How remove the lightning bulb

[bask185]

I have the latest version of raspbian and there is a lightning bulb in the top right of the screen. I know what it is for but what I don't know is how I can get rid of it. It shines through all applications and I cannot have that

So how can I turn it off?

[6by9]

Either you have a bad power supply/cable that isn't supplying 5V to the Pi reliably, or you've used rpi-update and tried turning off the power LED.
For the first case I'd advise you get a better power supply/cable or expect random instability. Just disabling the warning is possible but not recommended.
For the second case, rpi-update again as a fix went in for that on Monday.

[klricks]

I have the latest version of raspbian and there is a lightning bulb in the top right of the screen. I know what it is for but what I don't know is how I can get rid of it. It shines through all applications and I cannot have that

So how can I turn it off?

Use a better power supply and/or a better quality micro USB cable.

[solar3000]

""How remove the lightning bulb""
With a proper power supply.

Look for one that is marked 5.1 V or 5.2V or 5.3V.
Look for one that is marked 2.5A or 3A.
Look for one with thick wires. Thick? Compare it with other wires. Just make sure its thicker.

[texy]

Consider it like a car engine's warning light on your dashboard - do you want to just remove the dash bulb, or fix the engine
Texy

[Douglas6]

My car recently started making strange noises coming from the engine. It cost me $400 for a louder stereo.

[Martin Frezman]

A large part of dealing with Unix (Linux, etc) is learning which messages/warnings/errors/etc can be safely ignored.

[jamesh]

Actually, the lightning bolt it put up there by the firmware IIRC, which is why it appears over everything else.

Bolt is there because:

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... g-icons.md

[blaablaaguy]

I have the latest version of raspbian and there is a lightning bulb in the top right of the screen. I know what it is for but what I don't know is how I can get rid of it. It shines through all applications and I cannot have that

So how can I turn it off?

IMO "turning it off" is not a great idea. Why dont you just get a better PSU? Itll get rid of the lightning bolt and fix the actual problem.

[bask185]

When I said: "I know where it is for", was it not obvious I wanted a software solution? I ment if I can turn it of in software.

IMO this bulb is stupid, I am using the Pi all the time without any problems.

Regardless! in the end the Pi will be powered by a custom made shield with a switching power supply. So I can tell the people who make that shield to let it output 5.3V or something but I'd still rather have a software is solution.

But I see it is a firmware 'problem'

[texy]

It is NOT a 'problem'. It is telling you important information - that the pi's supply is too low, and could potentially cause corrupt data, etc.
Your risk is to ignore it, not mask the warning.......

[6by9]

When I said: "I know where it is for", was it not obvious I wanted a software solution? I ment if I can turn it of in software.

In "General Discussion", no.

IMO this bulb is stupid, I am using the Pi all the time without any problems.

And long may it continue, but don't expect sympathy when you lose critical data.

Regardless! in the end the Pi will be powered by a custom made shield with a switching power supply. So I can tell the people who make that shield to let it output 5.3V or something but I'd still rather have a software is solution.

And we knew this how?
5.1V is the normal recommendation, mainly to account for losses in the cable. If you're making a shield (no cable) then please check the absolute max tolerances on the 5V rail. Memory says 5V +5% = 5.25V, but don't take that as gospel.

But I see it is a firmware 'problem'

Only a problem of not searching for an answer. viewtopic.php?f=29&t=82373

[W. H. Heydt]

When I said: "I know where it is for", was it not obvious I wanted a software solution? I ment if I can turn it of in software.

IMO this bulb is stupid, I am using the Pi all the time without any problems.

Regardless! in the end the Pi will be powered by a custom made shield with a switching power supply. So I can tell the people who make that shield to let it output 5.3V or something but I'd still rather have a software is solution.

But I see it is a firmware 'problem'

As has been said by several people, it's there because your Pi is seeing an undervolt condition. The way to "turn it off" is to provide the Pi with a proper power supply. It may be that your custom supply isn't putting out the right voltage because it isn't built correctly, or it may be that the current load imposed by the Pi is dragging down the voltage due to internal resistance (or other issues) in the PSU. Either way, the problem is not the Pi and not the firmware. The problem is the PSU and the solution is getting it fixed so that it can feed the Pi the proper voltage at the load the Pi needs. Once that is fixed, you won't see the undervolt indicator.

If it were me, I would test the PSU under heavy load once the vendor claims it is fixed, because if the heavily loaded Pi still gets the undervolt indication, then that PSU has *not* been properly fixed. The PSU needs to provide 5v at 2.5A. If it won't do that, it should be scrapped and you should get one that will do so.

[Mortimer]

I have to add to this discussion that I have recently started seeing the lightning bolt on my RPi3. It wasn't appearing until recently, and nothing has changed other than OS and F/W updates. My RPi3 has been running off a Lapdock ever since soon after the RPi3 was released.

Could there possibly be a problem with a recent update?

[6by9]

I have to add to this discussion that I have recently started seeing the lightning bolt on my RPi3. It wasn't appearing until recently, and nothing has changed other than OS and F/W updates. My RPi3 has been running off a Lapdock ever since soon after the RPi3 was released.

Could there possibly be a problem with a recent update?

(Off topic, but never mind).
How are you updating? apt-get (recommended) or rpi-update (here be dragons!)? Any idea of the fw/kernel version when it started?
There was a change (1 March) to allow control of the power LED from Linux, but apart from potentially a blip during boot, that shouldn't change the behaviour.

[jamesh]

I have to add to this discussion that I have recently started seeing the lightning bolt on my RPi3. It wasn't appearing until recently, and nothing has changed other than OS and F/W updates. My RPi3 has been running off a Lapdock ever since soon after the RPi3 was released.

Could there possibly be a problem with a recent update?

Slowly degrading USB cable or PSU?

The detection circuitry, AFAIK, is all HW, the firmware just reads a bit to say whether there is an under voltage or not. However, it's vaguely possible that changes to the software that determines the SoC core voltage might have increased the voltage required by the SoC itself, which might be putting a higher demand on the supply, but that seems unlikely.

[FTrevorGowen]

...
Slowly degrading USB cable or PSU?
The detection circuitry, AFAIK, is all HW ...

+1 and, IIRC, there is at least one thread where the "threshold sensing I.C." has been identified together with its "control" resistor. W.r.t. to the OP's "problem" with the icon "breaking through" his "apps. display", IIRC there is also another thread where the poster had a similar issue with the icon overlapping an app. button (or something of that sort). From what I remember the "workaround" suggested there was along the lines of using a reduced display area so that the lighting bolt icon no longer overlapped/obscured any of the app's displayed components (now confined to the reduced working area).
Trev.

[AMV007]

to remove lightning bulb: add "avoid_warnings=1" to /boot/config.txt

[al28]

Hi, my Raspberry has the icon because I’m supplying it with a powerbank (always connected to 220v) that is working as ups. I measured 4.20V that is below the minimum for not having the icon. If I connect the Raspberry directly I do not have the icon. Now, my question is: if I use the pi without the power bank I have not the icon but if a power cutoff happens (for a thunderstorm) it may damage the pi. If I keep the power bank I have a protection from power cutoff but I can damage the sd card for low power voltage. Which is the “best” solution?
Thanks

[drgeoff]

@al28

Most powerbanks are not designed to operate as a UPS. They usually have a single chip which can operate as a charge controller or as step-up converter. But not both modes simultaneously.

[al28]

Sorry but I have to correct. I’ve been using same power bank (cellular line 20000mamp) for three years with a pi and it is everytime 100% charged and well working during power cutoff. It’s a powerbank designed for being used and, same time, recharged.

[drgeoff]

Sorry but I have to correct. I’ve been using same power bank (cellular line 20000mamp) for three years with a pi and it is everytime 100% charged and well working during power cutoff. It’s a powerbank designed for being used and, same time, recharged.

That's why I included the words "most" and "usually". Though those are accurate over all powerbanks, yours is one of the minority.

[Imperf3kt]

After three years of service, the cells have probably reached their cycle limit.
Rechargeable batteries aren't rechargeable indefinitely. Most commercial ones have 500 to 1000 uses.

[Zinkwazi]

to remove lightning bulb: add "avoid_warnings=1" to /boot/config.txt

Thanks, this worked perfectly!

[wh7qq]

A word of caution on power supply cables: In-line switches can add sufficient resistance to the over all cable resistance to drop the voltage below threshold levels, even if the supply is nominally 5.1 or 5.2 volts. Remember V=IR. It doesn't take much increase in "R" to drop the "V" below the RPi's threshold if the RPi and accessories are drawing 2+ amps. The switches look convenient but if they aren't too resistive to start, may deteriorate with age and power cycles to the point that the lightning bolt appears. Been there, done that.

Also, remember that the capacitors that are used in switching power supplies get beaten on pretty heavily and deteriorate with age. Cheap supplies may bring cheap capacitors which can bring the supply out of regulation. The few extra dollars invested in an approved supply can save lots of grief later.