Testing switchmote with power from FTDI port using MAC terminal for serial output
starts with all buttons off - red LEDs lit
sometimes top button yields top and main button on and lights green LEDs on both
main button yields main button on/off correctly without affecting top button status
bottom button sometimes does nothing and sometimes one click turns the red LED off and the next click toggles the main button status.
The top button sometimes yeilds same result as bottom button described above.
I have been able to get what should be the correct behavior from the buttons following a switchmote reset.
This behavior is similar when switchmote is powered and two switches are wired, but switch 2 is never powered by the buttons and only the button status changes in response to the buttons.
Any ideas on troubleshooting this?
Which is this, the 1x5A or 2x10A?
Sounds like you have all 3 buttons + LEDs?
2 things:
- check soldering and assembly make sure everything is in the right place right orientation etc.
- check sketch that it matches the defs and pins of the LEDs and buttons - it should by default
SwitchMote will operate standalone without a gateway if you load the default sketch. However it's generic and will work for both variants.
The new sketch released a few weeks ago (https://github.com/LowPowerLab/RFM69/blob/master/Examples/SwitchMote/SwitchMote.ino) has a combined configuration+sketch all in 1 so it's much easier to use.
It's a 2X10A with three buttons and LEDs.
Maybe I'm doing this wrong, but once you mate the two boards you have to unsolder to check soldering job. I haven;t been real successful at unsoldering. I can't trim the posts very close with my tools, so I wouldn't rule out a short somewhere.
I'll try the new sketch that will be easy.
Tried the new sketch attached.
Still had the same issue, BUT occasionally after resetting and going through the buttons I can get it into a correct functioning mode.
I am just powering through my MAC and watching serial output and the buttons.
I got the node added to the gateway. I only see the status of one switch on the main page. Do I have to change metrics.js?
On the node page when it is working correctly I see the status of all switches.
In events, I only have the option of controlling one switch. Again, is my gateway software out of date or do I need an upgrade of metrcis.js to work with a 2X10A switchmote?
Anyway, I am hopeful that I don't have an assembly issue if I can get it functioning correctly at times. Now if it just stays that way when I hook it to power, that would be fantastic.
The problem was improper shielding of the switchmote PCBs. I unslodered and checked the soldering - OK.
I think I skipped the suggestion of putting electrical tape on the PSU side. I added the electrical tape between the boards and it solved the problem. I could activate the main switch with twisting pressure holding the unit by the PSU.
Still wondering about the gateway metrics.
Quote from: loseymark on December 11, 2016, 03:23:50 PM
The problem was improper shielding of the switchmote PCBs. I unslodered and checked the soldering - OK.
Shielding? As long as the solder points are clean (no cold joints) and leads trimmed down to the PCB there should not really be a need for taping - and in fact with time or any heat that will deteriorate so I would avoid that. There is 0.1" clearance between the 2 PCBs.
Quote from: loseymark on December 10, 2016, 01:14:34 PM
I got the node added to the gateway. I only see the status of one switch on the main page. Do I have to change metrics.js?
On the node page when it is working correctly I see the status of all switches.
In the node detail you see all received metrics. To show a metric on the main dashboard for that node, you have to "PIN" that metric. Go in metric detail and click the PIN button, then it will start showing on main page.