Sensor Displays an Invalid or Hardware Failure (Short) Error in iMonnit

The error Invalid or Hardware Failure (Short) or Short Detected indicates that the sensor's hardware has a short in the circuitry. This article will give you some suggestions on possible causes and solutions to this error.

Possible Causes

• Corrupted configurations
• Physical damage to the sensor
• Liquid ingress

If a sensor sees an electrical signal of an unexpected level, the sensor will record an unexpected value, and the error Invalid or Hardware Failure (Short) or Short Detected may appear in the software. The most common cause of this is related to physical issues. But resetting the sensor to default settings might help in resolving it. See the steps below for diagnosing and attempting to resolve this issue.

• Power the sensor off, and remove the battery if the sensor is a coin-cell or standard AA form factor (if industrial, power it off with the switch).
• Examine the sensor for signs of damage.
• Examine the sensor for signs of liquid ingress or corrosion.
• If the sensor is an industrial sensor, examine the enclosure for cracks (even hairline) or signs that might indicate the enclosure/seal was compromised. If the sensor has not already been opened, avoid opening it.
• In iMonnit, reset the sensor to default settings (found under the Sensor Overview > Settings > (gray) Default button.
• Place the sensor 10–15 feet from the gateway (not closer).
• If possible, swap batteries with another sensor, checking in as expected. If there is no other sensor to swap batteries, replace them with new batteries. (If an industrial sensor is used, power the sensor on with the switch.)
• Press and immediately release the Utility/Reset button on the gateway (or wait until the gateway checks in subsequently).
• Check if the sensor persists in reporting the Invalid or Hardware Failure (Short) or Short Detected error.

If the issue persists after following the steps above, there is likely some physical damage. The sensor will probably need to be sent to Monnit for repair.

Liquid Exposure

If you find signs that the sensor was exposed to liquid ingress, it may need to be replaced. You could also try to get the sensor to recover after drying out for some time. It is not uncommon for this to occur if the exposure to liquid isn't severe. If you don't see signs of liquid ingress and the steps above do not resolve your issue, the sensor may need to be repaired.

Conclusion

If the above steps don't fix the issue, you may need to contact Monnit Support to have your sensor repaired.