ThingsOnEdge 'Crickets'

FreePoet

I didn't think I'd end up at MSE when looking for information on the IOT Cricket, and

I've found more information here than anywhere else!

I have several version 1 Cricket devices, and a couple of the version 2 devices.

The version 1 devices relied on a server run by thingsonedge, this server is no longer

running, so I can no longer re-progam these devices, but they are however still running,
so I can't make changes, but it's not a complete disaster.

The version 2 devices arn't currently being used, and are unlikely to be used now.

It would be useful if the version 1 server code was published on github (opensource), so someone
could get a server running.

alanwsg

Mine are all version 2 devices and I've tried pretty much everything I can think of but can't get them to switch back to 'local' mode.

I'm using Raspberry Pico-W devices now, pretty pleased with them actually.
They're obviously much more flexible than the crickets, I'm using them with DB18X20 sensors for temperature readings.

My first 'long-run' test on a 2600mAh 18650 just ended this morning.
It ran for 32 days before going flat - that's waking every 10 mins, reading a DB18X20 sensor, connecting to WiFi, sending data via MQTT and then going back into deepsleep().

sebtomato

alanwsg said:

My first 'long-run' test on a 2600mAh 18650 just ended this morning.
It ran for 32 days before going flat - that's waking every 10 mins, reading a DB18X20 sensor, connecting to WiFi, sending data via MQTT and then going back into deepsleep().

I guess it's not a bad running time, but that's where the Crickets excelled: running on AA batteries for months or years.

alanwsg

sebtomato said:

I guess it's not a bad running time, but that's where the Crickets excelled: running on AA batteries for months or years.

Yes, the crickets ran for about 10 months doing the same.

But on the plus side, I can hook up multiple DB18X20's to a single Pico-W instead of just one.
And also other sensors such as humidity and switches.
And changing a battery once a month is something I can live with - so, swings & roundabouts.

sebtomato

alanwsg said:

sebtomato said:

My script that was connecting to mqtt.thingsonedge.com has stopped working too in recent days.

I had a reply from Sylwester Bala (Their CEO), they've gone bust and shutdown COTA and MQTT services.

He says we can still use them in 'Local' mode - i.e. connecting to the toe_device network but I can't get it to work, I can connect but never get the config page before the device drops the connection.

I have tried today, and same for me:

• I press the button for 5 seconds
• Blue light is flashing quickly
• Cricket wifi network is created
• My device joins the wifi network
• I can't get to the config page
• Wifi network drops soon after, doesn't stay on

Looks like they basically killed all the Cricket devices before they went bankrupt, instead of allowing for some local config instead.

sebtomato

alanwsg said:

sebtomato said:

With wifi on all the time, 3 days is already an achievement. Even if wifi is off and Pico is on standby/low power/sleep mode, I don't think it will run for more than several weeks.

I've setup a Pico W to send it's internal temperature over MQTT every 15 mins.
In between it disables WiFi and sleeps.
It's running on a single 18650
We'll see how long it last.

How long did you get?

alanwsg

sebtomato said:

How long did you get?

38 Days before the battery voltage dropped to 2.7V
It would have carried on but I decided that was good enough & I didn't want to deep-discharge the cell.

I have another test running with a DB18X20 attached, I wanted to see if it made any difference.
It's currently been going for 30 days, cell voltage is down to 3.20V from 3.76V
I think it's going to last longer.