Mega-BAS and RS485 - not responding to Intellflo

[Exit2Studios]

I have a Sequent Microsystems Mega-BAS card. I've updated the firmware, and have SSDP enabled.
However, njsPC is not finding my REM server, but I do have communication with the various devices.

The biggest issue at this point is no communication with my Intelliflo3 pump. I am pretty confident I have the wiring correct (I did reverse it to no effect), but I'm getting no two way response and not sure what to do next.

I've tried all the ports (AMA0 doesn't connect), but the other two do, again with no diffent result.

As always, I'm sure this is simple user error on my part and I appreciate the continued patience and support of this team!

[Exit2Studios]

Happy to provide any logs, packet captures it that helps

[jaysalazar]

Do you have any other Sequent cards.. example relay card? Have you released RS485 control back to the pi ?

[jaysalazar]

This is also important if you will be using thermistors

[Exit2Studios]

I have 2 of the 8-ray hats, a smart fan and the Atlas Scienrific hat. I am using Thermosistots successfully. My hats are the older jumper version, so not sw controlled.

[Exit2Studios]

@jaysalazar the link you provided: https://github.com/SequentMicrosystems/megabas-rpi/blob/master/MODBUS.md has slightly different instructions. I'm not sure I'm smart enough to know what command to use.

[jaysalazar]

Take a look below, I cant find current documentation however you should be able to fumble your way through using the -h command inside of the megabas folder.

[Exit2Studios]

I have the v3 Mega-Bas card, which doesn't have the dip switches and isn't software controlled if that makes a difference.

I ran the command
megabas 0 rs485wr 1 9600 1 0 1
and not sure what, if any affect that had.

Which port should I be using?

[jaysalazar]

ttyS0

[jaysalazar]

Does your card look like this?

[Exit2Studios]

No, it looks like this:

[jaysalazar]

In that case follow these instructions to allow Rs485 pass through

[Exit2Studios]

ALl of that has been done and unfortunately still not two-way comms.

[jaysalazar]

I would say next step is to troubleshoot all the way up to the MEGA BAS to make sure your not spinning your wheels. Use a USB to RS485 adapter right into the PI and confirm you can get comms working there first. If you can get it working you will know the correct wire polarity and also verify its nothing on the PI. You have the serial enabled on the PI ?

When you test the USB adapter, in njsPC make sure you select the USB port for comms. Also you will not see successful send and receives until you actually add the pump in njsPC. Do you only have one pump?

[Exit2Studios]

I will try a usb adapter. I do have the pump in njspc, but I had to pick Intelliflo VSF as Intelliflo3 is not an option.

[Exit2Studios]

USB adapter didn't give me any additona information. I added it as Aux Port. Maybe that was a mistake. I'm really at a loss here and pretty frustrated that I'm not making any progress. This is literally the last mile before I can put this thing into production.

[jaysalazar]

Releasing control of the RS485 on the pump is not needed. Your pump is not on WiFi right?

As soon as I connect my Intelliflo 3 to njsPC the "Connect" button turns solid magenta color and at that point njsPC has full control over it. When its not connected to any automation system the "Connect" button will pulse yellow. Pushing the "Connect" button will enable the Bluetooth and attempt to pair.

[jaysalazar]

Serial on the pi is enabled?

[Exit2Studios]

My pump is connected to WiFi and I have not been able to get it magenta. ChatGPT said holding Connect and Quick Clean for 10-15 would reset it, but that didn’t work. How do I disable WiFi?

[jaysalazar]

If WiFi is connected I don't think it will allow it self to connect to an automation panel.

Hold the connect, on/off, quick clean buttons down for 5 seconds at the same time for a factory reset. Then see if it will talk to njsPC. I have reset my pump doing this. Once it resets it all three lights will flash for a few second.

[jaysalazar]

Also check this

[Exit2Studios]

I reset the pump but it goes back to flashing yellow (trying to connect to WiFi) and if I hit the connect button it goes to flashing blue (Bluetooth). No magenta.

I also removed it completely from the app. No change in behavior.

[jaysalazar]

64-Bit works just fine. Just make sure in REM you have it set correctly.

[Exit2Studios]

Oh damn. I missed that. Don’t even think to look further than the default Raspberry Pi

[Exit2Studios]

Doesn't make any diffference. My pump is still flashing yellow, trying to connect to wi-fi. Any more tips? i'm running out of ideas (and patience).

[jaysalazar]

Very odd. Only other idea is to use a windows laptop with your RS485 USB adapter and wire it up directly to your pump RS485 port and run as software like this to see if you can see any traffic.

https://freeserialanalyzer.com

[Exit2Studios]

Unfortunately, I don't have a Windows machine readily available, but I will continue to troubleshoot the issue. I find it hard to believe that every RS485 adapter that I have (including the Mega-Bus) is faulty, but that may be the case.

@jaysalazar I really do appreciate your help and sticking with me on this frustrating journey.

[Exit2Studios]

Is there any chance that this Mega-Bas card (v3.1) is incompatible with modern versions of the Pi OS?

[Exit2Studios]

From Sequent Microsystems chat:

[jaysalazar]

You don't want to use RS485 on the card, you need to pass the traffic through the RS485 port on the card over to the pi as that is were all the logic is to control the devices.

If you don't make any progress I am willing to lend you a working rpi3 and my USB485 USB adapter already loaded with a basic install of njsPC. I know its working because I just used to troubleshoot an issue on my Intellifo3 as soon as I connected the RS485 wires to the USB adapter the pump turned magenta, it took less than a second. Not really sure where you are located.

[Exit2Studios]

I'm in Austin, and that is an extremely kind offer! Let me do some more troubleshooting before I take you up on that. I have a new USB adapter coming today and I'll see what that shows. In the meantime, I'll continue messing around trying to get the RS485 port on the hat working. I'm on a clean OS install on a Pi 4b at the moment. I have a Pi3 around here somewhere.

[Exit2Studios]

@jaysalazar can you confirm you're using ttyS0 and not ttyAMA0?

[jaysalazar]

[Exit2Studios]

ApiError: Unable to close the current RS485 port at Connection.setPortAsync (/home/lrh/nodejs-poolController/controller/comms/Comms.ts:142:47) at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5) at /home/lrh/nodejs-poolController/web/services/config/Config.ts:890:28

I feel like the core of my issue has to do with the Pi being able to communicate with the Mega-Bas.

[tagyoureit]

That happens sometimes and it's been a tricky one to nail down. If you just try to save it again it usually works.

[jaysalazar]

I see this in my setup as well when making changes, like tagyoureit mentioned, I just save it again and it works fine.

[tagyoureit]

I feel validated. Lol. But I added some additional text to the error message to just hit save again. Hopefully, I can get to the root of this one day.

[jaysalazar]

@Exit2Studios curious if you made progress on this?

[Exit2Studios]

Hi Jay. I have made no progress. I’ve been traveling, so I put things on pause and hope to make another attempt at getting things running and/or troubleshot next week. Thank you for asking.