Arduino serial monitor timeout/freeze?

[ECEdesign]

I am working on a project using a TI ADS1220 24bit ADC and have the voltage output sent to the serial monitor.  This seems to work fine (the voltage measurements are quite accurate compared to my 34401A) but after a few minutes it will keep updating but the value will be stuck (i.e instead of small changes due to noise the exact same value is repeated).  The time that is required before it goes into this timeout seems to vary.  It is interfaced over SPI, I'm not sure what would cause something like this.  Any ideas?

[retrolefty]

I would suggest you test it again but with using an independent serial terminal program rather then the Arduino IDE serial monitor. Many free ones are available, I use brey terminal.

[ECEdesign]

Interesting, Ill give it a go.

[obiwanjacobi]

Could be a SPI error that freeze up the ADC?
Could be a program error (SPI)?
[2c]

[HwAoRrDk]

I noticed with a quick skim read of the datasheet for the ADS1220 that it can be configured in either 'single-shot' or 'continuous' mode. Could it perhaps be that it is somehow accidentally entering 'single-shot' mode? That could explain the same value being read from it over-and-over. I also note that single-shot mode is the power-on default config. Would be good to check the chip is not somehow being reset.

By the way, if you're on Windows, PuTTY makes for a good serial terminal. I use it with Arduinos for monitoring serial output when I don't feel like firing up the IDE.

[Aodhan145]

By the way, if you're on Windows, PuTTY makes for a good serial terminal. I use it with Arduinos for monitoring serial output when I don't feel like firing up the IDE.

Ahahahah is that a joke it is the biggest pile of shit I have ever went near. It is unresponsive to the serial if you have it in the background for too long. It has no decent options. Hterm is the best serial terminal I used. It is useful for debugging things with micros as well as it has all the needed options.

[HwAoRrDk]

Ahahahah is that a joke it is the biggest pile of shit I have ever went near. It is unresponsive to the serial if you have it in the background for too long. It has no decent options. Hterm is the best serial terminal I used. It is useful for debugging things with micros as well as it has all the needed options.

Never had any problems like that myself. I only suggested PuTTY because it's free, quick and convenient to use. I'm sure it isn't particularly fully-featured for serial terminal use, as it is after all primarily an SSH client. For the OP's purposes - eliminating the Arduino IDE's serial monitor as source of problem - it will serve well.

Assuming you're talking about this HTerm (and not the multitude of similar-named software); it looks interesting. Sort of a cross between a terminal and a hex editor.

[ECEdesign]

I think Hwaorrdk might be right with the ADC being put into single shot mode.  Since the the "timeout" seems to occur with different time intervals sometimes very short and sometimes longer time.  Maybe the SPI lines are excessively noisy causing it to think a single shot command was sent.  Im using the recommended 47ohm resistors to the Arduino input though.