Pi + Bluetooth + SMA Inverter - not stable

I have my Pi installed with Wheezy, Tesco bluetooth dongle and running from Kindle PSU.
Installed sma-bluetooth software from http://code.google.com/p/sma-bluetooth/
The crontab job then wakes up every 5 minutes to talk to the SMA Inverter to grab the solar panel output data and post to pvoutput. This works fine for a while and then once or twice a day the bluetooth gives up and I have to reboot the whole Pi to clear it. BTW running /etc/init.d/bluetooth restart does not clear the issue.

Is anyone else out there running a Pi to gather stats from SMA Inverters via bluetooth and finding bluetooth unstable after running for a while?

regards,

dobbers

Hi,

I'm all set up to get started with exactly the same project, so i cannot say yet if it's unstable. But if you could help with some step by step instructions, then i'd be happy to report feedback.

Hi

I have just tried to set it up. I am using a generic Bluetooth device purchased from eBay.
I have found that the Bluetooth device seems to go to sleep and doesn't wake up again. Also when I run the software with the -f to force a connection it hangs the Pi and I have to reboot to get it back.
I am going to try from scratch again over the next week.

Regards
Mark

Same problem here, tried different receivers, other power supply...
Didn't found a solution after a few days.

You can try hiconfig hci0 reset, but sometimes this isn't even possible.

@dobber24

> This works fine for a while

Can you explain what you mean by "for a while"? I've got it up and running stable now for 7 days strait. I also use the Tesco nano bluetooth dongle and Raspberry Wheezy.
I haven't created a step-by-step setup instruction in English yet (need to find some time to redo the setup on a different SD card), but I don't know what would cause your bluetooth to crash.

I am going to try from scratch again over the next week.

Regards
Mark

I have started again with a new build of "wheezy".
But it unfortunately locks up still.
I have ordered a new BT device just in case this is the problem.
Will let you know how it goes once it has arrived.

Regards
Mark

I did a course at SMA (12 months ago) and an instructor told me that there have been stability issues with Bluetooth in the past and he recommended getting a HAMA adapter which you can get at Amazon.
I have tried a Belkin adpter which did not work but have used the HAMA adapter without any problem. However I have only used it to connect briefly and download data and so I don't know if it would perform continuously.

Roger

Same here, running a Pi with Wheezy using a cheap no-name ('conceptronic') bluetooth adapter.

After some time the bluetooth connection just dies and can only be brought back with a 'reboot'. This can happen multiple times a day, but the setup might just as well run flawlessly for a day.

Another bluetooth device might be the solution (http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=15109, so I'll try to get another one and see if that helps.

See also here:

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=11338

and here

viewtopic.php?f=66&t=14005&p=153704

Hi all

Started again with a new build of wheezy.

I followed instructions from the below site to the letter.

https://code.google.com/r/rcphills-sma- ... straction/

It now works , for a day anyway!. I am using Logitech USB Bluetooth dongle that I had lying around.
The one thing I found important was to make sure that the raspbian was up to date before you start.

Cheers and good luck.

Mark 7

Read issue comments for a workaround:
https://github.com/raspberrypi/linux/issues/66

And it is working great... Only USB 1.1 for ethernet also
Can't find a way to force that specific port in USB 1.1, information found but can't find the right "file" on the pi, even with find

I'm doing the same thing, running smatool to get solar readouts. I was using a bluetooth dongle and a wifi dongle. I tried a powered hub (recommended on the wiki) and that didn't work, I just bought a ethernet over power plug and took the wife dongle out, still no joy.

Have tried an older Belkin BT stick dongle and also a very new mini one.

Looking for a solution!

I think problem is solved since last release (usb interrupt rate?)
Will see tomorrow.

It's worth to try this tool:
http://code.google.com/p/sma-spot/
It's a good start to something better then smatool