VL53L1X with ESP32 (I2C problems)

tile · May 6, 2019, 4:59pm

Hey there,

I recently bought the VL53L1X board and am trying to get it to work with a ESP32 Dev. Board (DOIT v1).

Sadly I always get these I2C error messages:
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1

I thought i might need to add pull-up resistors, but then i saw there are already ones on the board connected to VIN/VDD. I connected the voltage to VDD, because of the ESP32 providing 3.3V.

Also what’s kind of disturbing to me is that the first measurement works fine, but after that not a single valid one appears.

Serial Print:

12:22:58 06/05/2019: WiFi RSSI:-82, Entfernung VL53L1X: 170 cm
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
12:22:59 06/05/2019: WiFi RSSI:-81, Entfernung VL53L1X: 0 cm
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
12:23:00 06/05/2019: WiFi RSSI:-81, Entfernung VL53L1X: 6435 cm

I checked the I2C connection with a scanner and it seems to work:

TIME    DEC     HEX             50      100     200     300     400     500     600     700     800     [KHz]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
74079   41      0x29            V       V       V       V       V       V       V       V       V

1 devices found in 447 milliseconds.

My code regarding the VL53L1X is pretty much the same as your example (I’m using the Arduino framework for ESP32 and your library for the sensor):

#include <Wire.h>
#include <VL53L1X.h>

unsigned long prevmillis = 0;

VL53L1X sensor;

void setup() {
  Wire.begin(21,22);
  Wire.setClock(400000); // use 400 kHz I2C
  sensor.setTimeout(50);

  if (!sensor.init(false))
  {
    Serial.println("Failed to detect and initialize sensor!");
  }
  else{
    sensor.setDistanceMode(VL53L1X::Long);
    sensor.setMeasurementTimingBudget(50000);
    sensor.startContinuous(50);
  }
  delay(1000);
}

void loop() {
 long vl53l1x = sensor.read();
 if((millis() - prevmillis) >= 1000){
    prevmillis = millis();
	Serial.print(NTP.getTimeDateString());
    Serial.print(": WiFi RSSI:");
    Serial.print(WiFi.RSSI());
    Serial.print(", Entfernung VL53L1X: ");
    Serial.print(vl53l1x);
    Serial.print(" mm");
	}
}

Also I think it could be, that i destroyed something on the board while soldering the pins onto it, because the tip of the soldering iron was actually too big.

Thanks for your help!

AmandaS · May 6, 2019, 9:05pm

Hello.

It looks like something might be interfering with the ESP32’s I2C after the first reading of the VL53L1X sensor. Can you disable the WiFi feature and see if that changes anything? We are not very familiar with the ESP32, so if the issue persists, I suggest posting about your issue on the ESP32’s forum, as it has a much larger community that focuses specifically on ESP32s.

- Amanda

tile · May 7, 2019, 8:23am

Hello Amanda, thanks for your fast answer!

I uploaded your example sketch without any WiFi or other things to the board and the error still appears.

After the following 3 tests it seems that it is really because of bad connection/soldering:

// TEST 1

[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2069
2088
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2097
2097
2099
2099
2093
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2081
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2096
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2098
2079
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2076
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2094
2102
2102
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2089
2089
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2067
2075
2075
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2094
2062
2067
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
1256
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2191
2191
2073
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2098
64351
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2214
2214
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2052
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2062
2062
2070
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2073
2082
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2083
2064
2077
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
64351
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2204
2195
2195
2089
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
64351
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
0 TIMEOUT
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
2085
64351
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
2085
2085
2085
2085
  
// TEST 2
 
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
195
195
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
224
227
64351
442
230
230
230
225
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
229
224
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
231
64351
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
411
411
408
228
228
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
228
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
228
227
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
228
224
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
228
228
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
225
225
226
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
226
225
112
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
425
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
226
229
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
231
238
237
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
243
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
241
249
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
246
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
251
258
258
258
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
0 TIMEOUT
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
64351
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
258
258
64351
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
258
258
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=1, scl=1
258
 
// TEST 3
 
[E][esp32-hal-i2c.c:1426] i2cCheckLineState(): Bus Invalid State, TwoWire() Can't init sda=0, scl=0
Failed to detect and initialize sensor!

Or do you think it still could be an issue with the ESP’s I2C? I also tried to lower the frequency to 100kHz, which doesn’t seem to make a difference.

Thanks again for your help!

AmandaS · May 7, 2019, 6:53pm

It is not clear to me what happened between the three test results you posted. (Were you moving the I2C wires between your ESP32 and the VL53L1X between tests to see if there was a connection problem?) Without seeing close-up pictures of your soldering connections, I cannot say if the issue is due to bad soldering.

Possibly, however, I think the ESP32 forum is probably a better place to ask this question and get further assistance for your ESP32 dev board.

By the way, I did a quick search on the Internet for I2C issues on the ESP32 platform and found these open I2C issues on the Espressif Systems’ Arduino core for ESP32 WiFi chip repository’s GitHub page. It looks like there might be an issue with the ESP32’s I2C code. You might consider posting about your issue there.

- Amanda