Updating an emonBase (previous rfm69pi version) to LPL

rupert · 21 April 2023 21:21

Firstly, I apologise for another problem request for help!

I have a DIY emonBase made up of a Raspberry Pi 3 and an OEM RFM69Pi V3 module. At the moment the RFM69Pi is programmed for the JeeLabs Native format (rfm69n). The firmware option for this was available from the emonBase Admin > Update page, which is how I flashed it into the RFM69Pi. However the JeeLabs Native format is not listed there anymore.

As I no longer have any devices that use the JeeLabs Native format, I would like to update the RFM69Pi to the LPL format. This option is available on the emonBase Admin > Update page at

Select port: ttyAMA0
Hardware: rfm69pi
Radio format: RFM69 LowPowerLabs
Firmware: emonBase RFM69Pi firmware, lowpowerlabs, v1.1.1

However, when I press the update button, I get errors in the update log. Without quoting the whole of the (long) log, this is the downloaded file

-------------------------------------------------------------
emonBase_rfm69pi_LPL Firmware Upload
-------------------------------------------------------------
Downloading firmware from: 
https://github.com/openenergymonitor/RFM2Pi/releases/download/29-03-23/emonBase_rfm69pi_LPL_v1_1_1.hex

Downloaded file: 
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi 29K Mar 29 15:25 /opt/openenergymonitor/data/firmware/emonBase_rfm69pi_LPL.hex

and these are the errors


avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x7c

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x65

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x6d

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x6f
                  Hardware Version: 357036
                  Firmware Version: 13821472.109388

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x6e

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x42

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x61

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x73

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x65
                  Vtarget         : 51168.0 V
                  Varef           : 34575.6 V
                  Oscillator      : 43.182 Hz
                  SCK period      : 2311704948.0 us


avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x20

avrdude-original: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x56
avrdude-original: stk500_initialize(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x32
avrdude-original: initialization failed, rc=-1
                  Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
                  this check.

avrdude-original: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x2e

avrdude-original done.  Thank you.

avrdude-original: Using autoreset DTR on GPIO Pin 7
avrdude-original: Using autoreset DTR on GPIO Pin 7
avrdude-original: Using autoreset DTR on GPIO Pin 7
ERROR: Not in sync

I expect I’m doing something silly - any ideas please?

TrystanLea · 22 April 2023 18:53

Sounds like you are doing everything right, I will test this again when I get back to the office on Monday. I assume you tried a couple of times?

rupert · 22 April 2023 20:03

@TrystanLea
Thanks vey much for the reply. I did try a couple of times, with no luck. I just tried again and got a similar set of error messages. The section

                  Vtarget         : 51168.0 V
                  Varef           : 34575.6 V
                  Oscillator      : 43.182 Hz
                  SCK period      : 2309140503.5 us

looks really odd - 51,168 Volts and a 43Hz Oscillator!

rupert · 26 April 2023 13:30

Some success here after a new attempt this morning …

It is difficult to remember all the steps when trying out things, but I think in Admin / Components I clicked on ‘Update or switch all components to Master’ , (although I thought everything was on ‘Master’), but it did seem to do some updates.

Then I tried the firmware update using (as before)
Select port: ttyAMA0
Hardware: rfm69pi
Radio format: RFM69 LowPowerLabs
Firmware: emonBase RFM69Pi firmware, lowpowerlabs, v1.1.1

This time it worked - yippee!
The avrdude log said at the end …

avrdude-original: 10228 bytes of flash verified

avrdude-original done.  Thank you.

However, I still don’t get any inputs from my LPL devices - the bars at the right on the Input view page are red. (The LPL devices are working ok as their data can be seen on my emonPi.)

I did try a further firmware update and full update but without getting my LPL inputs working on the emonBase.

I did notice in the full update log that I got a line
Hardware detected: rfm2pi<br />
which I think is correct? - an OEM RFM69Pi V3 module.
and then later a couple of lines

-------------------------------------------------------------<br />
emonHub update<br />
-------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Enabling SPI for RFM69SPI<br />

which is odd as I don’t have the new SPI version.

Anyway, any help gratefully accepted!

rupert · 26 April 2023 14:10

To answer my own questions, shutting down and restarting the emonBase seems to have fixed it - the emonBase is now receiving LPL messages. So problem fixed!