Update to latest firmware doesn't work [SOLVED – See solution in thread]

[Anonymous]

I got the notification that new firmware was avaialable and followed the instructions…backed up my config, downloaded the firmware and then went to the update page. Selected the .bin file and entered the password. But got this error:

Update failed. And then the device password box fills with dots. See attached screenshot.

Any idea what to try?

Attachments:

1. 

   Firmware-update-failure.jpg
   

[Ray]

First of all, make sure you’ve input device password correctly — it’s your OpenSprinkler’s device password (it’s opendoor if you have never changed it), not your WiFi password or anything else.

Second, if update failed, give it another try. Sometimes the transfer may be interrupted due to WiFi signal issue etc. Try a few more times and see if it succeeds.

[Anonymous]

I can connect to my OpenSprinkler and trigger one of the valves to run, edit the time, etc. so I’ve got the password correct. I connect from my desktop, my phone, my tablet, etc.

Trying the transfer several more times gets the same result.

Any other ideas?

[nj7p]

I am having a problem after the update. I manually updated the software from an SSH connection to the RasPi. The OpenSprinkler software is running as is Apache2. I cannot connect to the web page. It just times out.

I did not save the settings, and the sprinklers are currently NOT running.

Any Ideas?

Bill

[dman776]

I have the same issue. Apache2 is running but the web server is not responding.
[disregard. I saw the post to update Raspbian from Wheezy (SD image) to the latest Stretch and git clone from stratch]

[Ray]

For those who are having trouble with OSPi after firmware update, I will repeat the same message I said in other threads:

This is most likely because your Raspbian is outdated, for example, if you’ve created your SD card from the pre-configured SD card image of OSPi (several years ago), that Raspbian is unfortunately outdated and does not support the IPv6 feature in the current firmware. The solution is to burn a new Raspbian system using the latest Raspbian image from RPi website, and then follow instructions here to install OpenSprinkler firmware:
https://openthings.freshdesk.com/solution/articles/5000631599-installing-and-updating-the-unified-firmware

If you don’t want to install new Raspbian, you can also roll back to an earlier firmware, but next time there is a firmware update you will encounter the same issue again, so it’s better to just solve it now.

[Anonymous]

Update 25th Nov: tried several times, update failed.
———————-
Update 18th Nov: tried again, update failed.
———————-
Tried to update firmware 7th Nov 18, several attempts tonight.
Exact same result as OP; jeffhaas

Opensprinkler Controller:
App Version: 1.8.2
Firmware: 2.1.7(1)
Hardware Version: 3.0 – AC

PC / Browser(s):
macOS Mojave 10.14
Chrome – Version 70.0.3538.77 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Also Safari – Version 12.0 (14606.1.36.1.9)

Source:
https://github.com/OpenSprinkler/OpenSprinkler-Compiled-Firmware/tree/master/v3.0

Typed in http://#.#.#.#/update failed,
Clicked ‘bell’ notification and selected ‘update’, failed
Used web interface to change password and log in again, just to be sure.
Rebooted Controller.
Tried http://#.#.#.#/update again, failed
Typed this post and tried again, failed.
Will try again tomorrow.

Controller works a treat, still need to fine tune Zimmerman parameters, doesn’t water enough in cold weather (-4C -> 15C)
Looking forward to using Evapotranspiration, local feed here:
http://www.bom.gov.au/watl/eto/tables/nsw/canberra_airport/canberra_airport.html
Would only need to download once a day at 1am.
More data here: http://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60903/IDN60903.94926.json

Hoping firmware update will fix a few glitches with log display failing when more than 2 days selected: https://github.com/OpenSprinkler/OpenSprinkler-Firmware/releases
Log retrieval takes a long time or fails, hopefully new release increasing log space from 1MB to 3MB helps.
Not sure why the log file on 7 stations would ever exceed 1MB over 7 days.
Local time shown correct in app but red line in preview lags a couple of hours.

Ian

[Ray]

@Ian: just to make sure: when typing http://#.#.#.#/update you need to replace #.#.#.# by the actual IP address of your OpenSprinkler — #.#.#.# itself is not a valid IP address.

[Anonymous]

Finally got around to working on this. It turns out I was trying to update the firmware from my desktop, which is connected via cable to the router (I can log into the controller, do all the typical settings, etc.) However, when I tried from my laptop using wifi, updating the firmware worked immediately.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response Ray, yes I did substitute the same numeric IP address that I successfully use to log in to the web interface.

I see Jeffhaas in post #53408 had some success using his laptop over WIFI, but that implies he had the Opensprinkler in AP mode?

My reading of the firmware update instructions I tried alternative #2. Update over WIFI.
https://openthings.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000381694-opensprinkler-firmware-update-guide

I’ll try alternative #3. Update via AP mode, I wonder if that’s what Jeffhaas means “when I tried from my laptop using wifi”, Jeff might chime in here.

One thing that would be nice with the updater web interface, if the diagnostic messages didn’t overwrite, but scrolled down the page so I could read all of them. They flash on and off too quickly to read.

I will wait until the weekend to do this when I have more time, in case I have to reset to factory and reprogram my sprinkler settings manually.

[Anonymous]

Hi Ian,

I had the Opensprinkler in regular running mode. As I said, my desktop is connected directly into the router via Ethernet cable. I can log into the Opensprinkler, set up schedules, trigger manual run times, etc, as I sit at my desk and look out over the backyard. But trying to log into the updater didn’t work – I could get there but then it failed.

Getting out a laptop and connecting via wifi to the same interface worked, quickly and easily.

[Anonymous]

Success!

Thanks Jeff Hass, I had to do it on a WIFI connected laptop;

Laptop -> WIFI router -> OpenSprinkler

Logistically its better too, take the laptop to the controller, download the latest OS binary, download the latest controller config file, update the firmware, reconnect the controller to your WiFi, press controller button 1, reopen the web interface, change the password, reimport the config, all good to go. You could do it in 2 minutes.

Thanks for Jeff and Ray’s help.

[Ray]

Ian and Jeff: ok, thanks for the update. I am puzzled by why it only works with WiFi connected laptop, really can’t think of a good explanation for it. But I will try it with a direct wired connected computer and see if I can reproduce it.

[Anonymous]

Jeff, are you able to edit your original post and append [SOLVED] to the end of the subject?

I’ve found this very helpful in other forums.

Ian

[yellowgecko]

Hi Ian,

i just saw your mails and i assume from your links that you are also located in Canberra. I have an OSPI connected and started to look into the Zimmerman method (got it two weeks ago). You seem to have adjusted the Zimmerman values and it works for you.

My program scheduled in the morning at sunrise does not really work. are you willing to share your values that would be great. i will also have a look if we could use bom data from your link, that would be even better.

btw. i am in Evatt.

Cheers, Bernd

[Anonymous]

Berne,

I’m in Queanbeyan. Unfortunately the current data feed to the Zimmerman algorithm appears to reset each midnight and is calculated instantaneously before each watering. So the average of min & max is only since midnight rather than the day before, so if you water after midnight it’s all wrong.

What would solve the problem over here is to get the BOM to publish a percent watering data feed for each weather site, they already have the data, which all automatic sprinkler users could use. I think it would save a lot of water. I have some BOM contacts and will see what I can do. There is a similar feed in Southern California.

Happy to invite you here to see my whole setup if you like.

Ian

[Anonymous]

Also the recent firmware update fixed my missing watering log problem, they now come up straight away including the timeline view.

[yellowgecko]

Hi Ian,
thanks for the reply. Thanks for the kind offer, happy to come over at some stage when I am around. And also thanks a lot for the explanation on the Zimmerman. so it does not make sense to water in the morning using it with the current setting. I think even the current table of bom with Eto would be a great improvement. I am just struggling how to “intercept” the water level request. I try to find the bit in the code where it updates the watering % just before it runs the program. My idea is to have a cron job running that download the bom table once a day (or every hour) and then use it to calculate the %watering. As I said I still have not found a good way to intercept/replace the watering calculation. Must be somewhere in the main loop. There is a getweather function, but still not to sure how to realign it to another script.

PS. YOu mentioned earlier that you use the Zimmerman algorithm. Can you let me know your setting, meaning when do you water and what are your humidity, temp and rainfall setting and sensitivities.

Thanks again,

Bernd

[yellowgecko]

Okay I think I have an idea how to do that.

First I needed to understand how the %watering actually works. The Zimmerman is simply changing in the end in a sophisticated way the value and does this just before the start of a water event. Regardless the switch: use weather adjustment means that a program takes the %watering into account. So if the %watering is changed manually (but not by a weather adjustment method) the watering times are still adjusted if the value is not 100%.

Hence it is quite simple. Run a cron job that monitors evapotranspiration and changes the %watering via an api call.
e.g. http://ipadress:8080/co?pw=mypassword&o23=77 (sets the value to 77%).

So I think what should work beautifully is the following:

Set the sprinkling system to a regular schedule that waters you garden with say (just an example)

10mm of water every 5 days which refills it to 100%

Everyday, check the evapotranspration up to the last sprinkling event and if it is above 10 mm then water back to the 10 mm level.

If during the 5 days the sum of evaporation was below 10mm we again fill up to 10mm. (only what is really needed)

If levels are getting low but forecast has a high chance of rain in the next 24 hours we wait.

Best would be here to have a rain sensor to check if it has rained.

Finally if it rains we “reset” the schedule and start to count the 5 days again (amount of rain needs to be above 10 mm, if this is the reference).

So we simply need a script in say python that grabs all the bom data and changes the water levels/times according to those rules.
A minor difficulty is that there seems to be a lag from the BOM data (the evapotranspiration for the day before is not available before 3 pm afternoon the following day). So there needs to be some buffer in the fill ups to cover that half day.

One more (maybe stupid) question

When is the best time to water (early morning or later in the evening)
I thought in the morning just after sunset, but not sure where I read that.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Yes Bernd, thats a good interim approach.
But you’d need to test if the cron job get to the controller.
Currently the firmware update API call doesn’t work from a PC connected via ethernet to your WIFI router, so you’d need a separate PC, turned on all the time, connected to your WIFI router by WIFI, to send the call.

For other lurkers, here are a collection of relevant links I found helpful.

Where Ray suggests resetting the Weather Adjustment percent directly.
https://opensprinkler.com/forums/topic/weather-adjustment-with-interval-program-weather-averaged-over-interval-period/#post-42096

API documentation, choose your version
https://openthings.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000716363-os-api-documents

You can find version firmware you’re running on your controller webpage, main menu > about down the bottom e.g. ‘Firmware: 2.8.#’

You have to ‘hash’ your controller password, you did change it from opendoor?, otherwise the local kids will be hacking your front lawn sprinkler to hose the postman.

Zimmerman algorithm equation
https://openthings.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000017312-using-weather-adjustments

I’m assuming the algorithm adapts for regions that use celsius, if not, the temperature and rain change parameters needs to be -8% and temp 7.4%, this would be in the code.

Example of the Meteorology Bureau computed weather percentage; WaterWise Santa Barbara, adjusts every week, which I reckon would be fine for most domestic applications.
http://www.waterwisesb.org/

It would need to be scraped from the site or provided as an API by the relevant bureau.
This would be trivial for the Aust. BOM to provide in their agricultural bulletins.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN65176.shtml

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