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padzb asked

windows serial bluesolar firmware update fails

First of all, I know I should be using a victron usb to serial lead, but don't have one and no real way to get one any time soon. If it were possible I'd spend the money in an instant!


So trying to get a windows 10 laptop to talk to a Bluesolar MPPT 75/10. To get from serial to USB it's going through an arduino mega which has several serial ports running at 5v. Seems to be talking OK, I also have a smartsolar which was already had a firmware update over bluetooth and seems to work OK with the same serial/usb setup, settings can be changed.

With both RX & TX are connect the victron app boots up and finds the device, click on the icon and it flashes a page then goes into a firmware update pageshowing =>

current version V1.30

new version v1.54



Click on update and it gets as far as 5% then stalls, stays at 5% for little while then says =>

Update failed

result : d255 inknown error


Both LEDs on the device flash alternately.

That's it, every time.


From the arduino serial monitor the bluesolar is send this >

PID 0xA04C

FW 130

SER# HQ1621FRG7Z

V 2620

I 15440

VPV 0

PPV 0

CS 0

ERR 0

LOAD OFF

IL 0

H19 9419

H20 1

H21 11

H22 0

H23 0

HSDS 120

Checksum ⸮


After the update fail it send this >


:502014D


So any help gratefully received, I've no idea if it's because of usoing the arduino to get serial/usb or something else. Victron connect app is the latest version I could find - v5.25beta4


Thanks in advance for any assistance

firmware update
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3 Answers
Paul B avatar image
Paul B answered ·

the VE direct is NOT straight USB so its comms wont be correct you will need the correct converter. I dont know any other way around that, except a bluetooth dongle

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padzb avatar image padzb commented ·

Thanks for the reply Paul, though it's a little confusing - I'm not sure what "straight USB" is? From the ve direct white paper it uses rs232 gnd,TX & RX at 19200 baud, 8-n-1. This works on another smartsolar and connect sees the bluesolar. Victron say the windows connect app won't work with bluetooth - so is it not possible to connect to an mppt over serial? The other MPPT works fine??

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padzb avatar image
padzb answered ·

Still getting nowhere trying to update the firmware - anyone have any ideas?


Is there any earlier firmware updates I could try?


Below is the data coming out of VE direct as the unit is powered up then the update process initiated on the laptop >>


b'\x00:A4F1000010002000000CB240000CB2400003511AE0F1E0000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF7\n'
b':A501000000100000000000000AB05000000000000007C00000000000B000000080037087800F4\n'
b'\r\n'
b'PID\t0xA04C\r\n'
b'FW\t130\r\n'
b'SER#\tHQ1621FRG7Z\r\n'
b'V\t12720\r\n'
b'I\t100\r\n'
b'VPV\t0\r\n'
b'PPV\t0\r\n'
b'CS\t0\r\n'
b'ERR\t0\r\n'
b'LOAD\tOFF\r\n'
b'IL\t0\r\n'
b'H19\t9419\r\n'
b'H20\t1:53041DF\n'
b':A0002000148\n'
b':A0102000048\n'
b':14CA068\n'
b':A0202000000000047\n'
b':AD7ED00000087\n'
b':53041DF\n'
b':AD5ED00310553\n'
b':AECED00FFFF74\n'
b':71001013C\n'
b':A30200000FB\n'
b':A0F20000418\n'
b':70A0100485131363231465247375A000000000070\n'
b':7410100000000000C\n'
b':7920001BB\n'
b':70FEC0152\n'
b':70EEC0153\n'
b':70C010140\n'
b':7000200014B\n'
b':7020200000000004A\n'
b':7E8ED000079\n'
b':704000248\n'
b':7EFED000C66\n'
b':7F1ED00FF71\n'
b':7F0ED0064000D\n'
b':7F7ED00C8059D\n'
b':7F6ED00460520\n'
b':7F4ED00220645\n'
b':7FBED0058020C\n'
b':7FDED00075D\n'
b':7F2ED00CEFFA2\n'
b':7E6ED00FFFF7D\n'
b':7E0ED00F4018C\n'
b':7E2ED017E\n'
b':72EED0132\n'
b':7E3ED017D\n'
b':7E4ED017C\n'
b':7E5ED017B\n'
b':7FEED0162\n'
b':7E7ED0179\n'
b':7CAED0196\n'
b':AD7ED00000087\n'
b':AD5ED00320552\n'
b':7C0D001BD\n'
b':72FED0131\n'
b':7ABED0000B6\n'
b':79CED00E803DA\n'
b':79DED00780547\n'
b':790ED01D0\n'
b':79EED0000C3\n'
b':798ED0001C8\n'
b':7D9ED0187\n'
b':70A100133\n'
b':7500301FA\n'
b':7510301F9\n'
b':7520301F8\n'
b':7530301F7\n'
b':7BAED01A6\n'
b':7B9ED01A7\n'
b':7A0ED0000000000C1\n'
b':7A1ED0000000000C0\n'
b':7A2ED0000000000BF\n'
b':7A3ED0000000000BE\n'
b':7A4ED0000000000BD\n'
b':7A5ED0000000000BC\n'
b':79AED000000C7\n'
b':796ED000000CB\n'
b':799ED000000C8\n'
b':797ED000000CA\n'
b':79BED0000C6\n'
b':7A7ED000000BA\n'
b':7312000FFFFFF\n'
b':700040149\n'
b':704040145\n'
b':7DDED00CB24000095\n'
b':74E0301FC\n'
b':7A9ED01B7\n'
b':7D4ED00008D\n'
b':740010045DE0D01DC\n'
b':7500101FC\n'
b':7CBEC0196\n'
b':7CDEC0194\n'
b':7CCEC0195\n'
b':7DBEC0186\n'
b':7DDEC0184\n'
b':7DCEC0185\n'
b':7EBEC0176\n'
b':7EDEC0174\n'
b':7ECEC0175\n'
b':7FBEC0166\n'
b':7FDEC0164\n'
b':7FCEC0165\n'
b':7BDED01A3\n'
b':7B8ED004C1D40\n'
b':7ECED00FFFF77\n'
b':71122002003F8\n'
b':7122200CC0648\n'
b':727200106\n'
b':70420020028\n'
b':707020144\n'
b':705020146\n'
b':744020107\n'
b':7CEED000C186F\n'
b':7DFED0064001E\n'
b':73010020C\n'
b':74F1000010002000000CB240000CB2400003511AE0F1E0000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFA\n'
b':7501000000100000000000000AB05000000000000007C00000000000B000000080037087800F7\n'
b':7A010019D\n'
b':751100000000000000000000022060000000000000000003D009F020000000000005508770013\n'
b':7A110019C\n'
b':7521000000000000000000000C8050000000000000000000100D8020000000000006608760060\n'
b':7A210019B\n'
b':7531000000000000000000000CA050000000000000000000100DC02000000000000530875006D\n'
b':7A310019A\n'
b':7541000000000000000000000C9050000000000000000000100D8020000000000004F08740076\n'
b':7A4100199\n'
b':7551000000000000000000000CC050000000000000000000100D5020000000000005308730072\n'
b':7A5100198\n'
b':7561000000000000000000000CA050000000000000000000100D3020000000000004908720080\n'
b':7A6100197\n'
b':7571000000A00000000000000470700000002000000DF010200D8002000000015004D087100D8\n'
b':7A7100196\n'
b':7581000000D00000000000000D20537050000000000F2011F00A4002B0000001D0056087000FA\n'
b':7A8100195\n'
b':7591000001700000000000000C7052805000000000062023C000D0032000000230051086F000B\n'
b':7A9100194\n'
b':75A1000001700000000000000AE0524050000000000AE0200000000320000002400D2076E00A4\n'
b':7AA100193\n'
b':75B1000000B00000000000000C70530050000000000C4013C00B50023000000180044086D002D\n'
b':7AB100192\n'
b':75C1000000A00000000000000CC0531050000000000E4010100C70022000000170062086C0015\n'
b':7AC100191\n'
b':75D1000000E00000000000000CB0525050000000000E2013E0091002D00000021005E086B0008\n'
b':7AD100190\n'
b':75E1000001400000000000000C6051405000000000048023B0028003000000022003F086A0038\n'
b':7AE10018F\n'
b':75F10000016000000000000007F052C050000000000A702000000002F0000002100AF076900FC\n'
b':7AF10018E\n'
b':7601000001300000000000000C7052F05000000000038023A0036002E00000020003208680031\n'
b':7B010018D\n'
b':7611000000D00000001000000C70535050000000000F5013C0082002D0000001F006E086700EC\n'
b':7B110018C\n'
b':76210000011000000000000008705360500000000006D0200000000320000002300BD07660016\n'
b':7B210018B\n'
b':7631000000900000000000000C805BD0400000000008E012D00C400240000001700A908650073\n'
b':7B310018A\n'
b':7641000000A000000000000009B05B00400000000002D02000000001C0000001600AF07640001\n'
b':7B4100189\n'
b':7651000000B000000000000007205310500000000006A02000000001B0000001300B20763006B\n'
b':7B5100188\n'
b':76610000012000000000000009E052B0500000000009402000000002E0000002000B8076200EE\n'
b':7B6100187\n'
b':767100000130000000000000086052A050000000000960200000000290000001D00B107610013\n'
b':7B7100186\n'
b':7681000001200000000000000C705390500000000001D023C002F002F00000020004D0860002C\n'
b':7B8100185\n'
b':7691000001100000000000000850530050000000000870200000000290000001C00AD075F0024\n'
b':7B9100184\n'
b':76A10000011000000000000007F0533050000000000770200000000220000001800B3075E003C\n'
b':7BA100183\n'
b':76B1000000E000000000000009605330500000000007902000000001A0000001200BE075D0029\n'
b':7BB100182\n'
b':76C1000000200000000000000C805D60400000000007500110001020B00000008006F085C00BA\n'
b':7BC100181\n'
b':76D1000001000000000000000C605D60400000000002B023C001C00260000001B0038085B00BB\n'
b':7BD100180\n'
b':76E100000100000000000000073052E0500000000007C02000000001A0000001300A5075A0064\n'
b':7BE10017F\n'
b':7900001BD\n'
b':7910001BC\n'
b':710EC0151\n'
b':73FEC0122\n'
b':712EC014F\n'
b':A0002000148\n'
b':A0102000048\n'
b':A0202000000000047\n'
b'\r\n'
b'PID\t0xA04C\r\n'
b'FW\t130\r\n'
b'SER#\tHQ1621FRG7Z\r\n'
b'V\t13300\r\n'
b'I\t0\r\n'
b'VPV\t0\r\n'
b'PPV\t0\r\n'
b'CS\t0\r\n'
b'ERR\t0\r\n'
b'LOAD\tOFF\r\n'
b'IL\t0\r\n'
b'H19\t9419\r\n'
b'H20\t1\r\n'
b'H21\t11\r\n'
b'H22\t0\r\n'
b'H23\t0\r\n'
b'HSDS\t120\r\n'
b'Checksum\ti:8312000EB030E\n'
b'\r\n'
b'PID\t0xA04C\r\n'
b'FW\t130\r\n'
b'SER#\tHQ1621FRG7Z\r\n'
b'V\t13300\r\n'
b'I\t0\r\n'
b'VPV\t0\r\n'
b'PPV\t0\r\n'
b'CS\t0\r\n'
b'ERR\t0\r\n'
b'LOAD\tOFF\r\n'
b'IL\t0\r\n'
b'H19\t9419\r\n'
b'H20\t1\r\n'
b'H21\t11\r\n'
b'H22\t0\r\n'
b'H23\t0\r\n'
b'HSDS\t120\r\n'
b'Checksum\ti:53041DF\n'
b':14CA068\n'
b':53041DF\n'
b':53041DF\n'
b':14CA068\n'
b':740010045DE0D01DC\n'
b':7EFED000C66\n'
b':7F0ED0064000D\n'
b':7FBED0058020C\n'
b':7F7ED00C8059D\n'
b':7F6ED00460520\n'
b':7F2ED00CEFFA2\n'
b':7F1ED00FF71\n'
b':7ABED0000B6\n'
b':7ACED0000B5\n'
b':79EED0000C3\n'
b':798ED0001C8\n'
b':79DED00780547\n'
b':79CED00E803DA\n'
b':7A0ED0000000000C1\n'
b':7A1ED0000000000C0\n'
b':7A2ED0000000000BF\n'
b':7A3ED0000000000BE\n'
b':7A4ED0000000000BD\n'
b':A0002000148\n'
b':A0102000048\n'
b':7A5ED0000000000BC\n'
b':A0202000000000047\n'
b':7A7ED000000BA\n'
b':79BED0000C6\n'
b':79AED000000C7\n'
b':799ED000000C8\n'
b':796ED000000CB\n'
b':797ED000000CA\n'
b':7F4ED00220645\n'
b':7FDED00075D\n'
b':7E8ED000079\n'
b':7E6ED00FFFF7D\n'
b':7E0ED00F4018C\n'
b':7EAED000C6B\n'
b':53041DF\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':1AAAA00\n'
b':502014D\n'
b'\t\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe\x08\xfe:502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':14CA068\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'
b':502014D\n'


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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) avatar image
Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) answered ·

Hi @padzB

I think the problem is here that at one point during the update, VictronConnect will change the baudrate. Both VictronConnect and the MPPT will change the baudrate, but the Arduino in between is unaware of this when you are using a UART. I don't know if the Arduino is fast enough, but you could try "bitbanging" instead of using uarts: This means that it needs to read the input pins and copy the value to the appropriate output pin. If it can do this fast enough, it will be able to handle the baudrate of 115200 that is probably used during the update. If it is not fast enough for 2 input pins, perhaps you can use 2 Arduinos.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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padzb avatar image padzb commented ·

Thanks so much, makes sense now. I'll give it a go. Will be interesting and educational even of it doesn't work!

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