No Communication / No HeaterMeter Board


 
B

Bob C

TVWBB Member
I just built a new HeaterMeter with a Raspberry PI 3 and am using the snapshot from HeaterMeter Snapshots directory

With just the HeaterMeter board attached to the RPI, I can get into the web interface but get the error below. Do I need to upgrade the AVR firmware or is something probably wrong with my build?




No Communication
HeaterMeter serial communication can not be established. Configuration requires bidirectional serial operation. Possible causes of failure:
No HeaterMeter board attached
No HeaterMeter (AVR) firmware installed. See AVR Firmware
Incorrect baud rate in /etc/config/linkmeter
Hardware malfunction
 
It should try to automatically flash the AVR firmware if there is no communication. You can try flashing it yourself by going to the AVR Firmware tab and just select the bundled hm.hex. That will tell you if the AVR is functioning at all or if there's a software problem. If it says "AVR Fuses ERROR" then that means that your heatermeter board isn't working at all so it is time to start probing around with the multimeter.
 
Bryan Mayland said:
It should try to automatically flash the AVR firmware if there is no communication. You can try flashing it yourself by going to the AVR Firmware tab and just select the bundled hm.hex. That will tell you if the AVR is functioning at all or if there's a software problem. If it says "AVR Fuses ERROR" then that means that your heatermeter board isn't working at all so it is time to start probing around with the multimeter.
Click to expand...

It looked like it worked but it still says there isn't a link meter

I still get :
No Communication
HeaterMeter serial communication can not be established. Configuration requires bidirectional serial operation. Possible causes of failure:
No HeaterMeter board attached
No HeaterMeter (AVR) firmware installed. See AVR Firmware
Incorrect baud rate in /etc/config/linkmeter
Hardware malfunction




Here is the output of the flash:

Stopping LinkMeter nil poll

LinkMeter platform is BCM2709
AVR fuses ffd705 OK

8c68546835e5011e4544742642e401aa /lib/firmware/hm.hex
hmdude: compiled on Aug 30 2016 at 19:56:10
Using port: /dev/spidev0.0
Loading ihex file: "/lib/firmware/hm.hex" (24106 bytes)

0% | | 0 (0.0s)
0% | | 0 (0.0s)
5% |## | 1206 (0.0s)
10% |##### | 2412 (0.1s)
15% |####### | 3616 (0.1s)
20% |########## | 4822 (0.2s)
25% |############ | 6028 (0.2s)
30% |############### | 7232 (0.2s)
35% |################# | 8438 (0.3s)
40% |#################### | 9644 (0.3s)
45% |###################### | 10848 (0.3s)
50% |######################### | 12054 (0.4s)
55% |########################### | 13260 (0.4s)
60% |############################## | 14464 (0.5s)
65% |################################ | 15670 (0.5s)
70% |################################### | 16876 (0.5s)
75% |##################################### | 18080 (0.6s)
80% |######################################## | 19286 (0.6s)
85% |########################################## | 20492 (0.6s)
90% |############################################# | 21696 (0.7s)
95% |############################################### | 22902 (0.7s)
100% |##################################################| 24106 (0.8s)
Update successful
Starting LinkMeter nil poll
 
This means that the SPI interface is working and that the Atmega is programmed. The display of the heatermeter should now work and show some text.

If the RPI still doesn't communicate with the HM board then there's probably something wrong with either the TX or the RX signal (or both). These are pins 18 and 20 of the GPIO connector that connects the RPI with the HM board. Most likely to be a bad solder joint or short circuit of the pins.

Of cause this could also be bad connections of pin 2 and 3 of the ATmega328 socket.
 
Last edited:
Actually it looks like there's a software problem because it says "Starting LinkMeter nil poll". Go to System -> Startup in the webui and make sure linkmeterd is set to Enabled. Try to hit "Start" and see if then you've got a connection on the Linkmeter tab.

EDIT: Just in case, you didn't take this SD card from a previous HeaterMeter version did you? It might also help to make sure the configrestore isn't mucking something up. Go to System -> Backup / Flash Firmware and use the openwrt-rp3.gz file and make sure that "Keep settings" is unchecked. Flash and let it reboot with a default configuration (takes a couple of minutes) then configure your wifi and maybe you'll be good to go.

I can't imagine why the linkmeterd service isn't working otherwise.
 
Last edited:
I tried re-soldering the pins that Peter mentioned and still the same.

I don't have another HeaterMeter so these were fresh SD cards. I'll try the other recommendations this evening.

Thanks
 
I think my solution is to de-solder and then re-solder everything on the board. My soldering was pathetic but I am getting better.

I used some alcohol to clean up some of the flux. I then hooked it up and flashed the firmware. It still didn't work so re-flashed the avr firmware and got the "AVR Fuses ERROR".

I will redo the board this weekend and see if that fixes it.

Thanks everyone for all the help.
 
I think you'll do more harm by trying to de-soldering everything. Just going over all the joints with a nice hot iron should do the job.
 
Went over some of the joints and still not working. Guess I'll get out the multi meter and see if I can figure it out.

When I go to flash the firmware I get

Stopping LinkMeter OK

LinkMeter platform is BCM2709
AVR fuses ERROR

Starting LinkMeter OK
 
When you enter the configuration section on the web interface, do you see anything in the LinkMeter tab at the top?

Have you confirmed your atmega chip is installed correctly? ie: not flipped around from how it should be installed in the socket?
 
Last edited:
Steve_M said:
When you enter the configuration section on the web interface, do you see anything in the LinkMeter tab at the top?

Have you confirmed your atmega chip is installed correctly? ie: not flipped around from how it should be installed in the socket?
Click to expand...


The chip is in correctly. Here is what it says on the configuration page

HeaterMeter Configuration [Help]
No Communication
HeaterMeter serial communication can not be established. Configuration requires bidirectional serial operation. Possible causes of failure:

No HeaterMeter board attached
No HeaterMeter (AVR) firmware installed. See AVR Firmware
Incorrect baud rate in /etc/config/linkmeter
Hardware malfunction
 
I'd start by making sure the RX and TX lines between the RasPi and HM board are in tact by doing a continuity test.

cmMwdi8.jpg
 
Well the "AVR fuses.... ERROR" means that the fuses couldn't be checked over SPI at a 128k (very low) clock rate, which generally indicates the chip needs a high voltage program to make it functional again if it can in fact be saved.
 
I am now troubleshooting erratic temperature probe readings. Trying to clean the board the best I can with alcohol but noticed what might be extra solder.

Is the solder circled in red supposed to be there? I don't see it in the picture on the base board assembly page

IMG_5738_zpsywsjdkuj.jpg



IMG_5739_zpsnndnmqsx.jpg
 
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