Struggling on understand how to use allsky_fans module (experimental)

[spanzetta]

I have an RPI5 with DHT22 (connected to GPIO4) which works fine .. as I already enabled it to read temp/humidity with "Temperature monitor" module (allsky_temp)..

I now added an active cooler (connected to the 4 pin jst connector on RPI5 motherboard) which uses PWM
I can manually run it with specific commands from SSH (eg pinctrl FAN_PWM op dh -> the fan stops | pinctrl FAN_PWM op dl -> the fan goes 100%)
...
But I am struggling to understand how to use/configure with allsky_fans module (I would like to start fan when temp is above 30°) possibly using the Temp read by DHT22..

I tried many combination but I always get an error ("ERROR: fan pin not defined or invalid")

Screenshots

Tried with both Pin 12 and Pin 18 (even if I am not using any GPIO but the motherboard fan connector)

as written at https://github.com/AllskyTeam/allsky-modules/tree/master/allsky_fans
I added the following
On the PI 5 add dtoverlay=pwm-2chan,pin=12,func=4,pin2=13,func2=4 to /boot/firmware/config.txt

What am I doing wrong?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[Alex-developer]

For now I would avoid using PWM. The PWM support is vastly improved int he upcoming release

[spanzetta]

Sorry for the stupid question.. but when I run the command

admin@allsky:~ $ git clone https://github.com/AllskyTeam/allsky.git
fatal: destination path 'allsky' already exists and is not an empty directory.

how to manage?

Thanks

[Alex-developer]

Sorry for the stupid question.. but when I run the command

admin@allsky:~ $ git clone https://github.com/AllskyTeam/allsky.git fatal: destination path 'allsky' already exists and is not an empty directory.

how to manage?

Thanks

You cant clone into an existing folder. If you want to try v2025.xx.xx I would get another sd card and use that

Alex

[spanzetta]

Ok.. I already cloned the SD (just in case) .. but now how can I "upgrade" (you said it's possible) to the existing installation?
If I delete the current allsky folder I lose everything..
What is the procedure to setup it as an "upgrade"?
Or is it only possible to start from scratch.. so I should remove the current Allsky and install the new one?
Thanks

[Alex-developer]

Ok.. I already cloned the SD (just in case) .. but now how can I "upgrade" (you said it's possible) to the existing installation? If I delete the current allsky folder I lose everything.. What is the procedure to setup it as an "upgrade"? Or is it only possible to start from scratch.. so I should remove the current Allsky and install the new one? Thanks

For now I would not attempt an upgrade, I just found and am fixing an issue with overlays and fonts.

[spanzetta]

ok will wait then... when it's more complete (I understand is still a "work in progress") in order to test the allsky_fans module with PWM

I remind you the other pending point about MQTT ..

thanks

[spanzetta]

I am now using v2025.xx.xx and I configured the module as below.. but I get the following error..

What am I doing wrong?

_ERROR in /home/admin/allsky/config/myFiles/modules/allsky_fans.py: Fan 1 - Module use_pwm_fan_control - 663 - HTTPConnectionPool(host='localhost', port=8090): Read timed out. (read timeout=2)
INFO: FAN 2 skipped as its disabled

[spanzetta]

update... after added in config.txt the following..
dtparam=fan_temp0=0
dtparam=fan_temp0_speed=128

I now see that the module is apparently working (no more error as before)..

and I get data (to be used in Overlay editor (as

BUT..
apparently it remains NOT active .. even if I enable it, save it, exit, enter again, I see it again disabled..
But it seems it works even if it's apparently not active
Why?

Is it correct to have the fan commands in config.txt ?

Thanks

[spanzetta]

well I spoke too early.. it seems it works for a while and then the FAN value is not shown anymore..

[Alex-developer]

Few things here, the first error you got indicates the hte allsky server process isnt running. You can check this with

systemctl status allskyserver

Please paste the output of that command, it maybe a reboot was need to start it

Remove these lines they are not needed

dtparam=fan_temp0=0
dtparam=fan_temp0_speed=128

Assuming the allskserver is running set the debug level to 4 and wait for the fan problem to occur. Then post the support log and I will have a look

Thanks

Alex

[spanzetta]

well.. now it is working without doing anything (didn't even remove yet the dtparam lines in config.txt)
It is anwyay strange that the error was realted to Server process not running because.. it was indeed running..
Anyway I will monitor the situation.. for now apparently it's working
Thanks a lot

[spanzetta]

It is definitivelly working ;-)

[spanzetta]

well... sometimes it's happening again

_ERROR in /home/admin/allsky/config/myFiles/modules/allsky_fans.py: Fan 1 - Module use_pwm_fan_control - 663 - HTTPConnectionPool(host='localhost', port=8090): Read timed out. (read timeout=2)
INFO: FAN 2 skipped as its disabled

and when it happens.. to fix it I have to stop and restart Allsky (even if it was running also before)..
Any idea on why it happens?

[spanzetta]

I just found another problem with this module..

When the fan is (reported by Allsky) at 100% really it's running at about 3500rpm.. which is NOT 100%
100% is at about 9700rpm..
I checked it by using the command "pinctrl FAN_PWM op dl" which forse the fan at max speed..
Any clue?

[spanzetta]

found the reason..
the above happens after I've removed the below lines from config.txt

Ventola al 50% (128/255) da 0°C a 39°C

dtparam=fan_temp0=0
dtparam=fan_temp0_speed=128

Ventola al 100% (255/255) dai 40°C in su

dtparam=fan_temp1=40000
dtparam=fan_temp1_speed=255

putting them again makes the module working (100% = 9700rpm)

Is that ... "normal" ?

[spanzetta]

Still happening.. randomically.. and I still can't find the reason..

Sometimes it restart working with simple Allsky service restart .. Sometimes it needs a complete OS reboot..
Sometimes even a reboot doesn't fix it

Error is always the same

March 21, 10:26:35 AM 13 ERROR in /home/admin/allsky/config/myFiles/modules/allsky_fans.py: Fan 1 - Module _use_pwm_fan_control - 663 - HTTPConnectionPool(host='localhost', port=8090): Read timed out. (read timeout=2)

Why it happens??

[spanzetta]

to recap there are 2 issues here:

1. If I don't use the dtparam lines in config.txt .. the Module works but 100% is NOT really 100% (so the fan is always running very low)
   By using those lines .. 100% is really 100% (max speed mesaured with "cat /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon*/fan1_input" ) but there is some wrong interpolation about values based on CPU temp.. it's a kind of mix between values in config and in the allsky_fan module..

2. Sometimes (didn't understand in which situation (*)) the whole module stops working and the error is
   ERROR in /home/admin/allsky/config/myFiles/modules/allsky_fans.py: Fan 1 - Module _use_pwm_fan_control - 663 - HTTPConnectionPool(host='localhost', port=8090): Read timed out. (read timeout=2)

(*) UPDATE: using the backup for sure stops the Allsky_fans module working.. I can replicate this
It happens (I assume) because when doing the backup it Stops the server (but it takes sooo little time) and then it start again .. and then Allsky_fans module gives the error

[Alex-developer]

This looks like an iss with the allsky server

The "allsky server" is responsible for handling all IO on the pi. The error you are getting indicates that it's not running.

The easiest way to check is to goto the system page and check the watchdog tab

The backup does, in some circumstances, stop allsky as the files its backing up are constantly updated and this would break the backup.

I would remove the dtparam lines as they are not needed, both my cameras are using the fan module and dont need the dtparams

[spanzetta]

Dear @Alex-developer

the Server is absolutelly running.. I also checked the watchdog and it says it's running.. but sometimes the problem happens anyway (totally random in some situation with apparent no reason .. and also caused by backup consistently)

About #2 .. as explained .. if I remove dtparam lines the FAN works but at very low speed..
The module reports 100% but the fan is running at 3500rpm which is about 1/3 of the real max speed (about 9500RPM)
So there is an issue here for sure..
If I add the dtparam lines then 100% is really 100% of speed

[spanzetta]

Here is one example

but

even if the fan is really running:
admin@allsky:~/allsky $ cat /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon*/fan1_input
5812

[Alex-developer]

When you know its not working can you please try the following

curl http://localhost:8090/gpio/all

The back will cause the issue as allsky is stopped to do the backup.

I'll have a play around on my cameras here and see if I can replicate it outside of the backups

[spanzetta]

Sure.. will do..
Now that is working I have this output..
admin@allsky:~ $ curl http://localhost:8090/gpio/all
{"D0":{"mode":"unused"},"D1":{"mode":"unused"},"D10":{"mode":"unused"},"D11":{"mode":"unused"},"D12":{"mode":"unused"},"D13":{"mode":"unused"},"D14":{"mode":"unused"},"D15":{"mode":"unused"},"D16":{"mode":"unused"},"D17":{"mode":"unused"},"D18":{"mode":"pwm","frequency":1000,"duty":34733},"D19":{"mode":"unused"},"D2":{"mode":"unused"},"D20":{"mode":"unused"},"D21":{"mode":"unused"},"D22":{"mode":"unused"},"D23":{"mode":"unused"},"D24":{"mode":"unused"},"D25":{"mode":"unused"},"D26":{"mode":"unused"},"D27":{"mode":"unused"},"D3":{"mode":"unused"},"D4":{"mode":"unused"},"D5":{"mode":"unused"},"D6":{"mode":"unused"},"D7":{"mode":"unused"},"D8":{"mode":"unused"},"D9":{"mode":"unused"}}

Will check when it doesn't work

[spanzetta]

Strangely it's not happening anymore from a while

[spanzetta]

When you know its not working can you please try the following

curl http://localhost:8090/gpio/all

The back will cause the issue as allsky is stopped to do the backup.

I'll have a play around on my cameras here and see if I can replicate it outside of the backups

... but I was able to reproduce the issue by running the backup..
After a while the Fan speed is not shown anymore.. and in the module test I see the usual error
_ERROR in /home/admin/allsky/config/myFiles/modules/allsky_fans.py: Fan 1 - Module use_pwm_fan_control - 663 - HTTPConnectionPool(host='localhost', port=8090): Read timed out. (read timeout=2)

By using the command
curl http://localhost:8090/gpio/all
nothing happens.. no answer at all

But really fan is working.. if I use the command I see the speed

So apparently the problem is "just" that doesn't show the number.. but the FAN is working..

To solve the problem the only solution is an RPI reboot

Any idea where it could be the problem?

[Alex-developer]

Ok just to help me clarify the issue

1. Does the problem occur after the backup is finished? If so does the curl work?
2. When the fan speed isnt displayed what happens when you 'Test' the fan module i.e. what does the test results show

Thanks

Alex

[spanzetta]

1. yes... a couple of minutes after backup is finished .. and when the problem starts to occur the curl commands gives no answer
   answer

2. when the Fan is not displaying the value... the test command shows the error
   error