I bought 2 VESCs from @torqueboards and they came with FW versions 3.5. The hardware is 4.12 but shows as 4.10 in VESC-Tool.
When I connect them to the VESC-Tool, I get a message saying the connection is limited and I can only update the firmware.
I was able to update the FW for one of them using the VESC-Tool and it successfully went from 3.5 to 3.58.
However, the other VESC will not update. I have tried 10 plus times and the FW gets uploaded, I see the lights flashing on the VESC while this happening, however, once I reconnect it, it is still the old 3.5 FW and the connection is still limited.
I am using a PC (Windows 10) to run the tool.
Any ideas on what could be causing this? I reached out to @torqueboards and they didn’t really have an answer as to what was going on.
Is there a way I can find a version of the Tool that will program FW version 3.5 so I can use that tool to program on the VESCs and the version I currently have to program the other?
There are really 2 options here which is - get the new firmware not using vesc tool - or get an old version of vesc tool ...:
- if you know which version of vesc tool you need one could check out an old version of the source of vesc tool using git and compile that version of vesc tool.(https://vesc-project.com/node/310) If you are not a programmer of any sorts you can ask around if anyone here has kept the binary. The commit messages say FW3.51 was supported by march 5th so maybe checkout the repo from march 4th should be good....no Idea what version that was but you can find out
Another route to go would be to get an stlink v2 clone (like 2 bucks on Ebay) and flash current firmware using the programmer - this almost certainly works for upgrading the firmware but be careful what firmware file you flash as there are no checks or anything - you are simply flashing a microcontroller - if you flash a file for the wrong hardware you will destroy your vesc. Also, test this using a bench supply after flashing - not a battery - just to be safe. Shorting your battery is dangerous and could happen if you flash wrong firmware. Set the bench supply to low current rating (like 2A) - be safe.
Hope this helps
Regards
Max
also maybe have a look here https://vesc-project.com/node/501
regards
You can use the working device to flash the non working device. Watch from Minute 5:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFFiVxFHDM4&t=341s