Z-Wave device connects, status ERROR: COMM

Running OH 3.1.0.RC1

I have one Zooz ZEN71 switch that is not behaving. I noticed that it was not responding to any commands so I attempted:

  1. heal
  2. remove from controller, then Delete Thing.

After deletion I was able to immediately re-add it, but the following shows in the logs:

2021-06-27 16:22:21.426 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingAddedEvent       ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' has been added.
2021-06-27 16:22:21.428 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingStatusInfoEvent  ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' updated: INITIALIZING
2021-06-27 16:22:21.428 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' changed from UNINITIALIZED to INITIALIZING
2021-06-27 16:22:21.431 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingStatusInfoEvent  ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' updated: OFFLINE (BRIDGE_OFFLINE): Controller is offline
2021-06-27 16:22:21.432 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' changed from INITIALIZING to OFFLINE (BRIDGE_OFFLINE): Controller is offline
2021-06-27 16:22:21.432 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingStatusInfoEvent  ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' updated: OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): Node is not communicating with controller
2021-06-27 16:22:21.433 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' changed from OFFLINE (BRIDGE_OFFLINE): Controller is offline to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): Node is not communicating with controller
2021-06-27 16:22:21.433 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingUpdatedEvent     ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' has been updated.
2021-06-27 16:22:21.434 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingUpdatedEvent     ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' has been updated.
2021-06-27 16:22:21.435 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingUpdatedEvent     ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' has been updated.
2021-06-27 16:22:21.435 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ThingUpdatedEvent     ] - Thing 'zwave:device:c57535c9:node41' has been updated.

The switch did work fine for a few weeks when first added to the network but now this is all I get.

There is a connection issue to your Z-Wave controller. What controller are you using?

I have the Aeotec z-stick Gen 5.

Unsure if this is related, but it seems as of late after restarting the system it takes a long time before the zwave devices become responsive, maybe 20-30 minutes

@chris, any thoughts about this one?

Not really - a debug log file may possibly help, but otherwise it’s hard to comment.