Author Topic: Rosetta eating power cables  (Read 4520 times)

JimN

Rosetta eating power cables
« on: August 19, 2019, 11:08:05 pm »
I used to have a classic and never experienced any problems. Sold that and just over a year ago bought a rosetta it works fine when its working but it's going through power cables.
Cables only seem to last about 2 months, the original and many replacement 20SWG Juicebitz cables. Tried a couple of cheap cables just in case but they lasted even less time.

The symptoms are always the same, works fine for a month or so, then becomes increasingly intermittent with lost gps and lost wifi, eventually gets so bad it's no longer worth trying to connect.
Fit a new cable and all is ok for another month then it starts getting intermittent again etc.
I've tried out the cables once they have 'gone' on other devices and they hardly seem to work. e.g. charging my tablet with a normal cable charges at about 1% every 1 to 2 mins. Use a 'bad' cable from the rosetta and it still charges but at about 1% every 1 to 2 hours!

Are they burning out? Anybody else have the same problem? Faulty P3i? any ideas apreciated.

Have tried with a couple of different power supplies including the recommended Ancor one, and using a battery pack. Makes no difference.

The only thing non standard is that its connected to a trig tt21 transponder to give ADSB out.


Admin

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2019, 08:04:58 am »
That is very strange, we have had very good results with Juicebitz
I have also been testing the RAVPOWER batteries and cables, they seem to perform very well
I purchased their cable pack from amazon, even the longest cable at 10ft shows no power or throttling issues

exfirepro

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2019, 08:29:14 am »
Hi Jim,

You say you’ve tried with “a couple of different power supplies including the recommended Anker one and using a battery pack.” I take it from this that this is a ‘carry on’ (rather than a semi-permanent) install? - In what type of aircraft?

Despite several years now flying with PilotAware, I have only needed to change cables a couple of times (mine is a semi-permanent install), so my personal experience of cable failure is mostly limited to other people’s units. In most cases this has been due to mechanical damage at the microUSB connector end from repeated plugging and unplugging, so I always advise trying to avoid unplugging the microUSB end from the Pi as much as possible. I’ve had a couple of cases where wear at the Raspberry Pi connector has been so bad that this has required replacement of the board.

If you have a look at some of Jeremy Curtis’s recent posts such as...

http://forum.pilotaware.com/index.php/topic,1678.msg18247.html#msg18247

(Jeremy makes the excellent Charge 2 and Charge 4 Aviation power supplies so he knows a lot about cables) he comments on the fact that all flexible cables are susceptible to breakage of individual strands of wire within the cable, which will eventually reduce its capacity to transfer power, though your experience definitely seems excessive.

From your ‘post Rosetta’ tests, it certainly seems likely that the cables are breaking internally, though possibly at the microUSB connector. It would certainly be worth checking the fit of the microUSB socket in your Rosetta and trying to avoid plugging and unplugging at this end - or certainly taking great care when doing so. I would also suggest contacting juicEbitz via their contact form on https://www.juicebitz.co.uk and see what they have to say about the high level of cable failures you are experiencing. Certainly when I have in the past reported a faulty cable they immediately sent a replacement (do please let us know). It might also be worth trying the 20awg Anker braided cables (available on Amazon) to see if they give longer service. (Edit: or the ones Lee has mentioned in his post while I have been typing).


Please let us know how you get on.

Regards

Peter

brinzlee

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2019, 11:46:58 am »
I have noted a similar issue with the JuicBitz cables.......probably 4 in total....could be a bad batch....I bought mine via JuicBitz direct so I don't think they were copies....I'm using much shorter ones now and have not had any issues since....

Ian Melville

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2019, 12:36:05 pm »
I’ve had two1m. juicebitz cables supplied by PilotAware exhibit similar issues as the OP. To done a proper test on other devices, but I have suspicions all may not be well. Now only use the very short ones as that is all I need for now. Oh and carry a new spare. Cables are never bent sharply and generally looked after.

I would like to see the Rosetta’s DC in socket reinstated.

Vic

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2019, 05:36:42 pm »
I have experienced and diagnosed bad manufacture of a  JuiceBitz cable here http://forum.pilotaware.com/index.php/topic,1601.msg17533.html#msg17533

JimN

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2019, 10:29:45 pm »
Thanks for all the replies.

It's a semi permanent install, I just tried different power supplies to check if that was the problem. Most commonly I've used the half meter cables as the power socket is near the Rosetta, but I also tried longer lengths, the original and one I already had. The 1st couple of cables were secured using tie bases and tie wraps but haven't bothered since then because of the frequency of changing! I must say that the connection into the Rosetta has never been as positive as into other devices that I have that use a micro usb so I think from what you have all said at/near the socket is probably where they are vibrating and failing. I think I'll try and secure this new lead with rubber bands or tie wraps to the Rosetta to try and keep it more secure and vibrate less and go back to tie wrapping the cable securely. I'll see if this cable lasts longer that way.



exfirepro

Re: Rosetta eating power cables
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2019, 10:49:22 pm »
Hi Jim,

Worth trying. Please keep us advised.

Best Regards

Peter