[sudo-discuss] front door computer offline (but working?)

Thu Sep 29 09:04:42 PDT 2016

that sounds like we should replace the plug on the end of the cord.

maybe a grounded one will fit more snugly, especially a right-angle plug 
so that the cord can hang straight down.

On Thu, 29 Sep 2016, robb wrote:

> the 120v outlet that powers the 13.75v supply is still extremely janky.
> when you plug the cord in, it almost falls out of the outlet.
> the outlet is also 6ft up on the wall so the weight of the cord makes it
> even worse.
>
> the power to the door system is the least stable outlet in the whole
> building & it's powering the most crucial aspect.
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 29, 2016 at 12:59 AM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>
>> please do not install a UPS or battery system on the front door system.
>>
>> it already has one and has had one for the whole time it's been in that
>> box on the wall.
>>
>> i meant to say this awhile ago when Robb first mentioned wanting to add a
>> UPS, but I was not at a computer and able to respond.
>>
>> There is a 12-volt lead-acid battery in the cabinet on the wall, which is
>> kept float-charging by a regulated 13.75 volt power supply in there.
>>
>> Connected to the 12-volt battery is a "car charger" dual USB socket, which
>> takes the 12V from the battery down to 5 volts to two USB sockets.
>>
>> One of these sockets hosts a cord which powers the Beaglebone Black.
>> The other socket feeds a cord which is supplying power to a USB hub, which
>> connects the beaglebone to the magnetic stripe reader outside the door, and
>> to the arduino which activates the electromagnetic door latch, and the
>> speaker which makes happy and sad noises when people swipe their door cards.
>>
>> the arduino also monitors the voltage of the battery, and sudobot (our
>> IRCbot) alerts sudoroom members if the battery voltage starts dropping,
>> which is what happens if the AC power to the box gets unplugged.
>>
>> as you can see, another UPS will not help anything.  what we need is to
>> eliminate the ethernet hub/switch between the reliable door computer, and
>> the reliable server/internet infrastructure.
>>
>> this will be accomplished by routing the front door computer with the
>> dedicated ethernet cable Marc mentioned, which has already been run.
>>
>> thank you,
>> -jake
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 28 Sep 2016, robb wrote:
>>
>> i didn't install the 12v ups, yet, as the switch is 5v/3a
>>> might be easier to back the whole circuit w/ a 120v ups as the problem is
>>> usually it getting unplugged.
>>>
>>> the outlet is about 6ft on the wall & i was thinking we could install
>>> another outlet directly underneath w/o too much cutting.
>>> incidentally, this is also the circuit that aqua viva uses to heat water &
>>> may continue to get tripped.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 28, 2016 at 12:26 PM, <hol at gaskill.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> One of these badboys is all we need assuming we can keep a lead acid
>>>> battery charged nearby https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Step-down-
>>>> Transformer-Regulator/dp/B00C66B3PM/
>>>>
>>>> If there's already a wire nest we could also deadbug a TO-220 package
>>>> regulator into the fold.
>>>>
>>>> On 2016-09-28 12:07, hol at gaskill.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>> What is the input voltage to the switch, 7.5V?  I need to order some
>>>> switching regulators, can get an extra one that meets power needs of
>>>> switch
>>>> if we want to run from lead acid battery.  Alternately could boost from a
>>>> regular USB battery bank that stays plugged into a wall wart to top off.
>>>>
>>>> On 2016-09-24 17:47, robb wrote:
>>>>
>>>> i think those (myself included) who want a dedicated line should run it
>>>> at
>>>> our earliest convenience
>>>>
>>>> as to the power, wouldn't a ups be nice for between the wall outlet &
>>>> door
>>>> system?
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Sep 24, 2016 at 5:25 PM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> last week I power-cycled the front door beaglebone black and its ethernet
>>>>> interface started working again.  Before I did that, the ethernet port
>>>>> was
>>>>> not getting a link at all, even when connected to a known good cable.
>>>>>
>>>>> After the power cycle, its ethernet worked, but since I had not power
>>>>> cycled the USB hub and magstripe reader, it was giving errors until i
>>>>> rebooted it, and then it worked properly.
>>>>>
>>>>> well i spoke too soon, it just came back online by itself.
>>>>>
>>>>> The front door computer has a battery backup so that it can keep working
>>>>> even if the rest of the world disappears.  But we won't find out about
>>>>> it
>>>>> losing power unless it has a connection to the internet.
>>>>>
>>>>> presently it goes through at least one hub on the way back to the server
>>>>> area, and that hub does not have a battery backup, and apparently gets
>>>>> unplugged regularly.
>>>>>
>>>>> I still think we should have a dedicated CAT5 ethernet run from the
>>>>> front
>>>>> door to the server rack, since this is such important infrastructure.
>>>>>
>>>>> thank you
>>>>> -jake
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, 19 Sep 2016, Marc Juul wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Eh it's pretty far and going through a floor and the timeless infinite
>>>>>
>>>>>> light room. Let's not run that again if we can help it. I'll go check
>>>>>> on
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> in a bit. We could do a new run up to the public terminals and just
>>>>>> join
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> to the existing wire from the doorputer to get a dedicated run.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> marc/juul
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 8:02 PM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> the front door computer is still not on the network as far as i can
>>>>>> tell.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> i haven't seen sudobot talk (in irc) about the front door since 9/13
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> i'm assuming people are still able to use their cards to get in?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> we really need a dedicated CAT5 cable run from the front door computer
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> the server rack in sudoroom.  No hubs or switches along the way.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -jake
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sat, 17 Sep 2016, robb wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> reseated ethernet connections
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> the bbb's ethernet port leds blink
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> i noticed the power cord is miserably connected to the wall & the
>>>>>>>> ethernet
>>>>>>>> run takes an unfortunate journey under the rug between sudo to stage
>>>>>>>> door
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Fri, Sep 16, 2016 at 1:35 PM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> the front door computer does not appear to be on the network.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> i'm guessing people are still using their cards to get in, but if
>>>>>>>>> there's
>>>>>>>>> a problem, for example if it gets unplugged from electricity and
>>>>>>>>> switches
>>>>>>>>> to battery backup, we will not be notified and will not know to send
>>>>>>>>> help.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> can someone take a look at the ethernet situation over there and see
>>>>>>>>> why
>>>>>>>>> it's not getting back to the main network?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> -jake
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>>>>>>>>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>>>>>>>>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>
>