I connected my FLM just over a week ago and the wireless connection must be a bit dodgy. The globe LED will stay on for a while and then go off. When I reconnect it to my PC via the Ethernet cable and go to http://192.168.255.1. And click on ‘scan’ the globe LED lights up again but only for a variable period of time.I haven’t been able to receive any data or see any graphs on flukso.net. Bart suggested that a flaky wireless connection is the problem. I live in the tropics and the meter box is outdoors downstairs and the router is inside the house upstairs. So I was thinking that as I can’t seem to connect the FLM in the outdoors meter box wirelessly to the router and an outdoors meter box may not be the best place for the FLM during the wet season, perhaps the best option would be to move it inside near the router so I could either have a better wireless connection or connect the FLM directly to the router via the Ethernet. I had an electrician install the FLM to measure the pulses (sensors 4 & 5). That would mean taking the wiring from the meter box up into the roof cavity and then down the wall to come out near the router. Does that sound like a reasonable workable option or is it a silly idea?
Maybe try sitting the Flukso outside the meter box temporarily to improve its wifi signal and see if it starts sending measurements to the Flukso webserver. Just to make sure it isn't some other issue causing the problem before you go to the trouble of running cables.
Just re-read your post and you say you click on the 'scan' button and the globe LED lights up but only for a variable amount of time.
Are you configuring the wifi connection? I.e. entering the proper name and security key.
Thanks for your prompt response. A couple of times when the globe LED was off I reconnected my FLM to the PC ethernet cable and clicked on the scan button to see if it started (and hopefully would maintain) the wireless connection. Each time the globe came on but eventually went off again. This afternoon I placed the FML on a little platform outside the meter box as you suggested and turned the FML and the router back on. The heart was beating and the wireless was flashing slowly and after a short time the globe came on. After half an hour or so it went off again, and I have just been out and had a look when I got home and it is on again. I can see the last heartbeat recorded as this evening on settings, devices on flukso.net. When I click on the hour, day buttons on dash there are no graphs. When I click on the minute tab I get: Error - The call for sensor Solar experienced a timeout. You are probably not in the same local network as the FLM.
It certainly sounds like a very intermittent wifi connection. Do you experience any wifi issues with other wifi devices? Can another device operate on wifi in the same location? Laptop, smartphone, etc.
You do have the Flukso wifi antenna correctly attached and adjusted to be vertical.
If wifi is not feasible and you need to run a cable it may be more straightforward to run a network cable to the switchboard rather than extending all the sensors from the switchboard to the router. You could probably purchase a ready made network cable of suitable length.
Just a thought.
We have a TV and set-top box that both communicate via wi-fi with no problems and our laptop works anywhere in the house or yard. The FML has been lying flat in he meter box with the antenna vertical. It is currently still out of the meter box and as far as I have seen the globe has been on all morning. I just stood it upright to see if that makes any difference. Even if there is an intermittent wi-fi connection, wouldn't I see some information when I look at Dash/electrcity buttons? Would the FML buffer the information and then send it intermittently when it reconnects, or is the wifi connection so poor that it is just not working properly?
You said you had the heartbeat date/time update on your devices tab on flukso.net.
Are your sensors showing in the sensors tab?
What sensors are you using? Current clamp or pulse?
I am not sure but if there is no input detected on the sensor then the flukso may not send anything other than the heartbeat to flukso.net.
If you are getting a heartbeat being sent successfully to flukso.net then i would imagine any live or buffered sensor data would also be sent and should show up on hour/day charts.
Because you are getting no data at all on the charts it makes me think that there may be an issue with your sensors.
If you are using current clamps then they need to go around only the active or neutral wires not both. If the clamp is around both wires it will always detect zero current.
If you are using pulse inputs then i am guessing you could test them but simply making and breaking the two sensor wires to simulate a pulse. May need to get confirmation from somebody more technical to be sure that this is correct first. I have never tried it. I don't use pulse inputs.
one thing, ensure you log in on the flukso page top right.
I have been caught out like that. Gives that error.
Bazzle
Thanks. I am using pulse sensors. They both show up under devices/sensors. I will get someone cleverer than me to check the sensors and let you know how I go.
Hi Mark,
Your FLM's most recent heartbeat to the server was more than a day ago. I need a successful connection/heartbeat to the Flukso server to help you out with troubleshooting the sensors. Can you re-check the FLM and verify that the globe LED is on?
Cheers,
-Bart.
Hi Bart, I had someone come around on the weekend who has a flukso and he wired the pulses from the meterbox to the flukso inside the house (just on a loose cable at the moment) to see if it will work. He discovered that the sensors were wired incorrectly and he fixed that. He also discovered that the flukso wasn't on my network and he fixed that. The Ethernet cable should overcome the wireless problem. So at the moment I have my flukso attached to my router via Ethernet, the heart is beating and the globe and the Ethernet lights are on. However no graphs are visible using google chrome or IE9. When I click on dash/minute using google chrome I get [Error - The call for sensor Solar experienced a timeout. You are probably not in the same local network as the FLM]. When I click on hour I don't get that error but I see no graphs. When I use IE9 I don't get that error at all, but there are no graphs. The flukso has been connected wirelessly all day with the globe off. I turned it off to bring it inside to connect it to the router via the Ethernet. Any suggestions? Thanks. Mark.
Just a thought overnight. Could it have something to do with the firewall settings on Norton 360?
Have read other post and get this from console when I use google chrome and click on dash/minute and then ctrl/shift/I:
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/day ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/6823670b7b8c475a35751056fade3488?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/day ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/836221c1c201b2bc511717b2c15bbc68?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/minute ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/6823670b7b8c475a35751056fade3488?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/minute ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/836221c1c201b2bc511717b2c15bbc68?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/minute ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/6823670b7b8c475a35751056fade3488?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/minute ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/836221c1c201b2bc511717b2c15bbc68?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/minute ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/6823670b7b8c475a35751056fade3488?callback=jQ....
[blocked] The page at https://www.flukso.net/dash#electricity/minute ran insecure content from http://10.0.0.3:8080/sensor/836221c1c201b2bc511717b2c15bbc68?callback=jQ....
Mmm... I will have a look at my AVG as well.
1/ Please don't start mixing up different forum posts. This post is about an FLM installation. We can continue the discussion of the real-time rendering in the minute display post.
2/ Now that the FLM is online, I'm able to do some remote troubleshooting. I did a quick check and all seems to be running just fine inside the FLM. The daemon is up, communication with the sensor board is ok and NTP time setting was successful.
3/ This thus seems to point to a sensor problem. Either the sensor is not working properly or the connection to the FLM is faulty.
4/ Can you short the + and - of port 4 a couple of times? Then do the same for port 5. You should see pulses being reported in the local syslog web page. This should validate that everything is working correctly from the FLM onwards.
Hi Bart, I had someone who is clever and has a flukso look at my flukso and this is what he found. Checked the wiring at the meter box and the plug that goes into the flukso and pulses were detected by a handheld meter. However when he checked ports 4 & 5 as you suggested no pulses were detected in my syslog. He then tried my plug in his flukso with my wiring and he got pulses in his syslog. He has taken my flukso home and tried on his system and it and doesn’t seem to send any data. Do I need a new flukso or is there anything else you would suggest? Thanks for your assistance. Mark
To add to Mark’s comments I have attempted to assist Mark with the setup of his Fluksometer and provide the pulse output from his electricity meter. At Mark’s I disconnected the screw plug from the Flukso and using a multimeter could see the pulses on terminals 4 and 5 on the plug. With the plug removed I used a paper clip to short + and – of terminals of input 4 and input 5 on the Flukso. There where no associated events in the syslog. I configured my Fulso for Mark’s install and connected the sensor cable. The syslog showed events from the pulses received from the meter. I then took both Flukso’s to my installation, first re-connecting mine to confirm its operation and the setting Mark’s up with the same settings. Mark’s Flukso connected to my network, the wifi was blinking, the LAN led, Globe led and power led steady with the heartbeat lead flashing regularly. There were no events in the syslog associated with the pulses and the Flukso dash has no graph. It appears to me that inputs 4 and 5 do not detect pulses.
Is there any other tests that I could do before returning Mark’s Flukso to him?
Thanks for the methodical troubleshooting. Could you open the FLM's case (remove the 4 Phillips screws below the black pads)? Be careful when opening the case since the antenna's feed is connected to the main board. Then inspect the top sensor board connector (2x7 0.1inch). It might be that it's not properly connected to the main board.
The small red daughter was only plugged in on one end (end closest to middle of main board was completely out).
I have unplugged it and reseated the daughter board.
The new problem is on the sensor page with the message "synchronisation with sensor board failed". Also the heart beat led remains off. The globe led and the remaining leds are on.
I will investigate more tomorrow, it is past my bed time.
Make sure all the pins of both connectors are aligned with the headers. You will also have to apply some (gentle) force to have a tight fit. If this doesn't work out, then leave the FLM powered up and connected to the internet. I'll then investigate remotely.
Opps!!
When I re-seated the daughter board I shifted it one set of pin to the right.
I have installed it correctly (and double checked that it is installed correctly) and have now reconnected it to my network.
I can now see a trace on Mark's dash. All good now.
Thank you for your assistance.
Derek...
Thanks for helping out Derek.
Cheers,
-Bart.
Just an update. Flukso was fixed up by Derek. It is wired from the meter box to the kitchen next to the router and then connected to the router by an ethernet cable. All is working wonderfully now.
Root cause: The sensor board's top connector was not properly attached to the main board. Derek opened the FLM's enclosure and made sure there was a correct fit between sensor and router PCB.