ToF Laser Sensor (VL53L0X) not working

Question

I have this time of flight laser distance sensor: http://www.dx.com/de/p/cjmcu-vl53l0x-tof-laser-distance-measuring-sensor-module-purple-449081#.WSbn52jyi70

The example code of the VL53L0X-arduino library is not working; I always get the serial message

65535 TIMEOUT

However, I guess that the problem is at the sensor. The communication is via I2C, so that the i2c scanner should find it's address, right?

This finder doesnot find any address - am I right, that then the problem is at the sensor?

I connected VCC to (nearly) 5V, GND to GND, SCL to A5 and SDA to A4 (Arduino Uno)

Answer 1

I had the same problem using this sensor. The solution was to connect

• VCC -> 5V
• GND -> GND
• SCL -> A5 (SCL)
• SDA -> A4 (SDA)
• DNC -x Not connected
• GN2 -> GND
• XSH -> 5V
• INT -x Not connected

And then to use the code mentioned here by Ted Meyers. I used Nano with ATmega328P and Arduino IDE 1.8.5.

---

CODE:

#include <Wire.h>

#define VL53L0X_REG_IDENTIFICATION_MODEL_ID         0xc0
#define VL53L0X_REG_IDENTIFICATION_REVISION_ID      0xc2
#define VL53L0X_REG_PRE_RANGE_CONFIG_VCSEL_PERIOD   0x50
#define VL53L0X_REG_FINAL_RANGE_CONFIG_VCSEL_PERIOD 0x70
#define VL53L0X_REG_SYSRANGE_START                  0x00
#define VL53L0X_REG_RESULT_INTERRUPT_STATUS         0x13
#define VL53L0X_REG_RESULT_RANGE_STATUS             0x14
#define address 0x29

byte gbuf[16];

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  Wire.begin();        // join i2c bus (address optional for master)
  Serial.begin(9600);  // start serial for output
  Serial.println("VLX53LOX test started.");
}

void loop() {
  Serial.println("----- START TEST ----");
  test();
  Serial.println("----- END TEST ----");
  Serial.println("");
  delay(4000);
}

void test() {
  byte val1 = read_byte_data_at(VL53L0X_REG_IDENTIFICATION_REVISION_ID);
  Serial.print("Revision ID: "); Serial.println(val1);

  val1 = read_byte_data_at(VL53L0X_REG_IDENTIFICATION_MODEL_ID);
  Serial.print("Device ID: "); Serial.println(val1);

  val1 = read_byte_data_at(VL53L0X_REG_PRE_RANGE_CONFIG_VCSEL_PERIOD);
  Serial.print("PRE_RANGE_CONFIG_VCSEL_PERIOD="); Serial.println(val1); 
  Serial.print(" decode: "); Serial.println(VL53L0X_decode_vcsel_period(val1));

  val1 = read_byte_data_at(VL53L0X_REG_FINAL_RANGE_CONFIG_VCSEL_PERIOD);
  Serial.print("FINAL_RANGE_CONFIG_VCSEL_PERIOD="); Serial.println(val1);
  Serial.print(" decode: "); Serial.println(VL53L0X_decode_vcsel_period(val1));

  write_byte_data_at(VL53L0X_REG_SYSRANGE_START, 0x01);

  byte val = 0;
  int cnt = 0;
  while (cnt < 100) { // 1 second waiting time max
    delay(10);
    val = read_byte_data_at(VL53L0X_REG_RESULT_RANGE_STATUS);
    if (val & 0x01) break;
    cnt++;
  }
  if (val & 0x01) Serial.println("ready"); else Serial.println("not ready");

  read_block_data_at(0x14, 12);
  uint16_t acnt = makeuint16(gbuf[7], gbuf[6]);
  uint16_t scnt = makeuint16(gbuf[9], gbuf[8]);
  uint16_t dist = makeuint16(gbuf[11], gbuf[10]);
  byte DeviceRangeStatusInternal = ((gbuf[0] & 0x78) >> 3);

  Serial.print("ambient count: "); Serial.println(acnt);
  Serial.print("signal count: ");  Serial.println(scnt);
  Serial.print("distance ");       Serial.println(dist);
  Serial.print("status: ");        Serial.println(DeviceRangeStatusInternal);
}

uint16_t bswap(byte b[]) {
  // Big Endian unsigned short to little endian unsigned short
  uint16_t val = ((b[0] << 8) & b[1]);
  return val;
}

uint16_t makeuint16(int lsb, int msb) {
    return ((msb & 0xFF) << 8) | (lsb & 0xFF);
}

void write_byte_data(byte data) {
  Wire.beginTransmission(address);
  Wire.write(data);
  Wire.endTransmission();
}

void write_byte_data_at(byte reg, byte data) {
  // write data word at address and register
  Wire.beginTransmission(address);
  Wire.write(reg);
  Wire.write(data);
  Wire.endTransmission();
}

void write_word_data_at(byte reg, uint16_t data) {
  // write data word at address and register
  byte b0 = (data &0xFF);
  byte b1 = ((data >> 8) && 0xFF);

  Wire.beginTransmission(address);
  Wire.write(reg);
  Wire.write(b0);
  Wire.write(b1);
  Wire.endTransmission();
}

byte read_byte_data() {
  Wire.requestFrom(address, 1);
  while (Wire.available() < 1) delay(1);
  byte b = Wire.read();
  return b;
}

byte read_byte_data_at(byte reg) {
  //write_byte_data((byte)0x00);
  write_byte_data(reg);
  Wire.requestFrom(address, 1);
  while (Wire.available() < 1) delay(1);
  byte b = Wire.read();
  return b;
}

uint16_t read_word_data_at(byte reg) {
  write_byte_data(reg);
  Wire.requestFrom(address, 2);
  while (Wire.available() < 2) delay(1);
  gbuf[0] = Wire.read();
  gbuf[1] = Wire.read();
  return bswap(gbuf); 
}

void read_block_data_at(byte reg, int sz) {
  int i = 0;
  write_byte_data(reg);
  Wire.requestFrom(address, sz);
  for (i=0; i<sz; i++) {
    while (Wire.available() < 1) delay(1);
    gbuf[i] = Wire.read();
  }
}


uint16_t VL53L0X_decode_vcsel_period(short vcsel_period_reg) {
  // Converts the encoded VCSEL period register value into the real
  // period in PLL clocks
  uint16_t vcsel_period_pclks = (vcsel_period_reg + 1) << 1;
  return vcsel_period_pclks;
}

Answer 2

You have to pull XSH high (3.3V) in order to turn the device on (either via an I/O port or via a pullup resistor to 3.3V).

Also, the device is rated for a maximum of 3.3V, you might damage it if you connect it to 5V.

Regards

Answer 3

One other thing to check as I had this error myself and it was simply because I hadn't soldered the header pins of the nano or the TOF device which I had just stuck into my breadboard. I am using a iHaospace VL53l0x from Amazon. I only thought of it once I ran the i2C scanner check, which didn't recognise (see) the device, so that go me thinking - (https://gammon.com.au/i2c). The I2C scanner Sketch code to use in Arduino's IDE is two thirds down that page. I also should point out that you need to run the serial monitor at the 115200 baud rate not lower or you might get gobbledygook. Now it all works just as it should with the standard Arduino Adafruit example, no #include wire.h required.

Answer 4

I had this problem. After connecting VL53L0X, the script hung at the start. Scanning of i2c devices also hung up. Washing the soldering points of contacts helped. Apparently the device is very sensitive to dirt on the contacts.