Problem with new Sonoff S20

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tedhts
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Problem with new Sonoff S20

#1 Post by tedhts » 04 May 2020, 20:19

Hi All, I successfully flashed a brand new Sonoff S20 numerous ways. Here's what I tried:
  • Compiled the latest Mega release (in Mac Arduino) and flashed the S20
  • Flashed the R120 stable binary from Windows (tried all three 512, 1024, 4096)
The flashes were all successful, but when I plug in the S20, it's dead. (Pressing and holding down the button whilst plugging it in.) I get no ESP network, nor do any lights on the device flash.

Is this hardware DOA? Am I missing something? It seems that I've tried numerous ways to get this S20 to work - even using two different environments (Mac, Windows) and compiled/used a binary. I'd greatly appreciate some advice... Many thanks!

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ThomasB
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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#2 Post by ThomasB » 04 May 2020, 21:15

The flashes were all successful, but when I plug in the S20, it's dead. (Pressing and holding down the button whilst plugging it in.) I get no ESP network, nor do any lights on the device flash.
Do NOT press and hold the button when plugging it in. The special button-press operation is reserved for flashing.
Reminder @Everyone: Do not plug a Sonoff device into mains power while flashing. Otherwise expect fire, mayhem, or worse.

If the ESP Network does not appear then use serial log and review the boot messages.

BTW, there won't be any LED activity. But after you have successfully connected you can use the Hardware configuration page to assigned the LED to WiFi.

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#3 Post by TD-er » 04 May 2020, 21:47

Some of the TH16 units I have here were also quite hard to get into flash mode.
It is just like the push button of these units is not such a firm push contact as you may want it to be.

Also you have to power it with an USB plug that's not only the USB to serial, but also has enough power capacity to power the ESP node with 3.3V at peaks of 500 mA.
Like Thomas explains, don't power it via mains when connecting to the PC.

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tedhts
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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#4 Post by tedhts » 04 May 2020, 23:38

Thank you Thomas and TD-er. I hope I haven't blown up the S20 by pressing the button whilst plugging it in (after flashing). So, I recreated my steps:
  • Connected 3.3v from my Arduino board to the S20 and held down the button.
  • Re-flashed the S20 from my Windows laptop using 1024 flash size and firmware R120.
  • I'm using a reliable Adafruit FTDI Friend to do the flashing. It completed successfully.
  • Removed all of the programming wires from the S20 and plugged it into AC, without holding down the button.
I don't see any ESP network created by the S20. Thomas, would you be so kind as to elaborate on how I use a serial log to check the status of the S20? I'm mostly a Mac/Unix guy, but I do have a Windows laptop.

Thank you so much - I feel like I'm almost there!

Image

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#5 Post by ThomasB » 05 May 2020, 00:54

... would you be so kind as to elaborate on how I use a serial log to check the status of the S20?
A serial terminal program and your FTDI adapter is needed for serial port debugging. I use PuTTY, but feel free to use your favorite terminal program. Serial port = 115.2K baud, 8 bit, 1 stop, No parity.

ESPeasy's serial log messages are disabled by default. But you should be able to see the kernel boot messages. They will allow you to confirm the board is successfully booting.

BTW, I see that you're using an Arduino UNO to power the S20. The Arduino board is typically 5V, whereas the ESPEasy requires 3.3V. The FTDI "Friend" board will also need to be configured for 3.3V operation. Running a ESP8266 on 5V can stress it and may harm the Flash memory chip.

Lastly, the R120 bin release is ancient (stone age era, before PUYA support). I highly recommended Flashing the latest Mega release instead.
https://github.com/letscontrolit/ESPEasy/releases
For example: ESP_Easy_mega-20200426_normal_ESP8266_1M.bin provided in the mega-20200426 release.

If the S20 still refuses to boot then visually inspect its ESP chip and report if it is the ESP8266 or ESP8285.

- Thomas

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#6 Post by tedhts » 07 May 2020, 17:16

Hi Thomas,

About the power from the Arduino: I'm using the 3.3v option on the board and pooling ground. Yes, 5v would be bad.

I downloaded the latest ESPeasy, flashed a 1024 blank image on the Sonoff S20 just to be safe, and successfully flashed the latest image. The log is attached. I still can't figure out how to connect to this bugger. I know I got a good flash. What else should I try? Thank you so much...

Code: Select all

######2020-05-07######
#######0.04.007#######
######FLASH INFO######
BIN file: ESPEasy_2step_UploaderMega_1024.bin
COM port: (COM3) FTDI USB Serial Port (Port_#0001.Hub_#0001)
Baud rate: 115200
######POST FLASH######
No post flash information entered...
######FLASH LOG######
[esptool.exe -vv -cd nodemcu -cb 115200 -cp COM3 -ca 0x00000 -cf "C:\Users\tedht\Downloads\ESPEasy-mega\ESPEasy-mega\dist\bin\ESPEasy_2step_UploaderMega_1024.bin"]
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM] esptool v0.4.12 - (c) 2014 Ch. Klippel <ck@atelier-klippel.de>
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting board to nodemcu
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting baudrate from 115200 to 115200
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting port from  to COM3
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting address from 0x00000000 to 0x00000000
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_upload_file
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_upload_mem
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1000 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM] opening bootloader
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM] resetting board
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM] trying to connect
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  flush start
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1000 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  flush complete
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command header
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  read 0, requested 1
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM] trying to connect
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  flush start
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1000 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  flush complete
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command header
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM] Uploading 276848 bytes from C:\Users\tedht\Downloads\ESPEasy-mega\ESPEasy-mega\dist\bin\ESPEasy_2step_UploaderMega_1024.bin to flash at 0x00000000
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  erasing flash
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  size: 043970 address: 000000
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  first_sector_index: 0
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  total_sector_count: 68
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  head_sector_count: 16
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  adjusted_sector_count: 52
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  erase_size: 034000
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command header
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 15000 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1000 ms
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:03:56 AM]  writing flash
[5/7/2020 11:04:05 AM] ................................................................................ [ 29% ]
[5/7/2020 11:04:14 AM] ................................................................................ [ 59% ]
[5/7/2020 11:04:23 AM] ................................................................................ [ 88% ]
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM] ...............................                                                  [ 100% ]
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM] starting app without reboot
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command header
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM] closing bootloader
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  flush start
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1 ms
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  setting serial port timeouts to 1000 ms
[5/7/2020 11:04:27 AM]  flush complete
[2020-05-07 11:04:27] DONE!
############################
[2020-05-07 11:04:27] The COM port was already in use... the post-flash did not complete.
[2020-05-07 11:04:27] JOB COMPLETED, over and out!

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#7 Post by ThomasB » 07 May 2020, 17:27

Instead of loading the special [2step_UploaderMega] bin you should flash with a [Normal] bin. For an example, see the file name I provided in my previous post.

To see the boot messages you'll need to use a serial serial terminal, as mentioned earlier. These messages will help confirm the board is booting.

- Thomas

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tedhts
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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#8 Post by tedhts » 07 May 2020, 18:53

Hi Thomas,

YOU ROCK! I successfully flashed the baby and connected it to my network. IT'S ALIVE... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

I think there's a way for me to contribute a donation to this effort. Kindly let me know the best way to do that.

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#9 Post by ThomasB » 07 May 2020, 19:27

I think there's a way for me to contribute a donation to this effort. Kindly let me know the best way to do that.
The two main developers (TD-er & Grovkillen) appreciate donations. Here are their links:
https://www.patreon.com/GrovkillenTDer
Or
http://ko-fi.com/GrovkillenTDer

- Thomas

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#10 Post by TD-er » 07 May 2020, 20:36

But contributions in the form of pull requests and very active forum contributions like ThomasB are also very much appreciated.

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Re: Problem with new Sonoff S20

#11 Post by grovkillen » 07 May 2020, 21:07

TD-er wrote: 07 May 2020, 20:36 But contributions in the form of pull requests and very active forum contributions like ThomasB are also very much appreciated.
Yes it takes care of a lot of issues for us! Thanks for all the support.
ESP Easy Flasher [flash tool and wifi setup at flash time]
ESP Easy Webdumper [easy screendumping of your units]
ESP Easy Netscan [find units]
Official shop: https://firstbyte.shop/
Sponsor ESP Easy, we need you :idea: :idea: :idea:

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