we ask you about any news in bellow matter.
It is possibility to change the firmware?
F.ex. we have a BPP000200000 sn:HQ13384CLEJ software version V1.07 / V4.00
and BPP000200000 sn:HQ1338XE5G7 software version V1.07 / V4.00
Regards,
Wojciech Wilejkis
Hi @Wilejkis,
The Blue Power Panel (BPP) is now end of life, and has been replaced with the GX device range.
It will not be getting any more updates.
Hi @Guy, I understand that we have to throw these 6 devices into the trash and buy new ones ... and what is the guarantee that the new ones will correctly indicate ... Regards, Wojciech Wilejkis
It is hard to say, what the best step is from the internet. The best thing to do would be to get in touch with a knowledgable Victron distributor, who has recently completed Victron training and is confident and experienced in your market (off grid, marine, automotive, etc).
They can help you understand the behaviour, capacity and potential of the equipment and how it can be best applied for your application. If new equipment is required to do what is required, they will support you through the process of buying and integration.
Hi @Guy, I am writing here with a sneer because we bought these BPP2s because they were to work according to the instructions. Unfortunately, the devices do not work exactly as they should because we think they have bugs in the software. This has been described in detail and explained with your service. That is why we ask about the possibility of upgrading the software because perhaps these errors have been corrected since 2015 ...Regards, Wojciech Wilejkis
@Wilejkis if you've been using them without complaint for ~7 years (based on the device SNs) then it would seem that whatever "bugs" you believe them to have are clearly not critical.
As with every piece of hardware and/or software in existence from any manufacturer in the world, there is a service and support lifespan; just as Microsoft no longer provides support or updates to Windows XP, so too must it be expected that hardware such as these old Blue Power Panels will reach the end of their service life and will no longer be supported... as is indeed the case here.
If they are still functioning, that's a high testament to the robust nature of their original design; if not, then that is no particular surprise since these have been end of life for quite some time now.
All components have an expected life span; Victron's components have a longer life than most (thus the unrivaled warranty coverage) but it is unreasonable to expect custom firmware modifications to try to prolong the life of an item that is roughly 3 years out of warranty.
Hi @Guy, Hi @Justin,
Ok, I understand the situation, but there are a few of points:
1. The devices that I have replaced are completely new and lie on the shelf as a service reserve. The rest of the departments at clients who have always complained about bad indications.
2. The described bugs in the software were reported in 2015 and then, according to the website, nothing could be done.
3. I am asking about the possibility of a standard firmware upgrade to the latest version, hoping that the problems could have been resolved in the meantime.
4. It says that the firmware for BPP2 can only be updated by the Victron service and there is no information whether there were any changes or not. Therefore, I am asking for a solution to the problem.
best regards
Wojciech Wilejkis
@Wilejkis ah, I better understand your situation - for that matter I too have a brand-new one, in the box, sitting on my test bench because I enjoy having legacy devices around to remind me of the evolution of the company and the technology.
Unfortunately, the end answer still remains that there is no solution to a problem in the BPP2s, because they are legacy products and no longer supported.
The good news is that, to directly answer your question regarding reliability of the new GX device range, the GX device OS is capable of being updated by the user, so if/when there are bugs discovered in the OS, an update is quickly rolled out and you or your customers can update the OS on your own so long as the GX device is internet-connected or, in some cases, a MicroSD card can also be used. This is just one of many examples of the great strides that Victron has taken since 2013 in product improvement.
Regretfully, much like my own brand-new BPP2 that no one will buy, all business models must include a certain allowance for devices that become obsolete/unsupported/undesirable before you can sell them.
