M800 and E888 - no communication

[timo]

Hello everybody

I'm having problems with an e888 can expander unit. There's no communication with the e888 no matter what I do...
Since there is no ducumented method to check the communication I hooked up a rotary switch to A22 (AV1) and also tried to ground a digital input B12 (DIG5). Then I checked the exInputs values but all remained constantly at 0. Nothing happened, neither the analog input changed nor the digital input.
The CAN communication setup is visible in the attached screenshot:

CAN_setup_2+3.jpg (32.56 KiB) Viewed 20624 times

(CAN 2 Data: 2, CAN 2 Address: 240,
CAN 3 Data: 9, CAN 3 Address: 243).
The CAN wiring was done according to the specifications mentioned in the e888 manual and includes two 100 Ohm termination resistors on each end of the trunk.
Since I wanted to know if the e888 is responding at all I logged the CAN communication with the CAN Inspector tool. I'm not sure if this tool can be used with the m800 but it logged some data. I'm not familiar with the motec CAN id's so I hope that someone more knowledgeable than me could have a look at the log and tell me if the e888 is visible (there are 3 different id's present).

CAN_Inspector.jpg (194.2 KiB) Viewed 20632 times

The whole file can't be posted because of it's file extension so I made a screenshot which shows the 3 different id's that were logged.
The e888 is a second-hand unit so it is also possible that it's defective...
If anyone has any other idea or hint let me know. I appreciate any help because I don't get any further with this!

Thanks and regards
Timo

[Sean]

You have both can 1 and can 2 set to 2 (e888 receive), with no address defined on can 1. I don't know if it's your problem, but I would try it with just one and see if it changes anything.

[timo]

Hi Sean

thanks for the prompt reply.
That happened accidently. I disabled CAN 1 and checked it again but still the same. No response from the e888.
I also already tried to assign other CAN channels (e.g. CAN 5 and CAN 6)to the e888 but it also made no difference.
I guess the activated CAN 1 was due to playin' around with the channels.

[Sean]

Check your can data rate under tools/options? I think the e888 only supports 1 m/bit?

Untitled.jpg (43.6 KiB) Viewed 20613 times

[adrian]

It is a little bit hard to tell only having a screen shot of the CAN log, but it looks like your E888 is on one of the alternative addresses. Your log shows 0x0F8 as the address so try changing CAN 2 Address to 248 and see if that works.

[timo]

Thanks for all the help gentlemen.

Check your can data rate under tools/options

Just did that and it was set to 1mbit by default.

It is a little bit hard to tell only having a screen shot of the CAN log, but it looks like your E888 is on one of the alternative addresses. Your log shows 0x0F8 as the address so try changing CAN 2 Address to 248 and see if that works.

That would make sense! I thought all e888 units are set to 240 (0F0), 243 (0F3). I wasn't aware of the fact that there are are also alternative CAN addresses. I'm out of town today but I'll check this tomorrow asap and will keep you updated.

Thanks again

[adrian]

The E888's can be set to 0x0F0, 0x0F4, 0x0F8 or 0x0FC that way you can have more than one on the same bus.

[Scott@FP]

When the ECU is connected via ECU Manager, do your injector outputs menu now read 'expander outputs'? It should do so once you've changed to an E888 transmit (value 9) on a CAN X Data channel, if it doesn't there's something goofy happening. What Mx00 software version? What E888 firmware?

[timo]

I made a step into the right direction today thanks to all your help. Special thanks to you Sean!
I changed CAN 2 address to 248 as Sean recommended and was able to read some sensor values for the first time (see attached screenshot).

E888_working.jpg (165.06 KiB) Viewed 20564 times

So I hooked up a pressure sensor and was able to measure fuel pressure.
Then I tried to configure the PWM1 output to light up a led but then the problems returned. No matter what configuration I used (lowside/highside, AUX Table or Driver Warning Alarm) the voltage level of the PWM1 remained constantly at 3,7V. I checked all the other PWM outputs and they were the same.
I guess I'm still having a CAN communication issue on the output. I already tried to change CAN 3 Address to 249 (0F9) but this resulted in some erratic behaviour of the software ( interruption of communication with m800)

When the ECU is connected via ECU Manager, do your injector outputs menu now read 'expander outputs'? It should do so once you've changed to an E888 transmit (value 9) on a CAN X Data channel, if it doesn't there's something goofy happening. What Mx00 software version? What E888 firmware?

Hi Scott. Yes, the injector outputs became expander outputs even with the "wrong" CAN settings. The m800 software is 3.54E. I'm not sure which firmware version is loaded to the e888 because I don't know who to check it. Can you tell me how to check the firmware version of the e888?

[Scott@FP]

Don't know how to check, but latest expander firmware (2.07?) is in the Utilities download.

Also keep in mind PWM 1,3,5,7 have different output properties than 2,4,6 and 8.

The outputs are in two groups (odd and even) with different characteristics as
follows:
Duty cycle for PWM1/3/5/7 is adjustable from 0 to 100% in 255 steps.
Frequency for PWM1/3/5/7is adjustable from 8Hz to 5kHz.
Duty cycle for PWM2/4/6/8 is adjustable from 0 to 100% in 20 steps.
Frequency for PWM2/4/6/8 is adjustable from 1Hz to 100Hz.

2,4,6 and 8 are more appropriate for switched outputs.