Power Distribution Hub Troubleshooting

We're Updating our Documentation! For the most up-to-date information about the Power Distribution Hub and other ION Control System Devices please check out the following new documentation pages:

• REV ION Control System

  • Power Distribution Hub Resources

  • REVLib for Power Distribution Hub

• REV Hardware Client Documentation

The most common Power Distribution Hub troubleshooting issues are listed below. After reading through, if you still have questions or need additional help, reach out to us at: [e-mail]

Is your Status LED light showing a new color or sequence? Check the Status LED Pattern page!

General Troubleshooting

If you are experiencing issues with your Power Distribution Hub that you are struggling to diagnose, we recommend following the troubleshooting guides and steps listed below, both in the flowchart and in the following subsections.

Smart Tug - tugging on a wire to test the connection with a reasonable amount of force.

Symptom	Possible Solution
No Voltage / Device Does not Turn On	Perform a smart tug to check that the battery wires have a good connection to the input terminals Check your battery voltage on the PDH's display, then check the voltage through the REV Hardware Client. If the readings are inconsistent or missing, check your robot's battery wiring. If only being powered via USB there will not be any input voltage.
Channel LED Keeps Flashing	Make sure that the circuit breaker is properly inserted and snug in the holder If the problem persists you may have a fault on the load causing the breaker to trip. Make sure there are no problems with your connected devices.
CAN Warning	A CAN warning means that there is something wrong with your CAN bus. Check your CAN bus wiring and the devices on your CAN bus. Note: if you are operating the PH by itself using the REV hardware client, you can ignore most CAN warnings. The PH will send a CAN warning if it does not see any other device on the bus
CAN Bus Off	A CAN Bus Off fault means that the CAN bus has run into a critical issue resulting in the bus network turning off. Check your CAN bus for shorts on the high and low CAN wires. The CAN bus will turn back on once the issue is resolved.
Hardware Fault	The hardware fault is generally an internal electrical fault. This could also trigger a sticky fault if a large amount of electrical noise caused a brief communication breakdown internally. This will not affect the function of the device but there could be a small amount of data lost during the interruption.
Device has Reset	The Reset Fault will be triggered when the Power Distribution Hub has lost power. This will happen each time the robot is turned on and off. It is possible that this could happen when the robot has a bad connection to the battery or the robot experiences a severe brownout.
When are Sticky Faults Cleared?	Sticky faults are cleared when the mode button on the Power Distribution Hub is pressed or can be cleared using the REV Hardware Client. It is also possible to clear sticky faults using WPILib.

See Firmware Change Log

Version 21.1.7

• Persists sticky faults across power cycles

• Allows sticky faults to be cleared by holding down the device's button

• Updates LED patterns

• Turns off the switchable channel LED when the switchable channel is turned off

• Reports to the REV Hardware Client whether a roboRIO is connected via the CAN network

3D Printed Breaker Extractor

The 3D printed Breaker Extractor makes freeing REV ATO Auto-resetting Breakers from the Power Distribution Hub easy! Breaker Extractor .STL File Download Breaker Extractor STEP File Download
First, grasp the T-handle of the extractor and slide the square frame around the breaker you would like to remove from the Power Distribution Hub.
Then, position the bottom edge of the breaker extractor under the bottom edge of the breaker. While maintaining that position, and contact with the plastic bottom of the breaker, gently rock the extractor handle side to side while pulling upwards.
Continue that motion until breaker is free.

Recovery Mode

When updating the firmware on the Power Distribution Hub, it is possible for the process to be interrupted or for the firmware to be corrupted by a bad download. In this state, the Status LED will be dark or dim and the Power Distribution Hub will fail to operate. There is a built-in recovery mode that can force it to accept new firmware even if the controller seems to be bricked and the procedure is outlined below:

Please note, performing this procedure will erase all data and settings on the device. To perform the procedure a small tool, like a straightened paper clip is necessary to press the Mode Button (located close to the LED status light), the orange USB-c cable that came with the unit (or a DATA capable USB-c cable), and a native Windows based computer with the REV Hardware Client installed:

1. With the Power Distribution Hub powered off, press and hold the Mode Button

2. While still holding the Mode Button, connect the Power Distribution Hub to the computer using the USB-c cable - the Status LED will illuminate a dim red - this is expected.

3. With the REV Hardware Client running on the computer, wait a few seconds for the audible tone or icon for the device to be recognized in recovery mode then release the Mode Button - no lights will be present on the Power Distribution Hub during this stage of the process, this is expected

4. Select the Power Distribution Hub in Recovery Mode from the REV Hardware Client window

5. From the Choose a Device type dropdown, choose - Power Distribution Hub

6. Choose latest version of Firmware from the dropdown and then click update

7. Wait for the software update to complete

8. Power cycle unit (unplug and plug in USB-c) click on Power Distribution Hub icon, clear any sticky faults - the recovery should be complete.