reef-pi :: An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi.

[Des Westcott]

Let's try a different approach, let's uninstall version 2.3 and go and download version 2.2. You have not stated which version of raspberry you are using e.g., zero w or 3+ but be sure to download the reef-pi version that matches.

Install that and see if you get a different result, I'm starting to think it's something that it's something else software wise that was upgraded but haven't figured what that might be yet.

Let's run this command also and paste the output if it's still not working:

sudo journalctl -fu reef-pi.service

OK. I'm on a pi 3+

And all was working fine on 2.3...... until it wasn't.

pi@reefpi:~ $ sudo journalctl -fu reef-pi.service
-- Logs begin at Thu 2016-11-03 19:16:42 SAST. --
Apr 20 15:39:14 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi systemd[1]: Stopped raspberry pi based reef tank controller.
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi systemd[1]: Started raspberry pi based reef tank controller.
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi reef-pi[5068]: 2019/04/20 15:40:45 Setting pca9685 frquency: 100
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi reef-pi[5068]: 2019/04/20 15:40:45 ERROR: Failed to initialize pca9685 driver with mock i2c bus. Error: remote I/O error
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi reef-pi[5068]: 2019/04/20 15:40:45 ERROR: Failed to initialize controller. Error:remote I/O erro r
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Unit entered failed state.
Apr 20 15:40:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi systemd[1]: Stopped raspberry pi based reef tank controller.
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi systemd[1]: Started raspberry pi based reef tank controller.
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi reef-pi[5089]: 2019/04/20 15:42:15 Setting pca9685 frquency: 100
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi reef-pi[5089]: 2019/04/20 15:42:15 ERROR: Failed to initialize pca9685 driver with mock i2c bus. Error: remote I/O error
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi reef-pi[5089]: 2019/04/20 15:42:15 ERROR: Failed to initialize controller. Error:remote I/O erro r
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Unit entered failed state.
Apr 20 15:42:15 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi systemd[1]: Stopped raspberry pi based reef tank controller.
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi systemd[1]: Started raspberry pi based reef tank controller.
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi reef-pi[5111]: 2019/04/20 15:43:45 Setting pca9685 frquency: 100
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi reef-pi[5111]: 2019/04/20 15:43:45 ERROR: Failed to initialize pca9685 driver with mock i2c bus. Error: remote I/O error
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi reef-pi[5111]: 2019/04/20 15:43:45 ERROR: Failed to initialize controller. Error:remote I/O error
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Unit entered failed state.
Apr 20 15:43:45 reefpi systemd[1]: reef-pi.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.


I'll roll back to 2.2 and see if that changes anything.

 

[Des Westcott]

Aaaannnnd rolled back to 2.2 and started working again!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

What info can I give you to help debug what happened?

 

[bishoptf]

Aaaannnnd rolled back to 2.2 and started working again!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

What info can I give you to help debug what happened?

I'm not sure @Ranjib may have something but 2.3 was a bugfix for the frequency issues with the pca9685 and pwm. I think 2.2 is the more stable release if your not using the pca9685 to drive pwm lighting, hard to say though. I'm running 2.2 and it's solid.

Glad it's back up and working. :)

 

[bishoptf]

@Des Westcott one thing could you look at the configuration page and see if you have the pca 9685 enabled, I am curious about that since that is what it was squawking about a lot in the logs.

Let me know what you find, although you are probably starting from scratch unless you saved your database and restoring it so it might be a moot point depending on that.

:)

 

[stefanm]

I'm not sure @Ranjib may have something but 2.3 was a bugfix for the frequency issues with the pca9685 and pwm. I think 2.2 is the more stable release if your not using the pca9685 to drive pwm lighting, hard to say though. I'm running 2.2 and it's solid.

Glad it's back up and working. :)

I'm running 2.3 seems fine, a couple of things aren't working which probably are wiring issues, maybe I should roll back and see if they work again, though I'm not getting errors.

I'm more inclined to believe that 2.3 is pretty much stable, maybe Monday evening I'll check the wiring first and see if that's the problem, 98% sure it is...

 

[Bigtrout]

I have been running 2.3 since it came out, and its been stable, no issues with any devices.

 

[bishoptf]

I'm running 2.3 seems fine, a couple of things aren't working which probably are wiring issues, maybe I should roll back and see if they work again, though I'm not getting errors.

I'm more inclined to believe that 2.3 is pretty much stable, maybe Monday evening I'll check the wiring first and see if that's the problem, 98% sure it is...

Yeah not sure but we saw back a few posting s someone having issues with pi pwm and rolling back to 2.2 solved that one also, not sure what was causing his issues but sounds like it happened after he upgraded the OS, hard to say.

:)

 

[stefanm]

Yeah not sure but we saw back a few posting s someone having issues with pi pwm and rolling back to 2.2 solved that one also, not sure what was causing his issues but sounds like it happened after he upgraded the OS, hard to say.

:)

I still feel mine is a wiring issue, I did drill through 38 mm (1.5") of marine ply where the pi is mounted, anyways I'll check and report back....

 

[Ranjib]

2.3 only had changes related to pi and pca9685 pwm changes, so if anything goes wrong only those two are the prime suspect. I heard about some ato alerting issues, but yet to validate it

 

[Ranjib]

When is the planned release date vor reef-pi 3.0 that includes ph measuring?

Before thanksgiving :-) . Reef-pi major release is my way of thanking this community . And yes it will have the ph stuff, but I think it will be available as beta much sooner, around May /June . Actually most of the development work around the driver is done, we are just hitting different bugs and sorting them out. It’s been bit complicated for me as this time I am kinda dependent on both pico and ph board authors for their support around the firmware /device drivers.

Speaking of which , I think I’ll start working on the pwm profile stuff while theatrus is sorting out the pico board ph driver issues. No reason for me to wait on that, there’s plenty of things to do :-)

 

[bishoptf]

2.3 only had changes related to pi and pca9685 pwm changes, so if anything goes wrong only those two are the prime suspect. I heard about some ato alerting issues, but yet to validate it

Not sure then what was going on with @Des Westcott he was running 2.3 and the service would not start, I had him try uninstalling 2.3 and installing 2.2 and it came up working.

I have a couple pi zero w that I need to get working as dev and I will be able to hopefully help troubleshoot better.
:)

 

[bishoptf]

Before thanksgiving :) . Reef-pi major release is my way of thanking this community . And yes it will have the ph stuff, but I think it will be available as beta much sooner, around May /June . Actually most of the development work around the driver is done, we are just hitting different bugs and sorting them out. It’s been bit complicated for me as this time I am kinda dependent on both pico and ph board authors for their support around the firmware /device drivers.

Speaking of which , I think I’ll start working on the pwm profile stuff while theatrus is sorting out the pico board ph driver issues. No reason for me to wait on that, there’s plenty of things to do :)

Will we be able to use the pH driver without one of the pre-made boards, I would like to add that on to my current pi-hat.

 

[theatrus]

Will we be able to use the pH driver without one of the pre-made boards, I would like to add that on to my current pi-hat.

Yes. pH is sensitive so I would recommend making a board, but there is no reason to not copy either design. Note the Pico board uses a micro-controller on the pH section (which is where the lockup happens, oops) which is an extra complexity. The end result is we are reading a voltage after buffering from an ADS1115 or MCU emulating that, so just splatting either design down on a hat board should be a straightforward operation.

 

[theatrus]

I’m still testing the pH lockup with debug attached. I can only get it to happen if I hammer 2 reads per second off the I2C and wait a few hours, so testing is slow. Ranjib’s board seems to suffer from the issue sooner, but parts of the I2C bus in the pJ section are hand reworked.

Right now the best course of action is swap firmware on the Pico pH section which isn’t an easy task without the right tool. If this becomes the only way to fix it, I’ll send out replacement boards (about 20 to date) to do field swaps. I’ll look for another workaround but the usual plans outside of a full power cycle aren’t helping, and the firmware update in field process is also problematic (beta issues!).

I’m holding any new shipments for a few days until I can sort out the update steps.

 

[Zekth]

Agree I think this will be a good comparison, since that will be the only change...

:)

Seems like there is a hint where i can find remaining objects in memory.

The best part of software development is when you fix a bug, you find 3 more

I'll correct this: "when you fix a bug; create 2 non tested regressions and find out there is 3 more bugs"

 

[stefanm]

@Ranjib & others, any idea if this could be used instead of the PCA 9685?

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1429

16 bit dimming, would be pretty sweet for sunrise and sunset.

 

[Bigtrout]

@Ranjib & others, any idea if this could be used instead of the PCA 9685?

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1429

16 bit dimming, would be pretty sweet for sunrise and sunset.

This one is SPI interface which adds a whole new layer of complication to reef pi, where the PCA 9685 uses the i2c interface, which is easier to implement.

 

[Ryan115]

@Ranjib & others, any idea if this could be used instead of the PCA 9685?

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1429

16 bit dimming, would be pretty sweet for sunrise and sunset.

Am I missing where this would be 16-bit? The page and spec sheet say 12-bit, so same as PCA9685.

 

[ph123uk]

@Ranjib & others, any idea if this could be used instead of the PCA 9685?

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1429

16 bit dimming, would be pretty sweet for sunrise and sunset.

That's only 12 bit? this one is 16? https://www.adafruit.com/product/1455

 

[Ranjib]

@Ranjib & others, any idea if this could be used instead of the PCA 9685?

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1429

16 bit dimming, would be pretty sweet for sunrise and sunset.

Nope. We don’t have support for this driver in reef-pi. I am these as well, but went with the pca9685 ic because that’s i2c based and easily chainable. Means each new ic on spi will need extra wires...