Troubleshooting Guide

Relevant source files

The following files were used as context for generating this wiki page:

• HomeSecurity/src/main.cpp
• HomeSecurity/README.md
• HomeSecurity/src/motion_logic.cpp
• HomeSecurity/src/wifi_manager.cpp
• HomeSecurity/src/pir_sensor.cpp
• HomeSecurity/src/alarm.cpp
• HomeSecurity/src/firebase_notifier.cpp
• HomeSecurity/include/led.h
• HomeSecurity/include/motion_logic.h

This guide provides solutions for common issues encountered with the HomeSecurity ESP32 system. It covers problems related to system startup, sensor functionality, WiFi connectivity, and alert notifications. The primary diagnostic tools are the onboard LED status indicators and the serial monitor output.

System Startup and Calibration

Problems during startup often relate to sensor calibration or initial task creation. The system is only fully operational after the PIR sensor calibration is complete.

Issue: Green LED does not turn ON

The Green LED indicates that the system is calibrated and ready. If it remains off, it signifies that the PIR sensor calibration has not finished.

• Symptom: The Green LED (GPIO 4) never illuminates after powering on the device.
• Cause: The calibratePirSensorTask is responsible for a 30-second calibration period. After this period, it calls turnGreenLedOn(). If this doesn't happen, the task may not be running or the timer condition is not met.
• Solution:
  1. Ensure the device has been powered on for at least 30 seconds.
  2. Check the serial monitor for the [SYSTEM] Initializare completă. Aștept calibrare... message, which confirms the setup() function completed.
  3. Verify the PIR sensor is correctly connected. The calibration task runs regardless of the sensor's state, but a faulty sensor might cause other issues.

The diagram below shows the startup and calibration flow.

WiFi Connectivity Issues

The system requires a stable WiFi connection to send notifications. The White LED provides a visual cue for the connection status.

Issue: White LED is OFF / No WiFi Connection

• Symptom: The White LED (GPIO 13) is off, and the serial monitor shows "Conectare esuata (timeout)!" or "Conexiune WiFi pierduta."
• Cause:
  1. Incorrect WiFi credentials (SSID/Password).
  2. The WiFi network is out of range or down.
  3. Connection times out after 15 seconds (WIFI_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT).
• Solution:
  1. Verify the WIFI_SSID and WIFI_PASSWORD in HomeSecurity/src/wifi_manager.cpp.
  2. Move the ESP32 closer to the WiFi router.
  3. Check the serial monitor. The WiFiCheckTask will periodically attempt to reconnect, printing status messages.

This flowchart illustrates the WiFi connection and auto-reconnect logic.

Sensor Malfunctions

Each sensor is linked to a specific LED for easy diagnosis. If a sensor is not behaving as expected, check its corresponding LED and the physical connections.

Component Pinout Table

Component	ESP32 GPIO	LED Indicator	LED GPIO
Hall Sensor	GPIO 33	Yellow	GPIO 19
PIR Sensor	GPIO 21	Blue	GPIO 18
Radar Sensor	GPIO 22	Red	GPIO 23
Buzzer	GPIO 25	N/A	N/A

Sources: HomeSecurity/README.md, HomeSecurity/include/led.h:6-10, HomeSecurity/include/hall_sensor.h:4, HomeSecurity/include/pir_sensor.h:6, HomeSecurity/include/microwave_sensor.h:6, HomeSecurity/include/alarm.h:5

Issue: PIR Sensor Not Detecting Motion (Blue LED Off)

• Symptom: The Blue LED (GPIO 18) does not turn on when there is clear movement in front of the PIR sensor.
• Cause:
  1. The system is still in its 30-second calibration phase (pirCalibrated is false).
  2. The PIR sensor is faulty or wired incorrectly to GPIO 21.
• Solution:
  1. Wait for the Green LED to turn on, indicating calibration is complete.
  2. Verify the wiring for the PIR sensor on GPIO 21.
  3. Check the handlePirMovementTask in motion_logic.cpp to ensure it's reading the sensor state correctly.

Sources: HomeSecurity/src/motion_logic.cpp:33-45, HomeSecurity/src/pir_sensor.cpp:20-31

Issue: Hall Sensor Not Triggering (Yellow LED Off)

• Symptom: Opening the door/window does not turn on the Yellow LED (GPIO 19).
• Cause: The Hall effect sensor is not detecting the absence of the magnet, or it is wired incorrectly.
• Solution:
  1. Confirm the sensor is connected to GPIO 33 and is configured as INPUT_PULLUP.
  2. Check the isHallSensorTriggered function; it should return true when the sensor pin reads HIGH.
  3. Verify the magnet's position relative to the sensor.

Sources: HomeSecurity/src/motion_logic.cpp:20-31, HomeSecurity/src/hall_sensor.cpp:3-15

Issue: Radar Confirmation Not Working (Red LED Off)

• Symptom: The Red LED (GPIO 23) never turns on, even with sustained motion after an initial alert.
• Cause:
  1. The motion is not continuous for at least 2 seconds. The handleRadarMovementTask has a 2000ms threshold.
  2. The radar sensor is faulty or wired incorrectly to GPIO 22.
• Solution:
  1. Ensure there is continuous movement in the sensor's range for more than 2 seconds.
  2. Check the serial monitor for [ALERT] Radarul detectează mișcare!.
  3. Verify the wiring for the radar sensor on GPIO 22.

Sources: HomeSecurity/src/motion_logic.cpp:111-133, HomeSecurity/src/microwave_sensor.cpp:6-16

Alert and Notification Failures

Alerts consist of a local audible alarm and a remote push notification. Failures can occur at either stage.

Issue: No Audible Alarm (Buzzer)

• Symptom: The buzzer on GPIO 25 does not sound when the PIR or Hall sensor is triggered.
• Cause:
  1. The triggerAlarm() function is not being called from possibleHumanMovementDetectedTask.
  2. The buzzer is wired incorrectly.
  3. The ALARM_DURATION is set to a very low value.
• Solution:
  1. Check the serial monitor for [ALARM] Alarma a fost pornită..
  2. Verify that triggerAlarm() is called when pirActive or hallActive is true.
  3. Confirm the buzzer is connected to GPIO 25. The alarm runs for ALARM_DURATION (default 3000ms) and is managed by handleAlarm().

Sources: HomeSecurity/src/motion_logic.cpp:52-55, HomeSecurity/src/alarm.cpp:7-30, HomeSecurity/include/alarm.h:6

Issue: No Push Notifications Received

• Symptom: The mobile application does not receive any push notifications.
• Cause:
  1. The ESP32 has no WiFi connection (White LED is off).
  2. The Firebase Cloud Function URL in motion_logic.cpp is incorrect.
  3. The FCM device token in motion_logic.cpp is invalid or expired.
  4. The sendNotification call is failing.
• Solution:
  1. First, resolve any WiFi issues.
  2. Check the serial monitor for logs from [FirebaseNotifier]. It will print the HTTP status code of the POST request. A code of 200 indicates success.
  3. Verify the FirebaseNotifier URL and fcmToken constants in HomeSecurity/src/motion_logic.cpp.
  4. The code uses client.setInsecure() to bypass SSL certificate validation, which is necessary for HTTPS calls to Google Cloud Functions on ESP32. Ensure this line is present.

The sequence diagram below shows the notification process.