Welcome to the Cumulus Support forum.

Latest Cumulus MX V3 release 3.28.6 (build 3283) - 21 March 2024

Cumulus MX V4 beta test release 4.0.0 (build 4017) - 17 March 2024

Legacy Cumulus 1 release v1.9.4 (build 1099) - 28 November 2014 (a patch is available for 1.9.4 build 1099 that extends the date range of drop-down menus to 2030)

Download the Software (Cumulus MX / Cumulus 1 and other related items) from the Wiki

Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

From build 3044 the development baton passed to Mark Crossley. Mark has been responsible for all the Builds since. He has made the code available on GitHub. It is Mark's hope that others will join in this development, but at the very least he welcomes your ideas for future developments (see Cumulus MX Development suggestions).

Moderator: mcrossley

Post Reply
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

Hi there,
I've recently installed CumulusMX release 3048 and am using it with Ubuntu Linux version 18.04. It seems to run OK in many respects although I am not using the Instromet Metplus box in a strictly normal manner. This is because I already had an existing Instromet system and the new Metplus box was to replace the excellent previous data logger/interface which was supplied with the original Instromet station and this unfortunately failed. My main object in using it is to get readings from the wind speed, wind direction, rainfall and sunshine hours so that they can be used in my existing system. I have a separate system which measures temperature, humidity, solar power and UV so I don't have these connected to the Metplus box. I have connected a 10K resistor across each of the temperature inputs of the Metplus box as this gives temperature readings which are close to 0 deg C. I do not use these so it does not matter what they record.
The "temperature" readout from this arrangement reads sensibly on the "dashboard" screen. But when I select the "gauges" screen (giving the steel gauges) the "temperature" gauge pointer rotates around the screen at high speed and never stops. The gauge marked "Other temps" shows -9999.0 and the number jumps regularly. The Cloud base pointer rotates in the same way as the temperature dial. The wind speed and direction gauges behave normally as do the other gauges.
This behaviour does not particularly concern me because I have no need to select the "Gauges" screen. I think the quantities I require behave correctly on the other screens and the temperature remains steady at just below 0 deg.

Does this behaviour indicate that something else is wrong?

I am still not certain that the wind direction gauge on the dashboard is working correctly, but the wind speed, sunshine and rainfall all behave sensibly. I am a little concerned about the calibration of the wind direction screen and am still trying to adjust that.
Ralph1
User avatar
mcrossley
Posts: 12689
Joined: Thu 07 Jan 2010 9:44 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2/WLL
Operating System: Bullseye Lite rPi
Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by mcrossley »

Raph1, with the missing sensors I suspect Cumulus is still using the default values (-9999 or +9999) that it has initially until 'real' values come in. Normally this would be within a very short time if the sensors were connected. The gauges will rotating round and round until they hit those values,

Cumulus is expecting values for wind, pressure, temperature and humidity as a minimum to get a functioning dashboard, the gauges "other temps" uses temperature and humidity to calculate values if the station does not provide them.

Are all the values for the sensors you want (wind speed, wind direction, rainfall and sunshine hours) working?

Why does your wind direction need calibration? Is the sensor not north aligned? If required you would normally perform that calibration in the console of the weather station - ah, but I'm not sure you have a console?
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

Hello Mark,
Thanks for your rapid reply. The people at Instromet suggested that I put a 10kohm resistor across each of the two temperature inputs of the Metplus box. This is because I don't have a spare pair of the required thermometers. This I have done and the main temperature reading (which shows on the dashboard) is this morning reading -2.1 degC. I put in a calibration value of +10 which makes it read 8.1deg, close to this morning's actual temperature. That reading is perfectly stable. When I go to "Gauges", the main temperature reading goes round and round. The other temperature one reads nonsense as well (a very large negative value and it jumps as the first one goes round. So if I avoid using "Gauges" all is well.
I've just done another thing; I've removed the +10 from the temperature calibration settings.The temperature reading on "dashboard" is now -1.8C and when I go to "Gauges" both the temperature and other temps pointers zoom round in synchronism and show no signs of stopping. Why the reading of temperature in "dashboard" is perfectly stable and the other isn't is a mystery to me.
Regarding the wind direction problem, on the original setup (much of which I have) the anemometer was connected to a -5V supply. This meant that NNE corresponded to nearly -5V and NNW was just below 0V. The old interface box simply shifted the level of the signals so that -5V became zero and 0V became +5V, or so I thought. I am now using that level shifter between the anemometer and the Metplus box. But what I didn't realise is that the above is not completely correct. The -5V is shifted to 0V but the 0V was shifted to something like +2v. In other words I need to put an opamp into the system to increase the upper voltage to +5V. This I am intending to do but I just wondered about what was going on using the "Gauges" option, I'll try to avoid using that! I don't know what to do next in this regard, or perhaps I just ignore it?
Ralph1
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

I've just discovered something else. On the main dashboard page it shows NaN under dewpoint so that must be something of a clue.
Ralph1
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

Hello Mark,

Yesterday my CumulusMX crashed at least 3 times and it wrote garbage to some of the files. In one case it asked me to correct it, which I did. Errors were still showing in the "Gauges" position, but I had managed to enter data which allowed the system to calculate a sensible dewpoint and this figure, although low at -16.1C. The 3 gauges were still rotating. So I switched off the computer and went to bed. This morning I restarted the computer and engaged CumulusMX and after the initial catch-up everything was OK, the gauges all showing correct readings. So I can't understand yesterday's results. I'll keep an eye open for any future crashes of the program, but it does appear that something was very unhappy yesterday.

It seems as though the remaining hardware problem I have is the need to amplify the wind direction signal so that it goes from 0 to 5V. I can do that easily with a single ic and a few resistors.

Ralph1
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

At long last I've managed to get CumulusMX running reasonably reliably using Ubuntu Linux. I had to put an op amp circuit in the wind direction circuit to give enough gain to make sure that the voltage went from 0 to +5V since in the original system it only went from 0 to about +2V. The next thing I want to do with it is to export a small file in real time to my existing system.
I created a small file called myrealtime.txt with about 6 parameters in it using the prescribed formats. I went into Settings/Extra web files and entered the place where CumulusMX could find the file. Since I put it into the CumulusMX directory I just named the input file as myrealtime.txt. I then asked CumulusMX to use the destination directory of /home/john/Documents/CumulusMX/webfiles/myrealtime.txt. I ticked the Realtime box and I ticked UFT8. But I regret to say that nothing has happened, no file has appeared in the /webfiles directory. I also tried entering the full address of the input file but again nothing happened. Is there something different which has to be done for file creation to work in Linux? I presume this has all been well tested, so i assume that I am doing something wrong.
Ralph1
User avatar
mcrossley
Posts: 12689
Joined: Thu 07 Jan 2010 9:44 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2/WLL
Operating System: Bullseye Lite rPi
Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by mcrossley »

Best to post a screen shot of the file settings, or the relevant section of cumulus.ini

Like you say, this does work, so there is just something configured incorrectly.
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

OK Mark, I have attached my Cumulus.ini file. I hope that helps.
Ralph1
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
mcrossley
Posts: 12689
Joined: Thu 07 Jan 2010 9:44 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2/WLL
Operating System: Bullseye Lite rPi
Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by mcrossley »

OK, two issues...

1. You haven't enabled realtime processing, until that is switched on nothing will happen. Settings|Internet Settings|Web/FTP Settings

2. You need to tick "Process" on your file to have MX replace the tokens with values, otherwise you will just get a copy of the file with the tokens in it.
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

OK, Mark, thanks for your help. My system is now producing a real time file. At the moment I have it reading out the data every 60 seconds, but I do want the data to be as near as possible to real time. What's the lowest practical number of seconds between updates using CumulusMX? I imagine it's about 3 seconds but I suspect you will know the answer.
Thanks for your help.
Ralph1
User avatar
mcrossley
Posts: 12689
Joined: Thu 07 Jan 2010 9:44 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2/WLL
Operating System: Bullseye Lite rPi
Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by mcrossley »

It entirely depends on how much you are asking it to do. If you are just creating some local files then 3 seconds should be easily achievable - switch off any features you do not need/use.
Ralph1
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun 07 Apr 2019 6:47 pm
Weather Station: Instromet
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Re: Problems with CumulusMX/Instromet

Post by Ralph1 »

Ok my CumulusMX is working well. But I have a few questions. This morning I had occasion to disconnect the serial connection, so I stopped CumulusMx, switched off the power and made the circuit change. When I powered up again, the sunshine total for today was about -44 hours. OK, I probably caused that by switching off the power, but the lead for that had to be re-routed as well.
My question is - how do I edit the sunshine total for today? Fortunately I have a hardware counter which continues to register the sunshine hours so i know what the total should be. I've tried to edit the total in today.ini and in Apr19log.txt but neither have any lasting effect. I also need to be able to edit the current month's total rainfall (and possible individual days) but don't know how to do that. Also the total sunshine for the month, although as my system hasn't worked for all of the current month, that is less important.

Ralph1
Post Reply