Configure a Fake Power Sensor

Configure a fake power sensor to test implementing a power sensor component on your machine without any physical hardware:

Navigate to the CONFIGURE tab of your machine’s page in the Viam app. Click the + icon next to your machine part in the left-hand menu and select Component. Select the power_sensor type, then select the fake model. Enter a name or use the suggested name for your power sensor and click Create.

Fake power sensor configuration panel in the Viam app. No attributes are configured.

{
  "name": "<your-sensor-name>",
  "model": "fake",
  "type": "power_sensor",
  "namespace": "rdk",
  "attributes": {}
}

No attributes are available for fake power sensors.

Test the power sensor

After you configure your power sensor, open the power sensor’s TEST panel on the CONFIGURE or CONTROL tabs. The panel contains readings for your voltage, current, and power.

An instance of the power sensor component's test panel with voltage, current, and power readings.

Troubleshooting

If your power sensor is not working as expected, follow these steps:

  1. Check your machine logs on the LOGS tab to check for errors.
  2. Review this power sensor model’s documentation to ensure you have configured all required attributes.
  3. Click on the TEST panel on the CONFIGURE or CONTROL tab and test if you can use the power sensor there.

If none of these steps work, reach out to us on the Community Discord and we will be happy to help.

Next steps

For general configuration and development info, see:

Power sensor API

Commands for getting measurements of voltage, current, and power consumption.

Configure a machine

Create a machine in a few steps using Viam's modular system of components and services without writing much or any code.

Write control code for your machine

Write code to control machines and run it on the machine or remotely.

Have questions, or want to meet other people working on robots? Join our Community Discord.

If you notice any issues with the documentation, feel free to file an issue or edit this file.