LOOP: xx - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0

[lgeitner]

LOOP: xx - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
LOOP: xx - Timed out waiting for LOOP data

I have a Davis Instruments 6163 Vantage Pro2 Plus Wireless Weather Station with UV Sensor, Solar Radiation Sensor and 24-hr Fan-Aspirated Radiation Shield

I have 2 Davis 6312 Vantage Pro2 Wireless Consoles

I previously had each console connected to a Raspberry PI 4 via a Meteo-PI and each Raspberry PI 4 was running Cumulus MX 3.27.0 b3257

One of the Raspberry PI 4 was my TEST system, the other was my PRODUCTION system.

I received the above error on both of my Raspberry PI 4.

I have since upgraded my Raspberry PI 4 to Raspberry PI 5 and upgraded Cumulus MX to the latest version on both of the Raspberry PI 5.

Both of my Raspberry PI 5 are running Cumulus MX 3.28.1 b3278

I am still receiving the above errors on both of my new Raspberry PI 5!

I read on a weewx forum that a low battery in the Davis Instruments Transmitter may cause the above error. I did not have a low battery warning on either of my consoles. The battery had been installed in the Transmitter for almost three years. I did replace the battery in the transmitter with a brand new battery. The error still occurs.

I have enabled debug logging, data logging, FTP logging, and Spike logging and the Dashboard latest errors logging level is set to warning on my TEST Raspberry PI 5.

I have tried to attach the log file, Unfortunately, the log file is around 20MB. The maximum is 15MB. I have edited the log file down to 7MB, buy It still says file is to large to attach!

I am not sure how to proceed troubleshooting the above error.

Here are the errors under the Utils -> Latest Errors

2024-01-22 05:51:57 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:53 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:52 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:48 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:47 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:43 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:42 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:38 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:37 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:32 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:31 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:27 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:26 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:22 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:21 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:17 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:16 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:12 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:11 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:07 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:06 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:51:01 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:51:00 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:56 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:55 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:51 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:50 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:45 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:44 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:40 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:39 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:35 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:34 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:30 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:29 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:25 - LOOP: 2 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:24 - LOOP: 2 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:50:20 - LOOP: 6 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 05:50:19 - LOOP: 6 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:47:41 - LOOP: 25 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 05:16:55 - LOOP: 42 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 04:46:51 - LOOP: 33 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 03:43:46 - LOOP: 28 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 02:36:37 - LOOP: 4 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 02:36:36 - LOOP: 4 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 00:01:10 - LOOP: 11 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 00:00:49 - LOOP: 16 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 00:00:48 - LOOP: 16 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-22 00:00:18 - LOOP: 41 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-22 00:00:17 - LOOP: 41 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0

[freddie]

If you zip up your log file first then it will be small enough to attach. We'll need more of the log for context.

[lgeitner]

I should of thought of that

I compressed the txt file to a zip file and attached it.

Thanks,
Lance

[mcrossley]

Difficult one, most of the time it is working, then it doesn't respond to a LOOP command, and it takes two re-tries before it works.

Are you still using a Meteobridge/Meteo-Pi as the data logger? If so then I think you will have to live it, the Meteobridge does not provide particularly reliable comms.

[lgeitner]

I am still using a Meteo-PI on each of the 2 Raspberry PI 5 I have.

The meteo-pi that i am using is the one linked below.

https://www.scaledinstruments.com/shop/ ... /meteo-pi/

I did recently purchase a 3rd Meteo-PI as well, but that one produces similar errors as well.

Do you think If I lowered the baud rate from 19200 to 14400 that would perhaps reduce the number of errors I am receiving?

Thank You,
Lance

[mcrossley]

I doubt it. I think it is when the meteo-pi is busy doing something else. Do you have it configured to do other things like uploads etc?

[AndyKF650]

If it helps I am using a Vantage Pro vp2 cabled set up with a meteo pi linking to a RPi 4 with no issues at all.

One thought I had was often when all else fails turn everything off for 30 secs and then restart the VP2 then the RPi and then check CMX to see that all is working.

@Mark is the cycle speed of the loop commands rather quick and is that causing the intermittent failures

[lgeitner]

mcrossley,

"I doubt it. I think it is when the meteo-pi is busy doing something else. Do you have it configured to do other things like uploads etc?"

The meteo-pi can not do any kind of uploads, it can only receive data from the console.

I think you might be thinking of the meteobridge?

AndyKF650,

"One thought I had was often when all else fails turn everything off for 30 secs and then restart the VP2 then the RPi and then check CMX to see that all is working. "

I would have already done that when I replaced the battery in the transmitter a month or so ago.

How long is your telephone cable between the console and the meteo-pi hat?

Thanks,
Lance

[AndyKF650]

Hi Lance
When you replaced the battery a while back did you have the same problem as now or did the problem start well after the battery replacement and reset.

My cable from the meteopi to the RPi is less than a metre but unless your cable is very much longer I would not expect any issues

[lgeitner]

AndyKF650,

I had the same issue prior to replacing the battery in the transmitter. one of the forum posts I found for weewx seemed to indicate a low battery in the transmitter might cause the errors. I was not receiving any kind of low battery message on either of my consoles. I went ahead and replaced the transmitter battery anyhow as it had been almost 3 years since I replaced the battery. When I measured the voltage on the battery that I removed from the transmitter it was over 3 Volts. So, it was still a good battery.

My cable from my one console to the Raspberry PI 5 is approximately 3 meters. I dont think 3 meters would be too long of a cable?
My cable from my other console to the Raspberry PI 5 is approximately 8 meters. 8 meters might be pushing the maximum length though?

I am receiving similar errors from both Raspberry PI 5.

I would think if it were a cable length issue the errors would only appear on the Raspberry PI 5 that is connected to the console and meteo-pi hat with an 8m meter cable between them?

Thanks,
Lance

[mcrossley]

mcrossley,

"I doubt it. I think it is when the meteo-pi is busy doing something else. Do you have it configured to do other things like uploads etc?"

The meteo-pi can not do any kind of uploads, it can only receive data from the console.

I think you might be thinking of the meteobridge?

Yes, quite right. When I last played around with a meteo-pi the cable was only a 10cm long - it worked fine, no issues like this as far as I remember, and it was hooked up to a rPi zero

[lgeitner]

I am going to move my console in the kitchen to the basement next to my Raspberry PI 5. I am going to use the telephone cable that came with the Meteo-PI that is approximately one meter in length. I will leave the console next to the Pi 5 for a couple of days and see if I still get the errors.

That should rule out whether it is the 3m and 8 meter cables I am using that keep causing the errors.

Thank You for your help!
Lance

[lgeitner]

After several days of testing with the 1 meter cable, I did see a reduction in the number of errors on both Production and Test Systems. It seems rather odd that I would also see a reduction of errors on my production system even though the production system is still using the same cable. I am going to look into buying a better quality telephone line cable for both my production and test systems and see if that makes any difference.

TEST System connected to meteo pi hat with a 1 meter cable

2024-01-26 00:00:06 - LOOP: 5 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-26 00:00:05 - LOOP: 5 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-25 00:00:04 - LOOP: 38 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-25 00:00:03 - LOOP: 38 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0

Production System connected to the meteo-pi hat with a 3-4 meter cable

2024-01-26 00:00:03 - LOOP: 7 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-26 00:00:02 - LOOP: 7 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0
2024-01-25 00:00:03 - LOOP: 24 - Timed out waiting for LOOP data
2024-01-25 00:00:02 - LOOP: 24 - Expected data not received, expected 99 bytes, got 0

Thanks,
Lance

[SamiS]

Are both of your devices equipped with identical power supplies? Some of them (usb psu’s) seem to generate a lot of disturbance and also have issues with voltage stability.

You might also consider testing twisted pair cable instead of the plain non-twisted telephone cable.

[lgeitner]

Both of the Raspberry PI 5 are using the Official Raspberry PI 27Watt USB-C Power Supply. Both of the Davis Consoles are using the USB power supply that came with them.

When I moved the davis console to the basement and used a 1 meter phone cable, I had the davis console running from batteries. It was not plugged into an outlet. There were significantly less errors.

The USB power supply that davis instruments include might be contributing to the problem. I will look into a higher quality USB power adapter for both of my consoles to see if that makes any difference.

The telephone cables I have been using are very inexpensive and have no shielding, nor twisted pair.

I have located a better RJ11 telephone cable from digikey.com that is both shielded and has 2 twisted pair of cables in them.

I plan on purchasing a 15 foot (~4.5m) and 25 foot (~7.6m) cable to replace my existing telephone phone cables and will see if that makes a difference.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... jBRAF0BfIA

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... mxRAF0BfIA\

Thanks,
Lance