Installation of 3 x Netbotz 570 units - intermittent false alarms

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This question was originally posted on DCIM Support by Robert Despy on 2018-07-04

Hi guys

So i have been installing these units for around 3 years and have had funny issues many times and have been able to figure it out, but currently this problem is on going and i just cant get it right.

I have installed 3x 570 netbotz in 3 different server rooms on the same site and i keep getting these false alarms very randomly on all three units, the item that goes into alarm varies as well. it ran fine for 5 - 6 months and now this has started happening.

Items installed per room

570 main unit
150 rack mount
155 wall mount
2x160 camera
GSM modem

Items been monitored

Vesda 2 alarms
GEN 4 alarms
UPS 4 alarms
Door 1 alarm
Flood 2 alarms
Humidity 2 alarms
Temps 2 alarms

Firmware version 4.6.1

I have snaps and emails from client to assist if needed.

Kind regards please assist urgent.

spezialist scott.sexton Saw your assist thought you may be able to assist.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This answer was originally posted on DCIM Support by spezialist on 2018-07-04

Dear Robert Despy,

Thank you for clarifying your problem. I'll try to help you, but all of the above should be checked by you on your sites.

Assuming that nothing has changed in the configuration of the monitoring system since its installation, the above mentioned random communication problems can be caused by several reasons.

After 5-6 months after installation, it is first necessary to check the quality of the electrical contacts along the entire length of the signal cable from the end device, for example Vesda, to your NetBotz-570. In this case, the temperature and humidity of the environment where your equipment is located may be important.
I mean the reliability of the electrical contact in the RJ-45 connectors, that are used in the NetBotz-570 and patch panels, if such are used on your sites. In fact, I had to clean the RJ-45 connectors in the NetBotz appliances from the greenish oxide coating with any non-aggressive cleaning agent for electrical contacts (for example, Kontakt Chemie KONTAKT 60 or medical ethyl alcohol).
You can not also exclude external mechanical influence, for example strong vibration, on your equipment. I.e., this does not happen constantly, but sometimes, i.e. accidentally and not at all often. This also needs to be checked.
Finally, you can not exclude strong electromagnetic influence on your equipment, especially on signal cables. This can also happen not often and accidentally from any electrical mechanisms and systems. Here you need to know exactly where and how your signal cables pass from the end devices to your NetBotz-570.
Optionally, you can also update your NetBotz-570 firmware to the latest version 4.6.2. But as practice shows, this will not help to eliminate the above problems with electrical contacts, if they do exist.

I hope this helps you.

If you have any further questions, please ask.

With respect.

See Answer In Context

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by spezialist on 2018-07-04

Dear Robert Despy,

Fron your question:

I have installed 3x 570 netbotz in 3 different server rooms on the same site and i keep getting these false alarms very randomly on all three units, the item that goes into alarm varies as well. it ran fine for 5 - 6 months and now this has started happening.

What kind of random alarms, for example, do you get? I.e., random alarms occur within a few days and then stop? Then after 5-6 months again this problem repeats? Did I understand you correctly?

With respect.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Robert Despy on 2018-07-04

They began occurring after the 5 - 6 months of unit been installed.

I get unplugged alarms even though items are plugged in and no break in cable or power, i get failure alarms on the actual items as if unit cannot read the item.

It occurs randomly so for example on one unit i will get sevreal false alarms on lets say the door alarm which will go in alarm and out of alarm for maybe around 1 hour, then it will return and become normal again, a week or so later the other unit does something similar.

Netbotz intermitent fault reoccuring..docx

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This answer was originally posted on DCIM Support by spezialist on 2018-07-04

Dear Robert Despy,

Thank you for clarifying your problem. I'll try to help you, but all of the above should be checked by you on your sites.

Assuming that nothing has changed in the configuration of the monitoring system since its installation, the above mentioned random communication problems can be caused by several reasons.

After 5-6 months after installation, it is first necessary to check the quality of the electrical contacts along the entire length of the signal cable from the end device, for example Vesda, to your NetBotz-570. In this case, the temperature and humidity of the environment where your equipment is located may be important.
I mean the reliability of the electrical contact in the RJ-45 connectors, that are used in the NetBotz-570 and patch panels, if such are used on your sites. In fact, I had to clean the RJ-45 connectors in the NetBotz appliances from the greenish oxide coating with any non-aggressive cleaning agent for electrical contacts (for example, Kontakt Chemie KONTAKT 60 or medical ethyl alcohol).
You can not also exclude external mechanical influence, for example strong vibration, on your equipment. I.e., this does not happen constantly, but sometimes, i.e. accidentally and not at all often. This also needs to be checked.
Finally, you can not exclude strong electromagnetic influence on your equipment, especially on signal cables. This can also happen not often and accidentally from any electrical mechanisms and systems. Here you need to know exactly where and how your signal cables pass from the end devices to your NetBotz-570.
Optionally, you can also update your NetBotz-570 firmware to the latest version 4.6.2. But as practice shows, this will not help to eliminate the above problems with electrical contacts, if they do exist.

I hope this helps you.

If you have any further questions, please ask.

With respect.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by Robert Despy on 2018-07-04

"Here you need to know exactly where and how your signal cables pass from the end devices to your NetBotz-570." - We have made sure to run on data only trays, but i do agree that there may be a form electromagnetic interference, and i will do a full check again on all cabling.

Is it not also a possibility that electrical feedback on the supposed low voltage relays could have created a fault on the unit?

I am in South Africa and where the units are installed did indeed become subject to high humidity.

"I had to clean the RJ-45 connectors in the NetBotz appliances" - I will definitely give this a try.

Thank you for assistant i will go through some of your points and see if they make any changes. As well as thank you for been so prompt on a reply.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

This comment was originally posted on DCIM Support by spezialist on 2018-07-04

Dear Robert Despy,

Is it not also a possibility that electrical feedback on the supposed low voltage relays could have created a fault on the unit?

If you use additional intermediate (i.e., between the end device and NetBotz-570) low-voltage electromagnetic relays, then maybe this is really so. For example, I have a Vesda device connected directly to the NetBotz-150 in the DC, and for the last five years, with normal humidity and temperature, no false alarms and no communication loss.

I am in South Africa and where the units are installed did indeed become subject to high humidity.

In this case, it is really necessary to check first the reliability of the electrical contacts in the RJ-45 connectors. I would do so.

With respect.

DCIM_Support · ‎2020-07-04

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