I am just starting a thread here to see if anyone else is seeing an issue where their Heltec V3 node randomly factory resets? I have been making small portable nodes for people in my community, and a couple people have reached out to me about a problem they’ve seen with their device. In short, the device will randomly factory reset itself and act as though it was never programmed. As such, the node loses it’s node DB, and all configuration options Including the ADC offset. (which is important especially for my customers that are a little less tech savvy).
Has anyone else seen this issue? Please reply if so! I would like to get as many details as possible so I can post an issue to GitHub if needed.
This issue has been seen on 2.3.4, 2.3.6, and 2.3.10. I have not tried to monitor the serial because of how infrequently and unpredictably this occurs.
I have seen this. But very infrequent - 3 times in last 6 months. This is on a ‘portable’ node, runs on a battery. Just a small lithium battery connected directly to the Heltecs battery connector.
Actually last time last week, currently running heltec-v3 2.3.6.7a3570a. Its always happened when left for a while. Never happened while connected to a power or a host device. Its always just put it back on charge as dead, and find it been reset.
Not totally sure, but I THINK it happens, when the battery gets low. The device ends up power cycling.
The battery runs down, and power cut off. After a while the battery recovers, and powers on the device. It boots but then cuts out (probably after a power spike for radio?)
… have seen this where the screen comes on, starts botting, and then just shuts off. Assume its the battery protection on the battery itself.
Presume this happens repeatedly, until it cuts out at just the wrong time, that the flash is corrupted, forcing a factory reset. I’ve no idea if there is explicit code that tries to catch power cycling and forces a reset. In theory it could be ‘self protection’ - assuming the crashing on boot is a some sort of error.
I thought I was taking crazy pills. I’m really new to Meshtastic, & I’m having the same problems w/ all of my Heltec v3’s. I’m on firmware 2.4.2. I’m going to keep looking for a fix! Frustrated…
How it happens for me : Heltec V3 runs out of Battery, restarts a few times near 0 % Battery, looses all Settings. Especially Annoying if a Solar Node runs out during the Night and gets powered by the solar Panel in the Morning.
Factory Reset does not happen on 2.3.15, and I am currently Testing 2.4.1.
The Reset on few unsuccessful boots happens on 2.5 and 2.4.2
At least that is how the error manifests on the heltec v3 boards I have here.
Cant use the new firmware because of Resets when the power runs out.
Just saw the thread on the github, and your hack. So it seems like some files are not readable and you added a piece of code that retries to read the files for booting. I can program arduino, too and I am thinking about further helping with meshtastic. So far, I have only been able to flash the Heltec with the web flasher, but it seems like its possible with the Arduino IDE ? Just a DM with a link on where to start reading would help me
According to the devs the problem seems to be a bit more complex. My “workaround” only shifts the problem around but doesn’t fix it.
For now it looks to be a problem with the brown-out detection of the ESP32 and a logic bug. The latter one has a first patch proposal already in the queue.
Hello all, new here…but I’ve had the same issue just last week with a v3 board running on a small battery and a solar panel plugged in to the charge port. I had it on the truck to charge for like 2hrs, but when I came back, it was in the shade and the node was factory reset….ive seen the little charge light flicker in weak sunlight, I’m assuming it’s a voltage issue that causes the problem and it resets. Hopefully later Revs can adjust for this?
