Smartmeter binding thing goes offline once in a while with bidirectional meter

[binderth (Thomas Binder)]

I’m using an Raspberry Pi 2B with an USB-connection and installed openHABian and openHAB3.2 stable and the “volkszaehler” IR-readout.

Worked fine with my onedirectional meter until yesterday. I got a new bidirectional meter for use with my PV and it works also, but once in a while, the Thing goes offline with “wrong crc” and comes up again afterwards.

2022-03-15 16:33:43.909 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:2Richtung' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc
2022-03-15 16:33:51.313 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:2Richtung' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE
...
2022-03-15 16:37:43.935 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:2Richtung' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc
2022-03-15 16:37:50.981 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:2Richtung' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE
...
2022-03-15 16:39:43.920 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:2Richtung' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc
2022-03-15 16:39:50.960 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:2Richtung' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE

This happens exactly every two minutes, the Thing is configured like this:

UID: smartmeter:meter:2Richtung
label: Smart 2Richtung Meter
thingTypeUID: smartmeter:meter
configuration:
  mode: SML
  refresh: 5
  baudrate: AUTO
  conformity: NONE
  port: /dev/ttyUSB_smartmeter
  baudrateChangeDelay: 0

(same configuration as with the onedirectional)

changed the refresh to 10secs and it seems to settle. Is the 5secs interval with bidirectional meters to fast for the Pi2?

edit:
The “wrong crc”-errors are a bit more seldom, but they’re still here.

[Tuny (Sebastian)]

Is the bidirectional meter from the same manufacturer?
The reading with optical probe and a “platinencomputer” is a little fragile I would say.
There are many aspects which can lead to a crc error.
I would check following things:

• the wire of the cables should not be too long and no bigger power cable should be in the nearer area.
• check if the probe (head) is on the meter in the right angle on the smart meter (there are receive and transmit IR-LEDs which have to work together).
• how many devices are connected to the USB Bus of your device? Maybe a limit is reached?
• I heard some had better results with this “Globuli”: Mantelwellenfilter – Wikipedia

@binderth

Is the 5secs interval with bidirectional meters to fast for the Pi2?

Maybe not for Pi2, but for the serial and optical communication to your smart meter in general? Smart meters are not known to have a big cpu
Do you really need the values in this fast interval?

[jensflorian]

Did you find a solution? I have a very similar problem on ttyUSB1 (RPI4) and playing around with the time doesn’t solve it (I‘m still running 3.4.5). I‘m using the wire coming with the device.

OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): The source did not signal an event for 38000 milliseconds and has been terminated.

2023-10-24 06:28:20.580 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘smartmeter:meter:25be22d450’ changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): The source did not signal an event for 38000 milliseconds and has been terminated. to ONLINE

2023-10-24 06:28:40.101 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘smartmeter:meter:25be22d450’ changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR)

2023-10-24 06:28:42.107 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘smartmeter:meter:25be22d450’ changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR) to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): No provider for port /dev/ttyUSB1 found

2023-10-24 06:28:54.169 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘smartmeter:meter:25be22d450’ changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): No provider for port /dev/ttyUSB1 found to ONLINE

2023-10-24 06:30:04.455 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘smartmeter:meter:25be22d450’ changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): The source did not signal an event for 38000 milliseconds and has been terminated.

2023-10-24 06:30:14.510 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing ‘smartmeter:meter:25be22d450’ changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): The source did not signal an event for 38000 milliseconds and has been terminated. to ONLINE

[msi (Marcel)]

Hey,
I have got a similar error. Newly installed meter (“mME”) of type Logarex LK13BE606749 “Zweirichtungszähler 11X20E01” built in 2022 with SW-Ver 06.
It roughly stays online for 1 minute (gathering one set of data), and then goes offline for a minute. It looks like this:

2024-08-30 22:39:05.345 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc

2024-08-30 22:40:08.280 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE

2024-08-30 22:41:09.311 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc

2024-08-30 22:42:12.300 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE

2024-08-30 22:43:13.341 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc

2024-08-30 22:44:16.273 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE

when I set the debug level to trace, the only relevant entries I could find are:

2024-08-30 22:38:05.719 [DEBUG] [org.eclipse.jetty.server.HttpOutput ] - write(array) s=OPEN,api=BLOCKING,sc=false,e=null aggregated !flush HeapByteBuffer@1a685f9[p=0,l=234,c=32768,r=234]={<<<event: message\ndata: {"to...ItemStateChangedEvent"}>>>wrong crc...\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00}

2024-08-30 22:38:05.721 [DEBUG] [org.eclipse.jetty.server.HttpChannel] - sendResponse info=null content=HeapByteBuffer@1a685f9[p=0,l=234,c=32768,r=234]={<<<event: message\ndata: {"to...ItemStateChangedEvent"}>>>wrong crc...\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00} complete=false committing=false callback=Blocker@d1d068{null}

The Thing looks like this:

UID: smartmeter:meter:0752974df0
label: Smart Meter
thingTypeUID: smartmeter:meter
configuration:
  mode: SML
  refresh: 60
  baudrate: AUTO
  conformity: NONE
  port: /dev/ttyUSB0
  baudrateChangeDelay: 0
channels:
  - id: 1-0_96-50-1
    channelTypeUID: smartmeter:1-0_96-50-1
    label: 1-0:96.50.1
    description: "Value for OBIS code: 1-0:96.50.1 with Unit: null"
    configuration:
      conversionRatio: 1
  - id: 1-0_96-1-0
    channelTypeUID: smartmeter:1-0_96-1-0
    label: 1-0:96.1.0
    description: "Value for OBIS code: 1-0:96.1.0 with Unit: null"
    configuration:
      conversionRatio: 1
  - id: 1-0_1-8-0
    channelTypeUID: smartmeter:1-0_1-8-0
    label: 1-0:1.8.0
    description: "Value for OBIS code: 1-0:1.8.0 with Unit: Wh"
    configuration:
      conversionRatio: 1

The reader is a “USB IR Lesekopf EHZ Lese-Schreib-Kopf Volkszähler Hichi Smartmeter”
The values which are actually read are ok:

2024-08-30 23:32:49.321 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc to ONLINE

2024-08-30 23:32:49.365 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_10180' changed from 69.1456 kWh to 69.14890000000001 kWh

2024-08-30 23:32:49.406 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_10182' changed from 18.248 kWh to 18.2513 kWh

2024-08-30 23:32:49.446 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_101670' changed from 97 W to 96 W

2024-08-30 23:32:49.459 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_107670' changed from 45 W to 43 W

2024-08-30 23:32:49.467 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_103270' changed from 236 V to 235.60000000000002 V

2024-08-30 23:32:49.483 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_105270' changed from 235.4 V to 235.5 V

2024-08-30 23:32:49.494 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_107270' changed from 236.5 V to 236.3 V

2024-08-30 23:32:49.513 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_107170' changed from 0.45 A to 0.44 A

2024-08-30 23:32:49.527 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_108171' changed from 119.4 ° to 119.10000000000001 °

2024-08-30 23:32:49.544 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_108172' changed from 239.60000000000002 ° to 239.5 °

2024-08-30 23:32:49.569 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_108174' changed from 18.7 ° to 18.5 °

2024-08-30 23:32:49.591 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_1081715' changed from 49.7 ° to 49.6 °

2024-08-30 23:32:49.615 [INFO ] [openhab.event.ItemStateChangedEvent ] - Item 'Smart_Meter_1081726' changed from 296.1 ° to 295.5 °

2024-08-30 23:33:50.377 [INFO ] [ab.event.ThingStatusInfoChangedEvent] - Thing 'smartmeter:meter:0752974df0' changed from ONLINE to OFFLINE (COMMUNICATION_ERROR): wrong crc

Any idea what I can do to debug the problem and/or avoid the thing going offline half of the time?
Thank you!