What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

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Frigby
 
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What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by Frigby »

Hi,

I'm doing a project with a bluefruit micro LE and I am getting what I assume is some kind of warning about something. The onboard LED(the orange one that can be turned on and off in code) flashes 2 times quickly then 1 time longer, this pattern then repeats.

I can't find any information anywhere about what these warning are. I'm guessing it's something important but no idea what it is.(I'm using motor shield with a dc motor at around 4.5V if that has any relevance).

Is there any kind of reference as to what warnings might be ?

Thanks.

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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

The BLE status led will blink regularly when it is running:

https://learn.adafruit.com/bluefruit-le ... nouts#leds
Red BLE status LED This LED will blink 3 times every few seconds to let you know that the BLE module is alive and running/waiting for connection. It's also used when doing a DFU update on the module.

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Frigby
 
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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by Frigby »

HI,

thanks, I know that. It's not that one that's flashing the warning. Its the orange one next to the usb port that is giving the warning. It comes on when I connect the DC motor to the shield(or if the motor is already connected when I plug in the 4.5 - 5V power)

Frigby

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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Please post photos showing your soldering and connections.
Also please post the code you are using.

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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by Frigby »

HI,

thanks.

Here's picture and a diagram.

Code: Select all


//Motor

int PWMA = 5;
int AIN1 = 6;
int AIN2 = 9;


bool aDir;
int aSpeed;



void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:

  pinMode(PWMA,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(AIN1,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(AIN2,OUTPUT);

}

void loop() {

  aDir = 0;
  aSpeed = 255;

  digitalWrite(AIN1, aDir);
  digitalWrite(AIN2, !aDir);
  analogWrite(PWMA,aSpeed);
  
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:

}
Just noticed that I've got the AIN pins wired the wrong way(ie what I call AIN1 in code is wired to AIN2 on board and visa versa but from my understanding it doesn't make any difference it's just to choose direction of motor).
Attachments
moror.jpg
moror.jpg (311.96 KiB) Viewed 263 times

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

The pin 13 LED comes on when you set pin 13 HIGH - or whenever the bootloader is active.
I don't see any connections to pin 13 in your wiring or in your code. So it is likely the bootloader.

It is possible that something in your circuit is causing your processor to continually reset. What motor are you driving? How are you powering everything?

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Frigby
 
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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by Frigby »

HI,

motor is an RS380 rated at 4.5 V. When I connect it directly to power supply it works.

Power Supply is 4.5V @ 1.2A

Frigby

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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

That motor has a pretty high stall current. And startup for a DC motor is equivalent to a stall condition for a few milliseconds at least. That could be enough to cause a reset.

DC motors also generate a lot of brush-noise which can feed back via the power bus and cause instability as well.

Do you see the problem when the motor is not connected to the driver board?

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Frigby
 
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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by Frigby »

Hi,

I don't quite understand how to check those things. When directly connected to power it works, it makes noise but it sounds just like I'd expect a motor to sound.(It's pulled out of a broken electric screwdriver).

To be honest I just want it to run at relatively low speed(probably in region of 60 rpm) to test if it vibrates less than a stepper motor. I chose this motor just because it was at hand as opposed to choosing it for particular application.

Frigby

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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Here is the data sheet for the motor: http://www.mopselectric.com/ebay/mabuchirs380.pdf
It has a no-load current of 0.5A. It draws 3.29A at peak power output. And has a stall current of 21.6A.

It looks like you are using the TB6612 driver board which has a maximum continuous current rating of 1.2A.
Power Supply is 4.5V @ 1.2A
The good news is that your power supply is also limited to 1.2A. So you have probably avoided severe overload damage to the TB6612.

But the motor is almost certainly overloading the power supply at startup - which is probably resulting in a voltage drop sufficient to cause a processor reset.

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Re: What do the flashing LED warnings mean ?

Post by Frigby »

Hi,

thanks for the details. I'll try and find another solution. It was just a case of using what I had at hand. I got the motor driver for stepper motor and then noticed it could drive a DC motor so I thought I'd give it a go.

I just assumed the flashing LED was the board trying to tell me something(it was but just not in the way I expected)

Frigby

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