I have a mysensors network setup, my config is a WemosD1 mini for a gateway, RFM69 radios for comms. Using the latest stable version of mysensors, the new RFM69 driver

The network works fine, i have 4 sensors in total. All battery powered, some are a mix of boost converters and direct power, one is 1mhz and the others are 8mhz.

My problem is that after a while the all the nodes one by one go offline, they come back when you hit the reset button and occasionally they come back to life after the contact sensor is triggered but it's a bit like a game of whack a mole keeping them all online.

Another way I have had issues is if the gateway goes offline for a few hours the nodes never recover so after sorting the gateway I have to manually reset every node.

I am using my controller and have set the system to alert me whenever a node stops communicating for 30 mins. Each node is set to transmit some data every 10 mins as a heartbeat (rx strength).

Do i need to do something on these to enable the watchdog timer? I can upload the sketches if required but for the most part they are the example BME sensor and contact switch ones.

Thought I would update this thread, still struggling but made some progress.

I added the watchdog which helped somewhat, so far I have found a few things which I have fixed or investigated further on my efforts to make things more reliable.

My gateway crashes after a few days - unsure why, suspect its a power issue so I have ordered a standalone 5v to 3.3v power supply to run the radio. My setup is a Wemos D1 mini. I am wary of changing too many things at once but I am considering wiring directly to a PI for a gateway.

My side gate sensor used to drop off and come back after an hour or two. I noticed the TX was hovering around 90-100% so I thought it could be signal related, I built a mains powered repeater with the RFM69HW and placed it nearby. The side gate sensor favours the direct connection to the gateway but it seems to be more reliable. This sensor is a 1mhz/direct off the battery sensor.

My BME280 sensor crashes a lot, I think this is related to the temp sensor rather than the node, seems to stop returning measurements except the battery voltage for a few hours then stops entirely. This is a sensor with a boost converter and when it crashes it never comes back, has to be reset. I am going try a different library for reading the BME280 when I get chance. I have also observed it gets less reliable as the battery voltage drops below 2.5v.

Next up with annoying failures is my front gate sensor, previously most reliable it stopped working for 12hrs before magically reconnecting today, no reset required. It was rock solid till the battery voltage dropped to 2.5v, it's working now but I am going leave it to see if as the voltage drops the sensor becomes more unreliable. This sensor has plenty of signal strength to spare so I don't think the relay will help, its probably only 8m from the gateway.

The boost converters I am using are the cheapest ones commonly available from china. To continue the experiment I have ordered some slightly more expensive ones to see if the performance changes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-3V-5V-DC-DC-Boost-Converter-Step-up-Voltage-Regulator-Power-Supply-Module-New/272824785441?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=571970719316&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I do have the capacitors in place, but am wondering if its worth experimenting with the values.

People mentioned soldering/connectivity issues. I don't think thats my issue here. All my sensors are EasyPCB Rev9. Most of my sensors have no wires (ie no sensors, they're just testing their existence) or simple stuff like contact sensor or relay control

This is the relay I made, its got a custom PCB under the sensor with a HLK-PM03, fuse, thermal fuse and a few other bits. Debmowsk designed the circuit originally I just rejigged it so it can be stacked on top of the easypcb rev9

Far right of the graph shows the period the front gate sensor was offline for.

3.3V 5V DC DC Boost Converter Step-up Voltage Regulator Power Supply Module New

$3.61

465 available

I use this setup with this pcb

https://www.openhardware.io/view/392/Minimalist-RFM69HW-Shield-for-Wemos-D1-Mini

#define MY_RFM69_IRQ_PIN D2
#define MY_RFM69_IRQ_NUM MY_RFM69_IRQ_PIN
#define MY_RFM69_CS_PIN D8

It works, but crashes occasionally. I think i need to power the radio from its own supply.

I don't have webthings setup anymore but am happy to spin it up in a docker container and test for you. Just let me know what the steps are to install the test version and i'll give it a go.

Is MQTT support working? I was just installing webthings as an experiment but noticed when selecting MQTT you don't get prompted for the additional settings you would expect?

It should be asking for the mqtt server address, credentials and topic prefix?

Thanks for the reply.

I'm using the easypcb for the nodes which have a cap on the radio to aid with stability.

I have checked my connectors, i'm pretty confident (and experienced) in putting bits together, to have bad connections on 4 nodes would be very unlucky!!!

Re the boost converters - So far the bootsted ones are more stable than the 1mhz direct drive from the battery ones.

Tis odd. I think i need to get my head around the watchdog timers better to reboot the arduinos automatically.

I have tested a node without mysensors too - just running a temp sensor and OLED, that has been reliable.

I have a mysensors network setup, my config is a WemosD1 mini for a gateway, RFM69 radios for comms. Using the latest stable version of mysensors, the new RFM69 driver

The network works fine, i have 4 sensors in total. All battery powered, some are a mix of boost converters and direct power, one is 1mhz and the others are 8mhz.

My problem is that after a while the all the nodes one by one go offline, they come back when you hit the reset button and occasionally they come back to life after the contact sensor is triggered but it's a bit like a game of whack a mole keeping them all online.

Another way I have had issues is if the gateway goes offline for a few hours the nodes never recover so after sorting the gateway I have to manually reset every node.

I am using my controller and have set the system to alert me whenever a node stops communicating for 30 mins. Each node is set to transmit some data every 10 mins as a heartbeat (rx strength).

Do i need to do something on these to enable the watchdog timer? I can upload the sketches if required but for the most part they are the example BME sensor and contact switch ones.

@canossa That's useful to know, I am finding it to be hit and miss with this setup too. Seem to randomly lose messages going back to my MQTT gateway (most annoying for door triggers!). i'll try adding in an additional power supply to the 3.3v line and see if that helps out with stability.

I have this setup. Try

#define MY_RFM69_IRQ_PIN D2
#define MY_RFM69_IRQ_NUM MY_RFM69_IRQ_PIN
#define MY_RFM69_CS_PIN D8

Copy the wiring from here (or better still just buy some PCB's)

https://www.openhardware.io/view/277/ESP8266-RFM69HW-gateway-with-dipole-antenna

Got my SDR and installed the software.

Seems to work well, on 433mhz I can see signals from my car keyfob etc.

When my sensors are powered on though - nothing, looks like nothing is broadcast atall.

Stumped now. properly stumped When I get time I will perhaps try a non mysensors sketch to activate the radio see if I can get any TX then. Does anybody have any good sensors?

I want to think its a bad batch of radios but they are from 3 different sellers.

Thanks guys,

I tried enabling #define MY_SIGNAL_REPORT_ENABLED but it made no difference to the output.

Also tried a few of those sketches but neither would compile properly - I guess im missing something!

Just bought this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162961285195
now for a long wait from China!