For several months now I have been successfully using my Sensebender micro boards with some NRF24L01+ radios bought on eBay from China. On some of my furthest nodes from the gateway, I do get some data loss, so after reading on the forum about the multitude of fake radios around, I thought I would try and buy some genuine ones to see if they perform better.
I bought these recently from Itead, and have been testing them today, but cannot get communication going with my gateway. After enabling debug mode on the Sensebender micro, I believe the serial output indicates that it can't find the parent:
22:10:32.837 -> 16 MCO:BGN:INIT NODE,CP=RNONA---,FQ=8,REL=255,VER=2.3.2
22:10:32.870 -> 28 TSM:INIT
22:10:32.870 -> 28 TSF:WUR:MS=0
22:10:32.870 -> 36 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
22:10:32.870 -> 38 TSM:INIT:STATID=9
22:10:32.870 -> 40 TSF:SID:OK,ID=9
22:10:32.870 -> 43 TSM:FPAR
22:10:32.870 -> 47 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,9-9-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
22:10:34.893 -> 2056 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
22:10:34.893 -> 2058 TSM:FPAR
22:10:34.893 -> 2062 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,9-9-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
22:10:36.930 -> 4071 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
22:10:36.947 -> 4073 TSM:FPAR
22:10:36.947 -> 4077 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,9-9-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
22:10:38.969 -> 6086 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
22:10:38.969 -> 6088 TSM:FPAR
22:10:38.969 -> 6092 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,9-9-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
22:10:40.991 -> 8101 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
22:10:41.024 -> 8103 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
If I put the old NRF24 module back into the Sensebender micro (after powering down and up again), it successfully connects and starts transmitting data. I've tried the following without success:
- Move node closer to gateway
- Added a 470uF electrolytic capacitor between GND and VCC of the new NRF24L01+ board (the 'old' radio board doesn't have one, and works ok)
- Cleared the EEPROM of the Sensebender micro before uploading the same sketch that was successfully running on it previously
- Testing it both from the laptop USB supply and 2 x AA batteries
Is there anything specific that needs to be done when changing radio modules? Any tips on what else I can try?
I did notice that the new radio modules I bought seem to have less SMD components on them, see here (left is the working eBay variant, while right is the non-working Itead variant):
The gateway is an amplified NRF24L01+ module connected to a Raspberry Pi 3+. I did compile it about a year ago, so it is probably not the latest version (though if I'm honest I am not sure how I can check), but it does work with the old radio module.
If required, this is the code running on the Sensebender Micro (with the only changes being the addition of a node number, and some updates to the sending of battery voltage, as I believe there was/is an error in the standard code for sending the raw values):
* The MySensors Arduino library handles the wireless radio link and protocol
* between your home built sensors/actuators and HA controller of choice.
* The sensors forms a self healing radio network with optional repeaters. Each
* repeater and gateway builds a routing tables in EEPROM which keeps track of the
* network topology allowing messages to be routed to nodes.
*
* Created by Henrik Ekblad <henrik.ekblad@mysensors.org>
* Copyright (C) 2013-2015 Sensnology AB
* Full contributor list: https://github.com/mysensors/Arduino/graphs/contributors
*
* Documentation: http://www.mysensors.org
* Support Forum: http://forum.mysensors.org
*
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
*
*******************************
*
* REVISION HISTORY
* Version 1.0 - Thomas Bowman MC8rch
*
* DESCRIPTION
* Default sensor sketch for Sensebender Micro module
* Act as a temperature / humidity sensor by default.
*
* If A0 is held low while powering on, it will enter testmode, which verifies all on-board peripherals
*
* Battery voltage is as battery percentage (Internal message), and optionally as a sensor value (See defines below)
*
*
* Version 1.3 - Thomas Bowman MC8rch
* Improved transmission logic, eliminating spurious transmissions (when temperatuere / humidity fluctuates 1 up and down between measurements)
* Added OTA boot mode, need to hold A1 low while applying power. (uses slightly more power as it's waiting for bootloader messages)
*
* Version 1.4 - Thomas Bowman MC8rch
*
* Corrected division in the code deciding whether to transmit or not, that resulted in generating an integer. Now it's generating floats as expected.
* Simplified detection for OTA bootloader, now detecting if MY_OTA_FIRMWARE_FEATURE is defined. If this is defined sensebender automaticly waits 300mS after each transmission
* Moved Battery status messages, so they are transmitted together with normal sensor updates (but only every 60th minute)
*
*/
// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_DEBUG
// Define a static node address, remove if you want auto address assignment
#define MY_NODE_ID 9
// Enable and select radio type attached
#define MY_RADIO_NRF24
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
// Enable to support OTA for this node (needs DualOptiBoot boot-loader to fully work)
#define MY_OTA_FIRMWARE_FEATURE
#include <SPI.h>
#include <MySensors.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <SI7021.h>
#ifndef MY_OTA_FIRMWARE_FEATURE
#include "drivers/SPIFlash/SPIFlash.cpp"
#endif
#include <EEPROM.h>
#include <sha204_lib_return_codes.h>
#include <sha204_library.h>
#include <RunningAverage.h>
//#include <avr/power.h>
// Uncomment the line below, to transmit battery voltage as a normal sensor value
#define BATT_SENSOR 199
#define RELEASE "1.4"
#define AVERAGES 2
// Child sensor ID's
#define CHILD_ID_TEMP 1
#define CHILD_ID_HUM 2
// How many milli seconds between each measurement
#define MEASURE_INTERVAL 60000
// How many milli seconds should we wait for OTA?
#define OTA_WAIT_PERIOD 300
// FORCE_TRANSMIT_INTERVAL, this number of times of wakeup, the sensor is forced to report all values to the controller
#define FORCE_TRANSMIT_INTERVAL 30
// When MEASURE_INTERVAL is 60000 and FORCE_TRANSMIT_INTERVAL is 30, we force a transmission every 30 minutes.
// Between the forced transmissions a tranmission will only occur if the measured value differs from the previous measurement
// HUMI_TRANSMIT_THRESHOLD tells how much the humidity should have changed since last time it was transmitted. Likewise with
// TEMP_TRANSMIT_THRESHOLD for temperature threshold.
#define HUMI_TRANSMIT_THRESHOLD 0.5
#define TEMP_TRANSMIT_THRESHOLD 0.5
// Pin definitions
#define TEST_PIN A0
#define LED_PIN A2
#define ATSHA204_PIN 17 // A3
const int sha204Pin = ATSHA204_PIN;
atsha204Class sha204(sha204Pin);
SI7021 humiditySensor;
SPIFlash flash(8, 0x1F65);
// Sensor messages
MyMessage msgHum(CHILD_ID_HUM, V_HUM);
MyMessage msgTemp(CHILD_ID_TEMP, V_TEMP);
#ifdef BATT_SENSOR
MyMessage msgBatt(BATT_SENSOR, V_VOLTAGE);
#endif
// Global settings
int measureCount = 0;
int sendBattery = 0;
boolean isMetric = true;
boolean highfreq = true;
boolean transmission_occured = false;
// Storage of old measurements
float lastTemperature = -100;
int lastHumidity = -100;
long lastBattery = -100;
RunningAverage raHum(AVERAGES);
/****************************************************
*
* Setup code
*
****************************************************/
void setup() {
pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
Serial.begin(115200);
Serial.print(F("Sensebender Micro FW "));
Serial.print(RELEASE);
Serial.flush();
// First check if we should boot into test mode
pinMode(TEST_PIN,INPUT);
digitalWrite(TEST_PIN, HIGH); // Enable pullup
if (!digitalRead(TEST_PIN)) testMode();
// Make sure that ATSHA204 is not floating
pinMode(ATSHA204_PIN, INPUT);
digitalWrite(ATSHA204_PIN, HIGH);
digitalWrite(TEST_PIN,LOW);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
humiditySensor.begin();
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
Serial.flush();
Serial.println(F(" - Online!"));
isMetric = getControllerConfig().isMetric;
Serial.print(F("isMetric: ")); Serial.println(isMetric);
raHum.clear();
sendTempHumidityMeasurements(false);
sendBattLevel(false);
#ifdef MY_OTA_FIRMWARE_FEATURE
Serial.println("OTA FW update enabled");
#endif
}
void presentation() {
sendSketchInfo("Sensebender Micro", RELEASE);
present(CHILD_ID_TEMP,S_TEMP);
present(CHILD_ID_HUM,S_HUM);
#ifdef BATT_SENSOR
present(BATT_SENSOR, S_POWER);
#endif
}
/***********************************************
*
* Main loop function
*
***********************************************/
void loop() {
measureCount ++;
sendBattery ++;
bool forceTransmit = false;
transmission_occured = false;
if (measureCount >= FORCE_TRANSMIT_INTERVAL) { // force a transmission
forceTransmit = true;
measureCount = 0;
}
sendTempHumidityMeasurements(forceTransmit);
/* if (sendBattery > 60)
{
sendBattLevel(forceTransmit); // Not needed to send battery info that often
sendBattery = 0;
}*/
#ifdef MY_OTA_FIRMWARE_FEATURE
if (transmission_occured) {
wait(OTA_WAIT_PERIOD);
}
#endif
sleep(MEASURE_INTERVAL);
}
/*********************************************
*
* Sends temperature and humidity from Si7021 sensor
*
* Parameters
* - force : Forces transmission of a value (even if it's the same as previous measurement)
*
*********************************************/
void sendTempHumidityMeasurements(bool forceTransmit)
{
bool tx = forceTransmit;
si7021_env data = humiditySensor.getHumidityAndTemperature();
raHum.addValue(data.humidityPercent);
float diffTemp = abs(lastTemperature - (isMetric ? data.celsiusHundredths : data.fahrenheitHundredths)/100.0);
float diffHum = abs(lastHumidity - raHum.getAverage());
Serial.print(F("TempDiff :"));Serial.println(diffTemp);
Serial.print(F("HumDiff :"));Serial.println(diffHum);
if (isnan(diffHum)) tx = true;
if (diffTemp >= TEMP_TRANSMIT_THRESHOLD) tx = true;
if (diffHum >= HUMI_TRANSMIT_THRESHOLD) tx = true;
if (tx) {
measureCount = 0;
float temperature = (isMetric ? data.celsiusHundredths : data.fahrenheitHundredths) / 100.0;
int humidity = data.humidityPercent;
Serial.print("T: ");Serial.println(temperature);
Serial.print("H: ");Serial.println(humidity);
send(msgTemp.set(temperature,1));
send(msgHum.set(humidity));
lastTemperature = temperature;
lastHumidity = humidity;
transmission_occured = true;
if (sendBattery > 60) {
sendBattLevel(true); // Not needed to send battery info that often
sendBattery = 0;
}
}
}
/********************************************
*
* Sends battery information (battery percentage)
*
* Parameters
* - force : Forces transmission of a value
*
*******************************************/
void sendBattLevel(bool forceTransmit)
{
if (forceTransmit) lastBattery = -1;
long vcc = readVcc();
if (vcc != lastBattery) {
lastBattery = vcc;
#ifdef BATT_SENSOR
float send_voltage = float(vcc)/1000.0f;
send(msgBatt.set(send_voltage,3));
#endif
// Calculate percentage
vcc = vcc - 1900; // subtract 1.9V from vcc, as this is the lowest voltage we will operate at
long percent = vcc / 14.0;
sendBatteryLevel(percent);
transmission_occured = true;
}
}
/*******************************************
*
* Internal battery ADC measuring
*
*******************************************/
long readVcc() {
// Read 1.1V reference against AVcc
// set the reference to Vcc and the measurement to the internal 1.1V reference
#if defined(__AVR_ATmega32U4__) || defined(__AVR_ATmega1280__) || defined(__AVR_ATmega2560__)
ADMUX = _BV(REFS0) | _BV(MUX4) | _BV(MUX3) | _BV(MUX2) | _BV(MUX1);
#elif defined (__AVR_ATtiny24__) || defined(__AVR_ATtiny44__) || defined(__AVR_ATtiny84__)
ADMUX = _BV(MUX5) | _BV(MUX0);
#elif defined (__AVR_ATtiny25__) || defined(__AVR_ATtiny45__) || defined(__AVR_ATtiny85__)
ADcdMUX = _BV(MUX3) | _BV(MUX2);
#else
ADMUX = _BV(REFS0) | _BV(MUX3) | _BV(MUX2) | _BV(MUX1);
#endif
delay(2); // Wait for Vref to settle
ADCSRA |= _BV(ADSC); // Start conversion
while (bit_is_set(ADCSRA,ADSC)); // measuring
uint8_t low = ADCL; // must read ADCL first - it then locks ADCH
uint8_t high = ADCH; // unlocks both
long result = (high<<8) | low;
result = 1125300L / result; // Calculate Vcc (in mV); 1125300 = 1.1*1023*1000
return result; // Vcc in millivolts
}
/****************************************************
*
* Verify all peripherals, and signal via the LED if any problems.
*
****************************************************/
void testMode()
{
uint8_t rx_buffer[SHA204_RSP_SIZE_MAX];
uint8_t ret_code;
byte tests = 0;
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH); // Turn on LED.
Serial.println(F(" - TestMode"));
Serial.println(F("Testing peripherals!"));
Serial.flush();
Serial.print(F("-> SI7021 : "));
Serial.flush();
if (humiditySensor.begin())
{
Serial.println(F("ok!"));
tests ++;
}
else
{
Serial.println(F("failed!"));
}
Serial.flush();
Serial.print(F("-> Flash : "));
Serial.flush();
if (flash.initialize())
{
Serial.println(F("ok!"));
tests ++;
}
else
{
Serial.println(F("failed!"));
}
Serial.flush();
Serial.print(F("-> SHA204 : "));
ret_code = sha204.sha204c_wakeup(rx_buffer);
Serial.flush();
if (ret_code != SHA204_SUCCESS)
{
Serial.print(F("Failed to wake device. Response: ")); Serial.println(ret_code, HEX);
}
Serial.flush();
if (ret_code == SHA204_SUCCESS)
{
ret_code = sha204.getSerialNumber(rx_buffer);
if (ret_code != SHA204_SUCCESS)
{
Serial.print(F("Failed to obtain device serial number. Response: ")); Serial.println(ret_code, HEX);
}
else
{
Serial.print(F("Ok (serial : "));
for (int i=0; i<9; i++)
{
if (rx_buffer[i] < 0x10)
{
Serial.print('0'); // Because Serial.print does not 0-pad HEX
}
Serial.print(rx_buffer[i], HEX);
}
Serial.println(")");
tests ++;
}
}
Serial.flush();
Serial.println(F("Test finished"));
if (tests == 3)
{
Serial.println(F("Selftest ok!"));
while (1) // Blink OK pattern!
{
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
delay(200);
digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
delay(200);
}
}
else
{
Serial.println(F("----> Selftest failed!"));
while (1) // Blink FAILED pattern! Rappidly blinking..
{
}
}
}
