first i would like to thank Mr Brown for an incredible project !
i have discovered that my arduino nano connection fails at -11 c or colder. i know the nano itself works fine as i have multiple projects where a standalone nano works great down to - 20 c , . has anyone else run into this problem.
i switched over to esp8266 which works great over wifi but the wifi connection seems to be very distance sensitive. it wont fail just outside my back door, but 10 feet further it fails. my cell phone wifi tester suggests wifi is perfectly fine at this distance.
so i am back to usb connection and trying to make a heated enclosure ?
has anyone run into these issues ? any advice for either of my set ups ?
thanks
al
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Hi Al
It does not get that cold here so I have never experienced this issue and from memory, no-one has reported that either. But it somehow does not suprise me.
there is nothing in the code that would be temperature sesnsitive - so if an arduino is failing at -11 C then its a hardware issue, either in the chip itself or the connection - extreme cold would shrink connectors such as USB thus some might not make contact at -11 ?
One might try to use a few resistors as heat devices across the 12V rail to generate enought watts of power to provide internal heat? Like a home made dew strap - insulated of course but in close proximity to nano and nano usb connector?
About Wifi
The ESP32 and ESP8266 use a built in antenna on the board - this is very small and does not perform as well as other devices. So it does not surpise me that you lose connection whilst other devices still appear connected.
You can try to cut the antenna track on the PCB and mount a WiFi antenna on the case. This should give you goof connections at longer distances. A quick google on the subject of using an external wifi aerial on the esp8266/esp32 will return the info you need.
regards
Robert
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My theory is the connector or cable fail. We have a spell of warm weather currently. But once it gets cold again, I will test various USB cables. And directly soldering the cable to bypass the connector - Will let you know.
On the plus side. I just soldered an external antenna to my esp8266 and it significantly increased the range. So a lot of testing coming up!
Thanks you for this project!
Al
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Hi Al
I replace all my USB or serial cables every year. Temp drops to about -4 in winter and about 30 in summer (celsius). I tend to opt for high quality cabled, but even they have a limited life.
I find my USB cables get very very stiff towards the end of winter and lose their flexible state and start giving problems.
regards
Robert
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I wanted to make a final report on this. We have had a good early winter here with warmer than usual temperatures, but the cold weather has caught up to me. I am not expecting a fix I am just reporting on what I am seeing.
I set up two arduino nanos one plugged in to the standard mini usb with a NEW usb cable, and a second one with a custom usb where I directly soldered the wires to the USB controller pins. I have confirmed that both boards work flawlessly at temperatures above minus 10 Celsius. both boards are equipped with the recommended temperature probe
Today the temperature is minus 14c. Both boards worked perfectly when they were still warm but both failed when the temperature reported by the probe had dropped to -12. it is interesting that the failure was somewhat gradual in that before the complete failure, I could connect and the software would report the Firmware number, and the temperature then would report an error of no communication with the controller. once the temp hit -12 I could not connect to the board with the desktop software or ascom driver with NINA.
interestingly with the board still outside at - 14c , I was able to connect to it with arduino IDE and upload sketches without error. additionally, I uploaded a simple sketch that just printed to the serial port and that worked at this low temperature.
I was really hoping this would be a cable or a USB connector issue, but it is not. The ESP8266 works at this temperature but my stepper runs much more smoothly with the arduino as I posted in the ESP forum
Best wishes
Al
Last edit: Al ros 2021-01-23
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Hi Al
That makes me think that the temperature probe could be an issue.
Perhaps when it gets below -12c then the temperature probe causes the non-response issue.
The data sheet says it can go down to -55c
If you have the time, and you have another way of finding the temperature other than the probe on the focuser controller, I would suggest disabling the temperature probe in firmware and reprogramming the controller and then see if the -12c or below is still an issue.
regards
Robert
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You are one brilliant individual ! that was it. As luck would have it, it is minus 20c currently so I did the following tests with the arduino nano:
1) temperature probe enabled in firmware and probe connected - looses connection - fails.
2) Temperature probe disabled in firmware and probe disconnected - works
3) Temperature probe disabled in firmware and probe connected - works (running for over 1 hour)
I also ran simple sketches of the probe alone listing temperature to the serial monitor.
1) using the onewire and dallas library (miles burton)- works and reports temperature
2) using the matmunk/DS18B20 library - works and reports temperature.
Again great work. Hard to imagine the hard work and effort you put into this project.
In Canada in the winter, when it is very clear - It is always very cold so this helps a lot - though minus 12 is my limit :-)
Thanks again
Al
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Hi Al
You reported
1) using the onewire and dallas library (miles burton)- works and reports temperature
I asked to change the ino file to
#ifdef TEMPERATUREPROBE#include<OneWire.h>#include<DallasTemperature.h> // needed for DS18B20 temperature probe#endif
which uses the onewire/dallas temp library rather than myDallasTemperature library,
And you indicate that fails. Not totally unexpected because it is basically the same - I make some tweaks to the library to support the async reading that I needed. But the basic underlining code would be the same, so no surprise there.
You also indicated that turning of the temperature probe (by //#define ) seemed to work.
I will put togther some code for you to try if you can - based on your suggestion of the matmunk/DS18B20 code. Can you please let me know what the name of the firmware file is that you are using so I can put something togther for you.
regards
Robert
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Hope you are well. I am using myFP2_DRV8825HW203_304, but I am happy to change to whatever firmware you suggest.
Honestly this is an edge case scenario so please don't waste a lot of time on this. but it is intriguing why it fails when a simple sketch using same library works .
best wishes
Al
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When it does get cold again, can you please enable logging [if using ASCOM then its the Trace Log] so I can get a picture of what is going on.
I have put together an updated ASCOM driver [if you are using ASCOM] to try and pin point the problem. Please let me know if you are using ASCOM or the Windows application.
Hope you are well. I am using myFP2_DRV8825HW203_304, but I am happy to change to whatever firmware you suggest.
Honestly this is an edge case scenario so please don't waste a lot of time on this. but it is intriguing why it fails when a simple sketch using same library works .
I can now confirm that with your latest firmware fix you sent me that the issue is resolved. We had a spell of warm above freezing weather here, the the temp has dropped down to -19.
thanks again
Al
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Hi
first i would like to thank Mr Brown for an incredible project !
i have discovered that my arduino nano connection fails at -11 c or colder. i know the nano itself works fine as i have multiple projects where a standalone nano works great down to - 20 c , . has anyone else run into this problem.
i switched over to esp8266 which works great over wifi but the wifi connection seems to be very distance sensitive. it wont fail just outside my back door, but 10 feet further it fails. my cell phone wifi tester suggests wifi is perfectly fine at this distance.
so i am back to usb connection and trying to make a heated enclosure ?
has anyone run into these issues ? any advice for either of my set ups ?
thanks
al
Hi Al
It does not get that cold here so I have never experienced this issue and from memory, no-one has reported that either. But it somehow does not suprise me.
there is nothing in the code that would be temperature sesnsitive - so if an arduino is failing at -11 C then its a hardware issue, either in the chip itself or the connection - extreme cold would shrink connectors such as USB thus some might not make contact at -11 ?
One might try to use a few resistors as heat devices across the 12V rail to generate enought watts of power to provide internal heat? Like a home made dew strap - insulated of course but in close proximity to nano and nano usb connector?
About Wifi
The ESP32 and ESP8266 use a built in antenna on the board - this is very small and does not perform as well as other devices. So it does not surpise me that you lose connection whilst other devices still appear connected.
You can try to cut the antenna track on the PCB and mount a WiFi antenna on the case. This should give you goof connections at longer distances. A quick google on the subject of using an external wifi aerial on the esp8266/esp32 will return the info you need.
regards
Robert
Thanks Robert
It is definitely not the code. I have narrowed it down to the USB connection or USB chip.
I am building a little warming setup from a spare dew heater and will give the external antenna idea a go for the esp board.
Once again - thank you for this amazing project
Al
Hi Al
let me know if you get things fixed, I find this extremely interesting. Where are you that it gets so cold?
regards
Robert
Hi Robert
I live in Canada. WInters get cold here :-o!
My theory is the connector or cable fail. We have a spell of warm weather currently. But once it gets cold again, I will test various USB cables. And directly soldering the cable to bypass the connector - Will let you know.
On the plus side. I just soldered an external antenna to my esp8266 and it significantly increased the range. So a lot of testing coming up!
Thanks you for this project!
Al
Hi Al
I replace all my USB or serial cables every year. Temp drops to about -4 in winter and about 30 in summer (celsius). I tend to opt for high quality cabled, but even they have a limited life.
I find my USB cables get very very stiff towards the end of winter and lose their flexible state and start giving problems.
regards
Robert
Hi Robert
I wanted to make a final report on this. We have had a good early winter here with warmer than usual temperatures, but the cold weather has caught up to me. I am not expecting a fix I am just reporting on what I am seeing.
I set up two arduino nanos one plugged in to the standard mini usb with a NEW usb cable, and a second one with a custom usb where I directly soldered the wires to the USB controller pins. I have confirmed that both boards work flawlessly at temperatures above minus 10 Celsius. both boards are equipped with the recommended temperature probe
Today the temperature is minus 14c. Both boards worked perfectly when they were still warm but both failed when the temperature reported by the probe had dropped to -12. it is interesting that the failure was somewhat gradual in that before the complete failure, I could connect and the software would report the Firmware number, and the temperature then would report an error of no communication with the controller. once the temp hit -12 I could not connect to the board with the desktop software or ascom driver with NINA.
interestingly with the board still outside at - 14c , I was able to connect to it with arduino IDE and upload sketches without error. additionally, I uploaded a simple sketch that just printed to the serial port and that worked at this low temperature.
I was really hoping this would be a cable or a USB connector issue, but it is not. The ESP8266 works at this temperature but my stepper runs much more smoothly with the arduino as I posted in the ESP forum
Best wishes
Al
Last edit: Al ros 2021-01-23
Hi Al
That makes me think that the temperature probe could be an issue.
Perhaps when it gets below -12c then the temperature probe causes the non-response issue.
The data sheet says it can go down to -55c
If you have the time, and you have another way of finding the temperature other than the probe on the focuser controller, I would suggest disabling the temperature probe in firmware and reprogramming the controller and then see if the -12c or below is still an issue.
regards
Robert
Robert,
You are one brilliant individual ! that was it. As luck would have it, it is minus 20c currently so I did the following tests with the arduino nano:
1) temperature probe enabled in firmware and probe connected - looses connection - fails.
2) Temperature probe disabled in firmware and probe disconnected - works
3) Temperature probe disabled in firmware and probe connected - works (running for over 1 hour)
I also ran simple sketches of the probe alone listing temperature to the serial monitor.
1) using the onewire and dallas library (miles burton)- works and reports temperature
2) using the matmunk/DS18B20 library - works and reports temperature.
Again great work. Hard to imagine the hard work and effort you put into this project.
In Canada in the winter, when it is very clear - It is always very cold so this helps a lot - though minus 12 is my limit :-)
Thanks again
Al
Hi Al
If you have can you please try, in the main .ino file of the firmware
to this
to see if that works under -10c etc. It would verify and point me in the right direction. If it does work then I know where to make some adjustments.
Regards
Robert
Hi Robert
I made the change exactly as above. However, the same connection error occurs.
"timeout exception in connect: No response from controller"
Thanks
Al
Hi Al
You reported
1) using the onewire and dallas library (miles burton)- works and reports temperature
I asked to change the ino file to
which uses the onewire/dallas temp library rather than myDallasTemperature library,
And you indicate that fails. Not totally unexpected because it is basically the same - I make some tweaks to the library to support the async reading that I needed. But the basic underlining code would be the same, so no surprise there.
You also indicated that turning of the temperature probe (by //#define ) seemed to work.
I will put togther some code for you to try if you can - based on your suggestion of the matmunk/DS18B20 code. Can you please let me know what the name of the firmware file is that you are using so I can put something togther for you.
regards
Robert
Worst case, may need to explore a different temperature sensor
Thanks Robert.
Hope you are well. I am using myFP2_DRV8825HW203_304, but I am happy to change to whatever firmware you suggest.
Honestly this is an edge case scenario so please don't waste a lot of time on this. but it is intriguing why it fails when a simple sketch using same library works .
best wishes
Al
Hi Al
When it does get cold again, can you please enable logging [if using ASCOM then its the Trace Log] so I can get a picture of what is going on.
I have put together an updated ASCOM driver [if you are using ASCOM] to try and pin point the problem. Please let me know if you are using ASCOM or the Windows application.
Regards
Robert
Thanks Robert.
Hope you are well. I am using myFP2_DRV8825HW203_304, but I am happy to change to whatever firmware you suggest.
Honestly this is an edge case scenario so please don't waste a lot of time on this. but it is intriguing why it fails when a simple sketch using same library works .
best wishes
Al
Cold weather problem
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Hi Robert
I use ASCOM with NINA. So happy to test this out when it drops down below -10c. (we have a reprieve from the cold currently)
Al
Can u please email me privately - email address is in the firmware file or pdf.
Regards
Robert
Thanks Robert.
I can now confirm that with your latest firmware fix you sent me that the issue is resolved. We had a spell of warm above freezing weather here, the the temp has dropped down to -19.
thanks again
Al