@AWI Darn you are right!!!!! Thanks! Have been dealing with rpi and upwards lately so assumed it has some kind of internal clock.
Thanks again!

@AWI as it should.... but - it should show a very long number.... not a 4 digit one. and not the same values each time i run the code.

this is a test code, just to show the problem. in the original code there was static var, etc and the difference was checked.

It has been a long time but i am back... however, I must have lost it!

Millis now return 4 digits results and I can find the reason. It might be the update of the libraries the arduino IDE asked me to do. Anyways, here is the code:

#define MY_DEBUG
#define MY_RADIO_NRF24

#include <SPI.h>
#include <MySensors.h>                       // Mysensor network

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:

}

void loop() {
    unsigned long now;

    Serial.println("entering loop");
    now=millis();
    Serial.print("now=");
    Serial.println((unsigned long)now);
      sleep(5000);


}

couldn't be simpler....

now the result:

x00
x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x00x000 MCO:BGN:INIT NODE,CP=RNNNA--,VER=2.1.1
3 TSM:INIT
4 TSF:WUR:MS=0
11 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
13 TSF:SID:OK,ID=28
14 TSM:FPAR
33 TSF:MSG:SEND,28-28-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:
272 TSF:MSG:READ,0-0-28,s=255,c=3,t=8,pt=1,l=1,sg=0:0
277 TSF:MSG:FPAR OK,ID=0,D=1
2040 TSM:FPAR:OK
2041 TSM:ID
2042 TSM:ID:OK
2044 TSM:UPL
2046 TSF:MSG:SEND,28-28-0-0,s=255,c=3,t=24,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:1
2054 TSF:MSG:READ,0-0-28,s=255,c=3,t=25,pt=1,l=1,sg=0:1
2059 TSF:MSG:PONG RECV,HP=1
2061 TSM:UPL:OK
2063 TSM:READY:ID=28,PAR=0,DIS=1
2067 TSF:MSG:SEND,28-28-0-0,s=255,c=3,t=15,pt=6,l=2,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:0100
2073 TSF:MSG:READ,0-0-28,s=255,c=3,t=15,pt=6,l=2,sg=0:0100
2080 TSF:MSG:SEND,28-28-0-0,s=255,c=0,t=17,pt=0,l=5,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:2.1.1
2088 TSF:MSG:SEND,28-28-0-0,s=255,c=3,t=6,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:0
2095 TSF:MSG:READ,0-0-28,s=255,c=3,t=6,pt=0,l=1,sg=0:M
2100 MCO:REG:REQ
2103 TSF:MSG:SEND,28-28-0-0,s=255,c=3,t=26,pt=1,l=1,sg=0,ft=0,st=OK:2
2109 TSF:MSG:READ,0-0-28,s=255,c=3,t=27,pt=1,l=1,sg=0:1
2114 MCO:PIM:NODE REG=1
2116 MCO:BGN:STP
2118 MCO:BGN:INIT OK,TSP=1
entering loop
now=2120
2121 MCO:SLP:MS=5000,SMS=0,I1=255,M1=255,I2=255,M2=255
2127 MCO:SLP:TPD
2129 MCO:SLP:WUP=-1
entering loop
now=2131
2131 MCO:SLP:MS=5000,SMS=0,I1=255,M1=255,I2=255,M2=255
2138 MCO:SLP:TPD
2140 MCO:SLP:WUP=-1
entering loop
now=2142
2142 MCO:SLP:MS=5000,SMS=0,I1=255,M1=255,I2=255,M2=255
2148 MCO:SLP:TPD

I have been staring at this for the last two hours... Any help will be appreciated. I am sure it is something ultra stupid

Regards,
Moshe

@JahFyahh it was mostly trial and error. I was lucky and my initial setup was good but these sensors have very sensitive adjustment (all cheap sensors do, i think) and sometimes a fraction of a turn is enough to change things. I think I wrote a simple "read in a loop" sketch and shaked it a bit (like a washing machine, small shakes) to see if i have a read. Hope that helps. I think top of the machine vibrates a bit more than back. if you put on the back, maybe try to mount it high as the upper part moves more than the lower part.

@JahFyahh yes, still using it. I never get false readings although lately I started getting the notifications half way through the cycle. Need to check the glue.

@chuckconnors I seriously doubt that. the washing machine has much move violent movements. For the dryer I think I would go with current as it is continuously drawing current (lots of current!) while working. In retrospect I would do the same with the washing machine if it was not under warranty. get a small junction box, expose about 3cm of the cable and use non invasive current sensor, all inside the box. Problem is, as always, power for the arduino.
another option that I considered is taking a good quality power strip, with lots of space in it and putting the sensor and the arduino inside it or only the current sensor (as the wires are exposed usually inside the strip) and the arduino device and charger on the outside. many modern strips have good quality USB sockets so no need for charger.
just my 2c... not saying you should touch mains, etc bla bla bla....

@petewill My original plan was to unintrusively detect the ring and trigger the arduino without effecting the bell circuit. However, it proved to be a bit more complicated and 2 dead arduinos and several other fried components later I gave up.

@petewill ummmm you could still cut the ring even if it was the other way around with a relay. Sorry to be a pain :-) can't fight my mold hehehe. generally I find the reliability of dorrbells (especially the old wired kind) to be excellent. mine has been working flawlessly for at least 35 years.

Hello all - sorry I have been away for so long...
This bring back memories http://forum.mysensors.org/topic/1620/mysensored-doorbell
I wish I found a way of triggering the notification from the ring and not the other way around, as this way when something happen to your arduino the doorbell will not ring. Didn't happen yet - it works perfectly for 6 months but I would feel more relaxed if it was the other way around. Oh well...

@Cliff-Karlsson sorry for the delayed reply.
It needs to be set just on the verge.... So, turn it slowly until it is 0,give it slight turn back. These sensors do not have good signal amplification (its ok for the price i guess) so they work in a vwry narrow ranfe

@Didi, did you end up doing horrible things to these? You said something about flashbox?

@NeverDie oh come on! Do it! Do it! :smile:

@MarkV are you using rf69? did you follow the instructions for downloading the libraries and installing them in the arduino IDE (see http://www.mysensors.org/about/arduino, scroll down a little)

@NeverDie I have no idea!!!! maybe digikey are selling counterfeits? hihihi
that is not a bad price.

@NeverDie very cool chip but a bit dear.... even on aliexpress (assuming it is not a counterfeit - Oh no! here we go again!)

@NeverDie I mean in reality... people here measured 30uA compared to 3uA in similar nrf setup. could be the result of many things, might be just a kink that has to be ironed in the software.

@Francois darn, by now i can wire the nrf from memory. Now to learn new wiring....
The power consumption in idle is still something to consider

@epierre Osrry, forgot to mention that the killer was the lack of amplification on the cheap modules. The diff between silence and hand clap few cm from the mic was only a few numbers on the reading. When you have amplification it stretch it across the 1023 range, I think.

@epierre I have ordered almost any kind of sound sensor on aliexpress for my washing machine sensor (at first I thought to get the beeps). They were all really bad.... I went the vibration way, but if I had to start all over again I think I would get https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9964

@hek Ultra cool!!!!