Zombieverter no spot values showing Topic is solved

[nikejamie]

Hi

I initially was getting the spot values.

We were getting some strange voltage values from our shunt

We realised we connected shunt to 5volt supply.

We then changed the supply to 12volts.

When we switched everything on again we got no spot values.

I tried reloading the sim32_vcu.bin. Its reads SWD error. (by the way - what does SWD stand for)

Pray that you guys can help me.

Thanks
james

[Pete9008]

Did you use the UART or SWD update function? You normally want the UART one.

SWD stands for single wire debug, it's a way of programming that bypasses the bootlader but needs extra, non-standard, connections making between the WiFi dongle and inverter board.

Edit - sorry, I'd assumed that you were using the web interface for programming. Are you using an st-link directly? If so the error means the programmer can't connect to the chip.

Edit2 - Oops, serial wire debug not single wire!

[nikejamie]

Yes you are right - i used SWD.

However i did use the UART update function. I downloaded the stmvcu_32.bin file.

When i uploaded the file - it said update completed.

It's still not showing spot values.

[AdrianB]

When i uploaded the file - it said update completed.

The upload sequence caught me out a few times. What you see first is the upload complete message, then a progress bar with the % completed. Once this gets to 100% you then see the message update complete. Occasionally the process stalls and it never gets to 100% and I had to start over.

If you’re using the Olimex WiFi module it could be causing the problem. The Wemos one is much more reliable.

[nikejamie]

1. We uploaded the stm32_vcu. bin file
2. It says upload complete but never has any percentage no matter how long we wait.
3. We are receiving burst of data from laptop to out of wifi module
4. No signal returned from CPU
5. Have checked all supply voltages are present (12v, 5v and 3,3volts)
6. Power led is on and activity led light flashed fast for about 20 secs, then off for about 1 second and then cycle repeats.

[AdrianB]

Which WiFi module are you using? I spent days trying to get the Olimex module to work reliably but never could. Switching to the Wemos one helped a lot.

[nikejamie]

we uploaded via UART
both ISA shunt and inverter were on CAN 2.
Is this correct?

[Bigpie]

I would verify the serial comms, use a USB serial adaptor in place of the WiFi module, open serial monitor, 2F2F2F endlessly means the firmware isn't booting. If that's not the case, send json command and look for the response.

[Pete9008]

Agree with Bigpie, if you have a serial adaptor that test is well worth doing.

Based on your description I'm a little suspicious that the Zombie code is only running for 20sec (led flashing quickly) before being reset by the watchdog (the 1sec pause).

Would it be worth isolating the Zombie from the inverter and shunt and seeing if the led then continues to flash and the web page works? When you changed the shunt supply was anything else changed or disturbed?

Note - I don't have any experience with the Zombie so could well be wrong on all the above!

[nikejamie]

Update - the activity led is not flashing at all

Thanks guys - will attempt to get a usb serial adaptor and try to work out how to do it

Will also try to isolate inverter and shunt and see what happens

Thanks again

[nikejamie]

Sorry Adrian i forgot to reply to you - yes we using the Wemos one

[nikejamie]

Hi Everyone

Great news - i tried uploading software onto zombieboard many many times and it did not want to work.

On Sunday i was showing someone how it didn't work and it did.

So now i got the spot values.

Next problem- when i do the op mode by switching T15 on and HV request on (Time code 01:11:56:20 on zombieverter video 2)

opmode says - PchFail

lasterr says PRECHARGE

status says - UdcBelowUdcSW

What do the above mean?

i have not connected the high voltage and was only testing on the bench - do i need to connect high voltage

Thanks

[nikejamie]

I changed UDC to 0 volts and now opmode says run

however throttle 2 error comes up when i click refresh

[royhen99]

Either you have DualChannel selected with a single pot attached or pot2min and pot2max need setting or a wire is broken/not connected.
Check the pot and pot2 ( if using DualChannel ) spot values to see that the values are changing with the throttle pedal.

[Bratitude]

[quote=nikejamie post_id=57943 time=1687374578 user_id=1822]
I changed UDC to 0 volts and now opmode says run

however throttle 2 error comes up when i click refresh
[/quote]

Have you mapped your throttle yet? You can select the pot values to graph, and click start graph, watch the plot change as you move the throttle. Set pot min and pot max to fit the values in the range your Thorttle pedal provides,

Also you must set up the type of throttle, single, single regen, dual, etc (regen is a pot value that will control the %of regen)

[nikejamie]

do i have to reset the board to upload the software

as when i upload it goes though to 100%, says update done - however there is no change and still cannot see spot values

[royhen99]

There is no need to reset the board to upload but I find occasionly the wifi module needs resetting after. This is easy if working on the bench with the Wemos module as it has a reset button, otherwise power cycle the board. Are you using a board from Damien with the firmware pre-intstalled?

[nikejamie]

Have you mapped your throttle yet? You can select the pot values to graph, and click start graph, watch the plot change as you move the throttle. Set pot min and pot max to fit the values in the range your Thorttle pedal provides,

Also you must set up the type of throttle, single, single regen, dual, etc (regen is a pot value that will control the %of regen)

We have mapped the throttle. Not sure how to select the pot values to graph. Will have a look at that. Our throttle is dual

[nikejamie]

There is no need to reset the board to upload but I find occasionly the wifi module needs resetting after. This is easy if working on the bench with the Wemos module as it has a reset button, otherwise power cycle the board. Are you using a board from Damien with the firmware pre-intstalled?

I will look for the reset button. Do I press it while the board is on?

I am using a board from Damien purchased in November last year. I presume it has firmware pre-installed. not sure how to find that out?

[AdrianB]

I am using a board from Damien purchased in November last year. I presume it has firmware pre-installed. not sure how to find that out?

As it’s from Damien it should have the firmware pre-installed. Good luck tracking down the issues. I took ages getting mine set up. Go slow, be methodical, watch Damien’s videos carefully and triple check your wiring. All the issues I had were down to my ignorance and stupidity!

[Bratitude]

do you click "save prams to flash"?

and if you check the "auto refresh" then "refresh" youll get live spot vaules

[nikejamie]

i didn't manage to do that as yet and test it out. will do so and update you guys.

the auto refresh does not give the spot values

Question : I managed to get the board working again via the wifi. I now left it connected to the battery as it loses it's toggle category visibility if i disconnect. Is it supposed to be connected to 12 volts constantly so that it does not lose the toggle category visibility or spot values?

[nkiernan]

Question : I managed to get the board working again via the wifi. I now left it connected to the battery as it loses it's toggle category visibility if i disconnect. Is it supposed to be connected to 12 volts constantly so that it does not lose the toggle category visibility or spot values?

It is not required to keep a permanent 12V feed to the VCU. There has been some discussion on that in other threads and Damian talks about it in one of the recent Zombieverter videos. Mine is disconnected regularly with no issue. I have three Zombie VCU's now, two work spot on and the third is showing the same issue you're seeing with no spot values. I need to read through your full thread and do some more testing, but so far I've been able to update the VCU with an STLink clone (not requiring the wifi). I've tried the known working wifi modules off the two working VCU's and I can connect to each but no spot values from this third VCU at all. Next I will do the TX/RX test to a serial monitor, see what shows up

[nikejamie]

Thanks so much for your post - you have given me hope
1. Can you please send me pics of how you connect to the serial not using wifi
2. I need to know which plugs or converters to use from a laptop to the board
3. What program do you use to update?

[nkiernan]

Thanks so much for your post - you have given me hope
1. Can you please send me pics of how you connect to the serial not using wifi
2. I need to know which plugs or converters to use from a laptop to the board
3. What program do you use to update?

If you take a look at the Software Update section of the Zombieverter wiki page https://openinverter.org/wiki/ZombieVerter_VCU you'll see a photo of the connections. The red wire is tapping into a 3.3V line to power on the VCU. The other three wires are labelled on the VCU and the ST-Link (clk, dio, gnd).

I bought a cheap ST-Link V2 clone unit online, about £5 and downloaded STM32 ST-LINK Utility to work with it. Quick youtube video on how to use it and no issues. This uploads HEX files.

Hope this helps