💬 Sensebender Micro

NailMan

@tbowmo
I apologize for the delay in replying, I was very busy with work.

It turned out to be some mystical incompatibility of the FTDI and Sensbender Micro or a device based on its loader. Three versions of my FTDI refused to work with Sensbender Micro, but they worked with regular Arduino, and the fourth one, bought on AliExpress, works perfectly normal. Externally, all the same, only those that do not work with Sensbender Micro, the labeling of the chip differs slightly in the quality of engraving on the plastic.

Maybe it's fake or some kind of non-standard chips.

alexsh1

@nailman There are a lot of fake FTDI modules. Some are labelled FTDI other claim to be FTDI but are CH340. Some have DTR others RST and good ones like Adafruit Friend it is selectable.

My recommendation is do not try to save a few bucks here. Spend money on a good quality FTDI adapter like Adafruit Friend.

flybysun

Hi,
I'm using the mysensor lib for a while but I recently run into problems. I've some arduino pro minis running with dht22 sensors which send their data over nrf24 to an mqtt ethernet gateway.
But maybe someone can help me with this one: I have build my own sensebender-micro modules. First of all I programmed the fuses of the mega328p as follows: lfuse: 0xE2, hfuse: 0xD2, efuse: 0xFE. Then I've programmed the DualOptiBoot Bootloader to them, everything worked fine so far, I can upoload sketches from the Arduino IDE via FTDI Programmer. The Problem: When I upload the official example sketch and watch the serial monitor I just see the MySensors splash screen. It seems, that the sketch does not even run into the setup routine. This starts to make me crazy, since I do not even know where to search. If I upload other sketches (basic blinking led, serial port examples or the passive node example from mysensors) it shows that my hardware in general seems to work. When I enable debug this is the output:

 __  __       ____
|  \/  |_   _/ ___|  ___ _ __  ___  ___  _ __ ___
| |\/| | | | \___ \ / _ \ `_ \/ __|/ _ \| `__/ __|
| |  | | |_| |___| |  __/ | | \__ \  _  | |  \__ \
|_|  |_|\__, |____/ \___|_| |_|___/\___/|_|  |___/
        |___/                      2.3.0

16 MCO:BGN:INIT NODE,CP=RNONA---,VER=2.3.0
26 TSM:INIT
28 TSF:WUR:MS=0
36 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
38 TSF:SID:OK,ID=100
40 TSM:FPAR
75 TSF:MSG:SEND,100-100-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
2084 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
2086 TSM:FPAR
2121 TSF:MSG:SEND,100-100-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
4130 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
4132 TSM:FPAR
4167 TSF:MSG:SEND,100-100-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
6176 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
6178 TSM:FPAR
6213 TSF:MSG:SEND,100-100-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
8222 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
8224 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
8226 TSM:FAIL:DIS
8228 TSF:TDI:TSL
18229 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
18231 TSM:INIT
18239 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
18241 TSF:SID:OK,ID=100
18243 TSM:FPAR
18280 TSF:MSG:SEND,100-100-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
20289 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY

Even the NRF24 connection seems to work. This is the output of my mosquitto broker when running the passive node example:

home/OpenMQTTGateway/LWT Online
home/OpenMQTTGateway/version 0.7
mygateway1-out/100/255/0/0/17 2.3.0
mygateway1-out/100/255/3/0/6 255
mygateway1-out/100/255/3/0/11 Passive node
mygateway1-out/100/255/3/0/12 1.0
mygateway1-out/100/0/0/0/6 (null)
mygateway1-out/100/0/1/0/0 25.70
mygateway1-out/100/0/1/0/0 26.90
mygateway1-out/100/0/1/0/0 27.30
mygateway1-out/100/0/1/0/0 25.80
mygateway1-out/100/0/1/0/0 26.00

I appreciate any help, thanks in advance!

Cheers

mfalkvidd

Hi @flybysun, welcome to the forum!

!TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY

means that the sensor node does not get a response from the gateway. What type of gateway are you using? Could you post the debug log from it?

If you haven't already, check https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/666/debug-faq-and-how-ask-for-help/ for the most common problems and how to troubleshoot them. (Hint: Power supply is the most common problem, the nrf24 is extremely picky)

flybysun

Hi @mfalkvidd, thanks for the warm welcome!
So, tonight I'll give it another try. I soldered 1000uF above VCC and GND on both the sender and the gateway RF Links (that's all I could find here for now). Still got issues. Here are the logs from my gateway, when it starts up and receives values from my working sensor I had before:

0 MCO:BGN:INIT GW,CP=RNNGA---,VER=2.3.0
3 TSM:INIT
4 TSF:WUR:MS=0
11 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
12 TSM:INIT:GW MODE
14 TSM:READY:ID=0,PAR=0,DIS=0
17 MCO:REG:NOT NEEDED
580 GWT:TPC:IP=192.168.0.222
1583 MCO:BGN:STP
1584 MCO:BGN:INIT OK,TSP=1
1587 GWT:TPC:IP=192.168.0.222
2589 GWT:RMQ:MQTT RECONNECT
2797 GWT:RMQ:MQTT CONNECTED
2800 GWT:TPS:TOPIC=mygateway1-out/0/255/0/0/18,MSG SENT
20587 TSF:MSG:READ,1-1-0,s=0,c=1,t=1,pt=7,l=5,sg=0:32.5
20592 GWT:TPS:TOPIC=mygateway1-out/1/0/1/0/1,MSG SENT
55353 TSF:MSG:READ,1-1-0,s=1,c=1,t=0,pt=7,l=5,sg=0:27.3
55358 GWT:TPS:TOPIC=mygateway1-out/1/1/1/0/0,MSG SENT
55364 TSF:MSG:READ,1-1-0,s=0,c=1,t=1,pt=7,l=5,sg=0:32.6
55369 GWT:TPS:TOPIC=mygateway1-out/1/0/1/0/1,MSG SENT

This looks okay I guess, now this happens when I activate my SenseBender Micro:

139854 TSF:MSG:READ,3-3-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0:
139859 TSF:MSG:BC
139860 TSF:MSG:FPAR REQ,ID=3
139864 TSF:PNG:SEND,TO=0
139866 TSF:CKU:OK
139868 TSF:MSG:GWL OK
140512 !TSF:MSG:SEND,0-0-3-3,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=NACK:0
141940 TSF:MSG:READ,3-3-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0:
141945 TSF:MSG:BC
141947 TSF:MSG:FPAR REQ,ID=3
141949 TSF:CKU:OK,FCTRL
141952 TSF:MSG:GWL OK
142632 !TSF:MSG:SEND,0-0-3-3,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=NACK:0
144021 TSF:MSG:READ,3-3-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0:
144026 TSF:MSG:BC
144028 TSF:MSG:FPAR REQ,ID=3
144030 TSF:CKU:OK,FCTRL
144033 TSF:MSG:GWL OK
144746 !TSF:MSG:SEND,0-0-3-3,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=NACK:0
146101 TSF:MSG:READ,3-3-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0:
146106 TSF:MSG:BC
146108 TSF:MSG:FPAR REQ,ID=3
146111 TSF:CKU:OK,FCTRL
146113 TSF:MSG:GWL OK
146857 !TSF:MSG:SEND,0-0-3-3,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=NACK:0

I filled this logs into the Log Parser and found out that the Gateway receives informations on the sensor node, but when it responses it does not get the ACK from the sensor node.

May I have a faulty NRF24? I just received a new batch from AliExpress and this my first try with them.

My gateway is an Arduino Uno Board with the Arduino Ethernet shield and on top of that equipped with the long range version of the NRF24 Board (the one with the antenna).
The SenseBender is equipped with the "normal" smt version as suggested. The sensor nodes which are working right now were equipped with the smd version of the nrf-board.

I also found out that the initialization of the sensor and the gateway has a different Core initialization, different capabilities (CP). I looked through the API, but didn't find what CP=RNNGA or CP=RNONA stands for.

Any suggestions or ideas?

mfalkvidd

@flybysun information on capabilites is available at https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/7718/mysensors-capabilities-deciphering and https://www.mysensors.org/apidocs/group__MyCapabilities.html

tbowmo

@flybysun

what is the "official" firmware that you upload to the atmega? If it's the sensebender micro fw, then please observe that this is meant to run with a Si7021 sensor, and not DHT22, so unless you modify things, it won't run without that sensor onboard..

flybysun

@tbowmo
I have a 1:1 build of the sensebender micro, including the Si7021. Something I definetly will try tonight is to change the the radio modules with one of these I had before (and are working). I've just discovered this here:
https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/1153/we-are-mostly-using-fake-nrf24l01-s-but-worse-fakes-are-emerging

With "official" firmware I mean the Arduino Sketch which is included on the hardware webpage:
https://www.mysensors.org/hardware/micro

flybysun

@mfalkvidd @tbowmo
So folks, I finally got it to work. It really seems to be a problem with my radio modules. When I change my PA module on the gateway against one of these I ordered for the SenseBender Micro, everything works fine. But I still don't understand why my pro mini with the smd radio was able to send the data to the pa module, while the sensebender connected to a smd version still didn't work.
Is there anything special on the PA Version, that I've missed? I wonder if I can live with that now, I thought the PA Version has a bit more sensitivity and gain and would be better as the central gateway unit.

mfalkvidd

@flybysun the PA version draws much more power than the non-PA version (5x more if I remember correctly). If the power supply can't deliver clean power (without ripples or sudden dips), the radio will malfunction.

djbonet

Hi team,
By curiosity running the Atmega328p at 8mhz down to 1.8v isn’t out of spec ?
Does it work reliable ?
Should we div8 clock speed than mesure vcc and set prescaler accordingly ?
Just by curiosity for further project I see a lot of info to not go above 4Mhz at 1.8mhz as the data sheet and other that it’s working stable even a 8mhz

Thanks all !

mfalkvidd

@djbonet yes, running the atmega328 at 8MHz and 1.8V is out of spec.
Yes, sometimes running out of spec doesn’t cause problems.

djbonet

@mfalkvidd
Thank you for your fast answer

mfalkvidd

@djbonet you’re welcome. If I remember correctly, the datasheet diagram shows the limit for 8MHz to be 2.4V

marnej

Hello
Can't compile skech .. .does anyone have updated ?

martim

Is there a way to order this board somewhere else. I have ordered now 3 times 2 boards. 2 times 1 board broken and it is very hard to communicate with them and almost never reply.

tbowmo

@martim

Unfortunately we do not have any other manufacturing partners, so all sensebender boards are produced by itead.

How did you confirm that the board where broken? Have you tried starting the self test in the standard firmware that the micro is delivered with?

The factory firmware is available at
https://github.com/mysensors/SensebenderMicro/blob/master/Arduino/SensebenderMicro/SensebenderMicro.ino

SuperNinja

@tbowmo I am using Sensebender Micro on an ATMega328p Barebones with internal 8MHz and RFM69 working good. Since I don't have quartz connected on PB6 and PB7, I would like to use these ports. I tried from 14 to 21 but unable to flash my led (connected to PB6).
With Minicore: PB6 and PB7 are 20 and 21 respectively.
With Sensbender Micro, what are the ports? (if they exist)

keithellis

Hello, really interesting in getting a few of these Sensebender Micros, but it does not seem to be available any more. Will they be coming back into stock?

tbowmo

@keithellis
They should be available here https://itead.cc/product/mysensors-micro/

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