ADXL345 I2C setup not returning anything

Question

My hookup is like this:

GND - GND VCC - 5V CS - 5V SDO - GND SDA - A4 SCL - A5

Here is the code:

#include <Wire.h>
#include <ADXL345.h>

ADXL345 accelerometer;

void setup(void) 
{
  Serial.begin(9600);

  // Initialize ADXL345
  Serial.println("Initialize ADXL345");

  if (!accelerometer.begin())
  {
    Serial.println("Could not find a valid ADXL345 sensor, check wiring!");
    delay(500);
  }
  if (accelerometer.begin())
  {

  // Values for Free Fall detection
  accelerometer.setFreeFallThreshold(0.35); // Recommended 0.3 - 0.6 g
  accelerometer.setFreeFallDuration(0.1);  // Recommended 0.1 s

  // Select INT 1 for get activities
  accelerometer.useInterrupt(ADXL345_INT1);

  // Check settings
  checkSetup();
  }
}

void checkSetup()
{
  Serial.print("Free Fall Threshold = "); Serial.println(accelerometer.getFreeFallThreshold());
  Serial.print("Free Fall Duration = "); Serial.println(accelerometer.getFreeFallDuration());
}

void loop(void) 
{
  delay(50);

  // Read values for activities
  Vector norm = accelerometer.readNormalize();

  // Read activities
  Activites activ = accelerometer.readActivites();

  if (activ.isFreeFall)
  {
    Serial.println("Free Fall Detected!");
  }
}

It comes from this Github link: https://github.com/jarzebski/Arduino-ADXL345/blob/master/ADXL345_free_fall/ADXL345_free_fall.ino

Initially, it would return "Could not find a valid ADXL345 sensor, check wiring!" in serial monitor. After messing with some wiring and changing to SPI and back to I2C, it only returns "Initialize ADXL345".

I've added the second if() statement because it wouldn't say anything other than "Initialize ADXL345" even with the first if() statement, or with the first if() followed by an else. It should print the Free Fall Threshold and Duration but it hasn't. I have to leave and won't be back until tomorrow, so when I get back I'll try removing the checkSetup() command and maybe put something else in it's place to verify it's working. I feel like the answer is staring me in the face.

EDIT: Okay so after I finally got up from my computer for once, a thought popped into my mind and I figured the reason why checkSetup() isn't returning either string is because it's declared after setup() calls checkSetup()? Am I right? I feel like this would be the case in other languages.

Answer 1

You may have damaged the chip with 5 V already. Sparkfun didn't include a regulator in their breakout. Your pull-ups are also too small; significant current flows when the I2C lines are pulled low. Use two 4.7k or 10k resistors instead. Assuming your Redboard is just like the Uno, connect pin 2 to the INT1 pin of the breakout, to make use of the interrupt capabilities. You also need to call attachInterrupt() and register a handler.

However, you bought this module from Sparkfun, as well as your Redboard. You should first follow their tutorial and library before trying any others. Theirs is SPI-based though. If you must use I2C, try out the Adafruit library.