Firmware Upload Instructions
These instructions apply only to PIP-4048MS and PIP-5048MS models (also known as Axpert MKS 5K-48 and several other names). For models with a removable display, please see the
upload instructions for models with a removable or round display.
Download the appropriate firmware zip file, via the
index page or elsewhere. Unzip it using the Windows File Manager "Extract All..." context menu item (right click menu) and follow the prompts to extract it to a new folder. The file name the reflash tool looks for is fixed, it's always "dsp.hex" in the same folder as the reflash tool. In
patched firmware zip files, dsp.hex is already a copy of the patched firmware.
You will need a Windows computer and a USB-to-RS232-serial (DB9 male) adapter like the one below, or a very old computer with a real RS232 (DB9) serial port.
Do NOT get a direct to RJ-45 adapter, as it will have the wrong pinout:
- Direct to RS-232 adapter.jpg (22.17 KiB) Viewed 1842 times
Some serial adapters (or possibly the combination of serial adapter and Windows version) seem to be more suitable than others. The known-good USB to serial adapters use a PL2303 chip; see
this post for details. South African readers: please see
this post or
this post for sources. There is an issue with
counterfeit USB chips; these can prevent firmware updates from starting (see
this post).
Even if the inverter has a USB type-B (not micro) port, you can't use that for programming. That's only for monitoring programs. Exception: some lower power models only have a USB type-B port (no RJ45 port). For those models the Windows reflash tool is different and is able to talk to the USB port. For those models, a USB-to-RS232-serial adapter is not used, and a USB-A-to-USB-B cable, as you would use for a printer, is used instead.
Connect the USB-to-RS232-serial adapter to the RS232-serial-to-RJ45 cable that came with your inverter. (Lost it?
Pinout here.) DO NOT USE AN ETHERNET (RJ-45 to RJ-45 straight through) CABLE!
Connect the RJ45 end to your inverter and the USB end to your computer. If you get a notification from your computer similar to "a device is undergoing additional setup", wait until it says something like "your device is ready for use".
Power up your inverter charger by connecting the battery, which should not be nearly empty. Turn on the on/off switch on the bottom of the inverter. Make sure that your computer is powered by something other than the inverter you're updating, as that will go off during the reflash process. Disconnect all loads, and disconnect solar panels (unless you are updating the SCC firmware, which we don't recommend).
Make sure you are not running any software that could be using the serial port, in particular,
exit the WatchPower application. Don't just close the application; use the right mouse button on the WatchPower system tray icon, usually at the bottom right of your computer screen:
In the folder you extracted from the zip file, double click on the ReflashTool_Xseries.exe icon. If you get a box with something like "The app you're trying to run
isn't a verified app from the Store", click
Run anyway. This should bring up the small reflash application. If necessary, change the serial port selection to the one that connects to your inverter. This may require some trial and error.
Click on the Update button, and answer Yes to "Are you sure". Nothing will appear to happen for 10-20 seconds, so don't panic. Eventually, new text should start appearing in the box under the progress bar, saying that erasing has been successful and so on. It will take some 8 minutes to complete the flash programming. At the end, just click OK and exit the reflash application.
If you get an error to do with the
serial port (e.g. invalid serial port, or the serial port doesn't appear in the drop down list), it's probably because you have something running that is keeping the serial port in use. Double check that you have exited WatchPower
properly and any terminal emulation programs like TeraTerm. You may need to change the com port used by the USB to serial adapter to be named one of COM1 through COM9 for the reflash tool to see it (Device Manager, Ports, Properties, Advanced; step by step guide
here if you need it). Merely choosing another USB socket on your computer might work. On my laptop, the two most convenient USB ports come up as COM10 (not usable) and COM6 (usable). After changing ports, restart the reflash tool; it doesn't refresh its list of available COM ports. Note that most laptops have a built-in Bluetooth COM port, which the reflash tool will usually pick by default; this will not be your USB to serial port.
The standard instructions say you should revert all the settings to standard, then change them to suit your needs. As long as you had been running a recent firmware (year 2015 or later), this should not be necessary. But if you were running an earlier firmware, or if the settings seem strange after the update, use WatchPower to reset to default settings, then change them to suit your needs.
The instructions say to turn off the inverter after the firmware update. This doesn't seem to be necessary.
If something goes wrong, see the
If you think your inverter is bricked post.
Using Watchpower
WatchPower comes for free and allows basic interaction with the inverter(s). However, many find that it does not meet all their needs. In this case, consider some of the many other monitoring programs available. A few of them are referenced from the index at the start of this thread.
WatchPower is not aware of the changes to the range of the battery low cutoff voltage and the back to utility voltage parameters. You will not be able to change these values with WatchPower outside their original range. Instead, you can use the LCD buttons, or any software that changes these settings via the PSDV or PBCV commands.
SCC updating
Updating the Solar Charge Controller (SCC) firmware is no longer needed or recommended.
[ Edit: This post replaces a very old one that was increasingly obsolete. ]