Problems with sensor node

[henninne]

Hi,

I'm trying to get my first sensor node to work, but the only thing that comes out of the serial monitor is this:

0 MCO:BGN:INIT NODE,CP=RNNNA--,VER=2.1.1
3 TSM:INIT
4 TSF:WUR:MS=0
11 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
12 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
14 TSM:FAIL:PDT
10016 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
10018 TSM:INIT
10024 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
10028 TSM:FAIL:CNT=2
10029 TSM:FAIL:PDT
20032 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
20034 TSM:INIT
20040 !TSM:INIT:TSP FAIL
20043 TSM:FAIL:CNT=3
20044 TSM:FAIL:PDT

Can anyone tell me what this means?
I have check the wiring a million times, used different Aduino nanos (clones) and radio modules(nrf24), used decoupling capacitors and powered the radio from a different supply, but still the same

Please give me some tips!

[gohan]

bad nrf24 modules? I've been there too with cheap stuff

[henninne]

@gohan

Ok, Thanks for the tip, but I testes 3 different radios, even from two different sellers. Tips on where can I buy a good one?

[gohan]

I ordered some from https://www.aliexpress.com/store/2077046 but they are still on the way.

Can you post a picture of the modules you got?

[henninne]

I bought from eBay, some from the UK and some from Germany. I will try to take a picture

[henninne]

[manutremo]

@henninne said in Problems with sensor node:

It might be many different things but definetely related to the radio... The modules should at least initialize unless they are completely fried. Another thing is getting them to "talk" to each other but that's another story. Check that everything is connected correctly, the wires are correct, etc. You may also post your sketch ad a photo of your hardware and connections in case we can see something weird...

You may also try to start simpler, by using some test example from some of the multiple libraries around, especially on GitHub, like this one.

In terms of itnerpreting the log, you can use the incredibly useful log parser here.

Additional troubleshooting: here.

[gohan]

According to log there is no communication with the chip, so either bad wiring/power or chip fried

[manutremo]

I've had nrf24 modules of all sorts, even the blob type, and had to go through many many problems until i got them working. But all of them except for 2 were able to initialize. Of the two that didn't, one of them I fried it myself by connecting it incorrectly, and the other one had a broken track so that the MISO pin was not reaching the corresponding pin on the nrf24 chip.

So while I agree that from the provided information this looks like a bad wiring or a fried chip, the fact that he has tried 3 different radios from different sellers seems to infer that it might still be worth trying to help the OP go through some troubleshooting - which in turn is how most of us have learnt most of what we know today while building our first sensors.

By the way henninne - you have replaced the arduino board and the radio... have you tried completely replacing all the wires? I've found some of them that were not correctly crimped (even though bought "ready to use") and causing false contacts.

[henninne]

@manutremo said in Problems with sensor node:

OP

Ok guys, thanks for all the tips so far. I checked again all wiring and tested the connection with a multimeter and yes, it looks like one of the "ready to use" cables was faulty. So I removed the crimp cables and soldered on wires and now it looks like it works at least. Now I only have the node connected to the PC (gateway is not available), so does this serial monitor print look correct? I have loaded some simple Door/window sensor sketch, why isn't the digital pin state show up in the serial monitor? Does it have to be connected to the gateway?

0 MCO:BGN:INIT NODE,CP=RNNNA--,VER=2.1.1
3 TSM:INIT
4 TSF:WUR:MS=0
11 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
12 TSM:FPAR
15 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
2022 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
2024 TSM:FPAR
2026 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
4034 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
4036 TSM:FPAR
4038 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
6046 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
6048 TSM:FPAR
6050 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
8058 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
8059 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
8061 TSM:FAIL:PDT
18065 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
18067 TSM:INIT
18074 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
18076 TSM:FPAR
18078 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
20086 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
20088 TSM:FPAR
20090 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
22099 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
22102 TSM:FPAR
22104 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
24112 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
24114 TSM:FPAR
24116 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
26124 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
26125 TSM:FAIL:CNT=2
26127 TSM:FAIL:PDT
36130 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
36132 TSM:INIT
36140 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
36142 TSM:FPAR
36144 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
38152 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
38154 TSM:FPAR
38156 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
40164 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
40166 TSM:FPAR
40168 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
42176 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
42178 TSM:FPAR
42180 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
44188 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
44189 TSM:FAIL:CNT=3
44191 TSM:FAIL:PDT
54194 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
54196 TSM:INIT
54203 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
54205 TSM:FPAR
54207 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
56215 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
56217 TSM:FPAR
56219 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
58227 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
58229 TSM:FPAR
58231 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
60239 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
60241 TSM:FPAR
60243 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
62252 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
62253 TSM:FAIL:CNT=4
62255 TSM:FAIL:PDT
72258 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
72260 TSM:INIT
72267 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
72269 TSM:FPAR
72271 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
74280 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
74283 TSM:FPAR
74285 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
76293 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
76295 TSM:FPAR
76297 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
78305 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
78307 TSM:FPAR
78309 TSF:MSG:SEND,255-255-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:

[gohan]

That is correct. When the node is not connected to gateway, the rest of the code is not executed until the connection is established. If you look into examples there is a MockMysensor sketch that you can use to simulate some nodes sending data

[henninne]

@gohan

Cool thanks! Then I will try when I have the gateway available.