ZJBeny BCP-A2N OCPP EVSE: Update Firmware

[GuzziDoug]

Hi,
searched but no answers... How do I update the firmware for my Beny? (Must be done from the OCPP Server, HA in this case)

fyi, for Beny users, Firmware BCP-A2N-P_SW1_0_26_HW1.bin is recently available.
The readme attached says:
Please send the URL ( via "update Firmware.req") to OCPP EV Charger for updating the firmware.

(Do not use other HTTP server to update, maybe incompatible.):

Household EV charger, Signel phase with cable
http://106.15.78.131/BCP-A2N-P_SW1_0_25_HW1.bin
etc... (end)

so I need to point the server at that address, but unsure how to go about it.

I feel this will be an issue for other EVSEs too, because all the Firmwares will require updating at some point.
Perhaps a howto may be required? (I last performed an update with Steve, but my Steve server is no longer...

regards, Doug

[drc38]

You can use the ocpp firmware update service under developer tools. It should be self explanatory.

[gnsa14]

@GuzziDoug,
Looks like I have same setup as you.
Interestingly i had issue arrise yesterday where my OCPP ZJBeny no longer obeys my Maximum Amps setpoint. It's been working for a month now perfectly. I was on 1.0.24 but have upgraded successfully to 26 as per @drc38 post above. Still no change. Reboot of ZJBeny and HA, updates of HA to Home Assistant 2023.7.1, Supervisor 2023.07.1, Operating System 10.3, Frontend 20230705.1 still no joy.
Looking through the logs, the limit value (22A) is sent and an accepted response is given see below.... Ideas?
Maybe an silent update (other than my forced updates mentioned above) has broken something?

2023-07-07 13:11:50.511 INFO (MainThread) [ocpp] zjbeny: send [2,"2ef99948-786e-4efd-8141-fdea6214398e","SetChargingProfile",{"connectorId":0,"csChargingProfiles":{"chargingProfileId":8,"stackLevel":10,"chargingProfileKind":"Relative","chargingProfilePurpose":"ChargePointMaxProfile","chargingSchedule":{"chargingRateUnit":"A","chargingSchedulePeriod":[{"startPeriod":0,"limit":22.0}]}}}]

2023-07-07 13:11:50.703 INFO (MainThread) [ocpp] zjbeny: receive message [3,"2ef99948-786e-4efd-8141-fdea6214398e",{"status":"Accepted"}]

[GuzziDoug]

Hi,
I only just managed to get the Beny updated. There is a (Revised on 1/7/23?) file on their download site that successfully loaded 1.0.26.
Before, it refused to download.
As I am retired, I just plug the car in when the Solar is cranking. Yet to set up charge management. I have Victron M+2 with 12 Kw Lithium Titanate battery (works well), & 15Kw of PV feeding 2 of Solar Edge SE5000. We generate 80Kw/day in summer & abt 40Kw now in winter.
With 1.0.15, I had problems with occasional lockups. Hopefully fixed in 1.0.26. (Reset by powering off Beny).

[GuzziDoug]

Hi,
I checked this morning: the charger started OK, but as you said, I could not adjust the current. It runs at 5.1Kw no matter where the current limit set. Tried disconnecting & reconnecting (with current set to 15A) but still supplying 5.1`Kw. Also the Rfid does not turn off the charger, neither does the reset (small button). The HA turn off command from the computer works. All the log entries are saying the commands are sent. I feel it might be a firmware issue: I will email Beny.

[gnsa14]

Good to know it's not a problem with my hardware!
The "Charger Current Offered" value is the one i see not changing.
Strange thing is, it worked perfectly since installation running 1.0.24 and stopped without me changing anything.
I also noticed that the OCPP heartbeat back to HA stopped at the same time the Max setpoint stopped having any effect.

Very interested to hear what responses you get from Beny email.

[TTMK1994]

Using this configuration to configure the Charger can correctly limit the current, provided that the Charger is not configured with a higher priority ChargingProfile

connectorId:0
stackLevel:10
chargingProfileld:27
chargingProfileKind:Relative
chargingProfilePurpose:ChargePointllaxProfile
recurrencyKind:Daily
validFrom:2023-07-01T00:00:00.000Z
validTo:2050-12-22T00:00:00.000Z
duration:86400
startSchedule:2023-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
chargingRateUnit:A
minChargingRate:0.0
limit[0]:22.0
startPeriod[0]:0

[GuzziDoug]

Thank you for your replies. The Beny charger was working correctly until the upgrade 1.0.26 was applied. With firmware 1.0.15 everything worked correctly: Charger current could be changed while the vehicle was charging from the Home Assistant (HA) console. The RFID was able to initiate charging, & stop charging when the RFID was used. I understand that the RFID communicates to the server, which then initiates command. The charger could be started & stopped from the HA Console. Since Firmware 1.0.26 was applied: Charge current inoperable (Console current changes, but charger is delivering 5.1Kw constantly) RFID will initiate charger start, but then RFID will not stop charger (so communication charger to server is not correct). Charger can be started & stopped from the HA Console. It has been noted that the HA server is not receiving the Heartbeat tick signal from the charger. Information on HA OCPP server: The OCPP server (that I supplied a link to) module in HA is OCPP 1.6 compliant, & as stated worked until firmware 1.0.26. I prefer to use HA because it is a total building management package. I read all my data from my PV, Battery, loads, as well as other data. This is not a normal setup, but a farm. Can I request a copy of the Firmware change log between ver 1.0.15 & 1.0.26? Can you send me links to the current documentation please. (Why does Beny not put this documentation in a publicly accessible area? It is difficult to find upgraded information.) I will try reconfiguring my charger then enable full error logs on my server. Thank you for the information on the command priorities: I will pass that to the software developers. To my knowledge, Z-box & the server were not available with firmware 1.0.15. I still wish to use the HA server, so need to find what has changed so the HA server software can correctly communicate with the Beny charger (this may be due to the HA software not fully complying with OCPP ver 1.6, or Beny....) The Home Assistant community is huge. Beny chargers must work with this package. Because the OCPP module is Open Source, there is no reason it could not be tested, & if necessary changes suggested. I am not a developer, but I do run much Open Source software. I understand the problems. One question regarding Wifi communication to the EV charger: Has the WIFI security been upgraded with 1.0.26 compared to 1.0.15? (at present I use a separate WIFI AP to communicate to the insecure EV charger) Thank you, Doug Foskey.

…

On Sat, 08 Jul 2023 01:39:26 -0700 TTMK1994 ***@***.***> wrote: Benyi provides its OCPP Charger with a free Bluetooth version of APP (Z-BOX), and a free OCPP server and APP (EV-BOX). Why not use it? -- Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: #858 (comment) You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Message ID: ***@***.***>

[gnsa14]

@GuzziDoug,
I think i stumbled across a fix for this. Mine is now working again!
I sent a command via HA Services to "Clear Charging Profiles"

service: ocpp.clear_profile
    data: {}

This fixed the Maximum Current setpoint issue.
See how you go with yours.

[GuzziDoug]

@gnsa14
Thanks. That "Clear Charging Profiles" fixed mine too.

I wonder if the OCPP module developers could add that routine in after a firmware update? It is not unknown for the config data to get corrupted by a firmware update. That also probably applies to other chargers too.

In the meantime, I will mark this Beny Issue solved, & let Beny know too.

[GuzziDoug]

Hi, we seem to have a solution to the errors caused by upgrading to 1.0.26 firmware. Reported by fellow user: @GuzziDoug, I think i stumbled across a fix for this. Mine is now working again! I sent a command via HA Services to "Clear Charging Profiles" service: ocpp.clear_profile data: {} This fixed the Maximum Current setpoint issue. See how you go with yours. (end) As a suggestion perhaps the charger could perform a clear profile after a Firmware update? This would mean the operator would not see the problem, so increase reliability. regards, Doug ps: can you send me links to the current documentation please. I am hoping WIFI security has been upgraded since 1.0.14.

…

On Sat, 08 Jul 2023 01:52:00 -0700 TTMK1994 ***@***.***> wrote: Using this configuration to configure the Charger can correctly limit the current, provided that the Charger is not configured with a higher priority ChargingProfile connectorId:0 stackLevel:10 chargingProfileld:27 chargingProfileKind:Relative chargingProfilePurpose:ChargePointllaxProfile recurrencyKind:Daily validFrom:2023-07-01T00:00:00.000Z validTo:2050-12-22T00:00:00.000Z duration:86400 startSchedule:2023-07-07T00:00:00.000Z chargingRateUnit:A minChargingRate:0.0 limit[0]:22.0 startPeriod[0]:0 -- Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: #858 (reply in thread) You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Message ID: ***@***.***>

[gnsa14]

For those interested, there was a new OCPP firmware released at the end of July 2023

"Enhanced compatibility with OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) charging station firmware version 1.0.27, introducing additional functionalities such as: energy limitation charging – one-time, scheduled charging, weekly reservations, historical energy consumption, and monthly charging restrictions."
I took this from the Beny app page, so there may be some new information available via OCPP also.
I am yet to try this myself.

[PeterBorfai]

I'm looking and buying a Beny EVSE but first I need to test it. The retailer is having difficulty in configuring the CP to connect to my Home Assistant. Can anyone suggest the necessary URL format? I've also tried testing from https://evspace.in/cp-simulator but I don't see how the path and the ID should look. Hope someone can clarify this for me. Thanks in advance.

[lbbrhzn]

For a home assistant installation with public ip address 'homeassistant.domain' and OCPP installed on port 9000, the URL should look like this:

wss://homeassistant.domain:9000/MY_CHARGER

To use the secure websocket protocol (wss:) you need to upload the SSL certificates to the home assistant installation, and indicate the path to the .pem files in the OCPP configuration flow. You may also need to forward this port on your router. For a private connection through the local network this is not required, you can use the regular websocket protocol (ws:) instead.

The charge point id 'MY_CHARGER' and the path is currently ignored by the OCPP integration. But in the future this may change, in order to allow you to set a password per charge point.

[GuzziDoug]

Peter,
I am no expert, but the OCPP ZJBeny has been working with no problems. My only issue has been I have an early hardware version, & the WiFi security is woeful. Not a problem for me as I am in a rural area. The later hardware has ethernet capability which I feel would be better. The Rfid works fine & I use it to turn the charger on & off. The H/A OCPP driver works well & the charging sessions are logged & could be better aggregated if you write a routine (if you need to have separate logging for vehicles for instance).
The charger firmware needs occasional updating: I do this manually, pointing to the Beny address, then perform a ´Clear Charging Profiles'after the upgrade is successful (as mentioned in an earlier post). All in all, an economical charger that works well.

[PeterBorfai]

Thanks lbbrhzn for your clarifications. The simulator is connecting now! And thanks to GuzziDoug for your comments. I'm planning to test with the retailer this week, but based on your comments I have confidence this low-cost option will work!