So let’s say my internet goes down and my reef pi loses access to the internet. Will it still do it’s normal thing like dose, control heaters, lighting, etc?
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Reef-Pi does not need the internet for anything.So let’s say my internet goes down and my reef pi loses access to the internet. Will it still do it’s normal thing like dose, control heaters, lighting, etc?
You will want to connect an RTC in that case so reef-pi has access to time. The Pi as is only uses NTP for this so no internet no time. Here's a guide showing how to add one. There's nothing to do in reef-pi.So let’s say my internet goes down and my reef pi loses access to the internet. Will it still do it’s normal thing like dose, control heaters, lighting, etc?
So if my lighting is set in the on position and my internet goes out, the lighting will now stay on indefinitely until the internet reconnects?You will want to connect an RTC in that case so reef-pi has access to time. The Pi as is only uses NTP for this so no internet no time. Here's a guide showing how to add one. There's nothing to do in reef-pi.
Adding a Real Time Clock to Raspberry Pi
To keep costs low, the Raspberry Pi does not include a Real Time Clock module. Instead, users are expected to have it always connected to WiFi or Ethernet and keep time by checking the network. Since we want to include an external module, we'll have to wire one up. We'll go with the easy-to-use...learn.adafruit.com
No it should work just fine. Real-time clock module will improve time accuracy , but it’s not a necessity . I do not use it in any of my build. It’s useful only if your pi is rebooted and you do not have internet (no ntp ) and your clock drifts significantly . All this happening at same time is highly unlikely. In fact you should be able to run reef-pi based light controller without internet and without rtc module just fine.So if my lighting is set in the on position and my internet goes out, the lighting will now stay on indefinitely until the internet reconnects?
But with temperature I’m guessing it’s fine because there is no time parameters there.
Are you saying that pi clock will become unusable without rtc and internet ? I think this will happen only if pi is powered off and started back up after prolonged period and without any internetYou will want to connect an RTC in that case so reef-pi has access to time. The Pi as is only uses NTP for this so no internet no time. Here's a guide showing how to add one. There's nothing to do in reef-pi.
Adding a Real Time Clock to Raspberry Pi
To keep costs low, the Raspberry Pi does not include a Real Time Clock module. Instead, users are expected to have it always connected to WiFi or Ethernet and keep time by checking the network. Since we want to include an external module, we'll have to wire one up. We'll go with the easy-to-use...learn.adafruit.com
Thanks. There was no way I would put in that rtc add onNo it should work just fine. Real-time clock module will improve time accuracy , but it’s not a necessity . I do not use it in any of my build. It’s useful only if your pi is rebooted and you do not have internet (no ntp ) and your clock drifts significantly . All this happening at same time is highly unlikely. In fact you should be able to run reef-pi based light controller without internet and without rtc module just fine.
As I understand it as the Pi doesn't have an RTC it will automatically save the date/time to a file every hour and when the Pi is shut down correctly. When the Pi starts up it will use this as the starting time and then try to connect to NTP to update, if no internet it will continue to use the timestamp saved to file. If the Pi was off an extended period of time the Pi would be behind time until it can connect to NTP. This is why I added an RTC to my controller, with it instead of using the file it will read the RTC on startup and then continue to try to update via NTP.Are you saying that pi clock will become unusable without rtc and internet ? I think this will happen only if pi is powered off and started back up after prolonged period and without any internet
The controller has the RTC built in, you should see a battery installed on the main controller board. You will have to set it up though, I posted that link above but it was the wrong one, this is the one I've used but the other will work as well.Thanks. There was no way I would put in that rtc add on
I would. Without RTC if there is no Internet your time will be off till Internet comes back. It cost £2-3 and illuminate the riskThanks. There was no way I would put in that rtc add on
I don’t think that’s true, unless the pi is also shutdown at the same time and when it comes backup there’s no internet. Do you have any reference on this ?I would. Without RTC if there is no Internet your time will be off till Internet comes back. It cost £2-3 and illuminate the risk
Correct.As I understand it as the Pi doesn't have an RTC it will automatically save the date/time to a file every hour and when the Pi is shut down correctly. When the Pi starts up it will use this as the starting time and then try to connect to NTP to update, if no internet it will continue to use the timestamp saved to file. If the Pi was off an extended period of time the Pi would be behind time until it can connect to NTP. This is why I added an RTC to my controller, with it instead of using the file it will read the RTC on startup and then continue to try to update via NTP.
The controller has the RTC built in, you should see a battery installed on the main controller board. You will have to set it up though, I posted that link above but it was the wrong one, this is the one I've used but the other will work as well.
Adding a Real Time Clock to your Raspberry Pi
When you switch on your PC or Mac, do you have to change its time? Highly unlikely! Do you have to on your Raspberry Pi? Possibly. Each time your Raspberry Pi boots it connects to what is called an NTP - Network Time Protocol - server and asks it the time. But what happens if your Pi is not...thepihut.com
Yeah for people with good internet it's not much of a problem but still a weakness. I've heard from a few people who had poor internet and it was a definite issue. My power goes out occasionally, when it does the internet is always slow to reconnect, if the power went out say just after a dose then resumed with a time just before that dose it's possible it would dose again before the NTP updates.Correct.
The actual risk is if there’s no internet and pi is shutdown for minutes or hours. Even if the pi just reboots without internet , it should be fineKeeping "time" without Internet connection - Raspberry Pi Forums
forums.raspberrypi.com
Reference for RTC? Ali express sells it from £1.55I don’t think that’s true, unless the pi is also shutdown at the same time and when it comes backup there’s no internet. Do you have any reference on this ?
Firstly you can use your headless connection and execute:Hi, The current time on my reef-pi dashboard is not correct, and would like to know how to fix this. Reading here about connection to the Internet, how can I confirm that I am, maybe this is the problem. I have been running this reef-pi for about 4 years now without issues but recently installed a new router, I do have a headless connection, but maybe not internet. Any thoughts, Thanks
date
sudo wget -c https://robo-tank.ca/reef-pi/flowmeters.zip
sudo raspi-config
start a separate thread under this forum. If you can share a screenshot , it will help us identify the issue easily,Hi, The current time on my reef-pi dashboard is not correct, and would like to know how to fix this. Reading here about connection to the Internet, how can I confirm that I am, maybe this is the problem. I have been running this reef-pi for about 4 years now without issues but recently installed a new router, I do have a headless connection, but maybe not internet. Any thoughts, Thanks
Hi Sral, Yes everything has been working fine for years, but for the past week the lights have been functioning at wrong times. I just did a full reset on my router and it corrected the current time.Firstly you can use your headless connection and execute:
That should show you the time the PI uses.Code:date
For the Internet you could simply try to download something, like:
If that fails your PI has no internet.Code:sudo wget -c https://robo-tank.ca/reef-pi/flowmeters.zip
You should also check localization settings in:
If that isn’t set to your country correctly the PI might use an incorrect time that’s wrong by a integer number of hours.Code:sudo raspi-config