[BUG]: Dimmer completely not responding.

[cyber-shifter]

Setup:

• TerrariumPI version: 4.12.5
• Install: [Manual]
• Raspberry PI: 4
• OS: Bookworm

Describe the bug
Post update to latest version, my relay is no longer functioning automatically with the environment

To Reproduce / Installation steps
I did a manual pull following the instructions

Expected behavior
I expect the dimmer relay to function the same way it did before the update, where it is controlled by the temperature in the area.

Screenshots
I tried to do screenshots of the debug, but I'm not getting anything out of it. It goes through the normal startup and that all looks normal. It gets to the point where it says it is starting the webserver. So then I moved to the GUI to look at the logs there so I could see them as they come up (since the cli had stopped updating after starting the webserver). The logs on the GUI are blank.

Logfiles
terrariumpi_logfile.txt

Additional context
I have two setups that are identical hardware-wise. The other one with the same version is behaving normally.

I tried swapping the hardware for the dimmer, same results. I tried swapping the pin for the communication to the dimmer, same results.

[theyosh]

Hmm, that is not nice. But the logfile is not providing any information that is useful. Only that you are running Bullseye os, not Bookworm.

Could you make a screenshot of you area setup where you use this relay? So I can see what should happen when.

And can you still control it manually. In other words, when logged in as admin, change dimmer value?

From which version where you coming from? Just a minor update?

[cyber-shifter]

It was just a minor update, I was maybe a couple versions behind? I have two setups, with exactly the same hardware, all the way through. Well, the only difference is the radiant heat panel wattage, but that is inconsequential to this. I did not know I was running Bullseye, it should have been Bookworm. I have saved that image specifically for this purpose. Will that make a difference? The other one is running Bookworm.

I just tried to control it manually. Apparently the manual control is working (the temp sensor is increasing over time). However, there is no indicator that the relay is in manual mode. Usually I would see a blue block indicating this.

Here is a screenshot of the area setup:

[theyosh]

Hmm that looks pretty normal. What is the graph of sensor Fatima Panel showing. As long as the temperature is between min and max alarm, the dimmer will not go on. Until it get to cold, it should turn the dimmer on.

After a restart it can take some time before the dimmer is back to it optimal position based on temperatures. The low alarm should be fired/hit before the dimmer will go on.

And I asked about your latest version, so I can compare code between the two, so it makes it easier to look for code bugs.

[theyosh]

Also it should not matter if you have Bullseye or Bookworm as OS. But I personally prefer Bullseye, as that makes the installation a bit easier. But for this issue, it should not be a problem.

[cyber-shifter]

This is the temp data for the last week:

Unfortunately, I can't show you the dimmer graph because I tried removing it to see if that would fix the issue. But normally the dimmer is between 50-70%. It never turns "off" it just goes lower. The lowest value I used to permit was 40%, but that option has changed in the new version.

Here is a picture of the other one, with the 100 watt panel. I was messing around with the enclosures yesterday, so that graph is a little more wonky than normal:

As far as the version I came from...I think when I did the upgrade the git command in the CLI called out that I was coming up three versions? Maybe four. I didn't reinstall the OS on this one, so I could probably find out if we really needed the information. I'm just not sure how to.

[theyosh]

Hmm, I am trying to understand, but as far I can see, there was no option to set a min dimmer value. Only a max value.

I have looked in code changes from the last full year. But there is no such option.

Based on your graphs that is looking like it should.

So, for now, I still do not have an idea what this could be.

The graphs are from a different sensor and relay? But does the relay use the same hardware as the failing one?
But, when you manually change the relay value, it does work?

And when TP is restarting, it should put the relays at the same value as before the shutdown. So it should restore the relays. Except when the time between the shutdown and startup is more than one hour. Than it will start just at zero.

And when the temperature is between the alarm values, the relay should not go on. It should go on when the temperature gets below the alarm value.

And there is no code changes regarding the used dimmer relay. That code is still the same as more than 1 year ago.

But as you have removed the existing dimmer, I cannot say what has happened. That is hard to find afterwards. So I suggest to add the dimmer back, and configure the area as is was. And than we have to see if it will work.
But as one dimmer is working correctly, than it is very strange that a different dimmer is not. The code is the same

[cyber-shifter]

The dimmer is not adjusting automatically. The only way to set it is if I manually do it. That is not how it is supposed to work. It's supposed to maintain the temperature somewhere in the middle between the two alarm points (high and low), automatically.

I have two tanks with identical hardware for the setup. Same Pi model, dimmer model, everything. The second tank is doing this just fine after the upgrade. The one in question here, is not. The panel has to stay on at some value (usually around 55%) in order to keep the enclosure where I want it to be temperature-wise. This is how radiant heat panels work, they don't heat the air, they heat the substrate, etc. They work like the sun does.

I tried swapping in a new dimmer, but that didn't work (I have spares of the same dimmer hardware, like recommended). I feel like I should be seeing something in the logs or something, if the system isn't functioning like it should.

[theyosh]

Sorry, but I get the feeling you have to wait a bit longer. Because as long as the temperature is between the alarm values, the dimmer will not go on.

So you have to wait till the temperature drops below the alarm min value to power on. After that it should try to get in the middle.

And as you dimmer work by hand, your hardware is ok. So do not change that.

So I still suggest just to setup your area as it was, and wait a bit to see what the temperature is doing. And after a day, post the graph of the sensor that is used for the dimmer. So I can see what the sensor is doing.

[cyber-shifter]

This is the current temperature graph. This is a week. Right around where you see the spike on Sun at 2 is where the equipment started acting incorrectly. Before that is the normal temperature graph. After that (to the right of the big spike) is all wonky because the dimmer is set at 60% and not auto-adjusting like it should. The configuration settings are the same as before, it's just not working.

[theyosh]

Ok, I am not sure what to say. I see never the temperature drop below the alarm min value. That means that the relay is not toggled on. But the temperature is rising and going down again. Is that due to ambiance temperatures?

The auto adjusting of the dimmer only starts when the temperature gets below the alarm min value. As long that is not the case, the relay will do nothing.

If the relay is toggled on when it was to cold, but the power is to much, the temperature is rising to much and gets above the alarm max value, you could adjust the dimmer with a max dimming value of 80%. If it than the temperature is still rising to fast, reduce the dimmer power more.

But when you change the dimmer by hand, that will never toggle the auto adjusting logic. That is only done by the area logic which will only turn on when it is to cold.

So let it cool down and see what happens. Is the dimmer go to far in power, reduce it with the max power setting.

[cyber-shifter]

I am not receiving email alerts for responses for some reason.

The relay in the working enclosure is set to increase power by very small steps when the temperature drops below the min alarm. Per what you said in #512 the dimmer should keep the temperature in the middle between the the low and high alarm points. Right now the graph is a bunch of hills like this because the auto-adjustment stopped working. So I manually set the relay power at 63% just to keep the enclosure warm enough for now. The system is not adjusting the relay at all based on temperature despite the settings being the same. I'm going to attempt a wipe and reinstall today, since that's the only option I see that I have at the moment.

[cyber-shifter]

So I did a complete reinstall. I pulled the SD card, reinstalled Bookworm, then installed Terrarium Pi again. This did, in the end, fix the problem. But I do have some notes. I didn't disconnect the hardware from the raspberry pi at all while doing the reinstall, etc. So when Terrarium Pi finally came up, I could not successfully add the temp sensor. Running the i2c check via SSH gave me the correct address, but it couldn't connect. I did reboots of the whole system, including restarts, and full power downs. It wasn't until I disconnected all the hardware, started up the pi, then shut it down again, and connected the hardware, did it allow the Terrarium Pi framework to connect to it. Once that happened, and I set the environment up as before, everything started working as it should.

[theyosh]

Damm, that sounds like a hardware issue? But strange that i2cdetect was able to see the device, but TP could not control it.

As you describe it now, it looks like the the RPI had some pins in a strange state, which was only reset by disconnecting and starting up the RPI. So that the RPI sees no hardware, reset the pin correctly. And after that you can use it again...

This is strange. Normally when this kind of stuff is happening with my hardware, just a full power down is enough...

Damm, this is hard to debug/find...

[cyber-shifter]

Decided to check on this again, since the weather has started to get cooler and I wanted to make sure my snake babies were staying warm enough. SO....the system just decided to stop working. I'm not sure what's going on here. The relay just went to 71 percent and then stay there going forward. The last day it auto adjusted was November 28th? Here's the power graph: