Help troubleshooting Express

[rogerwh]

Need some help troubleshooting  Lynx Express as it is getting a bit quirky.  On three occasions since 12/24 the Express has failed to properly respond when the show starts.  It is getting power, has the data, 5v and 3.3v lights properly illuminated, and shows the correct start channel.  It is also passing the data to Express #2 and #3.  Yet Express #1 does nothing.  When I hit the reset button it properly cycles through the start up routine but I have found that on each occasion I have to reset it multiple times before it finally responds.  Tonight, I reset it about 6 times with no luck.  Then as I was typing this message I went back out verify that all the proper lights were illuminated and hit the reset button again.  Viola, it worked this time.  Anyone have ideas on whether something may be going bad on it?  Is it data issue?, Pic?

[RJ]

Are you on Wireless or Wired? I have seen this on the wireless before. Could not ever figure out what caused it.

RJ

[rogerwh]

It is all wired.

[DonFL]

Bad cat-5? I've seen them cause some strange things. That's assuming you don't have something on the board such as a cold solder joint just starting to torment you.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4

[rogerwh]

Don't think it is the Cat5 as it seems to pass the data through to the other Express.  I guess it could be a cold solder but this Express has been working flawlessly for 4 years.  I guess when I take down the display I'll try and take a closer look but I just hate trying to chase intermittent problems.

[rrowan]

I am wondering if the reset button is corroded or has a cold solder joint.

Rick R.

[rogerwh]

I am wondering if the reset button is corroded or has a cold solder joint.

Rick R.

When I hit the reset button it seems to go through the reset process each time, just doesn't seem to react to the programming from the show each time.

[DonFL]

What's in front of that Express? Dongle? Bridge? Would be interesting to see if the problem definitely follows the controller if you did a swap with numbers 2 or 3.

[Jeffl]

I see this every year and mine are all wired (35 of them or so.  I can't keep count).  It's almost like it needs a longer delay before I tries to start outputting commands.  I have tried not having a signal going to the controllers, not using the out 2 etc.  The only two things that works are:

1).  Reset it until it works.
2).  Pray the power doesn't go out and it doesn't rain.

My prayers haven't been answered the last few years so I have had to use #1 when it  happens.

[Jeffl]

If forgot to mention as long as they stay powered on they continue to roll.  So once I apply power I don't stop until I pull them from the yard.

[DonFL]

I see this every year and mine are all wired (35 of them or so.  I can't keep count).  It's almost like it needs a longer delay before I tries to start outputting commands.  I have tried not having a signal going to the controllers, not using the out 2 etc.  The only two things that works are:

1).  Reset it until it works.
2).  Pray the power doesn't go out and it doesn't rain.

My prayers haven't been answered the last few years so I have had to use #1 when it  happens.

Interesting. I have 15 or so running, and have never had any issues as you describe. If I have a GFI trip, etc. and reset, they come right back up and ready to go without  any additional human intervention. I've done gfi resets with the show running, so can confirm none of them go brain dead, and they start working as soon as the initial "boot up" process is done.

[jnealand]

I have seen this unexplained issues as well.  Two days ago I had a GFI trip in a heavy rain.  After I turned power on, 3 out 4 LEs came back fine.  The next day I went out and checked and it was powered up but nothing worked.  Removed the wireless, powered down, powered back up, reinstalled the same wireless receiver and bingo it worked.  This was a v4, no reset button.

[SteveMaris]

Happens to me also once or twice a season. Always after I turn the power off and back on again. I have also had to hit the reset more than once to get it going again. I have 8 LE's in one large box hard wired in, and am too lazy to pull it and figure out why....

[rogerwh]

Well, it's at least a bit of comfort knowing that others have experienced the issue but yet nothing fatal with the LE yet.  Trying to remember back it might be that it has only occurred after the power has been interrupted.  For this LE I tend to use the power at times during the day and then reconnect it when I'm through.  I do know that yesterday before the last event I had cut the power to use it for testing/troubleshooting some other elements in my garage.  May have done the some before the previous events.  I'll try and keep that in mind.  As others have said, once it starts going it runs flawlessly.