My first job out of faculty was with Intel, within the firm’s nonvolatile reminiscence division. After an preliminary couple of years dabbling with specialty EPROMs, I used to be the primary member from that group to maneuver over to the then-embryonic flash reminiscence group to launch the corporate’s first BootBlock storage system, the 28F001BX. Your half quantity decode is appropriate: it was a whopping 1 Mbit (not Gbit!) in capability . Its then-uniqueness derived from two major components:

• Two individually erasable blocks, asymmetrical in measurement
• One in all which (the smaller block) was hardware-lockable to forestall unintentional alteration of its contents, maybe clearly to permit for sleek restoration in case the principle (bigger) block’s contents, the majority of system firmware, by some means obtained corrupted.

The 28F001BX single-handedly (in admitted coordination with Intel’s motherboard group, the primary to undertake it) kickstarted the idea of upgradable BIOS for computer systems already within the area. Its larger-capacity successors did the identical factor for digital mobile telephones, though by then I used to be off engaged on even bigger capability units with much more (symmetrical, this time) erase blocks for solid-state storage subsystems…which we now consult with as SSDs, USB flash sticks, and the like. This all might clarify why in-system firmware updates (which contain a lot bigger code payloads these days, in fact)—each capabilities and pitfalls—have lengthy been of curiosity to me.

The idea obtained private not too way back. Hopefully, at the least a few of you’ve by now learn the earlier submit in my ongoing EcoFlow moveable energy station (and peripheral) sequence, which lined the supplemental Sensible Further Battery I’d gotten for my DELTA 2 important unit:

Right here’s what they appear to be stacked, with the good additional battery on high and the XT150 cable interconnecting them, admittedly unkempt:

The timeline

Though that earlier writeup was printed on April 23, I’d really submitted it on March 11. A bit greater than per week post-submission, the DELTA 2 locked up. Per week (and a day) after the sooner writeup appeared at EDN.com, I succeeded in bringing it again to life (additionally the day earlier than my birthday, sarcastically). And in between these two deadlines, a surrogate system additionally entered my life. The paragraphs that observe will delve into extra element on all these subjects, together with the function that firmware updates performed at each the story’s starting and finish factors.

A locked-up DELTA 2

To begin, let’s rewind to mid-March. For a couple of week, each time I went into the furnace room the place the gear was saved, I’d hear the fan working on the DELTA 2. This wasn’t essentially atypical; each time the system fired up its recharge circuits to high off the battery, the fan would briefly go on. And every little thing appeared regular remotely, by the app:

However ultimately, the fan-running repetition, seemingly greater than mere coincidence, captured my consideration, and I punched the DELTA 2’s entrance panel energy button to see what was occurring. What I discovered was deeply disturbing. For one factor, the good additional battery was not exhibiting as acknowledged by the principle unit, despite the fact that it was nonetheless related. And extra troubling, in distinction to what the app was telling me, the show indicated the battery pack was drained. To not point out the intense purple indicator, suggestive that the battery pack was really useless:

So, I attempted turning the DELTA 2 off, which led to my subsequent bout of woe. It wouldn’t shut down, irrespective of how lengthy I held the ability button. I attempted unplugging it, no luck. It saved going. And going. I spotted that I used to be going to wish to depart it unplugged with the fan whining away, whereas in parallel I reached out to buyer assist, till the battery drained (the zeroed-out built-in show information was clearly incorrect, however I had no thought whether or not the “full” report from the app was proper, both). Three days later, it was nonetheless going. I finally plugged an illuminated workbench mild to one among its AC retailers, whose incremental present draw lastly did the trick.

I attempted plugging the DELTA 2 again in. It turned on however wouldn’t recharge. It additionally nonetheless ignored subsequent handbook power-down makes an attempt, requiring that I once more drain the battery to power a shutoff. And though it now appropriately reported a zeroed battery cost standing, the dead-battery icon was now joined by one other error message, this indicating overload of system output(s) (?):

At this level, I paused and contemplated what may need gone fallacious. I’d owned the DELTA 2 for about six months at that time, and I’d periodically put in firmware updates to it by way of the app working on my telephone (and in response to new-firmware-available notices displayed in that app) with no points. However I’d solely not too long ago added the Sensible Further Battery to the combination. One thing amiss about the latest firmware rev apparently didn’t just like the peripheral’s presence, I guessed:

So, whereas I used to be ready for customer support to reply, I hit up Reddit. And lo and behold, I discovered that others had skilled the very same subject:

• Ecoflow Delta 2 / Failure
• Delta 2 all of a sudden beeps and says the battery is at 0%
• and so forth.

Resuscitation

It seems that V1.0.1.182 wasn’t the latest firmware rev accessible, however for causes that to this present day escape me (however appear to be longstanding firm follow), EcoFlow didn’t make the V1.0.1.183 successor usually accessible. As an alternative, I wanted to file a ticket with technical assist, offering my EcoFlow account information and my unit’s serial quantity, together with an outline of the problem I used to be having, and requesting that they “push” the brand new model to me by the app. I did so, and with lower than 24 hours of turnaround, they did in order effectively:

Fingers crossed, I initiated the replace to the principle unit:

Which succeeded:

Sadly, for unknown causes, the next firmware replace try on the good additional battery failed, rendering it inaccessible (solely quickly, fortunately, it turned out):

And even on the bottom unit, I nonetheless wasn’t executed. Though it was now as soon as once more responding usually to front-panel power-off requests, its show was nonetheless wonky:

Nonetheless, a subsequent reset and recalibration of the battery administration system (BMS), which EcoFlow technical assist hadn’t clued me in on however Reddit analysis had advised may additionally be mandatory, kicked off (and ultimately accomplished) the required recharge cycle efficiently:

(Longstanding readers might bear in mind my earlier DJI drone-themed tutorial on what the BMS is and why periodic battery biking to recalibrate it’s mandatory for lithium-based batteries):

And re-attempt of the good additional battery firmware replace later that day was profitable as effectively:

Voila: every little thing was now again to regular. Hallelujah:

That stated, I believe I’ll anticipate a crucial mass of different courageous souls to sort out the V1.0.1.200 firmware replace extra not too long ago made publicly accessible, earlier than following their footsteps:

The surrogate

And what of that “surrogate system” that “additionally entered my life”, which I discussed earlier on this piece? This writeup’s already working lengthy, so I received’t delve into an excessive amount of element on this a part of the story right here, saving it for a separate deliberate submit to return. However the “customer support” of us I discussed I’d initially reached out to, previous to my subsequent direct connection to technical assist, have been particular to EcoFlow’s eBay storefront, the place I’d initially purchased the DELTA 2.

They ended up sending me a DELTA 3 Plus and DELTA 3 Sequence Sensible Further Battery (each of which I’ve already launched in prior protection) as replacements, presumably working beneath the belief that my present items have been useless parrots, not simply resting. They even indicated that I didn’t must hassle sending the DELTA 2-generation units again to them; I ought to simply responsibly eliminate them myself. “Teardown” instantly popped into my head; right here’s an EcoFlow-published video I’d already discovered as prep previous to their subsequent joyful restoration:

And listed below are the DELTA 3 successors, each standalone:

and alongside their predecessors. The a lot shorter top (and consequent general decreased quantity) of the DELTA 3 Sequence Sensible Further Battery versus its precursor is especially hanging:

As beforehand talked about, I’ll have extra on the DELTA 3 merchandise in devoted protection to return shortly. Till then, I welcome your ideas within the feedback on what I’ve lined right here, whether or not typically or associated to firmware-update snafus you’ve personally skilled!

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Imaginative and prescient Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the corporate’s on-line publication.

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