Wakespeed refusing to update firmware

[Na Mara]

I just unboxed my new WS500 regulator and tried to both configure it for my system and update the firmware to the latest (v.2.5.0 beta) version. The former went well and the regulator will now work with my alternator, BMS and LFP batteries.

For the nerds out there the configuration file follows furthest below.

But when I tried to update the firmware I just got a bunch of error messages that it could not find the device. That is weird considering the successful configuration of the regulator using the same data cable and computer. Anyone got any idea what could be going on here?


# Victron Lynx Smart BMS 6/28/2021
$DEP: AREG2.4.2,DCDC2.4.2@
$SCA:0,90,1.00,0.75,0.00,0,0,0,10000,0,0,30,0,4@
$SCT: 12,2.388,0,0,0@
$CPA:8 14.2,0,0,0@
$CPO:8 0,0,0.0,0@
$CPF:8 13.5,0,0,0,0.0,12.9,80@
$CPP:8 0,0.0,0,0.0@
$CPE:8 0.0,0,0,0@
$CPB:8 0.0,0,5,45,0.0,7,42,25,200@
$SCO:8,1.2,0.0,0,2@
$SCN:0,WS500-Lynx-Li,1234@
$CCN:0,1,70,1,1,1,1,17,0,0,0,0@

[hjohnson]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

I just unboxed my new WS500 regulator and tried to both configure it for my system and update the firmware to the latest (v.2.5.0 beta) version. The former went well and the regulator will now work with my alternator, BMS and LFP batteries.

For the nerds out there the configuration file follows furthest below.

But when I tried to update the firmware I just got a bunch of error messages that it could not find the device. That is weird considering the successful configuration of the regulator using the same data cable and computer. Anyone got any idea what could be going on here?


# Victron Lynx Smart BMS 6/28/2021
$DEP: AREG2.4.2,DCDC2.4.2@
$SCA:0,90,1.00,0.75,0.00,0,0,0,10000,0,0,30,0,4@
$SCT: 12,2.388,0,0,0@
$CPA:8 14.2,0,0,0@
$CPO:8 0,0,0.0,0@
$CPF:8 13.5,0,0,0,0.0,12.9,80@
$CPP:8 0,0.0,0,0.0@
$CPE:8 0.0,0,0,0@
$CPB:8 0.0,0,5,45,0.0,7,42,25,200@
$SCO:8,1.2,0.0,0,2@
$SCN:0,WS500-Lynx-Li,1234@
$CCN:0,1,70,1,1,1,1,17,0,0,0,0@

It’s a bit finicky, it took me a bit to figure out (Also didn’t help that I’m running Windows 10 in Vmware on my Mac). The thing that I ran into is that when the Wakespeed is in bootloader mode, it shows up on USB as a different kind of device. I had to go and manually install the bootloader device driver from their site (and also deliberately map through the bootloader device in VMware).

Once I did that, I was able to upload the new firmware.

[Na Mara]

Many thanks for this post hjohnson. I’ll try this tomorrow. If you’ve got a link to where on their site the bootloader device driver is I’d be very appreciative. I’m looking but I can’t find it.

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by hjohnson

It’s a bit finicky, it took me a bit to figure out (Also didn’t help that I’m running Windows 10 in Vmware on my Mac). The thing that I ran into is that when the Wakespeed is in bootloader mode, it shows up on USB as a different kind of device. I had to go and manually install the bootloader device driver from their site (and also deliberately map through the bootloader device in VMware).

Once I did that, I was able to upload the new firmware.

I'm using VMWare too. What do you mean by "deliberately map thought the bootloader device to VMWare"? Do you mean the pop-up when you plug in a device that asks which OS you want the device connected to?

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

# Victron Lynx Smart BMS 6/28/2021
$DEP: AREG2.4.2,DCDC2.4.2@
$SCA:0,90,1.00,0.75,0.00,0,0,0,10000,0,0,30,0,4@
$SCT: 12,2.388,0,0,0@
$CPA:8 14.2,0,0,0@
$CPO:8 0,0,0.0,0@
$CPF:8 13.5,0,0,0,0.0,12.9,80@
$CPP:8 0,0.0,0,0.0@
$CPE:8 0.0,0,0,0@
$CPB:8 0.0,0,5,45,0.0,7,42,25,200@
$SCO:8,1.2,0.0,0,2@
$SCN:0,WS500-Lynx-Li,1234@
$CCN:0,1,70,1,1,1,1,17,0,0,0,0@

And what does all that mean? It's a somewhat rhetorical question to highlight the WTF, cave-man nature of programming a Wakespeed.

[smac999]

I had to manually load drivers to pc to get it to update.

[Na Mara]

I found the drivers. I'll have a go at that today. Thanks smac.

tanglewood, I will admit that it took me half a day to get used to the WS500 configuration file syntax but there is a very useful quick start summary of how to do all this here.

http://www.wakespeed.com/CU/Configur...tyGuideWeb.pdf

You can also just down load the wake speed app on your phone and very intuitively generate a custom configuration file on the app that you can then email to your windows computer for uploading onto the regulator.

It is not as easy as it might be, but if you read the instructions it is within the realms of even technophobes like me.

[Na Mara]

Manually installing the drivers worked. I now have a fully updated and configured regulator. Many thanks to smac and hjohnson for their help. Its contributions like these that really make this forum worth it.

Best

Na Mara

[BigAl.NZ]

Lets us know how the WS500 works out for you - its on my shopping list!

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

I found the drivers. I'll have a go at that today. Thanks smac.

tanglewood, I will admit that it took me half a day to get used to the WS500 configuration file syntax but there is a very useful quick start summary of how to do all this here.

http://www.wakespeed.com/CU/Configur...tyGuideWeb.pdf

You can also just down load the wake speed app on your phone and very intuitively generate a custom configuration file on the app that you can then email to your windows computer for uploading onto the regulator.

It is not as easy as it might be, but if you read the instructions it is within the realms of even technophobes like me.

I finally got mine working too, but only after spending a couple of days screwing around with different things. Never did get it working with Win 7 on VMWare. The issue to me is that spending two days, or even a half day to get a $500 product to work completely turns the economics of the product upside down. I have spent a good 4x the product cost in time trying to configure it. And I'm actually not a technophobe - but rather an engineer in both electronics and computers who worked in the industry my whole professional life. I just hate products that waste my time, and that show no consideration for my time. Hopefully BattleBorn will assign a couple of 20-something programmers to finish the product and make it as quick and easy to setup and configure as they claim.


And I'm sorry, but running a phone app to create a config file, that you email to yourself, that you then move to some folder so you can then run a batch file on a computer plugged into the wakespeed, then reboot the wakespeed so the changes take effect, and have no way to verify that the changes actually took effect. Seriously?


Now in fairness, an aggravating factor in my situation is that I don't have a native windows laptop. I have various versions of windows running as VMs on a macbook, but that won't connect to the Wakespeed. It's the only program I've even encountered that won't work. I'm interested that some people here have been able to make it work, but am still unclear exactly what drivers they installed. Wakespeed drivers? Drivers from some chip manufacturer? I tried a variety of combinations, but apparently not the magic combination. This is what I mean by wasting one's time. And Wakespeed couldn't care less, or be less willing to help figure out how to get this to work on a hosted OS. It's just all of us poking in the dark until we hit something that works.


In my case, the only way for me to run the Wakespeed batch files is to uninstall the regulator, take it to the pilot house, hijack my nav computer which is the only native windows system on the boat, run the batch files, hope they are correct because of course it's a blind, no feedback configuration system, then take the wakespeed back to the engine room and reinstall it. If I need to tweak something again, then I have to repeat the process. It's just hell on wheels. It's a real accomplishment to create a user interface that's actually WORSE than the Balmar magnet pokey thing.

[tanglewood]

Speaking of Wakespeed, did BattleBorn shut them down or something? The Wakespeed.com site has been inoperative for several weeks now, and there is no appearance of the Wakespeed products on Battleborn's site. Anyone know what's going on?

[bcboomer]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

Speaking of Wakespeed, did BattleBorn shut them down or something? The Wakespeed.com site has been inoperative for several weeks now, and there is no appearance of the Wakespeed products on Battleborn's site. Anyone know what's going on?

?? I just looked at their site and it seems normal.

[Na Mara]

I agree on many points here tanglewood. In the days of user friendly interfaces and blue tooth they could do a lot, lot better. That said the functionality of the product is pretty darn hard to argue with. Its definitely the creme de la creme of regulators when it comes to its interoperability with Victron hardware, which is why I took the pains necessary to buy one (imported from Norway) and master its 80 page communications manual to properly configure it.

As I understand it, the app can be used to update the operating system directly through a google play store compatible chromebook as well (another reason to buy one of those along with the victron app.). Also the configure system I used reads back the configuration file that has been uploaded, so you can check its been properly installed. In addition, when I re-ran the batch file it wiped my previous configuration file before installing the new one. The whole process took maybe 2 minutes once I got it mastered.

The wakespeed site works fine for me, though like you it was a bit thin on the ground here with windows computers. Fortunately, I could borrow my son's. Also a bit weird that my unit came with a really old fashioned USB port, but, again fortunately, I still had one of those cables (which is now earmarked for the regulator) kicking around from a USB hard disk we bought in 2000!?!?!?!.

[Na Mara]

Finally, once it is installed, firmware updated, and configured (these last two I have now done successfully I hope), I plan on utterly forgetting about it until it breaks.

[Na Mara]

Now installing it is going to be its own challenge. There must be 12 wires coming out of the thing all going different places and doing different things. Hope my crimping skills are up to it.