Unable to expand Status, other issue(s)

Support
1

Attempting to expand Status shows nothing under any of its tabs.

What’s going on here? Is this an indication of an impending SD card failure?

1

But the data is available in the output of Graph+:

2
21303×715 86.4 KB

However, when attempting to add one output (Hangar) to the graph, that one output is very erroneously high (and “swamps out” the other outputs due to scaling):

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31304×723 70.8 KB

FWIW, everything worked yesterday and I noticed this problem after I restarted my solar generation after working on the roof. Attempting an IoTaWatt Reset (at 6/10/24 17:36:05z) and a power cycle to the unit (a few minutes later) didn’t change anything, so this is where it sits now. Any help appreciated.

Log excerpt below:

5/27/24 20:19:15 PVoutput: Start status beginning 05/27/24 16:10:00
6/09/24 10:16:03 Updater: Invalid response from server. HTTPcode: -4
6/10/24 01:16:52 Heap memory has degraded below safe minimum, restarting.

** Restart **

SD initialized.
6/10/24 08:16:54z Real Time Clock is running. Unix time 1718007414
6/10/24 08:16:54z Reset reason: Software/System restart
6/10/24 08:16:54z Trace: 1:6[2], 1:6[2], 1:6[2], 1:6[2], 1:6[3], 1:5[19], 1:6[4], 1:6[6], 1:1[2], 1:2[3], 9:0[3], 9:0, 9:1, 8:4, 8:6, 8:8, 9:3, 9:5, 9:9, 1:3, 1:3, 1:6[1], 1:6[2], 1:6[2], 1:6[2], 1:6[3], 1:5[21], 1:6[4], 21:0, 21:1, 21:10, 21:10
6/10/24 08:16:54z ESP8266 ID: 12672402, RTC PCF8523 (68)
6/10/24 08:16:54z IoTaWatt 5.0, Firmware version 02_08_03
6/10/24 08:16:54z SPIFFS mounted.
6/10/24 01:16:54 Local time zone: -8:00, using DST/BST when in effect.
6/10/24 01:16:54 device name: IotaWatt
6/10/24 01:16:54 HTTP server started
6/10/24 01:16:54 timeSync: service started.
6/10/24 01:16:54 statService: started.
6/10/24 01:16:55 dataLog: service started.
6/10/24 01:16:58 dataLog: Last log entry 06/10/24 01:16:50
6/10/24 01:16:59 historyLog: service started.
6/10/24 01:16:59 historyLog: Last log entry 06/10/24 01:16:00
6/10/24 01:16:59 Grid: Started
6/10/24 01:17:00 Grid: Last log entry 06/10/24 01:16:50
6/10/24 01:17:00 Solar: Started
6/10/24 01:17:00 Solar: Last log entry 06/10/24 01:16:50
6/10/24 01:17:04 PVoutput: started
6/10/24 01:17:05 WiFi connected. SSID=DNMAInternational, IP=192.168.1.27, channel=6, RSSI -73db
6/10/24 01:17:05 Updater: service started. Auto-update class is MAJOR
6/10/24 01:17:05 PVoutput: System DNMA Independence OR USA, interval 5, freeload mode
6/10/24 01:17:05 PVoutput: Start status beginning 06/10/24 01:15:00
6/10/24 01:17:07 Updater: Auto-update is current for class MAJOR.
6/10/24 10:36:02 Restart command received.

** Restart **

SD initialized.
6/10/24 17:36:05z Real Time Clock is running. Unix time 1718040965
6/10/24 17:36:05z Reset reason: Software/System restart
6/10/24 17:36:05z Trace: 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:1[8], 1:2[9], 9:0[9], 9:0, 9:1, 8:4, 8:6, 8:8, 9:3, 9:5, 9:9, 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:3, 1:1[9], 1:2, 9:0, 9:0, 8:4, 8:6, 8:8, 1:3, 10:2, 10:3
6/10/24 17:36:05z ESP8266 ID: 12672402, RTC PCF8523 (68)
6/10/24 17:36:05z IoTaWatt 5.0, Firmware version 02_08_03
6/10/24 17:36:05z SPIFFS mounted.
6/10/24 10:36:05 Local time zone: -8:00, using DST/BST when in effect.
6/10/24 10:36:05 device name: IotaWatt
6/10/24 10:36:05 HTTP server started
6/10/24 10:36:05 timeSync: service started.
6/10/24 10:36:05 statService: started.
6/10/24 10:36:05 dataLog: service started.
6/10/24 10:36:08 dataLog: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:36:00
6/10/24 10:36:10 historyLog: service started.
6/10/24 10:36:11 historyLog: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:36:00
6/10/24 10:36:11 WiFi connected. SSID=DNMAInternational, IP=192.168.1.27, channel=6, RSSI -69db
6/10/24 10:36:11 Updater: service started. Auto-update class is MAJOR
6/10/24 10:36:11 Grid: Started
6/10/24 10:36:12 Grid: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:36:00
6/10/24 10:36:12 Updater: Auto-update is current for class MAJOR.
6/10/24 10:36:12 Solar: Started
6/10/24 10:36:12 Solar: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:36:00
6/10/24 10:36:15 PVoutput: started
6/10/24 10:36:15 PVoutput: System DNMA Independence OR USA, interval 5, freeload mode
6/10/24 10:36:15 PVoutput: Start status beginning 06/10/24 10:35:00

** Restart **

SD initialized.
6/10/24 17:49:03z Real Time Clock is running. Unix time 1718041743
6/10/24 17:49:03z Reset Reason: Power-fail restart.
6/10/24 17:49:03z ESP8266 ID: 12672402, RTC PCF8523 (68)
6/10/24 17:49:03z IoTaWatt 5.0, Firmware version 02_08_03
6/10/24 17:49:03z SPIFFS mounted.
6/10/24 10:49:03 Local time zone: -8:00, using DST/BST when in effect.
6/10/24 10:49:03 device name: IotaWatt
6/10/24 10:49:06 HTTP server started
6/10/24 10:49:06 WiFi connected. SSID=DNMAInternational, IP=192.168.1.27, channel=6, RSSI -69db
6/10/24 10:49:06 timeSync: service started.
6/10/24 10:49:06 statService: started.
6/10/24 10:49:06 Updater: service started. Auto-update class is MAJOR
6/10/24 10:49:06 dataLog: service started.
6/10/24 10:49:09 dataLog: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:48:55
6/10/24 10:49:09 Updater: Auto-update is current for class MAJOR.
6/10/24 10:49:11 historyLog: service started.
6/10/24 10:49:11 historyLog: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:48:00
6/10/24 10:49:11 Grid: Started
6/10/24 10:49:12 Grid: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:48:55
6/10/24 10:49:12 Solar: Started
6/10/24 10:49:12 Solar: Last log entry 06/10/24 10:48:50
6/10/24 10:49:16 PVoutput: started
6/10/24 10:49:16 PVoutput: System DNMA Independence OR USA, interval 5, freeload mode
6/10/24 10:49:16 PVoutput: Start status beginning 06/10/24 10:45:00

2

Update: I rebuilt my SD card with a different card in accordance with this procedure using the existing config.txt file.

That did not fix the problem. But the energy history in the unit is gone, including the 750 MW spike earlier in the day.

Update: I plugged in my original SD card and the history is back, including the 750 MW spike. And the problem of being unable to expand Status remains of course.

3

The huge spike in the datalog is probably the culprit. It occurs at around 1:15 am this morning. I don’t see where the lapse in solar output ending at about 10:30am had any deleterious effect.

Whatever caused it, the new SDcard should have fixed the problem. That it did not is puzzling. Did the newer card have the directory /iotawatt when you built it? That directory contains the datalogs, message log and integrator logs. If you did not copy that directory to the new card, it would have created new logs just like a new unit and should have worked fine.

I can see in PVoutput that you have considerable history going back to August 2021. From the source list on Graph+ it looks like you may not be using all of your inputs. I haven’t tried this but it might give you temporary relief:

  • Assuming Hangar is an output that adds together Hangar_1 and Hangar_2, use Graph+ to determine which of them has the spike.

  • Delete that input and create a new input by the same name using a different input number.

  • Delete the output Hangar.

  • Create a new output Hangar identical to the old one.

  • Try to run the status display.

Let me know if that works. BTW the Hangar output history will only contain the history of the unaffected input, but going forward it should include both inputs.

If that doesn’t resolve your problem, try starting up again using the newer card and enter the command:

http://iotawatt.local/command?deletelog=both

Don’t do this with your old card.

4

Thanks for responding, Bob.

My brain is a bit fried and I will look into your suggestions more tomorrow. But meanwhile, some quick items:

Assuming Hangar is an output that adds together Hangar_1 and Hangar_2, use Graph+ to determine which of them has the spike.`

Hangar is defined as Hangar_1 + Hangar_2 + SolarCT.  And each of Hangar_1 and _2 has the spike (but not Solar CT).

Hangar
Hangar1043×705 55.9 KB

Did the newer card have the directory /iotawatt when you built it?

No, I blindly followed the instructions to rebuild the card and only added my old config.txt. Tomorrow I will retry the new card with the addition of the current /iotawatt directory (and I will expect my history to reappear).

`

5

I copied the original SD card to a different one and overwrote it with the files present in the GitHub SD directory with the exception of config.txt (retained my existing one). Then I had the history again but still could not expand the Status tabs! Go figure.

While inspecting the inputs and outputs I noticed that the inputs for Hangar_1 and _2 (inputs 6 and 7) had changed somewhat and in a weird manner. I can’t recall exactly what they were but the words “Calibration” and “Infinity” or something similar were there. That sounds like a VT but I don’t think it had changed from CT. The burden resistor may have changed. I restored those two inputs according to my notes. Still could not expand the Status tabs though.

Disconnected the CTs for inputs 6 and 7 and restarted the IoTaWatt. Bingo! All the status tabs expand nicely and I can read values again in near real time. So it appears this wasn’t a software malfunction and some permanent hardware damage was incurred, undoubtedly during that 1AM multi-megawatt event.

Later I’ll try connecting the Hangar_1 and _2 CTs to spare inputs and recreating the Hangar output. I will report back on that.

Three things I didn’t mention:

  1. At all times the LED indication was green/normal regardless of SD card or inputs 6 and 7.
  2. The Message Log never showed anything significant as far as I could tell.
  3. Hangar is a subpanel in another building and my solar generation feeds into it before going to the main panel. I used an integrator for Solar (as well as for the main panel, Grid).
6

Are you saying that only unplugging them resolved the problem or did you delete or otherwise change the input setup for those channels? I ask this because I don’t see how a hardware problem, which is extremely rare, could cause your symptoms. I suppose there’s a first time for everything but I’d like to get to the bottom of it.

7

The cabling for inputs 6 and 7 wouldn’t reach the other side of the IoTaWatt so, just for fun, I reconnected them (one at a time) to their respective inputs 6 and 7 while I viewed Status on my phone. I did not delete or recreate any inputs or outputs.

Amazingly, it kept working! I restarted the IoTaWatt one time, refreshed the web page, and Status still worked! I could expand all of the Status tabs and view the Input/Output Status values as they updated. I removed power to reinstall the case and when I reapplied power it started up and ran with no issues.

So there was not a permanent hardware event and the inputs 6 and 7 are not damaged. There was some sort of an anomaly after that 750 MW spike in the original post but other than that, I don’t think I’ve learned anything.

Now I’m just hoping my IoTaWatt keeps working (so I can return to my original task: locating the one inoperative solar panel in my array).

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Only unplugging them resolved the problem – I hadn’t gotten around to changing any settings when I noticed it working. However, before that I found the Input settings “scrambled” and attempted to restore them from my notes. That didn’t fix anything and it was only later (after creating a new SD card) that I unplugged them. In other words, exactly in the sequence I wrote above.

9

OK thanks. Do you still have a copy of the original SDcard from before you discovered the “scrambled” settings? If so, I would like to get a copy of the root directory files.

Be aware that the 750MW spike will never go away, however if you find yourself wanting to look at history that includes that incident, you may find that depending on the interval it could be smaller or larger. In any event, if you know the range of the good data, you can set the upper limit using the Yaxis tab at the bottom so that the normal data is not “swamped out”.

You should use the new SDcard going forward.

10

No, sadly I corrected the scrambled settings (to no avail) on the original SD card before rebuilding the SD card. I just looked in the original SD card’s config.txt file and everything looks normal.

Be aware that the 750MW spike will never go away, …

I can work around that as I periodically transfer historical data from IoTaWatt to my own MySQL database for long-term use. I’ve already deleted the 750 MW spike from my database.

You should use the new SDcard going forward.

I will. Thank you for this and your other advice. I and others on this forum very much appreciate your support.