July 31, 20205 yr 3 hours ago, Plaashaas said: Can't believe that in 2020 we are resorting to 1980's technology! One thing - many new PCs have a 10-pin H/W serial port header on the motherboard, it just is not brought out to the back panel. You would need (maybe) to enable it in the BIOS, and get (or make) a connector cable 10-way IDC female to DB9. Most PC repair shops would have these - they used to be installed in many older PCs. Also widely available on the web.
July 31, 20205 yr 3 hours ago, Plaashaas said: Ok I have now tried 2 laptops, Windows 7 and Windows 10, also 2 different USB>Serial cables with no success. My last resort this weekend is getting an actual old desktop from a museum and trying again I updated my firmware yesterday using a serial -> USB adapter running Windows 10. Is your serial port set as COM1? Do you have a bunch of anti-virus software, etc. on your computer or something that could be blocking this maybe? 3 hours ago, Plaashaas said: Can't believe that in 2020 we are resorting to 1980's technology! In electronics space, RS232 (serial) is considered the best still. This isn't unique to this inverter 3 hours ago, Plaashaas said: My worry is that the one inverter when switched on only has a blank (off) screen. I can hear it switching on and relays clicking. I also know that it took the 2.49 update. How long should I wait after starting inverter before I click in the Update firmware button. If it turns off and never shows progress on the update window, it failed before even starting. I had that before on a Windows 7 machine that was quite bloated, something on that install probably interfered . I fixed it by downloading a Windows 10 live boot cd, boot from it then used that. On that machine it would say it is starting, power down the inverter then fail. The only way to recover was to turn off power to the inverter (AC & DC) then turn it back on. Edited July 31, 20205 yr by Gnome
July 31, 20205 yr 16 minutes ago, Calvin said: Sorry to hear that you are still struggling - are the symptoms still the same (as in it hangs up partly done), or does it not start at all now? It is still this issue.... On 2020/07/27 at 7:38 AM, Plaashaas said: I changed the COM3 to COM1 and restarted my computer with no success. Using Windows 10
July 31, 20205 yr 7 minutes ago, Gnome said: I updated my firmware yesterday using a serial -> USB adapter running Windows 10. Is your serial port set as COM1? Do you have a bunch of anti-virus software, etc. on your computer or something that could be blocking this maybe? In electronics space, RS232 (serial) is considered the best still. This isn't unique to this inverter If it turns off and never shows progress on the update window, it failed before even starting. I had that before on a Windows 7 machine that was quite bloated, something on that install probably interfered . I fixed it by downloading a Windows 10 live boot cd, boot from it then used that. On that machine it would say it is starting, power down the inverter then fail. The only way to recover was to turn off power to the inverter (AC & DC) then turn it back on. Yes set to COM1.... Also tried 2, 3, 4... no luck. (Also tried restarting laptop after changing COM designation)
July 31, 20205 yr 18 minutes ago, Plaashaas said: Yes set to COM1.... Also tried 2, 3, 4... no luck. (Also tried restarting laptop after changing COM designation) Then my advice is to use a bootable windows 10 live cd. Also I don't agree that you should be using an old computer with a serial port on it. I would use a USB -> Serial converter. Not all computers supported serial ports that had true RS-232 voltage levels. However most USB -> Serial converter do support it. Specifically this one will definitely work, it supports all RS-232 variants. Edited July 31, 20205 yr by Gnome
July 31, 20205 yr 3 hours ago, Plaashaas said: Press ON button on Inverter. Wait 10 seconds (Counting Mississippily) Press Update. This could be the problem. Can King users please estimate the time from switch on to when the countdown starts?
July 31, 20205 yr 4 minutes ago, Coulomb said: This could be the problem. Can King users please estimate the time from switch on to when the countdown starts? Based on my other one.... it takes about a second and then starts counting down from 6
July 31, 20205 yr 3 hours ago, Plaashaas said: also 2 different USB>Serial cables with no success. Was either of them one that uses a PL2303 chip, or one from Communica? Those are the two that are known (by me) to work (I'm sure that there are others).
July 31, 20205 yr 2 minutes ago, Coulomb said: Was either of them one that uses a PL2303 chip, or one from Communica? Those are the two that are known (by me) to work (I'm sure that there are others). Yep I can confirm PL2303 works, this one I linked is also PL2303 EDIT: Oh nice, the Communica one is even cheaper. Too bad Communica is a pain to get to depending where you live. In Cape Town it is ok, but in Pretoria & Johannesburg they are located in some dodgy neighborhoods. Wouldn't go there even if it was free. Edited July 31, 20205 yr by Gnome
July 31, 20205 yr Try run your update by booting from this Windows 10 CD. I used that in the past and it worked. That gives you repeatable results because then your Windows install can be ruled out. Edited July 31, 20205 yr by Gnome
July 31, 20205 yr 1 minute ago, Plaashaas said: it takes about a second and then starts counting down from 6 So 10 seconds might be a bit long. Perhaps try about 4 seconds from switch-on to pressing update.
July 31, 20205 yr 8 minutes ago, Coulomb said: Was either of them one that uses a PL2303 chip, or one from Communica? Those are the two that are known (by me) to work (I'm sure that there are others). Does FTDI232 and prolific driver make any sense?
July 31, 20205 yr One thing that ha embarrassed me in the past (with the "cannot open port") - If Watchpower is installed make sure that it is completely closed - incl the system tray icon.
July 31, 20205 yr 3 minutes ago, Calvin said: One thing that ha embarrassed me in the past (with the "cannot open port") - If Watchpower is installed make sure that it is completely closed - incl the system tray icon. That I have done for sure.
July 31, 20205 yr 3 minutes ago, Plaashaas said: Does FTDI232 and prolific driver make any sense? FTDI232 is a TTL level RS-232 serial port, it 100% will not work with Axpert. Prolific is the company that makes PL2303, if it says Prolific it is probably a PL2303. But if it says FTDI232 it will not work. They are two different things, so I assume those are two types of serial converters you have?
July 31, 20205 yr 4 minutes ago, Plaashaas said: That I have done for sure. My experience has been that bad USB serial adapters will start the process but not complete it. Failure to open the port (in my case anyway) has always meant it is in use by something else. Can you open the port in a terminal program?
July 31, 20205 yr 17 minutes ago, Gnome said: They are two different things, so I assume those are two types of serial converters you have? Yes. Problem is the FTDI one worked fine for the display update. The prolific did not work for dsp. Edited July 31, 20205 yr by Plaashaas
July 31, 20205 yr 3 minutes ago, Gnome said: FTDI232 is a TTL level RS-232 serial port, it 100% will not work with Axpert. All these chips are TTL level. In USB RS232 adapter something like a MAX232 is used to convert to RS232 voltages.
July 31, 20205 yr 3 minutes ago, Calvin said: My experience has been that bad USB serial adapters will start the process but not complete it. Failure to open the port (in my case anyway) has always meant it is in use by something else. Can you open the port in a terminal program? I have long since given up looking stupid.... I am desperate now so..... Terminal program???? Meaning "Device Manager" >>>> com ports ???
July 31, 20205 yr Just now, Calvin said: All these chips are TTL level. In USB RS232 adapter something like a MAX232 is used to convert to RS232 voltages. No. PL2303 doesn't use a MAX232, it is a single chip. And FTDI232 is commonly used on Arduino, it can be coupled to a MAX232, but given that it isn't easy to see if that is the case I would stick with what is know to work.
July 31, 20205 yr Just now, Gnome said: PL2303 doesn't use a MAX232, it is a single chip They are all single chips. You add something like a MAX232 (as a seperate level converter) wen you want RS232 voltagtes. As @Plaashaaspointed out, it worked fine for his display update. It would never work at TTL levels.
July 31, 20205 yr 2 minutes ago, Plaashaas said: I have long since given up looking stupid.... I am desperate now so..... Terminal program???? Meaning "Device Manager" >>>> com ports ??? As I said, I don't trust your Windows install. I would use a Windows 10 Live CD to rule it out. All these things to try see what is blocking it. Instead rule it out. The live CD boots into a Windows 10 environment that is the same every time you boot it, you plug in the PL2303 (and install the driver if needed) and set it to COM1. I did 1 year ago when I had the same problem that it couldn't open the port. I posted that on the Australian forum, others tried it also and it worked for them also.
July 31, 20205 yr Thank you all for you patience and help. I will go try EVERYTHING suggested and if that fails, take the inverter off and back to supplier.
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