Jump to content

Firmware update on MCU left me with a dead module afterwards


Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi Guys

 

i updated the firmware on my control module from 02.40 to 02.49, but after the update it appears that the module is now dead - no led lights, screen dead, no buttons functioning, however, i can still turn the inverter on and off with it

 

Any idea what happend? is it still usable or have i bricked it?

Posted

I have no idea what inverter you have, but I can tell you that generally these things are developed so that there are two parts in the software: A small "bootloader" at the beginning of memory, and the main firmware after that. The bootloader is usually never overwritten, and the part that allows flashing the main firmware is in the bootloader.

During normal operation, the bootloader will simply check that there is valid firmware following at the right address, and then tell the CPU to load the first instruction and run it. If there isn't valid firmware, it will remain i the bootloader. This will usually allow you to flash it again, or perhaps flash back to an old version. It is quite normal for the unit to appear dead at this time: The main firmware is not running, so quite often none of the LEDs will turn on or anything.

Posted

Hi Plonkster

 

thank you for your reply, it makes more sense now - i forgot to mention that my inverter is an Axpert King (5KW)

The main firmware updated successfully from 71.90 to 71.93 but when updating the MCU firmware afterwards, that is where things went south....

 

is there a way i can get "back in" and reset it?

Posted
51 minutes ago, Andre Kruger said:

Axpert King

Aaah, then @Coulombis your guy. I know the basics of how these things are done -- it is done the same in Victron inverters -- but I don't know what happens if you load the wrong firmware or get it bricked.

Posted
4 hours ago, Andre Kruger said:

is there a way i can get "back in" and reset it?

I haven't seen the removable display bootloader, but my guess is that it's similar to the one in the main DSP. Certainly the reflash tools look very similar, complete with the same spelling/grammar mistakes (e.g. "updata sucess!").

So I'd say that it's the same as when you update main firmware and it doesn't work for whatever reason: the display is dead, and the machine is very unresponsive. However, I'd say that the bootloader is still running, listening for commands to initiate or progress a reflash.

So the advice is the same: don't panic, just restart the reflash tool, and wait for it to show that packets are being sent. The big unknown is the timing. With main DSP reflashing, it seems to help to start the reflash tool (press the final button that should make it go) at just the right time after the inverter is switched on. I seem to recall 12 seconds for the main DSP firmware, but it could well be different for removable displays. I assume that you are using the reflash tool on a PC which doesn't rely on power from the inverter, and always use the reflash tool that comes with the mcu.hex file. I guess you probably must be doing this, or I can't see how the reflash would never have started.

You might be able to reset the removable display by unplugging its cord from the main inverter, saving you having to power down and up the whole inverter. The "power switch" is a soft switch to the inverter; it won't turn the removable display processor on or off. I suggest having a charge source for the main inverter (PV or AC-in), so that the inverter itself never switches off completely (because then the removable display won't get power, and it definitely can't reflash itself without power). 

Good luck, and let us know how you ended up getting it going, or in the worst case, all the things you tried that failed.

Posted
On 2020/08/22 at 3:20 PM, Coulomb said:

I haven't seen the removable display bootloader, but my guess is that it's similar to the one in the main DSP. Certainly the reflash tools look very similar, complete with the same spelling/grammar mistakes (e.g. "updata sucess!").

So I'd say that it's the same as when you update main firmware and it doesn't work for whatever reason: the display is dead, and the machine is very unresponsive. However, I'd say that the bootloader is still running, listening for commands to initiate or progress a reflash.

So the advice is the same: don't panic, just restart the reflash tool, and wait for it to show that packets are being sent. The big unknown is the timing. With main DSP reflashing, it seems to help to start the reflash tool (press the final button that should make it go) at just the right time after the inverter is switched on. I seem to recall 12 seconds for the main DSP firmware, but it could well be different for removable displays. I assume that you are using the reflash tool on a PC which doesn't rely on power from the inverter, and always use the reflash tool that comes with the mcu.hex file. I guess you probably must be doing this, or I can't see how the reflash would never have started.

You might be able to reset the removable display by unplugging its cord from the main inverter, saving you having to power down and up the whole inverter. The "power switch" is a soft switch to the inverter; it won't turn the removable display processor on or off. I suggest having a charge source for the main inverter (PV or AC-in), so that the inverter itself never switches off completely (because then the removable display won't get power, and it definitely can't reflash itself without power). 

Good luck, and let us know how you ended up getting it going, or in the worst case, all the things you tried that failed.

 

Posted

@Coulomb - i ended up making a few calls, and the supplier had a spare module which i could use to test, and lo and behold, i plugged in the "test" module and it worked, i was able to confirm all the settings via that one, so it appears that mine just died in the upgrade process, which i found rather strange, so i am getting a replacement module on monday.

 

@Plaashaas - i wish i could, all comms to that module is gone, no lights, no screen - just died on me...  😑

Posted
10 hours ago, Andre Kruger said:

it appears that mine just died in the upgrade process,

Can you confirm whether you tried flashing the removable display again a few times with different timing?

Posted
1 hour ago, Coulomb said:

Can you confirm whether you tried flashing the removable display again a few times with different timing?

Yes, i tried several times, but there was no comms to the unit at all - usb, bluetooth and serial port, none were working

Posted
5 minutes ago, Andre Kruger said:

usb, bluetooth and serial port, none were working

To keep the bootloader simple, I'd expect it to support only one port, and that would be the serial port to talk to the Reflash Tool.

Posted
13 hours ago, Andre Kruger said:

......that module is gone, no lights, no screen......

Mine was the same but I was able to reflash and get it going again. 
(I even plugged intomy other inverter and is still looked to be dead, no lights)

  • 3 years later...
Posted (edited)

Hey Guys!

Special Thanks to Andre Kruger for posting this topic, Coulomb for generously sharing his expert advice and Plaashaas, for encouraging me to try again!

Initially, I bought the first of three machines and ran it in Single Phase Mode (P3) 

A couple of months later, I bought two more machines (P1 & P2), that's when the trouble started! After much troubleshooting, we figured out that the latest arrivals had a different firmware version than the first machine. Segen supplied the necessary firmware and we updated the firmware on all three machines (P1, P2 & P3) to 71.93, the same that Andre had installed.

Everything seemed OK and the system was working in three phase mode, but occasionally we would still experience a glitch. Usually a reboot would sort it out. 

Later we added a SMH (Solar Management Hub - Centurion Solar). We then realized that the SMH would duplicate the stats from P1 to P2 

I an attempt to figure out why this would be, we realised that P3 was running a different firmware version on the MCU.

We contacted Segen once again and this time requested no only the latest firmware for the Main Board, but also for the Display (Segen tells me this is the "MCU")

After updating both the Main (72.02) and MCU (2.83) firmware an all three machines, everything seemed OK after each upgrade, but a short while later, I noticed P1's display went dead, although everything else seemed to be working fine!

I then consulted this forum and went back to P1 to once more re-install the latest MCU firmware version (2.83) 

I experience everything as Andre explained and followed Plaashaas's advice to "Reflash Again", now all the displays are working again!

Coulomb, In total I have re-flashed displays 4 times today. I never took specific care to timing, so that doesn't appear to be an issue, but what I can say is that the first attempt today was on P1. At some point during the process after connecting to my laptop, the connection seemed to be not responding and I might have pushed buttons on the inverter and confused the update software. 

With  my last attempt, I made sure not to push anything on the inverter until the process is finished.

With my first three attempts, I switched of the utility supply and solar supply so only the fully charged batteries can power the machines. On my fourth attempt, I forgot to do so, therefore I can deduct that it doesn't matter how the displays are powered up!

Nevertheless, I still have to figure out why the SMH is duplicating P1 to P2

image.thumb.png.8f95ec98771c8095126b17c35d50b8e5.png

Edited by WindGat
Duplicate images

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...