Hanging Hardware board
2 May, 2012 - 12:09
My hardware board occassionally freezes.
Is there a way I can detect if the board is still communication with the Livebox via the webgui.?
Currently I either keep refreshing the webgui page to see if there are changes in the temperature readings (currently running with 7 sensors), or I reset the 1-wire bus to confirm that the temperature sensors are still reporting.
If the board does freeze I need to power cycle the livebox to recover.
2 May, 2012 - 12:56
#3
A couple of things
Hi Lawrence,
Good to see that you are onthe latest versions.
It would definately be worth measuring the 5V line on the PCB and seeing what you get.
Although the DS18B20s don't draw much power, they do draw more current during a conversion process. It might be worth tagging an electrolytic capacitor across the power rails on the PCB ... just to keep things smooth.
Some users have setup an external 5V supply. Newer PCBs now have a jumper beside the RJ11 socket to allow the Livebox 5V feed to be isolated. If you don't have this jumper, it's easy enough to trace the incoming 5V line & cut the appropriate track on the PCB. Just be sure to use a regulated 5V supply (and be sure that the Livebox 5V supply is properly isolated).
How often do you experience a freezup? Is there a repeatable pattern to this?
I know that kevint has a large number of temp sensors on his HAH. He might be able to add some comments.
Derek.
2 May, 2012 - 13:23
#5
YES YES YES
Someone else with the same problem.
Mine used to freeze daily/lose comms and after lots of investigation i think i have found the problem but not a soloution (yet)
I have i think only just found the problem and my box has only been up for 1 day 4 hours (record was 2 days 12 hours) so i am not 100% but it used to display booting 3.4 regularly (but still be working)
My problem i think was the one wire bus receiving mains spikes somewhere along its 30 metre line, i dissconnected it yesterday morning and it has been 100% rock solid so far.
can you try this? i totally removed one wire connection from PCB.
Now i also need 4 temp sensors minimum so am planning on using jeenodes (wireless) i have one connected at present and it seems ok so far.
Dean
2 May, 2012 - 13:41
#7
Suppression diode
Lots of good advice for longer 1-wire runs here http://www.1wire.org/Files/Articles/1-Wire-Design%20Guide%20v1.0.pdf
See page 66 for details of the diode that handles undershooting.
The difficulty of making those cable runs made me move to using HAHnodes. Wireless DS18B20s is much easier to manage.
Derek.
2 May, 2012 - 19:05
#8
My setup
"I know that kevint has a large number of temp sensors on his HAH. He might be able to add some comments."
I did have a test setup with upto 12 DSB1820s at one point, and it seemed to be OK, but it wasn't a 'whole house' network, it used short ish cables. My one attempt at adding a very long cable was unreliable, and ultimately, for me, impractical ,so I abandoned it.
However the link derek has given is a useful source, as is the idea of a separate 5V regulated supply. In addition, I would suggest that the data cables were not laid alongside any mains cable and that they crossed at right angles. Screened cables, properly earthed at one end might be a possibility for long runs as well
My current plan is for a limited number of DS18B20s directly connected, perhaps 4 or 5, (for Water tank monitioring), with a combination of HAHNodes running Roomnode and an off the shelf wireless temperature/humidity module for the rest
kevinT
2 May, 2012 - 20:31
#9
That was my plan
But to add i had this problem with cables sub 2 metres in close proximity to the immersion switching on/off and the shower pump within 1 metre.
wireless looks like the way forward.
derek is there any easy way the roomnode can handle 4 temp sensors? or should i just get 2?
Dean
2 May, 2012 - 21:04
#10
Well, will you be using the
Well, will you be using the same cables on the HAHnodes with the same locations and cable routes?
I would buy one and try it out, you can always add the second one later
You might not hang the HAH but you need to keep an eye on it to see that the HAHnodes are not affected by these spikes
kevinT
2 May, 2012 - 21:41
#11
Thought that
But at least it won't freeze up the HAH.
when wife cannot turn lights on from joggler she gets the right ar**. and i get told to stop playing.
she has actually noticed that for 2 days (and counting) she clicks joggler and it works (unlike normal where she has to go into utility room and reboot HAH)
I already have 1 HAHroom node and one base node and its looking good :) ttl is set quite high 1800 but hey not locking up hah is priority.
have you seen Super HAH?
http://www.packetradio.co.uk/gallery/index.php/HAH/IMG_1107
or super HAH V2
HAHNODE is now connected to ant on RHS :) usb hub is populated and its all battery backed up!
The ANT on LHS is a proper 433MHz amateur radio ant (its 2 feet tall and the range is over 50metres through 3 external and 1 internal wall)
2 May, 2012 - 22:07
#12
Thats a good range!As I
Thats a good range!
As I understand it there is a roomnode and a roomenode2 with 1 and 2 DS18B20s respectively
You don't have to use the HAHCentral/roomnode setup if you dont want to. You could either setup another Jeenode type receiver talking to HAH with your own code, or because its all xAP based you could use any device/connector which sends out xAPBSC for temperatures.
I think brett posted one for arduino
http://code.google.com/p/livebox-hah/source/browse/#svn%2Ftrunk%2Fuserapps%2Farduino%2Fxap1wire
which I had a play with some time ago http://www.flickr.com/photos/netcompsys/6305245147/
and I think Lehane has used a Nanode to create another
http://www.mm-wave.com/honeycottage/bsctemp.htm
There may be other serial devices like the quasar 3145 which you could code up for
You could also consider another HAH with minimal HAHboard just for 1-wire...
KevinT
2 May, 2012 - 22:42
#13
One slight problem :)
I cannot code to save my life.
Lasttime i coded was in basic on a ZX81 (google it!) and i wasnt that good then.
I have done machine code as well and used ZEAP (ZX80 assembler program)
I am a hardware guy, i live and breath hardware, yes i know linux, IOS, HPios (puke) and windoze (not missspelt-i hate it) i deal with and configure vlans trunks and E1 links daily.
But programming is not my thing, i have a hardware chip programmeer and can program a chip with avr etc etc (prior to that i used 2716-512 chip eproms that you used a uv light to erase-again google)
I build hardware albeit alot is embeded but i cannot code to save my life, Batch files i can write but the low level stuff forget it :)
one person on this forum kindly wrote me a lua for solar pv and switching on/off my immersion for which i am eternally grateful and i sent (unexpected to him) some hardware as a way of thanks, I belive said hardware is now being used to monitor his gas usage from his meter.
I do not mind swapping like this, I am good at hardware not software, i "make real things" althougth my eyesight is now failing badly over last 12 months, i used to be able to read a resistor colour code from 3 metres now i struggle to even see the resistor without a lighted magnifyer (thank you wife for that xmass pressie). I can however still solder with 99.9% accuracy.
I am going to book an eye test tommorrow as i know i need glasses and have been putting it off for so long now, i am balding going blind and my knees are playing me up-Im falling apart. Hold on anyone remember the winkler song? "my knees have turned to water and i think im going blind-thank you mrs robinson and your 3 lovely"-i digress. (google Ivor Biggun and the red nosed burglars the 70's had no taste-but it got to no 5 in the charts on its release)
I dont code i program i make therefore i am. a maker.
P.S note to self when on 2nd glass of wine switch laptoppymybob oFF and do not post on forums :)
Dean
2 May, 2012 - 22:45
#14
Yes i have roomnode 2
But 4 would be nice then i wouldnt need 2 roomnodes.
still want another 2 just for playing with, now wifey is happy got to upset her again its what we men do :)
3 May, 2012 - 07:36
#15
I was reading another thread
I was reading another thread where Karl (BoxingOrange) had posted a response
"Duplicate MAC addresses will also cause problem for your internet router or any other network device you might have. You may even find your router losing it's internet connection when you have duplicate MAC addressses."
Sounds like you had a good evening..... ;)
kevinT
3 May, 2012 - 12:44
#16
A record
2 days 3 hours and 17 minutes.
So looks like 1wire is to Blame.
right time to get a asecond temp sensor on my jeenode :)
3 May, 2012 - 12:56
#17
Grab room node twin. What I
Grab room node twin. What I did here was to create a second 1-wire bus instead of catering for another 1wire device onto the same bus. I figured that would be more stable. I have been running this for over 6 months and its rock solid.
http://www.dbzoo.com/livebox/hah_hahnode#room_node_twin
Brett
19 May, 2012 - 08:33
#18
After months of freezing how i solved it
Firstly removed 1 wire.
removed relay control from doing anything.
removed alarm inputs
this effectively removes all external connections from the HAH apart from ethernet and power.
everything is RF controlled.
Guess what now got an uptime of 3 days 18 hours which is a record for me as it seldom went over a day.
I could mess about putting them back one at a time but now think RF and roomnode is the way forward for a solid working and reliable HAH.
I suspect it was due to cables running along with mains stuff that switches (central heating) as the times matched the central heating switching. I could not avoid this as the cables HAD to run that way.
Dean
What version of HAH firmware/AVR firmware are you running?
Historically there were issues with very long URF strings causing freezing of the system, but this was fixed ages ago.
Seven DS18B20 sensors is probably more than most folks use. The 5V supply from the Livebox has limited capacity. It might be worth monitoring the voltage levels on the PCB to see if too much current is being drawn & causng an excessive voltage drop.
The AVR firmware version is shown on the webpage at startup. If this reports 1.0, it's an indication that the micro controller is not responding. However, I can't recall if this is info is refreshed in normal running.
Derek.