Megacell Charger firmware V4.3.0.11 reboot loop

enki

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2019
Messages
39
Hi guys,

I have been experiencing one of my Megacell Chargers rebooting in a loop and not being usable because of this. The symptoms are that the display shows "Display test" and the fw version, then the charger connects to wifi successfully and a message "Mc6 Init" appears at the bottom of the LCD. After this the device reboots and the entire process starts again. I have also captured USB console output and it shows the below messages:

Code:
{
  "Message": "Firmware V4.3.0.11"
}
{
  "Message": "Connection established."
}
{
  "Message": "SSID: <SSID>"
}
{
  "Message": "Password: <PASSWORD>"
}
{
  "Message": "Writing file: /settings.json"
}
{
  "Message": "Configuraiton file saved (56 Bytes)"
}
{
  "Message": "LogWriter initializing..."
}
{
  "Message": "LogWriter init is completed."
}
{
  "Message": "HTTPUpdateServer init...Hostname: FCF5C49724CDhttpUpdater setup...http update server starting...HTTPUpdateServer ready! Open http://FCF5C49724CD.local/firmwarein your browserand login with username 'admin' and password 'admin"
}
{
  "Message": "/index.htm file found!"
}
{
  "Message": "/workfile.htm file found!"
}
{
  "Message": "/edit/index.htm file  found!"
}
{
  "Message": "WOW! charger type: unknown!"
}
{
  "Message": "McC16 setting defaults"
}
{
  "Message": "Checking board details"
}
{
  "Message": "Checking board details completed."
}
{
  "Message": "McC16 setting defaults completed."
}
{
  "Message": "CRITICAL ERROR: Device stopped. Please contact thet support desk."
}

--------------- CUT HERE FOR EXCEPTION DECODER ---------------

Does anyone know what this means?

Needless to say I have created a support ticket with MegacellCharger Support but have not gotten any communication yet. It's hard to say whether the support script (https://megacellcharger.com/support/index.php) even works as it doesn't send out any e-mail confirmation with a ticket number when the ticket is created.
 
Mine boot messages on USB/serial console is this:
Default port speed in Linux is 9600 is set for new ports:
Code:
# cat /dev/ttyUSB0 | strings
2dO,4`lME
Firmware V4.1.8
Connection established.
SSID:****
Password:****
Writing file: /settings.json
Configuraiton file saved (45 Bytes)
LogWriter initializing...
LogWriter init is completed.
HTTPUpdateServer ready! Open http://6001943BAF4C.local/firmware in your browser and login with username 'admin' and password 'admin'
/index.htm file found!
/edit/index.htm file  found!
Detected charger type C:6-A:4f: Production
McC16 setting defaults
Checking board details
Checking board details completed.
McC16 setting defaults completed.
Reading all cell voltages...
Cell voltage for cell id: 0
Cell voltage for cell id: 1
Cell voltage for cell id: 2
Cell voltage for cell id: 3
Cell voltage for cell id: 4
Cell voltage for cell id: 5
Cell voltage for cell id: 6
Cell voltage for cell id: 7
Cell voltage for cell id: 8
Cell voltage for cell id: 9
Cell voltage for cell id: 10
Cell voltage for cell id: 11
Cell voltage for cell id: 12
Cell voltage for cell id: 13
Cell voltage for cell id: 14
Cell voltage for cell id: 15
FREEHeap: 23216; DIFF 23216
Setup complete. Moving on to app loop.

Never (recent) firmware requires port speed 115200:
Code:
# set
# stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 115200

#check to make sure it's set
# stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 speed
115200

# cat /dev/ttyUSB0 | strings
  "Message": "Firmware V4.3.0.11"
  "Message": "Connection established."
  "Message": "SSID: ****"
  "Message": "Password: *****"
  "Message": "Writing file: /settings.json"
  "Message": "Configuraiton file saved (45 Bytes)"
  "Message": "LogWriter initializing..."
  "Message": "LogWriter init is completed."
  "Message": "HTTPUpdateServer init...Hostname: 6001943BAF4ChttpUpdater setup...http update server starting...HTTPUpdateServer ready! Open http://6001943BAF4C.local/firmwarein your browserand login with username 'admin' and password 'admin"
  "Message": "/index.htm file found!"
  "Message": "/workfile.htm file found!"
  "Message": "/edit/index.htm file  found!"
  "Message": "Detected charger type C:6-A:4f: Production"
  "Message": "McC16 setting defaults"
  "Message": "Checking board details"
  "Message": "Checking board details completed."
  "Message": "McC16 setting defaults completed."
  "Message": "Reading all cell voltages..."
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 0"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 1"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 2"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 3"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 4"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 5"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 6"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 7"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 8"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 9"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 10"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 11"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 12"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 13"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 14"
  "Message": "Cell voltage for cell id: 15"
  "Message": "FREEHeap: 20464DIFF 20464"
  "Message": "Setup complete. Moving on to app loop."

Yes, I can switch between firmware versions downgrade/upgrade. Because of a very bad ESR reading algorithm in recent firmware V4.3.0.11.
Described here https://secondlifestorage.com/index...ing-and-reverse-engineering.10493/#post-78625
 
What is your MCC manufacture date?
Is it in plastic case? Or older one without case? They have different PCBs.
 
"Message": "Detected charger type C:6-A:4f: Production"

This is clearly missing in my output and I think it's the reason for my problems. I think that MCC has a special descriptor block in the flash memory where the board/charger hardware type and revision are encoded. Could you dump the entire flash from your device so that I can compare with what I have?
 
This is clearly missing in my output and I think it's the reason for my problems. I think that MCC has a special descriptor block in the flash memory where the board/charger hardware type and revision are encoded. Could you dump the entire flash from your device so that I can compare with what I have?
I wanted to try that some time ago, but had not good reason for that. Now I have it!
It will take a few days for me.
 
I wanted to try that some time ago, but had not good reason for that. Now I have it!
It will take a few days for me.
I had no time to do that and due to the war of russia against Ukraine, I'm not sure when I'll be able to do so.
 
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