Perfect Travis! Will do,
Hi Travis,
Tracing shows that the NCD boards should arrive tomorrow. However, our mail deliveries usually arrive mid-afternoon. Is it possible to provide me instructions and the firmware link ahead of time in case you are unavailable until Monday? I’d like to get this system all set up over the weekend if possible.
Sure Brian,
Here is the firmware that will be flashed into the board at the Pump:
https://go.particle.io/shared_apps/593ea9ddb324d1475f00031c
Here is the firmware that will be flashed into the board at the tank:
https://go.particle.io/shared_apps/593eb01bb324d1a2800003e3
Follow these instructions to flash firmware to the devices:
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Click the link above for the firmware you want to flash. This will take your web browser to https://build.particle.io
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First since you have two different Electron modules we need to identify the correct one to flash. Particle has a handy way of doing this. On the build website click on the devices icon on the left side of the screen(it looks like a target icon). If both Electrons have been setup and are connected to your account you should see two devices there. To make sure you are flashing the correct one I recommend clicking the little drop down arrow next to the device’s name and click the Signal button. The LED on the electron should start “Shouting Rainbows as they say”. Once you know which one you wish to flash click the star icon next to it to select it.
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Finally click the flash icon on the left(looks like a lighting bolt). You can watch the LED on the Electron, it should go to a Magenta color when flashing the firmware and when it is all done it should go back to “breathing Cyan color”.
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Now you can power down that board and click the link above to flash the other board.
If you have any trouble at all please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Thank you Brian,
Travis Elliott
Pretty straightforward I’d say! Many thanks.
Just one clarification; the firmware will be installed on the Electron modules, not the NCD boards, correct? If so, do they need to first be plugged into the NCD boards?
Firmware is flashed into the Electron modules. Not the NCD boards so you can absolutely flash the firmware into the Electron modules now.
Good morning Travis,
I’ve encountered a problem. I’m sitting here with both Electrons ‘breathing’ cyan. Both are connected to my account and I am able to get them both to “shout rainbows.” But I cannot select either for flashing firmware; clicking on the star beside either one does not select it. Any ideas what I’m missing?
Brian
One other question: the firmware on the Electrons is 0.5.4. Should that be left as is? There appears to be a more recent, non-prerelease version 0.7.0 available.
The NCD boards just arrived. I’ve inserted the Electron modules and connected the power supplies. The Electrons have re-connected to cellular, but I still cannot select either for firmware flashing.
Am I correct that the multi-colored wire assemblies are not required for my application?
I have attached 2 screenshots.One shows the error message when I try to select either of the Electrons for flashing using the code provided by NCD. The other shows that without that code, I can select an Electron for flashing.
Click on the Code icon on the left looks like < > Enter a name for the app, then try again.
That did it! (Not very intuitive). Next step is to do some testing with an LED lamp or similar. I hope to not have to bother you again Travis, but I’ll report on ultimate success or failure, as the case may be.
I’ll be standing by. Unfortunately I will be traveling most of the weekend(against my will I might add) so I probably won’t be back in touch until Monday.
Enjoy your weekend. Well, apparently, whatever you are doing isn’t your preferred activity…
I said I’d try to leave you alone for a while, but a couple of questions have been raised by others:
Since the new devices will be located in an outdoor cabinet, they might be susceptible to lightning strikes. Other than viewing their LED status, is there any other way to test them for possible damage (I have a multimeter)? Might checking the log in Particle’s Console be the only way? Trying to decide if we might want a maintenance spare.
If I attach the batteries to the Electrons to protect against AC power loss, will they be recharged when AC is restored? I think I saw a ‘yes’ answer somewhere, but I can no longer find it. Of course, the question is rather irrelevant because if we have a power outage, the pump won’t operate anyway…
OK, Travis, I have tested the application by looking for continuity across the N.O. terminals on relay #1 on the well unit when I close the connection on the tank unit (I have not yet connected to the pump and tank wires). Everything works like it’s supposed to. Very pleased here.
I did notice, however, that no events were logged to the Particle console log. Particle’s website says that we can get events to appear in the stream “by using ‘Particle.publish()’ in your firmware.” Can you help with that and, if so, at what cost?
Lastly, is it possible - and how complicated might it be - to get Particle to notify by email or text when either Electron loses cellular signal?
CRAP!! I installed both units in their permanent location yesterday, only to discover that one of them showed no lights. I verified that the power supply was delivering 12 v. DC, but nothing lit up. Then I noticed that an apparently rather critical component of the on-board power supply had been broken off somewhere, somehow. Since that component was soldered on the board - not plugged in - I’m guessing it cannot be repaired. I’ll have to order another one.
If I order another relay board, do I have to re-flash firmware onto the Electron, i.e. is there some tie in firmware between a specific Electron and a specific relay board?
Hi Brian,
That component is sort of prone to getting knocked off since it’s big and easy to get bumped into. It can be repaired though. Fill out the RMA form here and ship the board in. We’ll repair it at no charge:
https://ncd.io/contact-us/product-returns/
Alternatively if you have a friend with a soldering iron and you’re in a hurry you can try reinstalling the part yourself.
Don’t have the part, Travis. I don’t know when or where it disappeared. Since I am in a bit of a hurry, I’d like to buy another board. If I can return the damaged one for some kind of credit, that’d be nice. But if that is not an option, then I’ll just eat the loss. Since I’m not certain that I’ve found the correct unit on your store site (photo doesn’t precisely match the units I have), can you just put one in a shopping cart and send me the link?
Hi Brian,
Since you purchased it within the last 30 days I think we can make that work. Just be sure to note your intentions on the RMA form(returning board for refund).
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Many thanks!! Can you put a new one in a shopping cart for me? I’ll buy it and return the original for a refund.