SD card fails to write every 5 or 6 minutes

Question

My SD card initializes fine in the beginning. It finds the right file and opens it. However, after 5 or 6 minutes of data logging, the error "file not found" appears on my LCD. Why would this be the case? I need this to work consistently for at least an hour, this 5 to 6 minutes will not do.

Also, in my code the "sv" and "cpm" data is not yet initialized, due to another problem incorporating a sensor. I left these in there, and the data is just logged as 0 for those variables.

#include <SPI.h>
#include <MPL115A1Lib.h> // Pressure Sensor MPL115A1
#include <DHT.h> // Temperature and Humidity Sensor RTH03
#include <U8glib.h> // LCD Display 128x64
#include <floatToString.h> // Converts floats to strings
#include <GPS610F.h> // GPS-610F Module
#include <RFZuluArduino.h> // Zulu 2km RF Module
#include <SD.h> //SD data logger
//----- Defining Modules and Variables ------//
// Pressure Sensor
MPL115A1Lib PressSens; // Defines Pressure Sensor for library
#define FT_TO_M(x) ((long)((x)*(0.3048)))
#define KPA_TO_INHG(x) ((x)*(0.295333727))
#define KPA_TO_MMHG(x) ((x)*(7.50061683))
#define KPA_TO_PSIA(x) ((x)*(0.145037738))
#define KPA_TO_KGCM2(x) ((x)*(0.0102))
#define INHG_TO_PSIA(x) ((x)*(0.49109778))
#define DEGC_TO_DEGF(x) ((x)*(9.0/5.0)+32.0)
float press_pKa = 0;
float temp_c = 0;
long alt_ft = 0;
char charPress[7]; // Stores pressure
char charTemp[6]; // Stores temperature in C
char charAlt[5]; // Stores altitude
// Temperature & Humidity Sensor
#define DHTPIN 48 // Defines signal pin connection
#define DHTTYPE DHT22 // Defines Sensor model # DHT22 (RTH03)
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); // Defines the Temp/Humd Sensor
float t = 0; // temp
float h = 0; // rel. humd.
float f = 0; // temp in f
float hi = 0; // heat index
char rh[6]; // Stores Relative Humidity
char tempC[6]; // Stores Temperature in °C
char tempF[7]; // Stores Temp in F
char heatIndex[7]; // Stores heat index
char degree[3] = {176, 67}; // Stores °C symbol
char degreeF[3] = {176, 70}; // Stores °F symbol
// LCD Display
U8GLIB_ST7920_128X64_4X u8g(41, 42, 43); // Defines LCD pins (SPI: EN = 41, RW = 42, RS = 43)
// GPS Module
GPS610F gps(17, 16, 28, 26, 44, 27, 9600); // Defines GPS pins (SDI, SDO1, SDO2, PIO, PPS, RST, baudRate)
String gpsData;
char charGPS[82] = "";
String strnmeaProto;
String strutcTime;
String strgpsStatus;
String strlatitude;
String strnsIndicator;
String strlongitude;
String strewIndicator;
String strspeedOverGnd;
String strcourseOverGnd;
String strutcDate;
String strmagVarDegrees;
String strmagVarDirection;
String strmodeIndicator;
String strcheckSum;
char nmeaProto[6] = "";
char utcTime[11] = "";
char gpsStatus[2] = "";
char latitude[11] = "";
char nsIndicator[2] = "";
char longitude[11] = "";
char ewIndicator[2] = "";
char speedOverGnd[6] = "";
char courseOverGnd[6] = "";
char utcDate[7] = "";
char magVarDegrees[6] = "";
char magVarDirection[2] = "";
char modeIndicator[2] = "";
char checkSum[3] = "";
char tempTime[9] = "";
char tempDate[9] = "";
char tempLat[12] = "";
char tempLong[13] = "";
// RF Module
RFZuluArduino rf(15, 14, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4800); // Defines the RF module's pins (rx1, tx1, RTS, CTS, RST, PD, baudRate)
//Data Logger
const int chipsSelect = 10;
File Data;
String Header = "DATE(utc) TIME(utc) STATUS MODE LATITUDE(deg) LONGITUDE(deg) SPEED(km) COURSE(deg) Temperature(C) Temperature(F) Humidity(%RH) Heat Index(F) Pressure(kPA) Altitude(m"; //CPM uSV/hr";
int dcounter = 0;
//Geiger Counter
unsigned int gcount = 0;
unsigned int countStartTime = 0;
int countsPerMinute;
float coefficientOfConversion = 140.0 / 60000.0;
float sV = 0;
String str; // temporary string
int draw_state = 0;
int tracker = 0;
void setup() {
 pinMode(53, OUTPUT);
 dht.begin();
 if (!SD.begin(10, 11, 12, 13)) {
 // see if the card is present and can be initialized:
 u8g.firstPage();
 do {
 drawCardError();
 }
 while (u8g.nextPage());
 while (1); // don't do anything more:
 }
 Serial1.begin(9600);
 // start serial port for geiger counter
}
void loop() {
 delay(1000);
 //----- Get Sensor Data -----//
 // Temp/Humid
 h = dht.readHumidity();
 t = dht.readTemperature();
 f = dht.readTemperature(true);
 /*if (isnan(h) || isnan(t) || isnan(f)) { // check for failed reading from sensor
 return;
 }*/
 hi = dht.computeHeatIndex(f, h);
 // Pressure Sensor
 press_pKa = PressSens.calculatePressurekPa();
 alt_ft = PressSens.calculateAltitudeFt(press_pKa);
 // GPS
 gpsData = gps.getData();
 strnmeaProto = gps.dataFields(0);
 strutcTime = gps.dataFields(1);
 strgpsStatus = gps.dataFields(2);
 strlatitude = gps.dataFields(3);
 strnsIndicator = gps.dataFields(4);
 strlongitude = gps.dataFields(5);
 strewIndicator = gps.dataFields(6);
 strspeedOverGnd = gps.dataFields(7);
 strcourseOverGnd = gps.dataFields(8);
 strutcDate = gps.dataFields(9);
 strmagVarDegrees = gps.dataFields(10);
 strmagVarDirection = gps.dataFields(11);
 strmodeIndicator = gps.dataFields(12);
 strcheckSum = gps.dataFields(13);
 //----- Convert to Transmit -----//
 // Temp/Humid
 floatToString(rh, h, 1); // relative humidity
 floatToString(tempC, t, 1); // temperature in C
 floatToString(tempF, f, 1); // temp in F
 floatToString(heatIndex, hi, 1); // heat index
 // Pressure Sensor
 str = String(FT_TO_M(alt_ft)); // convert altitude in ft to m
 str.toCharArray(charAlt, 5); // covert string to char array
 floatToString(charPress, press_pKa, 2);
 // GPS Module
 gpsData.toCharArray(charGPS, 80); // convert string to char array
 strnmeaProto.toCharArray(nmeaProto, 6);
 // time
 strutcTime.toCharArray(utcTime, 11);
 tempTime[0] = utcTime[0];
 tempTime[1] = utcTime[1];
 tempTime[2] = ':';
 tempTime[3] = utcTime[2];
 tempTime[4] = utcTime[3];
 tempTime[5] = ':';
 tempTime[6] = utcTime[4];
 tempTime[7] = utcTime[5];
 strgpsStatus.toCharArray(gpsStatus, 2);
 // latitude
 strlatitude.toCharArray(latitude, 11);
 strnsIndicator.toCharArray(nsIndicator, 2);
 tempLat[0] = latitude[0];
 tempLat[1] = latitude[1];
 tempLat[2] = 176; // °
 tempLat[3] = latitude[2];
 tempLat[4] = latitude[3];
 tempLat[5] = latitude[4];
 tempLat[6] = latitude[5];
 tempLat[7] = latitude[6];
 tempLat[8] = 39; // '
 tempLat[9] = ' ';
 tempLat[10] = nsIndicator[0];
 // longitude
 strlongitude.toCharArray(longitude, 11);
 strewIndicator.toCharArray(ewIndicator, 2);
 tempLong[0] = longitude[0];
 tempLong[1] = longitude[1];
 tempLong[2] = longitude[2];
 tempLong[3] = 176; // °
 tempLong[4] = longitude[3];
 tempLong[5] = longitude[4];
 tempLong[6] = longitude[5];
 tempLong[7] = longitude[6];
 tempLong[8] = longitude[7];
 tempLong[9] = 39; // '
 tempLong[10] = ' ';
 tempLong[11] = ewIndicator[0];
 strspeedOverGnd.toCharArray(speedOverGnd, 6);
 strcourseOverGnd.toCharArray(courseOverGnd, 6);
 // date
 strutcDate.toCharArray(utcDate, 7);
 tempDate[0] = utcDate[0];
 tempDate[1] = utcDate[1];
 tempDate[2] = '/';
 tempDate[3] = utcDate[2];
 tempDate[4] = utcDate[3];
 tempDate[5] = '/';
 tempDate[6] = utcDate[4];
 tempDate[7] = utcDate[5];
 strmagVarDegrees.toCharArray(magVarDegrees, 6);
 strmagVarDirection.toCharArray(magVarDirection, 2);
 strmodeIndicator.toCharArray(modeIndicator, 2);
 strcheckSum.toCharArray(checkSum, 3);
 // transmit the data
 rf.transmit(gpsData, tempC, rh, charPress);
 //-----Writes Data to SD Card-----//
 Data = SD.open("DATA", FILE_WRITE);
 if (!Data) {
 u8g.firstPage();
 do {
 drawFileError();
 }
 while (u8g.nextPage());
 while (1); // don't do anything more:
 }
 dcounter++;
 if (dcounter == 1) {
 Data.println(Header);
 }
 Data.print(strutcDate + " " + strutcTime + " " + strgpsStatus + " " + strmodeIndicator + " " + strlatitude + " " + strlongitude + " " + strspeedOverGnd + " " + strcourseOverGnd + " ");
 Data.print(t);
 Data.print(" ");
 Data.print(f);
 Data.print(" ");
 Data.print(h);
 Data.print(" ");
 Data.print(hi);
 Data.print(" ");
 Data.print(press_pKa);
 Data.print(" " + str + " ");
 Data.flush();
 Data.print(countsPerMinute);
 Data.print(" ");
 Data.println(sV, 5);
 Data.flush();
 //----- Output to LCD Display -----//
 u8g.firstPage();
 do {
 draw();
 }
 while (u8g.nextPage());
 tracker++;
 if (tracker <= 2) {
 draw_state = 0;
 } else if (tracker <= 5) {
 draw_state = 1;
 } else if (tracker <= 8) {
 draw_state = 2;
 } else {
 tracker = 3;
 }
}
//----- LCD Display Drawings -----//
void drawCardError() {
 u8g.setColorIndex(1);
 u8g.setFont(u8g_font_baby);
 u8g.drawStr(12, 32, "Card Failed, or not present");
}
void drawFileError() {
 u8g.setColorIndex(1);
 u8g.setFont(u8g_font_baby);
 u8g.drawStr(5, 32, "Error opening DATA");
}
void draw(void) {
 LCDprepare();
 switch (draw_state) {
 case 0:
 AECLlogo();
 break;
 case 1:
 SensorInfo();
 break;
 case 2:
 GpsInfo();
 break;
 }
}

• Manan: i am having trouble formatting, someone please help me with this!
• Manan: fixed, I have remvoed some of the ending code thought. They were just functions for the lcd
• geometrikal: The section under //-----Writes Data to SD Card-----// should go in setup().
• Manan: yes thank you, i realize that my program opens the file when it already opens causing a memory leak, that and also the string class is apparently a big issue
• David Cary: Manan, if you have actually figured out the real problem and fixed it, could you write an answer that will help the next person with this problem? (As recommended on the help page, at Arduino Meta(meta.stackexchange.com/questions/17463/…, etc.). Or are you just saying that you fixed the formatting?

Answer 1

Might be a flaky SD card, you get that sometimes. Try changing to another card and see if it helps.

SD card formatter tool might also be useful: https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/

Answer 2

Answered by OP in the comments

"fixed, I have remvoed some of the ending code thought. They were just functions for the lcd"

• per1234: I believe that comment was just saying they had solved their formatting problems with the question. However, their next comment: arduino.stackexchange.com/questions/4419/… does make me think they found that a memory leak was the cause of the problem but unfortunately didn't bother to properly answer their own question.

Answer 3

Are you sure there are no rollovers / overflows? Keep in mind the limitations of FAT16, max volume size is 2GB, and only with the max sector size of 512B.

At minimum dcounter will overflow in 9 hours if you log every second.

Answer 4

OK, it looks like this question is going to be floating with not accepted answer for all of eternity since the poster clearly isn't responding to comments.

But if it works for a few minutes and then dies it's probably something silly like opening the same file every second and never closing that's the cause of the issues rather than a bad SD card or a counter that will overflow after 9 hours.