Index: dialin/protocols/CAN.py
===================================================================
diff -u -ra3f3f5ca6fcb24a47bb3056878bb8ff9e3642fd2 -re10534f3df259e137e0ba14d897ecef42a767737
--- dialin/protocols/CAN.py	(.../CAN.py)	(revision a3f3f5ca6fcb24a47bb3056878bb8ff9e3642fd2)
+++ dialin/protocols/CAN.py	(.../CAN.py)	(revision e10534f3df259e137e0ba14d897ecef42a767737)
@@ -416,7 +416,10 @@
                     # We have received a legit can message of 8 bytes
                     can_data = [b for b in message.data]
                     channel_id = message.arbitration_id
-                    message_length = can_data[DenaliMessage.PAYLOAD_LENGTH_INDEX]
+                    if not DenaliMessage.PAYLOAD_LENGTH_INDEX < len(can_data):
+                        self.logger.error("Invalid denali message received: {0}".format(message))
+                    else:
+                        message_length = can_data[DenaliMessage.PAYLOAD_LENGTH_INDEX]
 
                     if self.log_can:
                         self.do_log_can(message, style="candump", channel=self.bus.channel, send=False)
Index: dialin/utils/base.py
===================================================================
diff -u -r149731110e78bdf58e6b5872b545a79dfbee1fb1 -re10534f3df259e137e0ba14d897ecef42a767737
--- dialin/utils/base.py	(.../base.py)	(revision 149731110e78bdf58e6b5872b545a79dfbee1fb1)
+++ dialin/utils/base.py	(.../base.py)	(revision e10534f3df259e137e0ba14d897ecef42a767737)
@@ -179,7 +179,10 @@
         print("Warning: Could not set txtqueue length: {0}".format(cmd_txqueue))
 
 
-def create_logger(log_path: str = "/tmp/DialinScript.log", level: str = "ERROR", enable_metadata=True):
+def create_logger(log_path: str = "/tmp/DialinScript.log",
+                  level: str = "ERROR",
+                  enable_metadata=True,
+                  clear_before_write=False):
     """
     Convenience function to create a logger for external Dialin scripts
 
@@ -191,10 +194,18 @@
 
     numeric_level = getattr(logging, level, logging.ERROR)
 
-    logger = logging.getLogger("DialinScript")
+    current_time = datetime.now()
+
+    # create a new unique logger using current date and time
+    logger = logging.getLogger("DialinScript{0}{1}{2}".format(current_time.hour,
+                                                              current_time.minute,
+                                                              current_time.second))
     logger.setLevel(numeric_level)
 
-    fh = logging.FileHandler(log_path)
+    if clear_before_write:
+        fh = logging.FileHandler(log_path, mode='w')
+    else:
+        fh = logging.FileHandler(log_path)
     fh.setLevel(numeric_level)
     ch = logging.StreamHandler()
     ch.setLevel(numeric_level)
Index: tests/test_logging.py
===================================================================
diff -u -r8ea13ae6dd10732bfcc456798f4785c4d88c95d3 -re10534f3df259e137e0ba14d897ecef42a767737
--- tests/test_logging.py	(.../test_logging.py)	(revision 8ea13ae6dd10732bfcc456798f4785c4d88c95d3)
+++ tests/test_logging.py	(.../test_logging.py)	(revision e10534f3df259e137e0ba14d897ecef42a767737)
@@ -14,12 +14,15 @@
 #
 ############################################################################
 import sys
+import subprocess
 sys.path.append("..")
 from dialin.dg.dialysate_generator import DG
 from dialin.hd.hemodialysis_device import HD
+from dialin.utils.base import create_logger
 import time
+import logging
+from logging import Logger
 
-
 def test_logging():
     """
     Prints the DG version.
@@ -40,5 +43,24 @@
             hd.ui.cmd_ui_request_hd_version()
 
 
+class HDDevice(HD):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.vvlogger = create_logger("vvlogger.log", "NOT_SET", enable_metadata=False, clear_before_write=True)
+        self.vvlogger.debug("VVLOGGER: INITIALIZE")
+        self.logger.debug("TESTING123")
+        self.vvlogger.getEffectiveLevel()
+
+
+def test_create_logger():
+    subprocess.call("rm *.log", shell=True)
+    hd = HDDevice()
+    print(hd.vvlogger.getEffectiveLevel())
+    hd.vvlogger.debug("VVLOGGER: TEST 1 (BEFORE DIALIN logger.debug() calls)")
+    hd.test_debug()
+    hd.vvlogger.debug("VVLOGGER: TEST 2 (AFTER DIALIN logger.debug() calls)")
+    # observe that no dialin logger.debug() messages appear in vvlogger.log
+    # and no dialin logger.debug() messages appear in the pycharm console (same behavior when running from terminal).
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    test_logging()
+    test_create_logger()