Cannot start software/run experiment

[MonikaD]

Hello everyone. I am struggling with an experiment/software set up. It is my first experience with chibio and I am working with completely new devices. I will appreciate any help, since I do not even know whether it is a software/hardware problem or which device can cause it, because I ended up with several errors.
I did all installation and software setup. I have two reactors. I am able to start the software using one of them, but whenever I press start buttton, the sofware is stopped. See log:

2022-05-19 14:40:06.360002 Start Up Complete
2022-05-19 14:53:25.264639 Set item: Pump1 to value 1.0 on M0
2022-05-19 14:53:39.931124 Failed transmission test on PWM 1 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.175521 Failed transmission test on PWM 2 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.307621 Failed transmission test on PWM 3 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.439151 Failed transmission test on PWM 4 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.571226 Failed transmission test on PWM 5 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.702741 Failed transmission test on PWM 6 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.834795 Failed transmission test on PWM 7 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:40.966456 Failed transmission test on PWM 8 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:41.097951 Failed transmission test on PWM 9 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:41.243813 Failed transmission test on PWM 10 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:41.375303 Failed transmission test on PWM 11 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-19 14:53:41.376966Failed to communicate to PWM 10 times. Disabling hardware and software!
[2022-05-19 14:53:41 +0000] [2169] [INFO] Shutting down: Master
[2022-05-19 14:53:41 +0000] [2169] [INFO] Reason: App failed to load.

Moreover, when I choose any other slot then T0 for connecting to control PC, the slot is not displayed in green in UI and after pressing start button I get different errors:

2022-05-19 14:54:16.247206 Start Up Complete
2022-05-19 14:55:41.078671 Trying to communicate with absent device - bug in software!. Disabling hardware and software!
[2022-05-19 14:55:41 +0000] [6227] [INFO] Shutting down: Master
[2022-05-19 14:55:41 +0000] [6227] [INFO] Reason: App failed to load.

When I use second reactor, the result is even worse and I cannot even start the software and I can see following logs:

2022-05-19 15:01:37.526806 Starting watchdog
2022-05-19 15:01:40.012262 Initialising devices
2022-05-19 15:01:40.081027 Failed Pumps comms 1 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.103295 Failed Pumps comms 2 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.125518 Failed Pumps comms 3 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.147558 Failed Pumps comms 4 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.169772 Failed Pumps comms 5 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.191854 Failed Pumps comms 6 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.214291 Failed Pumps comms 7 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.236520 Failed Pumps comms 8 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.258554 Failed Pumps comms 9 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.280561 Failed Pumps comms 10 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.302560 Failed Pumps comms 11 times on device M0
2022-05-19 15:01:40.324032Failed to communicate to a device 10 times. Disabling hardware and software!
[2022-05-19 15:01:40 +0000] [6678] [INFO] Shutting down: Master
[2022-05-19 15:01:40 +0000] [6678] [INFO] Reason: App failed to load.

[harrison]

Hello Monika

When you start the software with the one that works, does it say that it recognises a reactor at port M0 (or whatever port it is?). This message would appear before the “Start Up Complete” message.

The second problem you mentioned – indeed if you have it plugged into a different slot you need to FIRST click on the active slot of the eight in the top left, THEN run commands. But, this would only be important if it is working.

Which brings me to the most important point; it seems in general as if there may be some significant hardware issues there preventing the system from operating. That is, defects in the manufacturing. It would be worth trying a comprehensive check of all the cabling connections – for example try different microUSB cables for each connection, different power supplies for each reactor, etc. But, if you still can’t get it to start I think you need to notify Labmaker and ask them to fix or replace the reactors and potentially even the control computer (it is difficult to identify WHICH is defective if it can’t start at all!).

I am sorry that this issue is causing a headache!

[MonikaD]

Hello Harrison,
thank you for your reply. Yes, I think, that it recognizes a reactor. I can set some values for thermometer and for pumps, I can measure OD, temperature and I can switch on pumps manually. I do not know whether it is possible to switch thermometer on manually, but whenever I press switch button of thermometer it crashes and the logs are the same as when it crashes after pressing start button. When I press start, I can see green label “Running”. I can see, that thermostat switch button was pressed and that T(liquid) value was set.
The logs are as follows:

root@beaglebone:~/chibio# bash cb.sh 
[2022-05-25 16:40:00 +0000] [3465] [INFO] Starting gunicorn 20.1.0
[2022-05-25 16:40:00 +0000] [3465] [INFO] Listening at: http://192.168.7.2:5000 (3465)
[2022-05-25 16:40:00 +0000] [3465] [INFO] Using worker: sync
[2022-05-25 16:40:00 +0000] [3468] [INFO] Booting worker with pid: 3468
2022-05-25 16:40:08.092820 Starting watchdog
2022-05-25 16:40:10.576992 Initialising devices
2022-05-25 16:40:10.807607 Initialised M0, Device ID: 9236133125148454
2022-05-25 16:40:11.366278 Start Up Complete
2022-05-25 16:42:34.324294 Set item: OD to value 2.27 on M0
2022-05-25 16:42:47.606858 Set item: Pump1 to value 1.0 on M0
2022-05-25 16:43:50.811806 Set item: Thermostat to value 35.0 on M0
2022-05-25 16:44:17.273293 Set item: LEDA to value 0.1 on M0
2022-05-25 16:44:27.634737 Failed transmission test on PWM 1 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:27.765738 Failed transmission test on PWM 2 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:27.899481 Failed transmission test on PWM 3 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.030572 Failed transmission test on PWM 4 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.162010 Failed transmission test on PWM 5 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.292937 Failed transmission test on PWM 6 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.424918 Failed transmission test on PWM 7 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.556548 Failed transmission test on PWM 8 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.687775 Failed transmission test on PWM 9 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.818571 Failed transmission test on PWM 10 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.949402 Failed transmission test on PWM 11 times consecutively on device M0
2022-05-25 16:44:28.951021Failed to communicate to PWM 10 times. Disabling hardware and software!
[2022-05-25 16:44:28 +0000] [3465] [INFO] Shutting down: Master
[2022-05-25 16:44:28 +0000] [3465] [INFO] Reason: App failed to load.

I have tried several cabling connections, but it did not help in any way.

[harrison]

It does look like a hardware fault to me, perhaps in the circuits on the PCB on the side of reactor that controls the temperature regulating heat-plate. If this was a bad connection then one would expect something like what you see. So, it is likely not the cabling at fault.
I’d have to say a likely best bet is to contact labmaker and tell them the hardware may have a manufacturing defect, and link them to this thread so they can see the evidence.

[Author]

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