Power Warnings

[dave_kent]

Hi, I've just fired up my PAW for the first time since October 2019 in anticipation of flying this weekend, but am getting Warnings and the odd Error on the Power/Throttle line on the front page.

I've drained and recharged the year-old Anker PowerCore 10000 overnight, but am still seeing these errors this morning.  I'm using the PAW supplied power lead.

Could the lead degrade this fast?  There are no kinks or twists in the cable and it's been stored loosely coiled in the box.

Thanks
Dave

[Admin]

hi Dave

can you post a screenshot of the home page after running for 1 minute ?

thx
Lee

[dave_kent]

Hi Lee, please see attached.  Thanks, Dave

[JCurtis]

Long shot, if nothing has been connected for a while, there might be some tarnishing on the contacts.  Always worth trying to just unplug/plug the connectors a few times (10+) to clean the pins.  Depends on the environment when stored.

USB connectors are quite lossy at higher powers and it doesn't take much to increase their resistance.

[dave_kent]

I've tried unplugging the connectors but still no different this morning.  I assume I need a new lead (it's a good place to start).  Where would I get the correct one from please?

Thanks
Dave

[exfirepro]

Hi Dave,

Power cables are available on the website.. https://pilotaware.com/product/1m-power-cable/

Regards

Peter

[dave_kent]

I've purchased a new cable and all seems be to OK now.  Disappointed with the old cable, but at-least they're cheap to replace!

Thanks
Dave

[exfirepro]

Interestingly....,

I went flying yesterday. I was running 2 x mini iPads and an Aircrew Display from my PilotAware Rosetta (with an 'experimental' Pi3B+ motherboard - which has been in extensive use and in and out of the plane since May 2018), together with an 'independent' FlarmMouse and LED Display installation - as I was flying in to check an OGN-R rebroadcast station at an busy active gliding site.

All was well on the outboard leg and as I approached the field, I could see lots of active gliders on my SkyDemon display - and on my 'Aircrew' from about 10 miles out. As I got closer, the gliders also started to trigger 'warnings' on my FLARM system from about 2-3 miles away.

After a short visit, I headed back to my Home field with all initially well, then shortly after climbout, I started to experience dropouts on SkyDemon - which kept displaying the 'Waiting for Device' warning - indicating that no data was being received from my PilotAware. The sound of the audio announcement 'PilotAware' through my headphones, advised me that the unit had rebooted and a quick check of my PAW Home Screen confirmed a Voltage Error with Throttling of the Processor - i.e. a Power Fault. As I was heading back to my home airfield, I decided to continue, with the unit showing my track between several short breaks / restarts, indicating the probability of a cable / connector fault.

I have since carried out some tests with the unit connected to a monitor via HDMI (initially by wiggling the cable), which immediately shows up an 'Under-voltage detection' and if repeated or continued causes the unit to shut down. Trying a spare (brand-new) cable reduces the incidence of the fault, but not entirely, so I guess it's time to bite the bullet and order a new Motherboard -     

I just posted this to show that it can happen to the best of us (and me), so be gentle with the on-board micro-USB connector - or preferably leave it alone and do all your connecting/disconnecting at the larger (USB-A) end of the cable!

Regards

Peter

[JCurtis]

Interestingly....,

I went flying yesterday. I was running 2 x mini iPads and an Aircrew Display from my PilotAware Rosetta (with an 'experimental' Pi3B+ motherboard - which has been in extensive use and in and out of the plane since May 2018), together with an 'independent' FlarmMouse and LED Display installation - as I was flying in to check an OGN-R rebroadcast station at an busy active gliding site.

All was well on the outboard leg and as I approached the field, I could see lots of active gliders on my SkyDemon display - and on my 'Aircrew' from about 10 miles out. As I got closer, the gliders also started to trigger 'warnings' on my FLARM system from about 2-3 miles away.

After a short visit, I headed off back to my Home field with all initially well, then shortly after climbout, I started to experience dropouts on SkyDemon - which kept displaying the 'Waiting for Device' warning - indicating that no data was being received from my PilotAware. The sound of the audio announcement 'PilotAware' through my headphones, advised me that the unit had rebooted and a quick check of my PAW Home Screen confirmed a Voltage Error with Throttling of the Processor - i.e. a Power Fault. As I was heading back to my home airfield, I decided to continue, with the unit showing my track between several short breaks/restarts, indicating the probability of a cable/connector fault.

I have since carried out some tests with the unit connected to a monitor via HDMI (initially by wiggling the cable), which immediately shows up an 'Under-voltage detection' and if repeated or continued causes the unit to shut down. Trying a spare (brand-new) cable reduces the incidence of the fault, but not entirely, so I guess it's time to bite the bullet and order a new Motherboard -     

I just posted this to show that it can happen to the best of us (and me), so be gentle with the on-board micro-USB connector - or preferably leave it alone and do all your connecting/disconnecting at the larger (USB-A) end of the cable!

Regards

Peter

If you're feeling adventurous, give the micro USB as 'squeeze' between a pair of pliers (put a bit of card between the lower jaw and the PCB), then try it again. Try to squeeze the front rather than the back.

Sometimes, depending on the make of socket they use, they just get slack as the cables vibrate.  If you're resigned to replacing it, nothing lost.

[exfirepro]

Hi Jeremy,

I have fixed a couple of loose RPi power sockets in the past by tightening them gently as you advise, but it’s a finicky job as IME the socket tends to ‘stretch’ both up & down and sideways. Having had a better look at this one, however, I reckon I can get away with gently reforming it as you suggest and using the new power cable.

I have even been known to fix the cable into the socket with hot glue on a PAW Classic for a colleague (after retightening the socket) as an ‘emergency repair’, and it is still working perfectly 3-years later.

Strangely, I noticed your post having just come off your website to check availability of Charge2 and Charge4 supplies (even with a Charge4 in the plane, I’m running out of sockets so am considering adding another one, though can’t make my mind up which).

Best Regards & Stay Safe,

Peter

[JCurtis]

Hi Jeremy,
Strangely, I noticed your post having just come off your website to check availability of Charge2 and Charge4 supplies (even with a Charge4 in the plane, I’m running out of sockets so am considering adding another one, though can’t make my mind up which).

Best Regards & Stay Safe,

Peter

Well Charge4 requires a part that isn’t available, and lead times are just silly. Though there is a solution in the works for that. Sadly it means time in an EMC chamber which has been tricky of late. Hoping things will improve over the coming months...

[exfirepro]

Well Charge4 requires a part that isn’t available, and lead times are just silly. Though there is a solution in the works for that. Sadly it means time in an EMC chamber which has been tricky of late. Hoping things will improve over the coming months...

Looks like I’ll need to add a 2 for now and then upgrade later.

Best Regards

Peter

[JCurtis]

Well Charge4 requires a part that isn’t available, and lead times are just silly. Though there is a solution in the works for that. Sadly it means time in an EMC chamber which has been tricky of late. Hoping things will improve over the coming months...

Looks like I’ll need to add a 2 for now and then upgrade later.

Best Regards

Peter

PM sent

[exfirepro]

A quick update for anyone reading this thread and tempted to try this fix....

Following Jeremy’s advice, I carefully ‘reformed’ the power cable socket in my Rosetta by gently (but firmly) squeezing the outer edge of the outer frame with small pliers (after removing the board from the case *). Be VERY careful - if you squeeze too hard you’ll crush the socket completely.

* Warning - if tempted to try this, don’t forget to remove the microSD card from its slot before you try to take the board out of the case, or you are very likely to snap the card in half - on this occasion (unusually) I forgot, but fortunately got away with it - many don’t....

What we are trying to do here is carefully tighten the socket on both top and bottom faces, so that the contacts on the inside of the plug are once again a tight fit with those on the upper and lower faces of the inner leaf inside the socket, without spreading the ends of the socket out so that the plug moves from side to side. It took me a couple of attempts to get this just right as the first time there was still too much movement and gentle wiggling of the cable brought back the undervoltage and throttling warnings. I also decided to swap to a new cable to improve reliability - if doing this, please buy your cable from the PAW website - cheap cables are a major source of power issues.

The end result - unit now powering up, with a solid red power LED even when very gently moving the cable around (if you do this too harshly you will quickly distort the socket again) - and no sign of any undervoltage or throttling on the Home Screen (or attached monitor).

Unit back in the plane yesterday and several bumpy flights later - supplying data to SkyDemon on 2 x tablets and to an Aircrew Display -  all is again well.

Regards

Peter

[PaulSS]

I have to admit I got the hot glue gun out when I installed my (Classic) PAW in my machine. I made my own cable using 18AWG wire and the screw on USB connectors recommended by Jeremy (much like these ones: https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-Type-A-Male-to-5-Pin-Screw-with-Shield-Terminal-Plug-Adapter-Connector-/252832608202) and then I hot glued the connection into the PAW. The other end plugs into a Charge4. That is just plugged in normally, with no glue. So far, so good