SparkFun RTK Facet won't turn on

I just got a SparkFun RTK Facet in the mail yesterday, and it will not turn on. I’ve charged it for over 24 hours now. Holding the power button for any length of time does not produce any feedback from the LCD screen, which remains black.

Hi Josh - Sorry to hear it!

Does the charge LED ever illuminate?

Press and hold the power button for ~15 seconds. This should force the unit to shut off. Attach a USB cable. Now press and hold the power button for ~4 seconds. This should turn the unit on. With the USB cable attached do you see any devices enumerate on your computer?

Yes, the “charging” LED illuminates, but not the display LEDs.

When I plug the USB into the computer and hold power for 15 seconds, I hear the “Windows device disconnect” sound. When I then hold for 4 seconds, I hear the “Windows device connected” sound. Although I can’t tell from device manager what new device got added.

But there’s nothing on the LED.

Ok sounds like the unit is turning on but the display may be failing.

You are welcome to return the unit at any time and we’ll troubleshoot it for you.

If you’d like to troubleshoot a bit yourself, please open device manager, establish the COM port, and open a terminal window. Here’s the docs: https://sparkfun.github.io/SparkFun_RTK … #rtk-facet

Once you’ve got a serial connection, press a key to open the serial menu, then ‘s’ for system status. Please report back what you get. I’m interested to see if the Display is reporting as online or offline.

I actually need a functioning unit ASAP. I ordered with overnight delivery which cost an extra $50 so that could use it on Monday. And I have crews that are waiting for me to mark points on a project. Could you please send me a new one overnighted and I’ll return this one in the same packaging. Thanks.

Ok - Please get in touch with Customer Service immediately: https://www.sparkfun.com/returns

Since I’m still waiting for an RMA, I did more digging into the forums. Looks like lots of people have been having trouble.

I came across one where you told them to upload the i2c_scanner and run it. I did that, and no I2C devices are found:

I’m going to try removing the display since it sounds like in some of the other forum answers, this doesn’t void the warranty. This is how another user fixed theirs.

The second I remove the display board, two I2C devices start showing up.

Now I’m going to unglue the display to see if there’s a kinked connection like another poster experienced.

I have no idea how I did it exactly, but I was able to get RTK 2.1 firmware on there using voodoo. Problem is if 1.10 is installed, nothing at all works (can’t serial, no bluetooth showing, etc). If I install a newer version, it crashes when the display board is attached. But somehow I timed it JUST right where I was able to attach the display board, hit the power button, hold it down for 10 seconds, then remove the display board before it crashed. Now I have version 2.1 running WITHOUT the display board attached. It took about an hour or so of just guessing and uploading different firmware versions and plugging and unplugging components.

The second I attach the display board back, everything breaks again.

Can you just send me a new one of those? Along with the power button, which seems half-broken, too.

Is there a way to power this thing on without attaching that display board, or do I have to try my voodoo magic trick again when the battery runs out?

Yep- you are welcome to take it apart or return it and we’ll get it fixed. Replacing the display board is one of the hardest ones to do. Give me your order number and I’ll PM you to get a replacement display in the mail.

It looks like I’m in good company. I received a new Facet last weekend, but it’s DOA. How disappointing. No life on the display. I opened up the Facet and find the STAT LED on one of the boards seems to respond (on and off) to pressing the on/off switch. The battery-charging LED seems to work – on for a while as it charges, then turns off.

I have geolocation work planned for later this week, so need the gadget working as soon as possible.

What is the quickest way to get a working unit? I’m comfortable with swapping a PCB, if that’s the answer. Thanks.

@G. Trachier - Sorry to hear it. Please give me your order number and we can get you a replacement display board shipped.

Sparky,

Earlier today I sent you a private message with the order number. Did you get it? New display board shipped yet?

Also… Tomorrow I’ll connect a USB cable to the Facet and check out diagnostic messages with a serial terminal application.

Thanks.

Yep - replacement shipping today.

I’ve connected CoolTerm to the Facet’s USB port. First, two ports appear as choices for connection:

usbserial-14220

usbmodem142101

No joy when the “serial” port is selected. When the “modem” port is selected, I get one-second bursts of data, possibly beginning and ending with binary information. Looks like probable legit data. Pressing keys to get the menu has no effect - data stream continues.

Any suggestions for getting the setup and diagnostics menu?

-Gary

µb…0’˚…›…T…©0…Käµb…..Ÿ˚.Ê…97…ú„…Í.†˝À‘èüˆ.0…ôÑ…F…˝ˇˇˇˇˇˇˇ…Ä®…ö…l.B>…»µ$GNRMC,162757.00,A,4333.55862,N,07228.97261,W,0.011,080622,A,V*07

$GNVTG,T,M,0.011,N,0.020,K,A*3F

$GNGNS,162757.00,4333.55862,N,07228.97261,W,AAAA,21,0.83,361.6,-32.9,V*20

$GNGGA,162757.00,4333.55862,N,07228.97261,W,1,12,0.83,361.6,M,-32.9,M,*70

$GNGSA,A,3,01,03,14,06,17,19,1.54,0.83,1.29,1*0F

$GNGSA,A,3,66,82,79,65,81,1.54,0.83,1.29,2*0D

$GNGSA,A,3,30,34,02,36,1.54,0.83,1.29,3*01

$GNGSA,A,3,12,21,23,25,34,11,1.54,0.83,1.29,4*04

$GPGSV,2,1,07,01,19,051,19,03,40,073,25,06,49,235,26,11,09,231,16,1*64

$GPGSV,2,2,07,14,47,161,26,17,73,029,40,19,64,313,40,1*55

$GPGSV,2,1,05,01,19,051,15,03,40,073,35,06,49,235,27,14,47,161,16,6*64

$GPGSV,2,2,05,17,73,029,32,6*5E

$GPGSV,1,1,03,02,07,237,12,05,318,24,16,299,0*5A

$GLGSV,2,1,06,65,17,038,18,66,20,097,22,78,00,173,07,79,42,201,34,1*77

$GLGSV,2,2,06,81,52,031,30,82,55,292,34,1*75

$GLGSV,2,1,06,65,17,038,18,66,20,097,15,78,00,173,12,79,42,201,23,3*73

$GLGSV,2,2,06,81,52,031,32,82,55,292,29,3*79

$GLGSV,2,1,05,67,00,142,73,12,334,80,50,297,83,16,259,0*79

$GLGSV,2,2,05,83,16,259,0*4E

$GAGSV,2,1,05,02,41,168,22,18,53,289,34,30,67,264,35,34,78,271,37,2*7F

$GAGSV,2,2,05,36,43,050,37,2*40

$GAGSV,2,1,05,02,41,168,34,18,53,289,26,30,67,264,42,34,78,271,34,7*7D

$GAGSV,2,2,05,36,43,050,32,7*40

$GAGSV,1,1,04,04,02,033,09,05,081,15,26,241,27,22,317,0*74

$GBGSV,2,1,06,11,69,032,35,12,22,071,18,21,26,081,32,23,44,257,40,1*7D

$GBGSV,2,2,06,25,25,198,28,34,50,063,35,1*7B

$GBGSV,1,1,03,11,69,032,23,12,22,071,25,14,07,156,25,3*4D

$GBGSV,1,1,02,22,08,032,28,17,267,0*73

$GNGLL,4333.55862,N,07228.97261,W,162757.00,A,A*6A

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,-24.2,4.8,-7.3,-5.7,0.9,0.0,1,1*4A

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,0.0,1,5*7A

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,0.9,-2.3,14.2,-7.7,-0.3,1,6*68

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,10.3,3.6,-2.9,6.0,-4.1,2,1*42

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,32.7,2.9,16.3,25.3,2.3,2,3*43

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,-0.8,-0.4,-6.0,1.3,3,2*74

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,-0.8,2.9,1.7,-4.2,3,7*57

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,0.8,2.6,0.5,0.2,-1.6,-1.3,4,1*5B

$GNGRS,162757.00,1,2.7,0.0,0.0,-1.9,4,3*77

$GNGST,162757.00,34,5.3,2.6,150,1.9,1.4,3.9*7F

$GNZDA,162757.00,08,06,2022,00,00*74

$GNGBS,162757.00,1.9,1.4,3.9,*58

µb…Ÿ˚…›…T…ë4…

usbserial-14220 - This is the ESP32 that is what you want to connect to. Upon connecting you should get a serial update every 5s or so display battery status. Connect at 115200bps. For driver install see: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/ho … ll#mac-osx

usbmodem142101 - This is the ZED. It will output NMEA and binary encoded UBX packets that start with ‘µb’. You won’t do any config from here.

Anyone ever find a fix for this? It seems that there have been many with this problem including myself. Is there any hope of it ever working?

Hi Bridgebldr - I’ll help you on your original thread.

Have you ever been able to use this? Seems like there are no solutions on any of these. Does everyone just give up?

I had the same issue that was narrowed down to be related to the LCD display board / Power button. I opened up the unit and could switch it on from the internal button that is on the other side of the board, and the unit turned on fine (and the LCD was OK). I didn’t have the time to wait for a replacement board, so went ahead and RMA’d my Facet to the supplier in the UK. Hope that helps others.