Why isn’t my Netatmo OAuth2.0 token refreshing automatically in n8n after it expires?

Based on how n8n handles OAuth2 tokens, the symptoms you’re describing indicate that after the access token expires the built‐in refresh mechanism isn’t being triggered or isn’t working as expected. n8n uses a generic OAuth2 token manager (the ClientOAuth2Token class) that has a refresh() method to obtain a new access token using the refresh token. When you receive a “Forbidden - perhaps check your credentials?” error, it usually means that either the access token is no longer valid or the refresh process failed.

Here are some points to check:

1. Refresh Token Presence and Validity:
   The refresh() method in n8n expects a valid refresh token. Verify that during your initial authentication Netatmo returns a refresh token and that it’s being stored. If Netatmo’s token response does not include or update the refresh token, the refresh() call might be using an expired token.

2. Configuration of OAuth2 Credentials:
   Make sure that all required fields (like clientId, clientSecret, and the proper accessTokenUri) for the refresh request are configured correctly. The refresh() method builds a POST request that includes the refresh token and grant type. If any of these parameters are missing or misconfigured, the refresh request might fail.

3. Endpoint and Authentication Method:
   The refresh() method offers two ways of authenticating the request: either by sending client credentials in the request’s body (if the authentication option is set to “body”) or in the headers using a basic authorization scheme. Confirm that your Netatmo OAuth application accepts the method used by your configuration.

4. Token Expiry Settings:
   n8n calculates token expiry based on the expires_in value provided by the OAuth provider. If that value isn’t what you expect (for example, if Netatmo has a shorter time-to-live), then the token might expire sooner than anticipated. Although the refresh() method should kick in once expired(), if the refresh token itself isn’t valid or isn’t updated after refresh, subsequent calls will still use the expired token.

5. Potential Provider-Side Restrictions:
   Some providers require additional settings or might restrict the lifecycle of a refresh token. It could be worthwhile to double-check Netatmo’s OAuth documentation for any mention of token refresh limits or additional parameters required during the refresh process.

If after verifying the above points the auto-refresh still isn’t working, you may need to look into whether the specific Netatmo node in your workflow is triggering the refresh() method correctly. In n8n, when a node uses OAuth2 credentials, it typically calls sign() to inject the access token into the request. If sign() is run with an expired token and the mechanism to check for expiry (and call refresh()) isn’t invoked or isn’t catching the expired state, then your workflow will end up using the expired token.

A snippet from the OAuth2 token manager shows the intended flow:

TSCopied
// Check if the token has expired
expired(): boolean {
	return Date.now() > this.expires.getTime();
}

// Refresh a user access token with the supplied token.
async refresh(opts?: ClientOAuth2Options): Promise<ClientOAuth2Token> {
	// ...build request with refresh_token and grant_type
	// POST to the accessTokenUri
	// Create and return a new token with the updated data
}

Suggestions for troubleshooting:

• Enable detailed logging in n8n to see if the refresh() method is being called after the token expires.
• Verify that the refresh token and all OAuth2 credentials are correct and in line with Netatmo’s requirements.
• If you can test outside of n8n, try mimicking the refresh request manually (using a tool like Postman) to see if Netatmo accepts your request as configured.
• Check with Netatmo support or their updated OAuth documentation to ensure there are no provider-specific nuances affecting the token refresh process.

By ensuring the refresh token is valid and that the OAuth credentials and endpoints are configured as Netatmo expects, you should be able to resolve the automatic token refresh issue.

Hope this helps you troubleshoot the problem!

Based on your description, it appears that after the initial Netatmo OAuth flow completes, the access token is expiring after around three hours and isn’t being refreshed automatically. While n8n’s built-in OAuth2 credential handling (as seen for integrations like Airtable or Slack) generally supports automatic token refresh when the service provides a refresh token, the issue you’re facing suggests that one of the following might be happening:

• Refresh Token Not Provided: Netatmo’s OAuth implementation might not be returning a refresh token (or the returned refresh token isn’t being stored correctly in n8n). Make sure that your Netatmo app is configured to provide a refresh token during the OAuth flow.
• Integration Implementation: n8n requires that the integration (in this case, Netatmo) supports the refresh mechanism. Since many integrations rely on the conventions outlined in their official OAuth documentation, it’s important to verify that your Netatmo app’s settings and permissions allow for issuing a refresh token.
• n8n Version or Configuration: Although you’re running n8n v1.72.1, it’s worth checking if there are any updates or configuration details specific to your Netatmo node that might affect token refresh. In some cases, certain integrations might require additional handling or even upgrades to ensure the refresh mechanism works properly.

Here are some steps to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

1. Verify Netatmo App Settings:
   Double-check the OAuth settings in your Netatmo app. Confirm that it is set up to deliver both an access token and a refresh token. Compare your configuration against Netatmo’s OAuth documentation (https://dev.netatmo.com/apidocumentation/oauth).

2. Re-authenticate in n8n:
   Delete and then recreate the Netatmo credentials in n8n so that during a fresh OAuth authorization flow, any available refresh token is stored.

3. Review n8n Logs:
   Look for any log entries related to the token refresh process. There might be an indication if a refresh call was attempted and what response was returned.

4. Check for Known Issues:
   Since OAuth flows can vary between services, it’s possible that this is a known limitation or bug with the Netatmo integration in n8n. Search the n8n community forum or GitHub issues for similar reports. If none are found, consider opening an issue with detailed repro steps.

5. Test Token Renewal Manually:
   As a workaround, you might test the token refresh behavior manually (using a REST client) following Netatmo’s OAuth refresh flow. This can help determine if the issue is on the Netatmo side or how n8n is handling the token.

By ensuring your Netatmo app is configured to issue a refresh token and that n8n is storing and using it properly, you have the best chance to achieve a smooth, uninterrupted workflow. If after these steps the issue persists, the community and n8n’s GitHub repository can be a good resource for further investigation into the specifics of Netatmo’s OAuth implementation.