Growatt SPF 5000ES firmware update

[remus74]

Well, it will succeed. I just finished the next stage of work with my OffGrid. I connected two inverters on separate phases that have different software. Both connected by paraller cables to one power bank. Everything's OK for the moment. You can see that the inverters communicate with each other. When making changes to the HOST, the same settings have SLAWE. At the same time, I use the bank where one charges and the other draws energy from it.
Just those damn loud fans. I'm waiting for the corrected software.

 

[s1lence]

Hello everyone, thanks for your comments.
I have successfully updated from 06x.01 to 06.F4 versions, but I have noticed such strange things:
1. Fan speed is reduced indeed, but they are still working very often
2. Buzzer setting is OFF, but it still beeps everytime
3. Backlight setting is OFF, but it lights forever

Does anybody see such behaviour, is it ok for this FW?

 

[Taulli1]

I added the tool and other stuff in the previous post.

Just be sure the usb communication is working properly. Test with the PVKeeper first.
A good idea is also to remove the usb datalogger from the inverter so that it will be no interference on the serial comm.

My i5 lenovo laptop gave me ~2h of headaches since com5 and com6 were taken by the bluetooth and the CP210x serial bridge got com7 assignment.
I could not establish comunication with the inverter on that port using PVKeeper (it froze constantly, not responsive), it made no sense since I used PVKeeper to set the parameters the first time 4-5 months ago.
So I took my 15yr old laptop 2xcore win7 and I had no problem with the single com port from it's list.

I am grateful to see the files available here, thank you!

Can you tell me, will the firmware update the 18a MPPT current to make the new limit 22a? Or, is this a new parameter only available on the newer hardware?

Thank you again.

Rich

 

[Taulli1]

Has anyone found the answer?

Is the MPPT Current 18amp bump to 22amps due to a hardware update, or a firmware update?

V2.0 manual vs. V4.0 manual Specifications, Table 3, pgs 38 & 40.

Growatt is not responding...

Thanks!

 

[Taulli1]

@JohnGalt1717 did you manage to complete the flash? I'm about to flash my 3 Growatt spf 5000es inverters with version 06 but I'm afraid that it may stuck.

Any update? Thanks!

 

[raszevsky]

For everyone interested in fixing fan noise problem with the latest 113 114 firmware, it looks like there is now a software update patch for this. U can find it on Amos blog: https://www.amosplanet.org/firmware-download-for-off-grid-inverter/

 

[theicefather]

Mine is...
SPF 5000ES Off-Grid (w/ grid back-up or bypass)
01 SBU
05 LI (36 CAN L51 for Growatt ARK 2.5L-A1 LV Batteries)
12 (b2AC) 20%
13 (AC2b) 35%
19 BMS controlled
20 BMS controlled
21 (Low DC cut-off SOC) 10%
- setting 12 must not be lower than this
- at SOC (setting 21 + 5%) the inverter will beep (warning or notification only)
For what its worth, below is the screenshot from SPF manual;
View attachment 142010
Hope the above helps...

Hello!,

My own show voltages not a percent. Any suggestions? I want to update the firmware as some people report it as a fix for the issue where the inverter selects to use the grid in the night once PV is no longer available and the battery is already 100% charged! Any help would be good thanks.

 

[Thodoris]

Hello, i have the same problem as @theicefather
My new Growatt SPF5000ES shows voltage and not percentage on settings 12 and 13.
My firmware is the latest one 113 02 628 and 114 02 628.
Is there any way to change the setting from voltage to percentage?
Thanks!

 

[Thodoris]

Just to let you know (everyone who might be interested) that the above issue is not something related to the firmware. The inverter shows voltage in settings #12 and #13 only when you have selected LI battery type in setting #5.

 

[vazzemiko]

Hi All!

I own an SPF5000ES with the newest 067 and 068 firmware.
Battery connected via CAN, LIFEPO4.
Everything works fine, except one thing.
I defined SBU, so the utility only as last chance.
Also the battery can be charged only solar option choosen.

The question:
In the evening my battery goes down around 50%.
Solar charges it till 11-12AM fully.
The battery are fully charged and then starts what I don't understand.
Solar has enough power to feed everything, even more as needed.
But the battery is contionusly drained with a little ampere somehow.
Seems to me, that the inverter powers itself from the battery.

This means for the evening when solar is away, the battery already drained to 98-97%.

Is it somehow possible to eliminate this and force growatt inverter not to use the battery at all when solar is available?

Thank you!

 

[quanzguo]

Hi All!

I own an SPF5000ES with the newest 067 and 068 firmware.
Battery connected via CAN, LIFEPO4.
Everything works fine, except one thing.
I defined SBU, so the utility only as last chance.
Also the battery can be charged only solar option choosen.

The question:
In the evening my battery goes down around 50%.
Solar charges it till 11-12AM fully.
The battery are fully charged and then starts what I don't understand.
Solar has enough power to feed everything, even more as needed.
But the battery is contionusly drained with a little ampere somehow.
Seems to me, that the inverter powers itself from the battery.

This means for the evening when solar is away, the battery already drained to 98-97%.

Is it somehow possible to eliminate this and force growatt inverter not to use the battery at all when solar is available?

Thank you!

Hardware wise, there are relays to control the output from the invertor, but no relays for inputs. So you can't just cut-off the battery.
Firmware wise, because the solar is not stable as the batteries, the battery will be chosen as the first choice all the time. Another thing is it is difficult to prevent all the batteries from overcharging and keep them all fully fully charged at the same time. The fully charging concept is just a voltage range, not a fix point. so leaving a certain margin is good for protecting the battery. As your battery degrades, you'll see these numbers more often, as the time it takes to reach the 100% charge point decreases.
Protocol wise, the battery pack should tell the inverter when to start/stop charging. And the communication protocol will be designed more conservatively for the above reason. Btw the status of the cell or pack will not be the exact same because of difference in manufacturing. It is also need to be balanced.
Don't bother with the numbers 97-98 anyway. It is just a reference point. Because such cheap inverters got no accurate coulomb counters inside and they can never give a very accurate value based on their own algorithm. It is good enough to tell most people the general status even with only 4-5 LEDs.

 

[kirkdis]

Just to let you know (everyone who might be interested) that the above issue is not something related to the firmware. The inverter shows voltage in settings #12 and #13 only when you have selected LI battery type in setting #5.

You need to establish an communication between the inverter and the energy storage bms. As long it shows voltage there is no proper communication or the inverter estimates a dumb BMS.. As soon SoC% is provided you can assume the BMS is providing good stats of the battery

 

[Thodoris]

You need to establish an communication between the inverter and the energy storage bms. As long it shows voltage there is no proper communication or the inverter estimates a dumb BMS.. As soon SoC% is provided you can assume the BMS is providing good stats of the battery

Do you recommend CAN (L052)?

 

[Thodoris]

....

 

[Thodoris]

Hello @kirkdis i would like to have a bit of your time here.

I have 2x SPF5000ES inverters with the latest firmware 113/114. The inverters are noisy as a learjet passing over your head. So, i went to amosplanet and found out that they released an updated firmware for 113/114 and claiming that this would solve the noise issue. I installed both firmwares on my inverters but the noise was exactly the same.

What i did next was to get in contact with amosplanet guy through Whatsup. Long story short i persuaded him to spend some time for me (through some not so orthodox practices, a bit of pushing and threatening, not proud of this but it works).
He got me in contact with the guy from Growatt who is responsible for developing new firmware!
He told me a few minutes ago that tomorrow morning he will test the new 113/114 firmware for me and send it out to me! That was done in 1-2 working days!!

What i would like from you is to explain to me what's the exact problem with SBU not switching back to grid so i can pass the info to him and hopefully he can find a solution. This will help a lot of people out there!
Thanks and sorry for the long posting!

 

[lns]

Anyone had the 67/68 firmware and had issue with Growatt 5000 not starting to charge EG4 battery even in full sun and ample voltage? If so, did updating newer firmware resolve issue?

 

[Daniel1975]

I have a problem with the update,
I install the driver XR21v1410 because the cp210 are not working.
Windows find serial us device…
With the Xr driver he find the usb uart.
Because I start to send the file an the spf are going wrong but the file didn’t send. Always start to sending.
All led are blinking and now is nothing works.
I don’t now what is going wrong…
See the picture..
In the Firmware now are written 008 00 3.16
Before the firmware was 067.
View attachment 140138View attachment 140139

ok if you checked everything else then it must be the driver or your windows pc. maybe try to use another laptop...

I have the same Problem!!
have you been able to fix it???

 

[kirkdis]

What i would like from you is to explain to me what's the exact problem with SBU not switching back to grid so i can pass the info to him and hopefully he can find a solution. This will help a lot of people out there!
Thanks and sorry for the long posting!

Hi and awesome that you have a direct contact to the guys. from my perspective the 06X versions are suffering from a phase sync issue while transfering to the grid.

with the original shipped firmware at the 06X which is 06X 01 1.04 the issue seems to me that the inverter checks the phase sync before switching over to grid. only if the phase is synched correctly or is in a minimal deviation the inverter switches over to grid. I assume that the inverter only once synches the phase to the grid when the grid is switched on and after that it never checkes the correct sync. So at the previous mentioned firmware there is somehow a procedure which prevents switching to the grid if the phases are not syncronized.

There is a group of people I supported with updatoing firmwares here in Germany and I got feedback for the 06X F4 A.27 firmware. This firmware behaves a little bit different. It seems that the checking procedure for the phase sync is not present anymore in this firmware. I got feedback from other owners that this firmware switches at least back to grid but has the issue that through the non-existing phase check procedure the inverter switches "hard" to the grid which leads to all connected consumers switch off when the phase sync is not properly done.

My assumption is that there is a major issue with the phase sync in the firmwares which leads to really short power outtages or prevents the invertercompletely to switch back to grid at reaching P12.

I still use both of my parallel connected inverters with my hardwired solution to switch the grid on via the dry contacts. This solved all the issues for me with the inconsistend switch back to grid. As the power relay I use is only active an connects the grid when P12 is reached exactly at this point the phase sync happens and there never had been an issue here for the last 8 months. However the SPF inverters have those issues at least in the 6X hard- and firmware versions and Growatt would do good to solve those.

 

[kirkdis]

Do you recommend CAN (L052)?

if the BMS is able to talk with the pylontech protocoll and you want to use CAN as preferred communication L52 is the setting to go with.

 

[Thodoris]

Thank you @kirkdis
I have described the problem to them and they sent me this video showcasing that there is not any actual problem... But i think this is 113/114 firmware on the video. I will check and let you know.
I uploaded the video in .rar format because you cannot upload a video file here. Let me know if you can unzip it. Thanks!