Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post Reply
BillOsler
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:10 am

Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by BillOsler »

I dusted off the Aeropod after not using it for a while but I have been unable to initiate a calibration ride. I have tried (multiple times) starting the Aeropod by pressing the button for several seconds after all of the Ant+ sensors are "awake".
The light will flash green for a while then turn solid green and go out. I never see any other color flashing light.
When I start riding the power reported to my Garmin never goes through the 0-50,50-70 and 70-100 sequence. Pressing the button does record laps but never causes the calibration ride to begin.
My bike currently has a Garmin speed sensor (one of the older "magnetless" sensors) and Powertap C1 DFPM that transmits both cadence and power.
I do not currently have a cadence sensor mounted.
Obviously I cannot generate data for Powerstroke without a cadence sensor but is the cadence sensor required to calibrate the Aeropod?
The Aeropod does record data, though on one ride it apparently did not calculate any power data even though it did record DFPM power and speed data. I've noticed, however, that Isaac does not find any cadence data in the ride files and as best I can tell even though I have initiated a sensor scan multiple times the profile in Isaac still shows the device ID for the cadence sensor that I removed a while back.
I'd appreciate troubleshooting suggestions. I'll attach a recent ride file.
Attachments
Newton_09_27_2020_0916_19_km_HiDef.ibr
(449.79 KiB) Downloaded 193 times
Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
Posts: 7793
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:43 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by Velocomp »

I would do a hard reset of the device (Press-hold for about 12 seconds. The light will go out briefly, then start flashing. Release the button).

After the hard reset try a new sensor pairing (press-hold for 4 seconds, until light flashes, then release button). You should see red flash 3 times (cadence), then yellow 3 times (DFPM), then solid green (speed pairing) then out.

This should arm the unit for calibration.

What profile number are you using?
John Hamann
Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
Posts: 7793
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:43 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by Velocomp »

One of the things I noticed in your ride file was the effect of changed tilt correction. It takes about 5 minutes for the correction to take effect; you will see this in the slope data of the ride file.

This probably means you were using your device in profile 3.

Also, wind speed calibration was a bit off.

I used the "Analyze/Analyze Route" function to correct both issues.

Corrected ride file is attached.

Once the file is corrected you can use the "Tools/Analyze CdA" function to check your CdA. The value you are using in your ride file (0.244) is very close to that measured in the ride (0.249).
Attachments
Osler_Corr_09_27_2020_0916_19_km_HiDef.ibr
(496.11 KiB) Downloaded 190 times
John Hamann
BillOsler
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:10 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by BillOsler »

Thanks for working on this. It was supposed to be in Profile 4, which is what I set via Powerhouse yesterday when I had the same problem getting a calibration ride started but I forgot to confirm the profile this morning. Just now I confirmed that Powerhouse still reports Profile 4 is active.
I'll try the hard reset and see how things go next time.
BillOsler
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:10 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by BillOsler »

I never did get the Aeropod to do a standard calibration ride even after a hard reset. I ended up choosing an out/back about 1.5 miles each way and then used that to set calibration in Isaac. Today I did a time trial then afterwards I did a few coastdown runs on a couple of hills while switching back and forth between a disc wheel and a carbon wheel with spoke covers. I had the Aeropod mounted just out of curiosity, but didn't make yet another attempt to start a calibration ride. It appears that the Aeropod stopped calculating power partway through the ride. The DFPM data are still there but not the cadence data that are transmitted by the DFPM and the DFPM data are not accurate. I've never managed 2000 Watts and the Garmin didn't show anything unusual about the power curve.
I'm wondering whether my unit is simply defective since I never have been able to get reproducible or believable results, as reflected by numerous prior posts about difficulties with the Aeropod.
Attachments
Newton_09_30_2020_1136_32_Miles.ibr
(611.06 KiB) Downloaded 185 times
Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
Posts: 7793
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:43 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by Velocomp »

Sorry, I just saw this post...

In the ride file your DFPM data is sporadic; what kind of DFPM are you using?

Your cadence data drops out at the 1:15 mark, the same time where your DFPM (which is transmitting cadence) power drops out too.

It looks like there is good DFPM until 1:15. Up until that point the data is really close, though there are odd DFPM spikes when you first start pedaling.
John Hamann
BillOsler
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:10 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by BillOsler »

Thanks for following up.
I use a Powertap C1 chainring DFPM.
As best I can tell it is functioning normally and it is the same DFPM I have used on that bike for the last 3-4 years. My Garmin did not show anything unusual about the power data. I tried attaching the TCX file but apparently it's too large
That time point in the ride file is about when I started doing some coast-downs so power and cadence would have been intermittent after that.
BillOsler
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:10 am

Re: Problem with Aeropod calibration

Post by BillOsler »

I finally did get the Aeropod to do a calibration procedure in Profile 3 but it is not receiving the DFPM data with any reliability and the power displayed for the cal ride is so odd that I'm not confident I should trust the resulting calibration. Although I was pedaling essentially all of the time during the calibration ride I did not see any cadence data (from the DFPM) recorded. The subsequent ride shows a number of "spikes" in the DFPM data but as you can see from the file created by merging the power data from the Garmin there were no obvious anomalous power readings.
The two 17 mile ride files reflect the differences between the DFPM power reported by the Garmin vs that recorded by the Aeropod.
The Aeropod is mounted on the drive side of the base bar, significantly closer to the DFPM (chain ring type) than is the Garmin. The battery was recently replaced and the Powertap app reports it is in good condition.
Thus far the Aeropod appears to function as a relatively expensive wind speed device but I'm not sure how accurate those measurements are given the bizarre results for the other data channels.
Attachments
Newton_10_11_2020_1629_17_Miles After Merge.ibr
Calibration ride
(402.32 KiB) Downloaded 174 times
Newton_10_11_2020_1629_17_Miles.ibr
As recorded
(330.1 KiB) Downloaded 179 times
Newton_10_11_2020_1626_1_Miles_CalRide.ibr
DFPM data merged from Garmin
(12.53 KiB) Downloaded 188 times
Post Reply