1, i2)?
  3. Does the circuit switch from the second switch? (2-way switching only)
  4. Does the gateway reflect the true state of the circuit?

Works from wall switches only

  • Confirm the Z-wave network is working correctly and covers the area where the device is installed within 4 hops.

Works from gateway only

  • Confirm the switches are wired correctly.
  • Confirm that parameter 1 (and 2 if connected) are set for the appropriate switch type.

  • Test using load correction device (Clipsal 31LCDA) between i1 and L (or i2 and L as appropriate), particularly for cases with long switch cables. Each input requires it's own load correction device.

Gateway doesn't reflect state of circuit correctly

  • Confirm the module is correctly paired (no errors).
  • Try removing and re-pairing the module via proper exclude process. Confirm if the circuit now reports correctly when switched from the wall switch.
  • Confirm the Z-wave network is working correctly and covers the area where the device is installed within 4 hops.

2. Confirm that the behaviour is actually unexpected

In complex systems with many scenes, associations, and buttons it can sometimes seem that a device is acting erratically when it is in fact responding appropriately to the input it is receiving. Check for the following potential triggers:

  • Does this device belong to or trigger any scenes? Device -> Device Settings page -> Scenes -> note if this device is included in any scenes or a trigger for any scenes.
  • Does this device respond to an association group? There is a simple way to check for associations that include your device, so start with common culprits - NERO-MULTI for example. Device -> Device Settings page -> Device Options -> note any association groups and their members (you will need to know the device ID you are looking for).
  • Confirm that no parameters are configured that should not be. Parameters change behaviour within the device and sometimes this can cause the actions to seem incorrect when they are in fact following the settings they have been given. If you are unsure, set the parameter to the appropriate default. Check out the parameter documentation for the particular device you are troubleshooting for further information.

3. Confirm that the network information is not the problem

Refer to this reconnection article to ensure that your device is communicating with the network correctly.

Getting support

If you have tested all of the above and are still running into difficulties or experiencing unexpected behaviour, click Submit a request in the top bar to raise a ticket. Ensure you include the following information in your ticket:

  • Description of the problem
  • All results from the above tests
  • Serial number for your gateway(s)
  • Information about the device you are having issues with (serial number, model, load, fuse installed, etc)
  • Project information (location, date of installation, installer details, etc.)