Door Troubleshooting

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Problem Reporting

To facilitate troubleshooting and debugging, if you have have a problem with the door system it is IMPORTANT to report it promptly and in detail, if you want us to look into it and, y'know, try to fix it.

ESPECIALLY, note the TIME and date of the problem, so we can look at the logs and see what the system reported at that time.

It is also helpful to report the numeric code for your RFID, if you can do so privately. Usually the numeric code is printed on your card or engraved on the side of the key fob.

Rebooting

So far the number one troubleshooting step has been to reboot the door hardware (specifically the RFID reader).

The hardware for the Jumonville Street entrance is in a gray metal box mounted on the wall, just inside the door, to the left (as you look at the door from inside).

The hardware for the Watson Street entrance is under the breaker boxes that are between the welding area and the garage door, i.e. to the left of the garage door, as you look at the garage door from inside. The Raspberry PI for the door system is in a small, black, 3D printed case.

Note that the hardware consists of four components:

  • RFID reader
  • Arduino
  • Raspberry PI
  • Electric door lock

If you're rebooting the system to attempt to solve a door function problem, it's important to make sure you reboot the whole system. In particular, make sure you reboot the RFID reader. To date every problem has been traced ultimately to the RFID reader hardware ceasing to send codes to the rest of the system. There have been zero documented problems with the software on the Raspberry PI or the Ardunio.

At the time of writing, the RFID reader for the Jumonville Street door system is powered from the same power plug that powers the Arduino, so unplugging/replugging the Arduino power supply should also reboot the RFID reader.

RFID Key Fobs

RFID Key Fobs for New Members

Unused, unactivated key fobs are on the clean side of the shop, near the steps to the bathroom/storage area, on top of the safe, in a transparent plastic container.

To be activate an RFID key fob, a board member must enter the key fob numeric code into the HackPGH member management system (Wild Apricot).

New Key Fob Activation Time Lag

Note that when activating key fobs for new members, it can take 5 to 20 minutes for a new fob to become active.

Pt seems to take some indeterminate amount of time for the new key fob data to percolate through Wild Apricot's systems and get to the API that the door software uses to download the membership list. Unfortunately, solving this is outside the scope of the HackPGH volunteers.

After the new key fob data becomes available via Wild Apricot's API, it must be downloaded by the door software. The door software downloads an updated membership list, including key fob numeric codes, every five minutes.

Note, originally the key reloading needed a fob swipe to activate it. The code loop for the reader runs when somebody swipes an RFID, and originally did the door stuff first, and only then checked for new records, to minimize the amount of code in between swiping and activating the door lock.

But apparently "swipe the fob twice" was too much for people, so now it checks for fresh downloads before it checks to see if the door should be unlocked.

RFID Key Fobs and Membership Status

The Wild Apricot membership management system automatically deactivates memberships when a membership lapses through non-payment. The RFID key fob will then cease to function with the door system.

RFID key fob functioning can be restored by reactivating your membership, by paying membership dues via the HackPGH website. Go to:

http://hackpgh.org

Click on "Login", and enter your username and password.

Then click on "Profile" and in the dropdown menu click on "Manage Profile"

That will take you to this page:

https://members.hackpgh.org/Sys/Profile

If your membership fees are due, this page should provide a form to pay them.

If for some reason you are unable to use online payment, contact a board member about paying in cash.