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EG4 Lifepower4 48V Top Balancing Firmware.

goldserve said:
Details of the changes would be nice and a writeup of how to update the firmware. I know the rs485 cable needs a different pinout but can you provide that pin out?
Click to expand...
1.Optimize the charging and discharging strategy of the inverter when using battery packs.Add segmented current reduction charging based on the highest voltage point in the parallel system to ensure that each pack in the parallel system can be fully charged;When there is an overvoltage protection in the parallel charging system,a request is made to delete the stop charging strategy,allowing al lbattery packs to be fully charged insequenceand then protected before stopping charging.

2.When the maximum unit voltage of the pack is higher than 3.47v,if it is in the charging state,activate active current limiting to ensure that the charging end is charged to a fully charged state with a low current of 10A;

3.The charging voltage of the inverter has been changed from 56.4v to 58.4v

4,and the Luxpower inverter protocol and the Guliwatt inverterprotocol support adaptation;

5.Optimization of charging prohibition strategy,changing from the original over voltage protection charging prohibition to charging prohibition when the highest single unitis>3.7v,and only eliminating the charging prohibition function after the over voltage protection fault isr emoved;

6.Optimization of SOC calibration strategy,calibrated to 99% when the highest unit voltage is greater than 3.55v or the average voltage is greater than 3.5v,and calibrated to 100% when charging over voltage alarm occurs.
 
Wondering if this firmware update will enable it to communicate with Sol Ark inverter?
Has anyone tried?


Zapper77 said:
I updated all my batteries last night.

Gained - the ability to communicate with 18kPV without the hub. (Primary battery must be 0)

Lifepower4 Communication Hub - Need to change baud setting to 19200 on the hub w/Battery firmware version 3.26
View attachment 158566

Changes Noted - BMS OV cell and Pack reduced to 57.6 and 3.6v (was 58 and 3.65 with V3.1 and 3.17) Charge Voltage increased to 58.4v

Note battery communication cable that shipped with my July 2022 purchase was unable to update battery firmware.

Cable that shipped with July 2023 battery purchase was able to update battery firmware on all batteries.

side (3.17) by side (3.26) changes in bms settings (note the 58.4v).

View attachment 158565
Click to expand...
 
Batavian said:
Anyone confirm issue with "Get boot information failed"?
I've tried a lot of different variations trying to find the special sauce.
Was watching the Signature Solar video they say to watch and at 7:37 in the video there is a cut during the boot. Then on the screen after the cut there is the "Get boot information failed" right on the screen above the "Successful Boot" Maybe they should include a reason why theirs failed the time before to help out?
Click to expand...
I had the same thing happen, then I tried the other cable I had gotten from SS. Worked like a charm after. I only updated one battery at a time and I set the DIP to all down when I did then set it back once firmware was complete. Took about 45 minutes for four batts. I saw that it looked like I could access all of them via the "multipack" tab but I'm old school and don't take chances with firmware.
I only got to 96% SOC yesterday, so I'm gonna let them top balance all day today and tomorrow. My 2p1 array wasn't producing like normal. It's usually matched with 2p2 but it was plateaued all day. The only thing that's changed was this firmware. Strange.
Screenshot (53).pngScreenshot (52).png
 
PunchySunshine said:
I had the same thing happen, then I tried the other cable I had gotten from SS. Worked like a charm after. I only updated one battery at a time and I set the DIP to all down when I did then set it back once firmware was complete. Took about 45 minutes for four batts. I saw that it looked like I could access all of them via the "multipack" tab but I'm old school and don't take chances with firmware.
I only got to 96% SOC yesterday, so I'm gonna let them top balance all day today and tomorrow. My 2p1 array wasn't producing like normal. It's usually matched with 2p2 but it was plateaued all day. The only thing that's changed was this firmware. Strange.
View attachment 159545View attachment 159544
Click to expand...
Good choice. It will take even longer to update all 4 via multipack. ?
 
Looks like a week has gone by since this update was out, any issues being seen with it?

FYI, if you have a MacBook with the M series SoC (ha, not state of charge...) the provided BMS test utility works well and was far easier than my windows laptops (it seems b/c the default driver sucks). Just .. FYI :)
 
jarred125 said:
Looks like a week has gone by since this update was out, any issues being seen with it?

FYI, if you have a MacBook with the M series SoC (ha, not state of charge...) the provided BMS test utility works well and was far easier than my windows laptops (it seems b/c the default driver sucks). Just .. FYI :)
Click to expand...
Oo, I previously had to use VMware viewer and a vm to pass through the usb dongle on the MacBook to connect to the batteries. Where can I find this mac utility?
 
I have 6 of the Lifepower4 batteries, connected to a Schneider Insight Home. The communications works well, but I'd like to do this firmware update as it seems to adjust things like topbalancing profiles, and charge/discharge/cell voltages. Unfortunately, the last firmware for the lifepower4's for schnieder is 3.21.

If I were to buy the communications hub, can I have the insight talk to it, and just use the latest *standard* firmware on the individual batteries so I get the latest goodness instead of being several firmware issues behind?

@Markus_SignatureSolar ?

*Edit* One of the reasons I'd like to update the firmware is.. Even when all of the batteries show 100% SOC in the BMS_test utility, the insight never shows it above 99%, which.. affects how my equipment handles selling to the grid. I'm not just upgrading "for the fun of it"

*Edit2* Also noticed that the documentation hasn't changed in the manual. With the firmware update, it looks like bulk/absorb voltage changed (if I understand it right) but the documentation still shows bulk and absorb at 56.2v, and float at 54v. If I'm reading the params right. What does signaturesolar or eg4 now recommend for these settings?
 
Last edited:
jarred125 said:
Looks like a week has gone by since this update was out, any issues being seen with it?

FYI, if you have a MacBook with the M series SoC (ha, not state of charge...) the provided BMS test utility works well and was far easier than my windows laptops (it seems b/c the default driver sucks). Just .. FYI :)
Click to expand...
It will take a few weeks to determine if the new firmware causes any issues.
 
n2aws said:
I have 6 of the Lifepower4 batteries, connected to a Schneider Insight Home. The communications works well, but I'd like to do this firmware update as it seems to adjust things like topbalancing profiles, and charge/discharge/cell voltages. Unfortunately, the last firmware for the lifepower4's for schnieder is 3.21.

If I were to buy the communications hub, can I have the insight talk to it, and just use the latest *standard* firmware on the individual batteries so I get the latest goodness instead of being several firmware issues behind?

@Markus_SignatureSolar ?

*Edit* One of the reasons I'd like to update the firmware is.. Even when all of the batteries show 100% SOC in the BMS_test utility, the insight never shows it above 99%, which.. affects how my equipment handles selling to the grid. I'm not just upgrading "for the fun of it"
Click to expand...
I suspect it will still say 99%

In my experience the HUB rarely reports 100% and typically tops out at 99%, unless the average pack voltage goes beyond a specific voltage. I'm guessing 56.5v or higher. I never did through testing on this issue because it doesn't bother me.

Edit: I see your system won't sell to grid unless 100%.
 
First, let me say that I've had my system on the EG4/USE split phase battery setting the whole time I've owned it. After letting my four batts top balance yesterday, I noticed it was actually top balancing. That is to say the two batteries that were out of whack were "allowed" to charge longer than the two middle ones that were about the same. First one, then the other was full after a bit. I'm going to let them top balance all day again today and then flip back over to off grid tonight for some actual loading. But it sure seems improved greatly so far!
 
PunchySunshine said:
First, let me say that I've had my system on the EG4/USE split phase battery setting the whole time I've owned it. After letting my four batts top balance yesterday, I noticed it was actually top balancing. That is to say the two batteries that were out of whack were "allowed" to charge longer than the two middle ones that were about the same. First one, then the other was full after a bit. I'm going to let them top balance all day again today and then flip back over to off grid tonight for some actual loading. But it sure seems improved greatly so far!
Click to expand...
This is good to hear.

I may have to temporarily update the battery firmwares to this version that top balances differently. then, after a couple days, downgrade back to 3.21, since that is the last version that supports my inverter/charge controllers. I don't understand why they wouldn't update all of them. Surely the params are changing because they are finding more "optimal" settings over time, so to have suboptimal settings on my batteries isn't super-thrilling or re-assuring.
 
n2aws said:
This is good to hear.

I may have to temporarily update the battery firmwares to this version that top balances differently. then, after a couple days, downgrade back to 3.21, since that is the last version that supports my inverter/charge controllers. I don't understand why they wouldn't update all of them. Surely the params are changing because they are finding more "optimal" settings over time, so to have suboptimal settings on my batteries isn't super-thrilling or re-assuring.
Click to expand...
I'd give it a few more days before updating.

Edit. You could update one battery and see if it can still communicate with your inverter.

That single battery update allows you to watch that one battery and see if the firmware makes any difference.
 
Zapper77 said:
I'd give it a few more days before updating.

Edit. You could update one battery and see if it can still communicate with your inverter.

That single battery update allows you to watch that one battery and see if the firmware makes any difference.
Click to expand...
Nah, their is a note in the zipfile and a separate directory for my inverter manufacturer saying the last version is 3.21. so, I'd need to update temporarily to let it resolve my problem, and then downgrade to get closed-loop comms again.


*Edit* I just ordered the lifepower4 communications hub. The hope is, the hub will be the device that talks to my inverter, and I can run any firmware on the batteries. If not.. well, someone has to try it, right? If nothing else.. I'll have a fancy display to view my individual battery stats.. I guess. lol
 
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OMG, I just experienced the most frustrating update experience and I still was not able to successfully update the firmware. I consider myself pretty savvy but this one beat me.

I read that mac has an app now to communicate with the BMS so I thought this was going to be easy. I have a cable with pin 1 and 2 connected, have the SS RS485 dongle and the app was able to connect, read the BMS data but when going to the upgrade window, I could not get boot information. I toggled the show data and I could see command sent to the BMS but no reply. I tried everything in the app including ID0, ID1, ID2 and finally, I was able to get boot information if I set Boot Baud Rate to 9600 and not the default 115200. However, the hardware version returned was 2020 and not 0205 or 0207. Fine, I try to update to 0207 using 9600 baud configuration but I just get "Failed to send data". I see TX data from the dongle but no reply from the BMS.

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