Growatt 5000ES US Version Communication Issues

[journeyman846]

I have been trying to get communication setup with my Growatt 5000 from Signature Solar with very little success so far. I am starting to think that maybe something within the inverter itself is not plugged in to the coms board. I am hoping that somebody on the forum with a successful setup can maybe assist on what might be different about my unit. So far I have determined the board to be working as it shows up in Windows and Linux as a serial device, but I get no output on the console. I have found that it does not matter if the unit is even powered up or the coms board is even connected to get it to show up in Windows. When the inverter is powered up I do get a flashing green light on the board, but still no output. I have also watched a few YouTube videos and noticed my board is not the same as others. I am a Systems Engineer so I am very technically competent but so far this one has got me at a loss.

 

[journeyman846]

Just checking to see if anyone with a 5000ES has any input or can share pictures of their module. I have noticed that the one that Signature Solar and David Poz are not the same as mine. Also, Growatt tech support was pretty responsive for a couple days but I am starting to think they might not know what the issue is either.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

There are multiple comm boards depending on when you purchased the unit - but they are all operationally the same. That being said - what are you trying to actually do? The software Growatt gives for the inverter is not a wired connection - the only time you'd have that it would be for a firmware update. Beyond that, some users have written code that they posted to GitHub to use things like Arduino/Raspberry Pi's to comm with custom scripted code or something like Solar Assistant. Here's a link on the forum to something like this:

Monitoring Growatt-5000ES/3000-ES over USB with raspberry-pi

Hello, I purchased a signature-solar growatt 5000ES and has been working great. I wanted to collect statistics on the inverter and graph them, so after some reading on this forum I purchased an RS485 adapter and went that route. While waiting for my rs485 adapter to arrive, I tried connecting...

diysolarforum.com

If you run into any questions let me know.

 

[journeyman846]

There are multiple comm boards depending on when you purchased the unit - but they are all operationally the same. That being said - what are you trying to actually do? The software Growatt gives for the inverter is not a wired connection - the only time you'd have that it would be for a firmware update. Beyond that, some users have written code that they posted to GitHub to use things like Arduino/Raspberry Pi's to comm with custom scripted code or something like Solar Assistant. Here's a link on the forum to something like this:

Monitoring Growatt-5000ES/3000-ES over USB with raspberry-pi

Hello, I purchased a signature-solar growatt 5000ES and has been working great. I wanted to collect statistics on the inverter and graph them, so after some reading on this forum I purchased an RS485 adapter and went that route. While waiting for my rs485 adapter to arrive, I tried connecting...

diysolarforum.com

If you run into any questions let me know.

I am just trying to get any communication with the inverter for monitoring. I have tested that program on a Raspberry Pi, PVKeeper, and just a direct serial connection to the inverter. When I connect the supplied USB to the inverter it just shows up as a "USB serial device" with or without there even being power to the inverter. All the other users I have seen connect to the inverter have the device show up as a Silicon Labs CP210x device. I went through the video that you guys have for the firmware update as well and it does not show up correctly there either. My job role is a Sr. Systems Engineer, so I am very familiar with working with this type of stuff and from what I can tell this UART device is not passing comms to the inverter correctly.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I am just trying to get any communication with the inverter for monitoring. I have tested that program on a Raspberry Pi, PVKeeper, and just a direct serial connection to the inverter. When I connect the supplied USB to the inverter it just shows up as a "USB serial device" with or without there even being power to the inverter. All the other users I have seen connect to the inverter have the device show up as a Silicon Labs CP210x device. I went through the video that you guys have for the firmware update as well and it does not show up correctly there either. My job role is a Sr. Systems Engineer, so I am very familiar with working with this type of stuff and from what I can tell this UART device is not passing comms to the inverter correctly.

What cable are you connecting?

 

[journeyman846]

What cable are you connecting?

The USB-A to USB-B that was supplied with the inverter. I have also tried another cable to make sure it wasn't just the cable.

 

[journeyman846]

Just an update here to anyone who happens to be following this thread. Growatt tech support worked with me for about a week back and fourth on the issue with the comms board. They finally stated they believe the board is bad and to communicate with the seller to have them replace the board. After spending another 4-5 days talking with Signature Solar just trying to get some sort of movement, they are requesting the unit back to have their engineering department take a look. I voiced my concerns about that fact this is pretty big inconvenience to me and they don't seem to care. Guess I just have to suck it up and send it back as they're not offering any alternatives or even trying to troubleshoot anything before hand.

 

[Sethtrosity]

Just an update here to anyone who happens to be following this thread. Growatt tech support worked with me for about a week back and fourth on the issue with the comms board. They finally stated they believe the board is bad and to communicate with the seller to have them replace the board. After spending another 4-5 days talking with Signature Solar just trying to get some sort of movement, they are requesting the unit back to have their engineering department take a look. I voiced my concerns about that fact this is pretty big inconvenience to me and they don't seem to care. Guess I just have to suck it up and send it back as they're not offering any alternatives or even trying to troubleshoot anything before hand.

I seem to be having the same issue. Did they have you send back the entire unit or just the board?

 

[journeyman846]

I seem to be having the same issue. Did they have you send back the entire unit or just the board?

Check the below thread for some details on how the process went. It was not fun.

Signature Solar Customer Service

Just adding my experience here for anyone looking to purchase from Signature Solar. I ordered the Growatt SPF 5000 ES-US inverter from them as well as a pallet of solar panels as they're located pretty close to me here in Texas. Everything arrived quickly and with no damage. So far the inverter...

diysolarforum.com

 

[flashmandv]

I'm having the same issue. This communication boards are newer and more problematic.
I could not connect with ISP tool to update the inverter firmware!
PV Keeper was also not working!
Only Solar Assistant seem to be communicating with the USB port.
I feel like there is new USB driver that we are missing.
Please help if you solve this.
Thanks

 

[journeyman846]

I'm having the same issue. This communication boards are newer and more problematic.
I could not connect with ISP tool to update the inverter firmware!
PV Keeper was also not working!
Only Solar Assistant seem to be communicating with the USB port.
I feel like there is new USB driver that we are missing.
Please help if you solve this.
Thanks

What does it up as under Device Manager?

 

[flashmandv]

It says simply USB Serial Device (COM3)

 

[journeyman846]

It says simply USB Serial Device (COM3)

Can you take a picture of the markings on the board and the "Hardward Ids" from device manager? I believe there are two different versions of the board floating around that might require different drivers. The below CP210 driver should work with the one that typically should ship with them.

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/software/CP210x_Universal_Windows_Driver.zip

 

[flashmandv]

@journeyman846 the hardware ID was: USB\VID_04E2&PID_1410&REV_0003&MI_00
I managed to finally connect and flash the newest firmware. I tried 3 different PCs and 5 usb cables until I make it work.
It turned out that it is very important what UART serial driver you have.
The driver supplied with the ISP tool did not work for all 3 laptops I used.
This one worked for my old Asus Zenbook: XR21V1410 USB UART
Downloaded it from:

XR21V1410 USB UART Driver Download For 2K,XP,2K3,VISTA,WIN7,WIN8,WIN10/32bits - ASUSTeK N501JW

Download Latest XR21V1410 USB UART driver for windows 7, vista,xp,windows8 . it's for N501JW

www.driveridentifier.com

and it only worked with ISP Tool v4.30.
Version 4.21 did not work (it only bricked the inverter)
So the struggle is over. The 06 version from 4th Jan 22 flashed OK now.
Cheers

 

[journeyman846]

@journeyman846 the hardware ID was: USB\VID_04E2&PID_1410&REV_0003&MI_00
I managed to finally connect and flash the newest firmware. I tried 3 different PCs and 5 usb cables until I make it work.
It turned out that it is very important what UART serial driver you have.
The driver supplied with the ISP tool did not work for all 3 laptops I used.
This one worked for my old Asus Zenbook: XR21V1410 USB UART
Downloaded it from:

XR21V1410 USB UART Driver Download For 2K,XP,2K3,VISTA,WIN7,WIN8,WIN10/32bits - ASUSTeK N501JW

Download Latest XR21V1410 USB UART driver for windows 7, vista,xp,windows8 . it's for N501JW

www.driveridentifier.com

and it only worked with ISP Tool v4.30.
Version 4.21 did not work (it only bricked the inverter)
So the struggle is over. The 06 version from 4th Jan 22 flashed OK now.
Cheers

Yep, looks like you have the newer board that was on the one that I had to send back. I had also tried that version of the driver but it did not resolve the issue.

 

[flashmandv]

@journeyman846 @RichardfromEG4 do you know if mixing inverters with old and new parallel board can make communication with battery work by CAN?
It is not working for me. The new parallel board does not need CAN/RS485 hub and cable to each inverter.
My old SPF5000 needs the hub though. So I have the hub and when connected my 4th Growatt SPF to the other 3 - I get BMS Communication error 20.
Has anyone tried this scenario and made it work?
This is my setup. I use 3 phase system configuration and my newer inverter is placed in front position paralleled with older inverter to phase 1




Here are the old board and the new communication board (with the LEDs):

 

[whispered]

I am also in a similar boat here. I have 2 unit of Growatt SPF 5000 ES.
Just found out that the 2nd one is using the new communication board.

While there is nothing particularly wrong with both units, I can't update the 2nd unit (possible due to the driver problem > it just shows USB Serial Device in Device Manager instead of the usual Silicon Labs CP210x). It just get stuck on Start every time.

I find updating the 1st unit consistently yields a slightly higher solar production, possibly due to a more efficient MPPT algorithm in the firmware.

Anyone managed to get firmware updates working on the new communication board?

 

[whispered]

PS. I'm using the 2 units in Parallel mode.

 

[Sethtrosity]

I am also in a similar boat here. I have 2 unit of Growatt SPF 5000 ES.
Just found out that the 2nd one is using the new communication board.

While there is nothing particularly wrong with both units, I can't update the 2nd unit (possible due to the driver problem > it just shows USB Serial Device in Device Manager instead of the usual Silicon Labs CP210x). It just get stuck on Start every time.

I find updating the 1st unit consistently yields a slightly higher solar production, possibly due to a more efficient MPPT algorithm in the firmware.

Anyone managed to get firmware updates working on the new communication board?

The newer firmware increases the amperage from 18 to 22 on solar input if I remember correctly. Signature Solar was no help whatsoever with the new communication board. You might have to try talking to Growatt directly, but they don't respond, I'm still waiting 2 months later.

 

[journeyman846]

The newer firmware increases the amperage from 18 to 22 on solar input if I remember correctly. Signature Solar was no help whatsoever with the new communication board. You might have to try talking to Growatt directly, but they don't respond, I'm still waiting 2 months later.

What address did you email for Growatt? I got a response from them pretty quickly.

Edit: not that talking to them did any good because I ended up having to go back to signature solar for the repair anyway.