No data from P1 meter

[casn]

I am running Domoticz 4.9700 and use a so-called FTDI_cable USB-P1 to get data from the "Slimme meter". It did work like a charm but it stopped working all of a sudden (cable is one week old!).
Have tried various things like deleting & re-adding, using this connection as the only connection but nothing ade it work again.
Next I installed the cu minicom and issued the command "cu -l /dev/ttyUSB0 -s 115200 --parity=none" and got connected ok and received the following output:

p1.JPG (66.25 KiB) Viewed 5550 times

It keps on running every 10 seconds so data is send but it is not picked up by Domoticz.
Is this a fawlty cable or am I missing something here?
Thanks for providing some clue

[Dr8072]

Ok.. never done this befoer but with Cu you can really try a few things

The data display reminds me at the time I really had to work with serial data... a long long long time ago... To me it looks like the it did whn is used wrong settings , Try change the parity bit... and baud rate and play with -7 -8 to see if that helps

[casn]

Changing parity has no impact, changing the baud rate got me connected but did not receive any data. So still puzzled with this.

[FireWizard]

Hi

You said it worked like a charm, but it stopped working suddenly.
Are you sure nothing has changed at that moment? No reboot?
Have you seen readable raw data from the P1 port in e.g. cu?
You say that a telegram is sent every 10 seconds. That means that you have an older smart meter.
The newest smart meter supports DSMR 5 and sends a telegram every second.

The oldest smart meter supported DSMR 2.2 and uses 9600 Bd, 7E1, while the later versions with DSMR 4.0/4.2 use 115200 Bd, 8N1. The latest one with DSMR 5 uses also 115200Bd, 8N1.

See: http://domoticx.com/p1-poort-slimme-meter-hardware/
The output shown looks like, either wrong transmission parameters or an inverted signal.
Try first: sudo cu -l /dev/ttyUSB0 -s 9600 -e (or --parity=even).

Are you sure that you are looking to the correct USB port, because I see that also USB1 is in use.
Please note also the following: https://www.domoticz.com/wiki/Assign_fi ... o_USB_port
and https://www.domoticz.com/wiki/PersistentUSBDevices

If this is not the solution, it's time to look at the cable. Try another one.

[casn]

Tried the advice but no luck. Back to the shop (Robb) and got a new cable. Spot on, all is working again

[HansieNL]

I had same problem P1 Smart Meter USB stopped working randomly. Could be days or weeks. I've set Data Timeout: 15 minutes.

[FireWizard]

Thanks casn for the feedback.
Finding a fault is always a step-by-step process in order to exclude possible causes.
A serial to USB cable for a smart meter is not only a couple of dumb wires but contains some electronic components that may get defective.
Setting a Data Timeout may work if the communication stops for some unknown, maybe external, reason, but it will not solve a broken cable.

[Eternity]

The P1 cable to feed Domoticz (v4.10445 by Jadahl )has been working for ages, without any issues. Somehow since two days no data is received anymore. Domoticz was not updated, the cable was untouched. No settings in Domoticz have been changed and all other devices still work.

Schermafbeelding 2019-03-04 om 14.57.49.png (162.91 KiB) Viewed 5433 times

I have tested the cable by connecting it to an USB port on my PC using a program called FT_prog (http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Utiliti ... taller.exe) and communication is possible (and invert RXD is still ticked).

I tried the suggestion to create a user variabel, and tested it with 1/2/3 and 4. Nothing

Schermafbeelding 2019-03-04 om 15.00.30.png (85.11 KiB) Viewed 5429 times

What could cause this?
Could the cable be broken, despite being seen by my PC?

Thanks!

[FireWizard]

Hi
Your question indicates that no data at all has been received since the last 3 days and not only the gas meter data has been missing.
Creating a user variable, and so changing the M-Bus channel to which the gas meter is connected, will not solve the problem in case the communication between your P1 port on the smart meter and Domoticz is not functioning. The first thing you should do is removing that user variable, otherwise if you succeed to re-establish the communication again, your gas meter is not indicated.

I assume that your Domoticz is running on a Raspberry Pi or on your Synology NAS. Is that correct?
I also assume that the test with the cable connected to the USB port on your PC produced readable "RAW" smart meter data.
What you didn't test was the USB port /dev/ttyUSB0.
Test that port as well with a communication program like cu as follows:
sudo cu -l /dev/ttyUSB0 -s 115200
Does this command produce readable "Raw" data.
You should have a telegram every second (in case of DSMR 5.0 protocol) or every 10 seconds (in case DSMR 4.0/4.2 protocol).
It looks like (some comments in Dutch):
/XMX5LGBBLA4412069552 # Start / en identificatie header

1-3:0.2.8(50) # Versie informatie 5.0
0-0:1.0.0(181212111819W) # Tijd in YYMMDDhhmmss (12 december 2018, 11:18:19 u Wintertijd)
0-0:96.1.1(4570303435303033373233373138319137) # Equipment Identifier
1-0:1.8.1(004277.550*kWh) # Geleverde energie T1 (laag tarief)
1-0:1.8.2(004775.838*kWh) # Geleverde energie T2 (hoog tarief)
1-0:2.8.1(000000.000*kWh) # Terug geleverde energie T1 (laag tarief)
1-0:2.8.2(000000.000*kWh) # Terug geleverde energie T2 (hoog tarief)

etc.
If you don't see this information there are 2 possibilities:
1. Your USB port /dev/ttyUSB0 is defect => Plug your cable in another USB port and change your configuration accordingly.
2. Your USB has changed. => See my post above about Persistent USB devices.
3. Test the cu command on /dev/ttyUSB1, and so on.
If it gives a readable output on your /dev/ttyUSB0 and still no luck in Domoticz, give your system a reboot or restart Domoticz.

[Eternity]

Thanks for your answers and help @FireWizard

I am running Domoticz on my Synology Nas. I only tested the cable by connecting it to my pc on the USB port. No smartmeter was connected. I have not changed the USB connection port. Later on I did try the cable on another USB port on my Nas. No luck.

I got impatient and ordered a new cable. I will report back once this is received!

Thanks again!

[Eternity]

Received a new P1 cable, connected it and all is working again!

[FireWizard]

OK,
Thanks for the feed back.
As said above, a serial to USB cable for a smart meter is not only a couple of dumb wires but contains some electronic
components that may get defective.

[JeroenL]

Had similar issues, tried 3 different cables. It always worked for a while and then stopped.

What works for me are 2 things now:
- Remove power from the Raspberry Pi, and restart the machine from a power-free state
- Reset the Pi as many times as it takes, to get data - I need sometimes up to 5 restarts to get it working (I use this when I am remote).

I noticed that the Electricity meter puts power on the USB A connector, I am not an electronics expert, but I believe this is what upsets reading the data from the P1 meter in the end.
For instance I also noticed that my CM15Pro device stops working when I unplug/plug the P1 cable (after deactivating in the hardware list). Mochad gives an error message "cannot connect". Need to switch off the Pi completely, and then it all works again.

Hope it helps.