Skip to content

AS3935 Franklin Lightning sensor~

This feature is included only in tasmota-sensors and tasmota32 binaries

When compiling your build add the following to user_config_override.h: 

#ifndef USE_AS3935 
#define USE_AS3935      // [I2cDriver48] Enable AS3935 Franklin Lightning Sensor (I2C address 0x03) (+5k4 code)
#endif

The AS3935 is a programmable fully integrated Lightning Sensor IC that detects the presence and approach of potentially hazardous lightning activity in the vicinity and provides an estimation on the distance to the head of the storm. The embedded lightning algorithm checks the incoming signal pattern to reject the potential man-made disturbers.

Tasmota driver includes:

  • support for all AS3935 Parameters
  • support of all related commands for configuration
  • support of NF-Auto Function to auto Threshold the Noise Reduction
  • support of Auto Disturber
  • support of calibrating the internal OSC with switchable Caps

Configuration~

Wiring~

AS3935 ESP
GND GND
VCC 3.3V
SDA GPIOx
SCL GPIOy
IRQ GPIOz

Warning

"Sensor uses a software interrupt. Make sure that the connection with the IRQ pin is stable to prevent flicker."

Tasmota Settings~

In the Configuration -> Configure Module page assign:

  1. GPIOx to I2C SDA
  2. GPIOy to I2C SCL
  3. GPIOz to AS3935

Note for I2C Use

You will need to wire up all of the associated pins for the different boards.
- Always connect CS and MISO to GND.
- If "SI" is present, you need to connect to VCC.
See some wiring on the Board pictures below. I2C wiring

Module Settings

After a reboot the driver will detect AS3935 automatically.

webUI readout

and in MQTT topic when an Event occurs: 

{"Time":"2020-01-01T17:07:07","AS3935":{"Event":4,"Distance":12,"Energy":58622,"Stage":1}}

Commands and Use~

Console Commands Description values Bitlength
AS3935power Power On/Off the Device 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935setnf Noise Floor Level value from 0-7 (3 Bit)
AS3935setml Minimum number of lightning 1, 5, 9, 16 (2 bit)
AS3935default load default for Sensor and Settings no argument
AS3935setgain Set Indoor/Outdoor Indoors/Outdoors (Ascii)
AS3935settunecaps Internal Tuning Cap. value from 0-15 (4 Bits)
AS3935setrej Spike rejection value from 0-15 (4 Bits)
AS3935setwdth Watchdog threshold value from 0-15 (4 Bits)
AS3935setminstage min stage that could be come with NFautotune value from 0-15: 0-7 Indoors, 8-15 Outdoors (4 Bits)
AS3935disturber Set Disturber 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935autonf Set Auto Tune for Noise Level 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935autodisturber Set Auto-Disturber 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935autonfmax Auto Tune with INDOOR and OUTDOOR 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935lightevent mqtt messages only for lightning events 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935noirqevent suppress mqtt "IRQ with no Event" Messages 0/1 (On/Off) (1 Bit)
AS3935settings show all settings no argument
AS3935calibrate auto calibrate the internal Capacitors no argument
AS3935disttime time for reset Disturber in auto-mode 0-15 min. (4 Bit)
AS3935nftime time for auto-Nf threshold 0-15 min (4 Bit)

Note for AS3935Calibrate

Normally you don't need the calibrate function. If you buy the AS3935, the module has a sticker on it with the calibrated cap. Use AS3935Settunecaps for setting up this value.
if the calibration fails, it is possible that you have a board with the wrong caps on it! (some CJMCU-Boards)

Mqtt Events:~

No. Description Suppress with
Command
AS3935lightevent		 Suppress with
Command
AS3935noirqevent
0 no event
1 Lightning with Distance detected
2 Lightning out of Distance
3 Distance cannot be determined
4 Storm is Overhead
5 Noise level too high *
6 Disturber detected *
7 Irq with no Event detected *
8 Irq Pin flicker detected
9 Device is Powerd Off

NF setting table:~

Setting table of the NF-noise sensitivity and stages:

Stages NF-LEV AFE-GB uVrms Sensitivity
Stage 0 000 Indoors 28 highly sensitive
Stage 1 001 Indoors 45
Stage 2 010 Indoors 62
Stage 3 011 Indoors 78
Stage 4 100 Indoors 95
Stage 5 101 Indoors 112
Stage 6 110 Indoors 130
Stage 7 111 Indoors 146
Stage 8 000 Outdoors 390
Stage 9 001 Outdoors 630
Stage 10 010 Outdoors 860
Stage 11 011 Outdoors 1100
Stage 12 100 Outdoors 1330
Stage 13 101 Outdoors 1570
Stage 14 110 Outdoors 1800
Stage 15 111 Outdoors 2000 less sensitive

Hint and Tips

  • take a stabilized power supply.
  • keep a distance of at least 200 mm from the ESP and the AS3395
  • be careful with "ready to Use" devices like Sonoff, etc. they don't have a good power supply inside.
  • use a Ferrit clamp filter on the sensor cable.
  • wire all related Pins for I2C use.

You can find some troubleshooting tips in the Tasmota GitHub discussion.

Breakout Boards and Wiring for I2C use:~

PlayingwithFusion Board:
~

AS3935

Sparkfun Board V2.0:
~

AS3935

Embedded Adventures Board:
~

AS3935

CJMCU Board:
~

AS3935

GY-AS3935 Board:
~

AS3935


Breakout Boards Issues:~

Warning

"Some type of this sensor have wrong capacitors (100pF and 1000pF) installed and the calibration fails. The correct caps are 680pF and 270pF."

AS3935

Datasheet:~

Datasheet from Mouser Web Site