I must have missed an email notification for this topic in early November, so didn't get any updates - until I logged back in this week - ho hum...
Many thanks to coulomb, weber and others who have done the work on Beta Version of Patched Firmware 71.80d for PIP-5048MK/Axpert King 5K
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=5955&start=125#p76178
What follows is a belated update on my previous pst
viewtopic.php?f=64&t=5955&start=75#p74386 it's a bit long-winded I'm afraid...
Despite getting no practical support from MppSolar for my 'obsolete' PIP-5048MK, I decided not to give up.
So I kept emailing them with my issues, requesting a firmware update so I could use a PylonTech battery and it's BMS - even though I hadn't yet purchased one
Eventually, near the end of July I got a reply:
'Regarding to the BMS, we will consult with our engineer whether this unit can be upgraded the BMS function through this way'
A few more weeks passed and many more email prompts produced:
'Regarding to the BMS problem, the unit needs to be replaced a new control board for Pylontech battery. We need special order this card. The lead time is 4-5 weeks approximately. Are you willing to wait? The control board is 25usd/pc'
Progress! - I was skeptical, but on 8th August I placed the order, paid by PayPal - which came to $60, with $30 shipping and $5 for a BMS cable.
So I waited the 5 weeks but didn't get any shipping notification, so reverted to my weeky emails requesting updates. These produced NADA.
Then I remembered I'd paid via eBay so on 1st October I filed an 'Item not received' case - bingo! immediately I got a reply:
'Hello Sir Sorry to the late shipping. We will ship the two items this week. Please assist us to close this dispute. Thanks for your help and patience'
I replied with 'I will only close this dispute when I receive the items I have paid you for' and the next day came:
'Hello Sir We already ship the two items today. When you receive the package, please close to the dispute. Thank you
The shipment arrived 5 days later, so I closed the case - sure enough, it was a new control board along with 2(?) BMS cables.
It took me a few weeks to make time to attempt the control board change - life gets in the way sometimes....
This isn't a 5 minute job, so many screws! - but opening up shows:
- PIP MK internal1sml.jpg (552.22 KiB) Viewed 6090 times
- PIP MK internal2sml.jpg (481.49 KiB) Viewed 6090 times
- PIP MK internal3sml.jpg (436.62 KiB) Viewed 6090 times
It's secured by just 2 screws at the back (but use a magnetic screwdriver, if you drop one it falls into the guts) and copious amounts of glue on the cables/connectors.
Once removed, I thought it looked familiar and a side by side comparison with the new board showed they were identical - apart from pcb date codes, check for yourself:
- ControlBoardComparisonsml.jpg (583.8 KiB) Viewed 6090 times
Even the Microcontroller is the same:
- MicroControllersml.jpg (151.09 KiB) Viewed 6090 times
As I said before, I was skeptical, previously I'd examined the removable control panel - to check out what the on/off switch did.
Turns out to be just a sp n/o contact via twisted pair 7/8 of the cable to/from the main board:
- PIP Control Panel Cct Diag1_crsml.jpg (64.13 KiB) Viewed 6090 times
I was going to use a time switch and external relay to time switch ECO/Line off/on - but then I found SolPipLog.
This panel has all the BMS port components (connectors, opto's etc.) present.
After swapping the board I apprehensively fired up the PIP again and eventually, after changing from some of the default settings, all was working again
I checked menu 05 still had no PYL option and the firmware was 'only' 71.60
So what was 'new' about this board? - I'd paid $60 for a firmware upgrade from 71.50 to 71.60.....
Worse - SolPipLog had 'lost' the inverter, no data was being sent to EmonCMS - because the new board had an un-programmed serial number '55355535553555', which SolPipLOg uses to ID the feed.
More emails to MppSolar 'support' produced a link to download 'AxpertSetSN' - which was useless, no way to enter/change the s/n....
Yet more emails produced new downloads: 'communication-tool'
My first attempt with this program failed - the Axpert tools are very fussy about serial port number/types etc. and the state of the PIP when you try updating firmware.
Examining the instruction pdf showed using ATE1 and the SID command to program the ID location, and using these in the SolPipLog debug window worked and the new board now had the a correct serial number - EmonCMS statred logging again.
But still no BMS support, so more emails and by early November I received a link to a 'slew' of downloads to update the firmware - whoopee!
This took a while as again it had to be low priority job, but eventually I had a go following the instructions, but it ended in a failure.
So I powered down the PIP completely (I have a c/o contactor (relay) on the PIP output so I can bypass it externally and an isolator on it's input) both these off and ran it just off the battery.
I also used an old PC with a 'proper' serial port set as COM1.
The updating programs took a while, but eventually I had a PIP with firmware 71.86 and v2.00 of the front panel up and running - now with a PYL option in Menu 05
That night I saw that the midnight-1pm (SolPipLog time switching reduced it from 1hr to 10 minutes) switch to grid was gone.
Conclusion: maybe pre-2019 MK's aren't obsolete? they CAN take the latest firmware....
You can spend a few months emailing MppSolar for a 'new' board costing $55 or have a look at the installed control board and compare it to the pics of mine.
Then take a punt at re-flashing.
Hopefully in the next week or so I will get the opportunity to re-fit the 'old' board and try flashing weber/coulombs patched firmware.
Cheers