Best way to start chibio without pumps

[David0205]

Hello all!

I have two chibios that I would like to operate without using any pumps. How should I modify the app.py file to avoid the Startup failing because it can’t connect to the pumps?

Also in general, is it possible to operate one chibio connected to its pump module and another one which has no pump connected?

Thanks for any help.

[harrison]

Hi David,
Yes, that’s easy enough. Go into App.py and remove (or comment out) the lines in the turnEverythingOff function that refer to the pumps.

In particular, within that function comment out:
setPWM(M,’Pumps’,sysItems[‘All’],0,0)
SetOutputOn(M,’Pump1′,0)
SetOutputOn(M,’Pump2′,0)
SetOutputOn(M,’Pump3′,0)
SetOutputOn(M,’Pump4′,0)

As to using one pump module between two, yes, you can do this. Take a look at this thread:

Reprogramming P3 and P4 on the Chi.bio

I think Zoltan Tuza has nicely implemented this functionality here:
https://github.com/HarrisonSteel/ChiBio/pull/4/commits/fc5e468a894e59163fee93533b08a52d42c9ab22

That said, if you only have two devices and plan to stay that way, you could make a more “hacky” implementation that tells the setOutput function to activate Pump 3,4 on M0 whenever you command pumps 1,2 on M1 (i.e. assuming that the pump is connected to reactor M1).

[Wijaya]

Hi all,

I tried to use ChiBio without any pumps too. The start up was complete. However, when I start the running, it gave this error:
root@beaglebone:~/chibio# bash cb.sh
[2021-04-05 21:41:45 +0000] [4157] [INFO] Starting gunicorn 20.1.0
[2021-04-05 21:41:45 +0000] [4157] [INFO] Listening at: http://192.168.7.2:5000 (4157)
[2021-04-05 21:41:45 +0000] [4157] [INFO] Using worker: sync
[2021-04-05 21:41:45 +0000] [4160] [INFO] Booting worker with pid: 4160
2021-04-05 21:41:52.933636 Starting watchdog
2021-04-05 21:41:55.411312 Initialising devices
2021-04-05 21:41:55.583121 Initialised M0, Device ID: 491539288859257614
2021-04-05 21:41:55.682650 Start Up Complete
2021-04-05 21:42:05.833149 Set item: LEDB to value 0.1 on M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.395254 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 1 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.417762 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 2 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.440032 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 3 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.462375 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 4 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.484634 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 5 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.506757 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 6 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.529151 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 7 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.551406 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 8 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.574228 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 9 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.596627 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 10 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.618779 Failed ThermometerExternal comms 11 times on device M0
2021-04-05 21:42:19.640538Failed to communicate to a device 10 times. Disabling hardware and software!
[2021-04-05 21:42:19 +0000] [4157] [INFO] Shutting down: Master
[2021-04-05 21:42:19 +0000] [4157] [INFO] Reason: App failed to load.

Not sure if I missed something when setup the parameter.

Thanks for your help!

[harrison]

Hi Wijaya,

That is very strange. It is saying it is unable to connect to the thermometer on the control board (i.e. the one connected to the beaglebone).

Was your system working when it did have a pump board connected? If so then it seems the error must be somewhere in the code you have edited.

If not, the problem could be with thermometerExternal itself. That thermometer is the chip on the underside of the small “arm” jutting out of the control board, right next to where the ethernet plug is.
Can you take a look at it and see if it looks like it is soldered correctly (i.e. none of its pins are short-circuted to each other)?

[Wijaya]

Hi Harrison,

I have tried to run the system with the pump board connected and it still give me the same error. After checking the control board, I realised that the thermometer external chip is missing.

Thank you,
Ari

[harrison]

That’s a significant oversight! Contact Labmaker and let them know…

[Author]

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