Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and reset

Wearable electronics: boards, conductive materials, and projects from Adafruit!

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and reset

Post by NChantelle »

I received my adafruit flora v3 in the mail today and connected it to the LED strand that it will be controlling. Uploaded the strandtest and attempted to run it. The microcontroller disconnects itself from the computer after a few seconds, and the reset button doesn't do anything (no flashing red light or anything). The green power indicator remains on, and the LED strand is powered up to varying points (inconsistent) before the disconnect occurs.

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29159
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Try disconnecting the LED strand and anything else attached to the FLORA and see if you can get the Blink example to load and run:
https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-star ... nboard-led

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

Nothing else is attached, but disconnecting requires reheating the solder to remove the wires. I don't have the materials to remove the solder entirely, and I'd prefer to avoid this if necessary as the length of wire between the start of the LED strand and the microcontroller is already somewhat short. Am I correct in understanding that removing the wires from the microcontroller by reheating the solder is what is recommended?

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29159
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Oh. They're soldered on. OK - let's hold of on removing them for now. Post a photo of your setup showing how everything is connected.

Go ahead and try the Blink example any way. This is just a simple sanity check to make sure basic programming of the board works.

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

For the blink attempt, you want me to see if I can upload the "demo code" from the page you linked, correct?

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

Requested image
Attachments
Microcontroller connected to LED strand
Microcontroller connected to LED strand
IMG_5308 (1).JPG (104.12 KiB) Viewed 213 times

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

Plugged it in again to attempt to run the blink example, but as before, it will disconnect before we are able to write or upload anything. When initially connected, it shows up on port COM5 for a few seconds while the strand is lighting (or attempting to-as mentioned in the initial posting), and after a few seconds Windows makes the hardware disconnect noise and the microcontroller disappears from port COM5. It acts as though it's not plugged in when it's clearly being powered by the USB port and it can't be reset.


User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

Yes, drivers were installed.

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29159
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

From your first post:
Uploaded the strandtest and attempted to run it.
Did it upload successfully at this point?

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

Yes. This was the only point where we were successfully able to modify/upload code without the disconnect issue. Prior to running anything.

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29159
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

OK - so maybe it is the LED strip that's causing the issue. You're powering it through the USB port and it looks like a fairly long strip. So it may be trying to draw too much power and that's causing your computer to disconnect it from the USB port.

Can you power the board through a wall power supply and get the program you uploaded to run and see activity on the LED strip?

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

I'm not really sure how I would determine if it's any different in that scenario. Would the reset on the microcontroller be functional as well? That would give me a better indication.

The strand will occasionally light to completion with USB connection, and has for the last few times, so there isn't a visible difference between the wall power and USB power.

I also don't intend to use the full length of the strand. Would it be helpful to trim it and then attempt plugging it in to the computer again? Or would that not make any difference as far as the disconnect is concerned? The strand is currently 1m.

User avatar
NChantelle
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by NChantelle »

Reset is still not functional with wall power.

User avatar
adafruit_support_carter
 
Posts: 29159
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:45 pm

Re: Adafruit Flora v3 disconnects itself from computer and r

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

I'm not really sure how I would determine if it's any different in that scenario. Would the reset on the microcontroller be functional as well? That would give me a better indication.
Just plug it in and see if the strand lights as expected. Wall power can typically provide more current than a computer's USB port. But if you don't have a good wall power supply, then we can't try this test.

This is just a sanity check test. It seems like you got the strand test code to upload. I'm wondering if runs OK with a good power supply - and the PC's USB port is *not* a good power supply in this case.

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Wearables”