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E1 — RFID_INIT_FAILED

The RFID reader failed to initialize and the firmware is retrying.

What happens​

rfid_task calls pcd_init() and checks pcd_is_init() in a loop. When the reader does not respond, this error is logged once and the task keeps retrying every RFID_RETRY_INIT_MS milliseconds. The rest of the firmware (Wi-Fi, WebSocket, display) continues running normally — only RFID scanning is blocked until the reader initialises successfully.

The same retry loop runs again each time the device wakes from sleep.

Possible causes​

  • The RFID chip is not responding over its bus (I²C on v4, SPI on v3). This can happen transiently on the very first boot after power-on while the chip is still settling.
  • The RFID module is defective or was damaged.

How to fix​

  1. Power-cycle the device — This is the standard fix mentioned in the firmware log itself. Remove power completely, wait a few seconds, and power back on.
  2. Check for repeated failures — If E1 appears in the error log on every boot and the device never recovers RFID scanning, the RFID chip may be faulty. Contact support or replace the device.