I2C bus problem with INA219 - SDA is held low on the bus

ESPHome
1

Hi,
I can’t figure out how to solve this problem.

“Recovery: failed, SDA is held low on the bus”

I removed every component and breadboard and now I have only the INA219 (current sensor) connected to the board, with direct jumper wires.
I replaced the nodemcu with a new board, no luck.
I replaced the sensor with a new one, no luck.

thanks in advance for any suggestion!

esp8266:
  board: nodemcuv2

(...)

i2c:
  sda: D2 #GPIO4 
  scl: D1 #GPIO5

sensor:
  - platform: ina219
    address: 0x40
    shunt_resistance: 0.1 ohm
    power:
      name: "$device_name watt"
      id: desklamp_power_watt

log:
[02:10:09][C][i2c.arduino:052]: I2C Bus:
[02:10:09][C][i2c.arduino:053]: SDA Pin: GPIO4
[02:10:09][C][i2c.arduino:054]: SCL Pin: GPIO5
[02:10:09][C][i2c.arduino:055]: Frequency: 50000 Hz
[02:10:09][C][i2c.arduino:064]: Recovery: failed, SDA is held low on the bus
[02:10:09][I][i2c.arduino:068]: Results from i2c bus scan:
[02:10:09][E][i2c.arduino:076]: Unknown error at address 0x08
[02:10:09][E][i2c.arduino:076]: Unknown error at address 0x09
[02:10:09][E][i2c.arduino:076]: Unknown error at address 0x0A
(…)
|02:10:09|[C]|[ina219:133]|INA219:|
|02:10:09|[C]|[ina219:134]|Address: 0x40|
|02:10:09|[E]|[ina219:137]|Communication with INA219 failed!|

1 Like
2

Double check your wiring. Do you have SDA incorrectly connected to ground (or SCL)?

Do you have the correct board definition?

3

Thanks. Wiring is very straight on the two pins SCL and SDA.
Board is the Amica nodemcuv2 esp8266, SDA and SCL are on D1/D2.

I’ll try to test a I2C oled on those pins.

4

Hello again, I connected a I2C display on D1 and D2 pins and it works when INA219 is not connected.
When I connect the INA219 sensor the bus reports the error above.
Two INA219 sensors gives me the same error. Both are failed? Sounds strange.
IMG_1927 Small

6

The soldering of the pins in the photo looks pretty average !! Have you checked the modules with a multimeter for a short to ground ??

1 Like
7

Hi Gaz, you are right soldering is not very nice.
I checked this module and also a brand new just arrived, with no soldered pins: SDA to GND measures 3.9 to 4.2 M Ohm on all modules.

I tried compiling a sketch with standard example for INA219 on Arduino IDE and sensor is not found.

8

I haven’t figured out how to solve this. Ordered a new sensor and I have the same issue. The I2C bus is fine cause I have a display connected and working.

I solved measuring the current with an external smart plug on Home Assistant and using it as a sensor in this esphome device.
Oversized but working.

9

Weird, I definitely have these boards working with ESPHome.

Screenshot 2023-01-25 at 08-54-21 Administration – Home Assistant
Screenshot 2023-01-25 at 08-54-21 Administration – Home Assistant503×753 155 KB 

i2c:
  sda: 33
  scl: 32
  scan: true
  id: bus_a

sensor:
  - platform: ina219
    address: 0x40
    shunt_resistance: 0.1 ohm
    current:
      name: "12V Current"
      filters:
        - multiply: -1
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    power:
      name: "12V Power"
      filters:
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    bus_voltage:
      name: "12V Bus Voltage"
      filters:
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    shunt_voltage:
      name: "12V Shunt Voltage"
      filters:
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    max_voltage: 15.0V
    max_current: 3A
    update_interval: 6s

  - platform: ina219
    address: 0x41
    shunt_resistance: 0.1 ohm
    current:
      name: "5V Current"
      filters:
        - multiply: -1
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    power:
      name: "5V Power"
      filters:
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    bus_voltage:
      name: "5V Bus Voltage"
      filters:
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    shunt_voltage:
      name: "5V Shunt Voltage"
      filters:
        - sliding_window_moving_average:
            window_size: 10
            send_every: 10
            send_first_at: 1
    max_voltage: 6.5V
    max_current: 3A
    update_interval: 6s
10

I had exactly the same problem - I2C bus do not get recognizable info from device.
Wasted lots of time on getting it working - tried 5 units(seller sold those as a batch) and none of them worked.
Finally ordered the same device from another seller and it worked without any problems.
And then I also realized the difference - the shunt resistor is marked “R10” on non working module. I googled about this and the first result leaded me here:)
So, seems that if the shunt resistor is R10 and not R100 then there is a big change that it’s not working.

1 Like
11

did you measure the actual shunt resistance ?