EG4 PowerPro cycle count question

[Mr.Hyde]

Ok, but since they don't actually list the version numbers on their firmware downloads, how do I get that firmware?
I just downloaded the firmware zip from EG4's website and it is titled "PowerPro Heater logic change.hex" and it appears to be dated 2024-02-27.
Ah. They have a completely different zip file listed on the Indoor battery's page.
If you go here: https://eg4electronics.com/categories/batteries/eg4-wallmount-indoor-280ah-lithium-battery/ and click "firmware" the zip file contains a "All Weather & Indoor S02T11.hex" that is dated 2024-06-28.
(The other weird thing is that this zip doesn't contain any of the RS485 update stuff at all)

@EG4_Eric , is this file also compatible with the outdoor units?

 

[kampto]

This is confusing, needs to be cleaned up.....
-Outdoor and indoor PowerPro using same FW?
-BMS vs LCD FW upgrades use same cable? Cause some docs say RS485.
-The cable description on Sig Solar needs update to include its use and what products.

If indoor and outdoor the same lets get the docs to be the same. Including cables descriptions. Sig Solar, and others

 

[wpns]

This is confusing, needs to be cleaned up.....
-Outdoor and indoor Powerwall using same FW?
-BMS vs LCD FW upgrades use same cable? Cause some docs say RS485.
-The cable description on Sig Solar needs update to include its use and what products.

If indoor and outdoor the same lets get the docs to be the same. Including cables descriptions. Sig Solar, and others

EG4 firmware and update process is a mess, poorly documented, and poorly understood by the folks at SS (and EG4 as well). I suspect they inherited more than a little technical debt from LuxPower (or are still farming out their firmware 'development' to LuxPower's Elbonian SW development 'process').

I made copious notes during my battery upgrade process, and I still never want to do it again. At the very least it requires taking the batteries offline one at a time (yes, including the primary battery at address 1) to upgrade the firmware(s), and while there may be a way to prevent the inverters from shutting down during the upgrade procedure, I'm not 100% certain what it is. Which means plan for a power outage because you have an ESS, sigh.

There is some hope for relief in the latest rumors about updating the battery firmware from the inverter, but I'm not holding my breath.

SS, EG4, LuxPower, please prove me wrong!

 

[EG4_Eric]

@EG4_Eric were there any other noteworthy changes/improvements that would warrant the firmware upgrade process? If all it changes is the
cycle count, I'm not in a big rush to get it done.

The changelog for the RS232 is posted on the thread. The update does in fact fix the issue with the cycle count.

Just to clarify, the BMS tools is correctly tracking cycle count and the firmware update just fixes an issue with the web monitoring cycle count? So not a warranty concern?

You can view the cycle count using the older version of the BMS tools. The update will fix the issue with the cycle count on the monitoring website.

Ah. They have a completely different zip file listed on the Indoor battery's page.
If you go here: https://eg4electronics.com/categories/batteries/eg4-wallmount-indoor-280ah-lithium-battery/ and click "firmware" the zip file contains a "All Weather & Indoor S02T11.hex" that is dated 2024-06-28.
(The other weird thing is that this zip doesn't contain any of the RS485 update stuff at all)

is this file also compatible with the outdoor units?

I apologize for the confusion. Our website is currently undergoing updates, but yes, the RS232 update will work for both indoor and outdoor batteries. As of now, you can download the firmware with this update from the indoor battery page. We are working on making it available on the outdoor battery page as well.

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience. I understand this is confusing and frustrating. We are working on trying making things easier for everyone.

 

[wpns]

I understand this is confusing and frustrating. We are working on trying making things easier for everyone.

Please let us know when you get this sorted out.

My batteries are at RS485 S02T17 plus the Battery Heater RS232 update, which was the latest for the PP Outdoor as of a couple of weeks ago.

But the RS232 update that fixes the cycle count is an un-numbered update that’s part of the Indoor PP battery RS232 subsection of RS485 update S02T11? I should use the hex file named “All Weather & Indoor S02T11” for the RS232 update?

And there’s no way to tell what RS232 version you are at. And the CFO is unlikely to be happy with turning the power off to ‘fix’ this problem. And it counts “80% DOD” cycles, which is good to know, but not clear if it’s relevant to the warranty.

 

[Thunderproof]

Please let us know when you get this sorted out.

My batteries are at RS485 S02T17 plus the Battery Heater RS232 update, which was the latest for the PP Outdoor as of a couple of weeks ago.

But the RS232 update that fixes the cycle count is an un-numbered update that’s part of the Indoor PP battery RS232 subsection of RS485 update S02T11? I should use the hex file named “All Weather & Indoor S02T11” for the RS232 update?

And there’s no way to tell what RS232 version you are at. And the CFO is unlikely to be happy with turning the power off to ‘fix’ this problem. And it counts “80% DOD” cycles, which is good to know, but not clear if it’s relevant to the warranty.

I agree that 80% DOD, while fine for marketing purposes as a typical use-case, is misleading for a true cycle count and also bad practice for warranty purposes, especially given the fact that they already have been miscalculating it all along. A cycle is a full discharge and charge, in this case 280ah, anything else is not a cycle but part of a cycle. It may improve longevity to charge and discharge in smaller increments but that is irrelevant to what constitutes a cycle.

Does the update fix past incorrect cycle counts or only new cycles?

 

[Rumast21]

At least EG4 recognizes what the warrantied discharge amount should be. Even if the cycles are wrong, the BMS should still show what the total discharge amount is.

 

[wpns]

At least EG4 recognizes what the warrantied discharge amount should be. Even if the cycles are wrong, the BMS should still show what the total discharge amount is.

But do they? https://eg4electronics.com/warranty/warranty-eg4-14-3kwh-powerpro-wallmount-all-weather/ says 10 years parts, but if they have to replace the whole unit (welded cells, remember) then it's 10 years prorated. The spec sheet says all kinda of great things about the 15+ year design life, the 8,000 cycles at .5c to 80% DOD, the 83 MWHR lifetime production, but the warranty doesn't specify any of those things.

 

[Brucey]

But do they? https://eg4electronics.com/warranty/warranty-eg4-14-3kwh-powerpro-wallmount-all-weather/ says 10 years parts, but if they have to replace the whole unit (welded cells, remember) then it's 10 years prorated. The spec sheet says all kinda of great things about the 15+ year design life, the 8,000 cycles at .5c to 80% DOD, the 83 MWHR lifetime production, but the warranty doesn't specify any of those things.

The only batteries I know of that have a full 10 year non prorated warranty are the Trophy batteries.

 

[Brucey]

But do they? https://eg4electronics.com/warranty/warranty-eg4-14-3kwh-powerpro-wallmount-all-weather/ says 10 years parts, but if they have to replace the whole unit (welded cells, remember) then it's 10 years prorated. The spec sheet says all kinda of great things about the 15+ year design life, the 8,000 cycles at .5c to 80% DOD, the 83 MWHR lifetime production, but the warranty doesn't specify any of those things.

Yes it seems like just covers working or not working. No stipulations on reduced capacity over time etc?