RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by kotikkiska1 on Thu, 26/11/2015 - 13:48

Hi All,

I hope you can help.

I have just literally yesterday installed a Raspberry PI Base & EmonTX v3 - all of the EmonCMS setup is fine. But I'm not getting any data from the EmonTX - the log looks like the details below. It's operating at RFM69Pi 868Mhz - the reason I went with this is I have a twitchy Oregon Scientific WMR100n operating at 433Mhz - but for full disclosure I have a evoHome operating at 868Mhz as the home-heating controls. I'm comfortable with Linux/Raspeberry - but have no experience of Arduino and I was foolishly just expecting this to work.

What is is the next steps? Is there a simple fix to try? What is the next diagnostic the issue? Do I need to change the node or group or something else?

2015-11-25 22:51:52,535 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 166 86 240 216 48 203 74 151 229 199 155 248 136 206 60 240 239 140 157 44 167 (-103) 2015-11-25 22:51:52,640 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 32 28 22 63 224 33 154 173 118 55 20 68 187 129 199 46 5 49 66 47 37 (-103) 2015-11-25 22:51:55,530 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 149 204 175 4 159 206 56 198 30 237 1 37 230 244 104 126 28 189 235 110 154 (-106) 2015-11-25 22:51:57,890 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 191 102 144 227 100 187 229 245 175 63 150 175 67 143 217 254 87 56 175 61 197 (-103) 2015-11-25 22:52:01,051 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 49 36 204 226 147 179 197 121 211 159 235 164 191 37 99 129 139 240 251 243 175 (-104) 2015-11-25 22:52:03,064 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 148 46 39 65 246 133 29 179 190 179 154 241 186 126 127 104 164 84 142 99 17 (-103) 2015-11-25 22:52:06,007 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 181 100 38 47 32 191 175 119 156 177 176 79 119 13 241 66 157 42 171 114 198 (-101) 2015-11-25 22:52:07,627 DEBUG RFM2Pi Discarding RX frame 'unreliable content'? 161 78 228 26 130 229 254 227 111 226 113 150 6 206 206 60 191 244 66 242 188 (-105)

Thanks in advance

Regards

Kotik

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by glyn.hudson on Fri, 27/11/2015 - 14:05.

Hi Kotik,

Sorry to hear you having trouble. The 'discarded packets' messages you see in the log are RF packets that are being received but are not complete or meet the criteria. These messages are not necessarily a problem.

Have you set the RFM69Pi to operate at 868mhz? This is done by setting freq = 868 in emonhub.conf. This file can be edited via your web browser in the emonHub tab of local emncms. See: http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/modules/emonpi#emonhubconfig

Please paste here your emonhub.conf file so we can check

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by kotikkiska1 on Sat, 28/11/2015 - 22:37.

Hi Glyn,

Yep that sorted it now getting valid decodes. A number of other RF discards, which I think are probably cross talk with evoHome. Now got two other problems. Not sure if to start a new thread or not. But here goes as copy/paste is our friend.

1) The Temperature Sensor is registering 85 deg C, pretty sure it can't be as the little digital temp sensor I have next to it reads 17.5. So it may be the sensor, board or s/w - I'm assuming the sensor is a thermistor - so if I read the resistance I should be able to calculate the temp from a table?

2) After a number of changes deletes etc of node calculations & logged feeds - I thought I had set them up. On phpfina logged feeds but a) they don't seems to be storing and of course then b) they aren't graphing.

The PV Generation and Grid Usage seemed to do it and got. 0.3k file but then nothing now for 2 days. I if you have a way to proceed, but would prefer me to start new threads that's fine. But currently stuck.

regards

Kotik

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by kotikkiska1 on Sun, 29/11/2015 - 18:07.

Hi Glyn,

Well regarding 2) found that the feedwriter had stopped - but not sure why - have restarted and now recording:

"service feedwriter start"

The Temperature Sensor is still saying 85 degC - but if I take off then the feed registers 0 degC (as in not attached?).

Now after reading the documentation then I think registering the resistance ain't going to do it on one-wire digital thermometer - oh for the days of analog :-)

The emonhub debug shows a valid decode (CRC passed?) - but still shows 85, so does that mean debugging on the EmonTX?

2015-11-29 17:20:22,299 DEBUG RFM2Pi 621 NEW FRAME : OK 10 0 0 198 239 0 0 254 255 122 95 82 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 211 139 (-69)

2015-11-29 17:20:22,303 DEBUG RFM2Pi 621 Timestamp : 1448817622.3 2015-11-29 17:20:22,303 DEBUG RFM2Pi 621 From Node : 10

2015-11-29 17:20:22,304 DEBUG RFM2Pi 621 Values : [0, -4154, 0, -2, 244.42000000000002, 85, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, -29741]

2015-11-29 17:20:22,305 DEBUG RFM2Pi 621 RSSI : -69

2015-11-29 17:20:22,306 INFO RFM2Pi Publishing: emonhub/rx/10/values 0,-4154,0,-2,244.42,85,0,0,0,0,0,-29741

So if you can suggest how to diagnose it - then I'll give it a go.

I've got a feed going to the EmonCMS.Org - sent the account detail via email - so you can see for yourself.

Yes I know the values are negative - but I work it out by using (Calibrate x -1) or (Subtracting from one of the 'zero' power feeds) - I have my reasons why I'm not turning the CT's around as it is now too difficult. :-)

Regards

Kotik

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by glyn.hudson on Sun, 29/11/2015 - 21:30.

Great to hear your up and running. How is the the temperature sensor connected to the emonTx? 85 is an error value, it is sometimes caused by a bad connection to the sensor. Was the sensor connected before the emonTx was powered up? It could be that you have a faulty sensor. I will send you a replacment tomorrow. Let me know if this fixes the issue.

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by kotikkiska1 on Mon, 30/11/2015 - 09:22.

Hi Glyn,

Yep the sensor was connected before emonTx was powered up. It's the RJ45 Encapsulated DS18B20 temperature sensor - so can't see the connections. Will try the new one when it arrives.

Cheers

Kotik

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by kotikkiska1 on Thu, 17/12/2015 - 16:13.

Hi Glym.

Getting very inconsistent reporting - have a look at the graph (link below) it seems to throw a lot of 85 deg C for a period then reports what looks like a valid temp for a period then back & forth,

http://emoncms.org/vis/auto?feedid=101614

See what you think

Cheers

Kotik

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by Robert Wall on Thu, 17/12/2015 - 16:24.

I've got one of those sensors too, and see the same problem. On arrival, the strain relief on the RJ45 wasn't working so I secured the cable with a few dabs of hot-melt glue. I haven't chased the problem yet, so I'm not sure if it's the terminations inside the RJ45, the plug contacts or the socket contacts on the emonTx.

Certainly wiggling the cable can effect a change - from valid reading to error, or vice versa.

[Update]
It does appear to be the IDC connection in the RJ45 plug. After a good deal of wiggling, mine has failed completely, giving a consistent "85".

Re: RFM2Pi Discarding RX Frame (Raspberry Pi Base + EmonTX)

Submitted by glyn.hudson on Fri, 18/12/2015 - 08:36.

Oh dear, sorry to hear. I've not had any issues with the RJ45 sensors we have here running in the lab and at home. Do you think you have a faulty unit or maybe this is an inherent issue which requires further investigation. If you think you have a faulty unit please drop an email to support openenergymonitor.zendesk.com and we'll sort a replacement

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