General problem with Serial halting due to no apparent reason

Projects Programming
1

Hello, dear collegues

I have been having this problem with Arduino for a long while since I started assembling it to my projects. I have searched all along through this and other community, but I did not find anyone describing exactly this problem.

I have a PhD experimental unit which consists of:
-A air blower compressor;
-A bubbling resevoir with some pollutant (benzene, toluene etc);
-Measurement devices, like massflow-meters and rotameters.
-A photochemical reactor;

So, I decided to use arduino adapted sensors in order to measure:
-Temperature & Humidty at the entrance of the reactor (DHT22 sensor)
-Absolute pressure along the reactor (3 BMP180 sensors on different points of the reactor)

I use 3 UNOs in order to collect these data. 1 for each BMP and the DHT uses analog pin of one of these 3.

Thing is:
My system works perfectly. I am able to collect data from the sensors as I will. I use this data to generate graphs in Labview software. All okay.

But, for some reason, some reason I can't possibly understand why, my serial monitors tend to suddently halt. No error is returned. They just stop printing data, as if the system had crashed. There is no systematical way this happens. Sometimes only one of them halt. Sometimes the 3 of them halt. Apperantly the one collecting both BMP and DHT signal tend to halt more.

If I close serial monitor, and open it again, It normally prints values again. But after some minutes it halts again.

An evidence It appears to me to be related is that, when things are operating with few instabilities (when I operate with lower flowrates, for example), these crashes seem to happen less. Maybe this is somehow noise related.

Do you have any clue about what might be happening? If so, what would be recommended.
obs: I already used 2 different PCs, both Windows (7 and 10). The problem happens on both of them.

Since now, thank you.
Best regards.

2

Most Arduinos will reset when you close the serial connection and next open it again.

From a software perspective, you can have memory issues (e.g. due to the extensive use of String(with capital S)). So showing your code might help us to help you.

I can't advise on the hardware side of things.

3

My immediate thought was perhaps something in the code is using millis() and not being reset to 0. Thus, it's essentially running out of time after 40+ days. But it's anyone's guess without seeing the code.

Only reason, I'm leaning towards a time issue, is because it's happening on separate arduinos. One can only "assume" that all 3 are using a very similar script in regards to timing.

5

I apologize the unclearness;
I also apologize posting in the wrong section. Initially I believed this would be more an arduino related issue. If someone could move this topic, I would be glad.

Here goes the schematics

So, boards S1 and S2 are both connected to different BMP sensors. Board S3 is connected to BMP and DHT sensors.

The codes are the following:

S3 prints BMP both temperature and pressure and DHT both temperature and humidity (there is the DHT.h library for the DHT sensor, the BMP sensor required no library).

//Arduino 1.0+ Only
//Arduino 1.0+ Only

#include "DHT.h"
#define DHTPIN 0
#define DHTTYPE DHT22   // DHT 22  (AM2302), AM2321

// Initialize DHT sensor.
// Note that older versions of this library took an optional third parameter to
// tweak the timings for faster processors.  This parameter is no longer needed
// as the current DHT reading algorithm adjusts itself to work on faster procs.
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);

/*Based largely on code by  Jim Lindblom

 Get pressure, altitude, and temperature from the BMP085.
 */

#include <Wire.h>

#define BMP085_ADDRESS 0x77  // I2C address of BMP085

const unsigned char OSS = 0;  // Oversampling Setting

// Calibration values
int ac1;
int ac2;
int ac3;
unsigned int ac4;
unsigned int ac5;
unsigned int ac6;
int b1;
int b2;
int mb;
int mc;
int md;

// b5 is calculated in bmp085GetTemperature(...), this variable is also used in bmp085GetPressure(...)
// so ...Temperature(...) must be called before ...Pressure(...).
long b5; 

void setup(){
 Serial.begin(115200);
 Wire.begin();

  bmp085Calibration();
}

void loop()
{
  
  float temperature = bmp085GetTemperature(bmp085ReadUT()); //MUST be called first
  float pressure = bmp085GetPressure(bmp085ReadUP());
  float atm = pressure / 101325; // "standard atmosphere"
  float altitude = calcAltitude(pressure); //Uncompensated caculation - in Meters 

  Serial.print("S3  Temperature: ");
  Serial.print(temperature, 2); //display 2 decimal places
  Serial.print(" *C ");

  Serial.print("Pressure: ");
  Serial.print(pressure, 0); //whole number only.
  Serial.print(" Pa");

  float h = dht.readHumidity();
  float t = dht.readTemperature();

Serial.print("  Humidity: ");
  Serial.print(h);
  Serial.print(" %\t");
  Serial.print("Temp: ");
  Serial.print(t);
  Serial.print(" *C ");

 Serial.println();//line break
 delay(4000); //wait a second and get values again.
 
}

// Stores all of the bmp085's calibration values into global variables
// Calibration values are required to calculate temp and pressure
// This function should be called at the beginning of the program
void bmp085Calibration()
{
  ac1 = bmp085ReadInt(0xAA);
  ac2 = bmp085ReadInt(0xAC);
  ac3 = bmp085ReadInt(0xAE);
  ac4 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB0);
  ac5 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB2);
  ac6 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB4);
  b1 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB6);
  b2 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB8);
  mb = bmp085ReadInt(0xBA);
  mc = bmp085ReadInt(0xBC);
  md = bmp085ReadInt(0xBE);
}

// Calculate temperature in deg C
float bmp085GetTemperature(unsigned int ut){
  long x1, x2;

  x1 = (((long)ut - (long)ac6)*(long)ac5) >> 15;
  x2 = ((long)mc << 11)/(x1 + md);
  b5 = x1 + x2;

  float temp = ((b5 + 8)>>4);
  temp = temp /10;

  return temp;
}

// Calculate pressure given up
// calibration values must be known
// b5 is also required so bmp085GetTemperature(...) must be called first.
// Value returned will be pressure in units of Pa.
long bmp085GetPressure(unsigned long up){
  long x1, x2, x3, b3, b6, p;
  unsigned long b4, b7;

  b6 = b5 - 4000;
  // Calculate B3
  x1 = (b2 * (b6 * b6)>>12)>>11;
  x2 = (ac2 * b6)>>11;
  x3 = x1 + x2;
  b3 = (((((long)ac1)*4 + x3)<<OSS) + 2)>>2;

  // Calculate B4
  x1 = (ac3 * b6)>>13;
  x2 = (b1 * ((b6 * b6)>>12))>>16;
  x3 = ((x1 + x2) + 2)>>2;
  b4 = (ac4 * (unsigned long)(x3 + 32768))>>15;

  b7 = ((unsigned long)(up - b3) * (50000>>OSS));
  if (b7 < 0x80000000)
    p = (b7<<1)/b4;
  else
    p = (b7/b4)<<1;

  x1 = (p>>8) * (p>>8);
  x1 = (x1 * 3038)>>16;
  x2 = (-7357 * p)>>16;
  p += (x1 + x2 + 3791)>>4;

  long temp = p;
  return temp;
}

// Read 1 byte from the BMP085 at 'address'
char bmp085Read(unsigned char address)
{
  unsigned char data;

  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(address);
  Wire.endTransmission();

  Wire.requestFrom(BMP085_ADDRESS, 1);
  while(!Wire.available())
    ;

  return Wire.read();
}

// Read 2 bytes from the BMP085
// First byte will be from 'address'
// Second byte will be from 'address'+1
int bmp085ReadInt(unsigned char address)
{
  unsigned char msb, lsb;

  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(address);
  Wire.endTransmission();

  Wire.requestFrom(BMP085_ADDRESS, 2);
  while(Wire.available()<2)
    ;
  msb = Wire.read();
  lsb = Wire.read();

  return (int) msb<<8 | lsb;
}

// Read the uncompensated temperature value
unsigned int bmp085ReadUT(){
  unsigned int ut;

  // Write 0x2E into Register 0xF4
  // This requests a temperature reading
  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(0xF4);
  Wire.write(0x2E);
  Wire.endTransmission();

  // Wait at least 4.5ms
  delay(5);

  // Read two bytes from registers 0xF6 and 0xF7
  ut = bmp085ReadInt(0xF6);
  return ut;
}

// Read the uncompensated pressure value
unsigned long bmp085ReadUP(){

  unsigned char msb, lsb, xlsb;
  unsigned long up = 0;

  // Write 0x34+(OSS<<6) into register 0xF4
  // Request a pressure reading w/ oversampling setting
  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(0xF4);
  Wire.write(0x34 + (OSS<<6));
  Wire.endTransmission();

  // Wait for conversion, delay time dependent on OSS
  delay(2 + (3<<OSS));

  // Read register 0xF6 (MSB), 0xF7 (LSB), and 0xF8 (XLSB)
  msb = bmp085Read(0xF6);
  lsb = bmp085Read(0xF7);
  xlsb = bmp085Read(0xF8);

  up = (((unsigned long) msb << 16) | ((unsigned long) lsb << 8) | (unsigned long) xlsb) >> (8-OSS);

  return up;
}

void writeRegister(int deviceAddress, byte address, byte val) {
  Wire.beginTransmission(deviceAddress); // start transmission to device 
  Wire.write(address);       // send register address
  Wire.write(val);         // send value to write
  Wire.endTransmission();     // end transmission
}

int readRegister(int deviceAddress, byte address){

  int v;
  Wire.beginTransmission(deviceAddress);
  Wire.write(address); // register to read
  Wire.endTransmission();

  Wire.requestFrom(deviceAddress, 1); // read a byte

  while(!Wire.available()) {
    // waiting
  }

  v = Wire.read();
  return v;
}

float calcAltitude(float pressure){

  float A = pressure/101325;
  float B = 1/5.25588;
  float C = pow(A,B);
  C = 1 - C;
  C = C /0.0000225577;

  return C;
}
6

(double posting due to character length issue)

S2 code's to print BMP pressure (Pa) and temperature

//Arduino 1.0+ Only
//Arduino 1.0+ Only

/*Based largely on code by  Jim Lindblom

 Get pressure, altitude, and temperature from the BMP085.
 */
#include <Wire.h>
int minat = 0;
int maxat = 0;
#define BMP085_ADDRESS 0x77  // I2C address of BMP085

const unsigned char OSS = 0;  // Oversampling Setting

// Calibration values
int ac1;
int ac2;
int ac3;
unsigned int ac4;
unsigned int ac5;
unsigned int ac6;
int b1;
int b2;
int mb;
int mc;
int md;

// b5 is calculated in bmp085GetTemperature(...), this variable is also used in bmp085GetPressure(...)
// so ...Temperature(...) must be called before ...Pressure(...).
long b5; 

void setup(){
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Wire.begin();

  bmp085Calibration();
}

void loop()
{
  float temperature = bmp085GetTemperature(bmp085ReadUT()); //MUST be called first
  float pressure = bmp085GetPressure(bmp085ReadUP());
  float atm = pressure / 101325; // "standard atmosphere"
  float altitude = calcAltitude(pressure); //Uncompensated caculation - in Meters 

  Serial.print("S2  Temperature: ");
  Serial.print(temperature, 2); //display 2 decimal places
  Serial.print(" *C ");

  Serial.print("Pressure: ");
  Serial.print(pressure, 0); //whole number only.
  Serial.println(" Pa");

  delay(4000); //wait a second and get values again.
}

// Stores all of the bmp085's calibration values into global variables
// Calibration values are required to calculate temp and pressure
// This function should be called at the beginning of the program
void bmp085Calibration()
{
  ac1 = bmp085ReadInt(0xAA);
  ac2 = bmp085ReadInt(0xAC);
  ac3 = bmp085ReadInt(0xAE);
  ac4 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB0);
  ac5 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB2);
  ac6 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB4);
  b1 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB6);
  b2 = bmp085ReadInt(0xB8);
  mb = bmp085ReadInt(0xBA);
  mc = bmp085ReadInt(0xBC);
  md = bmp085ReadInt(0xBE);
}

// Calculate temperature in deg C
float bmp085GetTemperature(unsigned int ut){
  long x1, x2;

  x1 = (((long)ut - (long)ac6)*(long)ac5) >> 15;
  x2 = ((long)mc << 11)/(x1 + md);
  b5 = x1 + x2;

  float temp = ((b5 + 8)>>4);
  temp = temp /10;

  return temp;
}

// Calculate pressure given up
// calibration values must be known
// b5 is also required so bmp085GetTemperature(...) must be called first.
// Value returned will be pressure in units of Pa.
long bmp085GetPressure(unsigned long up){
  long x1, x2, x3, b3, b6, p;
  unsigned long b4, b7;

  b6 = b5 - 4000;
  // Calculate B3
  x1 = (b2 * (b6 * b6)>>12)>>11;
  x2 = (ac2 * b6)>>11;
  x3 = x1 + x2;
  b3 = (((((long)ac1)*4 + x3)<<OSS) + 2)>>2;

  // Calculate B4
  x1 = (ac3 * b6)>>13;
  x2 = (b1 * ((b6 * b6)>>12))>>16;
  x3 = ((x1 + x2) + 2)>>2;
  b4 = (ac4 * (unsigned long)(x3 + 32768))>>15;

  b7 = ((unsigned long)(up - b3) * (50000>>OSS));
  if (b7 < 0x80000000)
    p = (b7<<1)/b4;
  else
    p = (b7/b4)<<1;

  x1 = (p>>8) * (p>>8);
  x1 = (x1 * 3038)>>16;
  x2 = (-7357 * p)>>16;
  p += (x1 + x2 + 3791)>>4;

  long temp = p;
  return temp;
}

// Read 1 byte from the BMP085 at 'address'
char bmp085Read(unsigned char address)
{
  unsigned char data;

  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(address);
  Wire.endTransmission();

  Wire.requestFrom(BMP085_ADDRESS, 1);
  while(!Wire.available())
    ;

  return Wire.read();
}

// Read 2 bytes from the BMP085
// First byte will be from 'address'
// Second byte will be from 'address'+1
int bmp085ReadInt(unsigned char address)
{
  unsigned char msb, lsb;

  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(address);
  Wire.endTransmission();

  Wire.requestFrom(BMP085_ADDRESS, 2);
  while(Wire.available()<2)
    ;
  msb = Wire.read();
  lsb = Wire.read();

  return (int) msb<<8 | lsb;
}

// Read the uncompensated temperature value
unsigned int bmp085ReadUT(){
  unsigned int ut;

  // Write 0x2E into Register 0xF4
  // This requests a temperature reading
  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(0xF4);
  Wire.write(0x2E);
  Wire.endTransmission();

  // Wait at least 4.5ms
  delay(5);

  // Read two bytes from registers 0xF6 and 0xF7
  ut = bmp085ReadInt(0xF6);
  return ut;
}

// Read the uncompensated pressure value
unsigned long bmp085ReadUP(){

  unsigned char msb, lsb, xlsb;
  unsigned long up = 0;

  // Write 0x34+(OSS<<6) into register 0xF4
  // Request a pressure reading w/ oversampling setting
  Wire.beginTransmission(BMP085_ADDRESS);
  Wire.write(0xF4);
  Wire.write(0x34 + (OSS<<6));
  Wire.endTransmission();

  // Wait for conversion, delay time dependent on OSS
  delay(2 + (3<<OSS));

  // Read register 0xF6 (MSB), 0xF7 (LSB), and 0xF8 (XLSB)
  msb = bmp085Read(0xF6);
  lsb = bmp085Read(0xF7);
  xlsb = bmp085Read(0xF8);

  up = (((unsigned long) msb << 16) | ((unsigned long) lsb << 8) | (unsigned long) xlsb) >> (8-OSS);

  return up;
}

void writeRegister(int deviceAddress, byte address, byte val) {
  Wire.beginTransmission(deviceAddress); // start transmission to device 
  Wire.write(address);       // send register address
  Wire.write(val);         // send value to write
  Wire.endTransmission();     // end transmission
}

int readRegister(int deviceAddress, byte address){

  int v;
  Wire.beginTransmission(deviceAddress);
  Wire.write(address); // register to read
  Wire.endTransmission();

  Wire.requestFrom(deviceAddress, 1); // read a byte

  while(!Wire.available()) {
    // waiting
  }

  v = Wire.read();
  return v;
}

float calcAltitude(float pressure){

  float A = pressure/101325;
  float B = 1/5.25588;
  float C = pow(A,B);
  C = 1 - C;
  C = C /0.0000225577;

  return C;
}
7

To take it more generally, I would say my problem is very much similar to this one I found elsewhere:

I believe this problem is likely to be related to Wire.h issues. Pressure instabilities inside the reactor tend to make this happen more frequently. When I bypass the reactor, so the three pressure measurements become quite stable, the serial monitors apparently do not crash.

I am very much of an outsider in eletronics, and I understand almost nothing of these I2C communication. So I pretty much have no idea about how to work around this.

10

I see.

The unit is inside the university, so I will be able to look this up on Monday.

Then, I return back with something.

Thank you for your help, mate. =)

11

One thing that I noticed in the diagram is the use of 3.3V but the signal lines are 5V.

12

Uhm... What do you mean by "signal lines" being 5V?

I put it in 3,3V according to the recommendation of BMP180 datasheet

13

If you feed it with 3.3V, can the BMP take 5V on its signal lines?

14

It can't. I remember reading 5V had the risk of screwing the sensor up.

Does this code somehow specify 5V signals? I'm sorry if I'm asking something dumb, but this is really not clear for me.

15

The Uno is a 5V device, so it's output signals are 5V and not 3.3V.

I found BMP180 Barometric Pressure/Temperature/Altitude Sensor- 5V ready : ID 1603 : $9.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits and that is 5V compliant so your ok if you use that board.