# Help, my WF PiConsole keeps freezing **URL:** \ **Category:** WeatherFlow PiConsole\ **Tags:** tempest\ **Created:** [July 30, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245 "2026-07-30T13:57:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/1 "2026-07-30T13:57:44Z")
This started about 3 weeks ago, if memory serves. Here’s a brief rundown of the situation. The quickest recognition is the forecast data set on the display is empty. Upon further investigation there is a caution that the the station is offline. When you open the menu the following errors are present: Station status: offline Hub firmware: error Tempest offline Also, the app freezes at this point and you cannot exit the menu with touch input and have to shut the Pi down and restart. Once there is a restart everything functions correctly for a period of time and then breaks again. This is usually under 12hrs to repeat the condition. I am fairly computer savvy, but Pi isn’t a strong suit of mine. ![IMG_3453](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/sws/original/3X/b/1/b12ed20eaf6673ccd0011f0b24c98d6b0cd97b1c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![peter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/peter/32/1365_2.png) [@peter](https://community.tempest.earth/u/peter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/2 "2026-07-30T18:24:05Z")
Sorry you’ve run into issues. Can you share the contents of your `wfpiconsole.ini` file, or copy and paste the error message that shown on the terminal ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 1:50am UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/3 "2026-07-31T01:50:07Z")
Forgive my ignorance, where would I find and how would I export the ini file? ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 3:25am UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/4 "2026-07-31T03:25:10Z")
Think I got it… [Keys] WeatherFlow = (REDACTED) CheckWX = (REDACTED) [Station] StationID = 103837 TempestID = 264921 TempestSN = ST-00108829 SkyID = SkySN = OutAirID = OutAirSN = InAirID = InAirSN = TempestHeight = 1.8288 SkyHeight = OutAirHeight = Latitude = 30.37719 Longitude = -98.0824 Elevation = 249.8666839599609 Timezone = America/Chicago Name = WK Weather [Units] Temp = f Pressure = inhg Wind = mph Direction = cardinal Precip = in Distance = mi Other = imperial [Display] TimeFormat = 12 hr DateFormat = Monday, Jan 01 0000 UpdateNotification = 1 PanelCount = 6 LightningPanel = 1 lightning\_timeout = 0 IndoorTemp = 0 Cursor = 1 Border = 1 Fullscreen = 1 Width = 800 Height = 480 [FeelsLike] ExtremelyCold = 23 FreezingCold = 32 VeryCold = 45 Cold = 55 Mild = 65 Warm = 75 Hot = 85 VeryHot = 95 [PrimaryPanels] PanelOne = Forecast PanelTwo = Temperature PanelThree = WindSpeed PanelFour = SunriseSunset PanelFive = Rainfall PanelSix = MoonPhase [SecondaryPanels] PanelOne = Sager PanelTwo = PanelThree = PanelFour = Barometer PanelFive = PanelSix = Lightning [System] Connection = Websocket rest\_api = 1 nc\_rain = 0 stats\_endpoint = 0 SagerInterval = 6 Timeout = 20 Hardware = Pi4 Version = v26.4.2 ---
**Author:** ![bruce3](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/bruce3/32/9950_2.png) [@bruce3](https://community.tempest.earth/u/bruce3)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 11:43am UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/5 "2026-07-31T11:43:19Z")
I’ve been using this great app since almost day one on a RPI3B+ and a 10" non-touch monitor. I returned from vacation and found the clock freezing for 5 secs. Tried all the likely suspects (yes I was using an SD card too)…took the full update path and couldn’t fix it. Changed out to a RPI4B+ and it’s perfect again. I did not make any changes or updates to the OS and suddenly this happened. Something changed somewhere and it still bothers me… ---
**Author:** ![peter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/peter/32/1365_2.png) [@peter](https://community.tempest.earth/u/peter)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/6 "2026-07-31T19:08:31Z")
> [@David\_R](#): > > Forgive my ignorance, where would I find and how would I export the ini file? Sorry - I made a silly mistake ☹ I need the contents of the `wfpiconsole.log` file not the `.ini` file. The `.log` file will show the me error ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/7 "2026-08-01T01:06:53Z")
Here is a link to the log file…[https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e755fawgbydwlztq1mdu4/wfpiconsole.log?rlkey=3xl5v2jhe3blwkbq23yl5at4l&st=z7z1kchf&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e755fawgbydwlztq1mdu4/wfpiconsole.log?rlkey=3xl5v2jhe3blwkbq23yl5at4l&st=z7z1kchf&dl=0) ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/8 "2026-08-03T16:07:59Z")
I believe the issue is resolved, the console has been up for 3 days now with no more errors. It seemed like there was instability for some reason in the WIFI Network connection and it would not reconnect without restarting the Rasberry Pi. There was an OS update in the background that was un applied. I have no idea whether it was causing the instability or not, but once the Pi was updated, the connection stabilized and the WFPiConsole has been running without issue. ---
**Author:** ![peter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/peter/32/1365_2.png) [@peter](https://community.tempest.earth/u/peter)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/9 "2026-08-03T20:33:22Z")
Glad it has resolved itself. I hadn’t got a chance to work on this yet, but your log file is full of connection errors, which matches your assessment. Hopefully it’ll keep working smoothly now! ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2026, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/10 "2026-08-06T22:09:50Z")
Well unfortunately the problem is back. I’m wondering if the wifi card is failing. is there any way to diagnose that? can you add an external wifi device to a RasPi? ---
**Author:** ![vinceskahan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/vinceskahan/32/2785_2.png) [@vinceskahan](https://community.tempest.earth/u/vinceskahan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/11 "2026-08-07T17:16:01Z")
Yes - look at your operating system logs and see if the wifi is dropping and reconnecting. Typically this is due to the 2.4 GHz band being overwhelmed with misconfigured neighbors (or your setup) interfering with each other. And yes you can add an external wifi dongle, ages ago used to be needed for the old modelB and non -W pi zero. Used to cost perhaps $8 or so. ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/12 "2026-08-07T17:58:29Z")
I went in and turned power management off on the wifi. I will see if that was the problem. I have been watching the Pi’s connection drop and not connect. I have a very reliable network and we are in the country so traffic/interference shouldn’t be the issue. I guess it could also be the wifi chip is getting “tired”, it has been running for 3 years straight. I have a dongle I way try, but it has been up for 12 hrs now with power management off. Wondering if the power management had been off previously but was changed in a Pi or Console update. I will keep this updated. ---
**Author:** ![vinceskahan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/vinceskahan/32/2785_2.png) [@vinceskahan](https://community.tempest.earth/u/vinceskahan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/13 "2026-08-08T19:02:39Z")
Power management on the pi wifi can definitely cause chaos. See how it holds up for a week. Maybe it’s something that simple. ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/14 "2026-08-12T16:00:58Z")
Back with with another update. The power management wasn’t the issue. I believe the WIFI chip had failed or was failing. I disabled the internal chip added a TP-Link WIFI Dongle and reconfigured to recognize it and things seem to be going well for now. Possibly 3 years of constant use was too much for the little RasPi WIFI chipset. Will provide a final update in a week or so. ---
**Author:** ![vinceskahan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/vinceskahan/32/2785_2.png) [@vinceskahan](https://community.tempest.earth/u/vinceskahan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/15 "2026-08-12T18:59:22Z")
Certainly unexpected on a pi4 unless you’re running it smoking hot for ages. I’ve run pi for many years longer than that but sure it’s possible. Keep an eye on it and let us know. ---
**Author:** ![David\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@David\_R](https://community.tempest.earth/u/David_R)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/help-my-wf-piconsole-keeps-freezing/28245/16 "2026-08-20T21:57:33Z")
TP-Link WIFI dongle has appeared to solve the problem. Been up and running for over a week with no freezing.