Pi Running Squeezelite Reboots Periodically

[sodface]

Running squeezelite 1.8.7-1052 on piCore 9.0.3 with a cheap pcm5102a DAC wired as pictured, and everything works fine, except the pi will just abruptly reboot periodically and then pick up playing at the beginning of the song after it comes back up.

Doesn't seem to be anything related to a specific song or anything as I've been playing the playlist this morning and got through it start to finish without a reboot once, but one the Pi was only up for about half a song and then it rebooted and a couple of other times it was 3 or 4 songs in before a reboot.

This isn't with piCorePlayer, just my own install that roughly followed Gerrelt's Guide.

I'll probably try some different squeezelite builds but other than that, any troubleshooting ideas?

    [EDIT]: Fixed subject line for OP.  Rich

[curaga]

Bad power supply?

[Rich]

Hi sodface
Power supply noise would be my first guess.

[Greg Erskine]

I think it is a hardware issue as well, probably the PSU but it could be a loose wire or SD card.

I have never seen squeezelite crash piCore.

[sodface]

Thanks for the responses guys and you all were correct, I was too actually, right after I posted this I switched power supplies and it ran without reboots playing the same playlist on loop for over 24 hours.  I came back to post that I had switched power supplies but the forum was down.

I didn't want it to be power related though, I'm using an Orb Mini T amp that has a USB power port on it that is switched by the amp's main power / volume knob.  It would have been a nice solution to avoid a separate power supply and get the bonus of a single power switch for both devices.

I asked the Orb tech support what the port was rated for, but it was the weekend so I just tried it anyway without waiting for a reply.  By the time the reply came I already knew it couldn't handle it.  Here was the reply:

The USB is 5V 1amp and powers a Chrome Cast no problem. I don't know the max draw but my guess is it'll run the Pi.

[sodface]

I guess my thread subject was a little presumptuous and also, ultimately, completely incorrect.  I'm wondering if a mod can change it to "Pi Running Squeezelite Reboots Periodically" or something, I don't want squeezelite to get bad press on my account.

[Rich]

Hi sodface

I'm wondering if a mod can change it to "Pi Running Squeezelite Reboots Periodically" or something, ...

Done.

[sodface]

I ran the same Pi Zero W looping a playlist via squeezelite for 12 hours today off the USB power port on the Orb Mini T.  No reboots.  I'm a little unsure how to proceed now, separate power supply or not??  Piggy backing off the Orb is such a convenient and easy solution!  I don't want instability though.

[PDP-8]

Aside from using a quality supply, the quality and length of the cable can be an issue.  Basically, the shorter the better and the larger gauge of wire is beneficial to help prevent voltage drop.

One tech page about this issue I find valuable in regards to voltage drop from poor cabling:
http://goughlui.com/2014/10/01/usb-cable-resistance-why-your-phonetablet-might-be-charging-slow/

So if one invests in a good supply, make sure you don't hobble it with a very long and thin-gauge wire....

[sodface]

Thanks for the link PDP-8, great information.  I wish I knew which cable I was using when I had the issue the other day but I don't.  I have a USB power meter on order and if I'm under 1A at normal load by a good margin than I'm going to assume it was something other than than the Orb USB power (like the cable) and press on with my original plan and use short, high quality cable for all connections, including power.