Aero-sharp Inverter Firmware - Repair

Aero-sharp Inverter Firmware - Repair

Since 2010, any HR-X01 series inverter manufactured by Aero-Sharp might not work properly with our monitoring script.

These inverters have a slightly different firmware that disables the com port. Any status request sent to the port will be ignored.

The problem exists mainly on the v2.3 display boards, and to a lesser extent, the v2.0 boards. The solution is to re-program the microcontroller with an older version of the firmware. To do to, you need to open the front lid of the inverter to gain access to the JTAG header on the back of the dipslay boar.d

The microcontroller is an Atmel ATmega162. This has built-in flash memory to hold the embedded program. To re-program the microcontroller, you will need an Atmel AVR JTAGICE programmer. Connect it to the 10-pin header and use AVR studio to re-program the flash memory.

You should backup the flash memory before programming it with a new one. Below are .hex files containing the Flash memory of the display board's microcontroller. The first one fixes the non-working RS485 com port. The second one is for reference purposes only - this one has been extracted from a newer Aero-Sharp inverter with a non-working com port.

Original version 2.3 program (working)	aerosharp_original_display_v2.3.hex
Newer v2.3 program with non-function com port	aerosharp_newer_display_v2.3.hex

Important: Only flash the firmware with the same version as your board. Problems can occur if a v2.3 firmware is flashed onto a v2.0 or v1.7 board.

If your display board doesn't seem to be working after flashing, you should try again. if it still fails, try flashing your original backup onto the board.

Re-flashing your inverter will void your warranty. Electrical safety precautions should be taken. All power sources should be removed from the inverter before you open it. We take no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury incurred as a result of flashing your inverter.

Comments

john mcgrath, Sun, 06 Nov 2016 09:21 pm: Reply

I seem to have a sim. problem with a ver. 1.8 board. I cannot access the rs485. would you have a copy of this firmware.
My display has stopped updating the E total and T total(stuck on 2.2kwh day and 27277kwh for list ten days). same story for time....All was good til I changed the 3 volt....while trying to connect to rs485 port. The inverter is still working though. 6 years and still working..

Charlie, Sat, 29 Apr 2017 10:51 am:

Sounds like you may have damaged the board… From EOS or the like. What did you do – clarify, just so that we do not accidentally do it. When you changed the battery, was the usb converter connected? Was the converter also connected to the computer? Did you drop the battery on the board? It is also possible to short the battery holder’s contacts with the cell as you were inserting or removing it (shorting the battery itself is also very easy) - if so, the lesson learned here is to switch it off before removing the cell (if it was an EMF from shorting the cell, then it could happen to anyone). If it was EOS then maybe you damaged the crystal oscillator control circuit in the main chip and it may work again if you replace the crystal with an external 32khz clock source if you cannot get a replacement board… The fact it has any information on the screen after a power cycle should indicate the board’s main chip has its MHz clock still working and it can still think, it just uses the other clock to pace itself.

Charlie, Sat, 29 Apr 2017 10:56 am:

Actually no, the external clock will not work, the battery also powers frequency dividers as well and these are probably broken too. EOS = Electrical Over Stress

Aero-sharp Inverter Firmware - Repair

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