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Upgrading the Code to New Version

From time to time, the code for the diagnostic box may be updated. You can get and apply these updates yourself for free. Here’s how…

Arduino Platform

The “brains” of the ED-BMS diagnostic box are based on the Arduino platform. This open-source platform has made the creation of small devices like this much more accessible to the hobbyist community by making the creation, sharing, and updating of code much easier. You’re benefiting from that already, as the code you’re running already has multiple authors.

All of the code is shared in a free and open manner on github and can be updated in the field using the (free) tools provided by the Arduino project.

Upgrading the Code using the Arduino Tools

  1. Grab the version of the code you want from github.
  • Most people: simply use this link and unzip it.
  • Programmers, feel free to use git natively. The github repo is top right of this page.
  1. Install the Arduino tools on your computer.
  • You want the “Download the Arduino IDE” option, not the online IDE.
  • In the blue box on the right-hand side, choose the version for your particular PC.
  • Download and install the Arduino software.
  1. Copy the contents of the libraries folder from step 1 above into the Documents/Arduino/libraries folder on your computer
  • This means there must be a file Documents/Arduino/libraries/MCP_CAN_lib_15/mcp_can.h
  • See the screenshot at the bottom of this page for clarity.
  1. Open the Arduino software and in File menu of the Arduino IDE, open “ED_BMSdiag.ino” that you unzipped in step 1.
  2. Connect the ED-BMS box to the computer.
  3. In the Tools menu, Port submenu, select the port where the box is connected.
  • If you don’t see the port, install the CH340 driver as described here
  1. In the Sketch menu, select “Upload” and wait a minute or two.
  • Arduino tools will compile the code (translate it from human-readable to executable) and upload it to the board.
  • You will see a “Done Uploading” message when all is complete.
  1. In the Tools menu, open the “Serial Monitor”, verify that the baud rate is set to 115200 (in the lower right of the window) and verify that the version of the code is what you expect.
  • You’re done!

Now providing .hex files as well

A couple users asked for .hex files to simplify upgrading their boxes. As of v1.0.8, I’m now shipping .hex files as well as the full source code for the code running on the box. Because this is new this release, let me know if you are experienced with using .hex files to update and have any troubles. If you don’t know what a .hex file is, just ignore it and use the instructions above.

They are in the github releases area. For v1.0.8, that’s here.

Screenshot of libraries folder