How to perform firmware upgrade on Pentair* controllers

[Telemachus]

@Chenzo
That's great.

Good job!

When I upgraded my wireless unit to 2.190 the voltage on the batteries of the controller were quite low. The flash stopped half-way through and just gave me a blank screen. I couldn't erase the chip, either.

Fearing I had bricked it, I tried fresh batteries as a last resort.

Took the flash no problem.

From my limited experience it appears that bricking these units is near impossible. If you can access the programming port, the microcontroller can be reflashed.

 

[Chenzo]

@Telemachus
Good to know!

Seems like they are quite resilient then and difficult to brick. I come from a background of flashing NXP chips where the wrong configuration, power loss, etc. can brick your very expensive chip.

Though, most of my experience was around flashing bootloaders & sometimes firmware. Flashing firmware is definitely more forgiving than the bootloader.

This firmware flashing process was one of the easiest "embedded system" flashing experiences I have had.

Now I am onto NodeJS Pool Controller!

 

[JerryTa]

Hello,

For my combo pool/spa, I have a compool to Easytouch upgrade running firmware 2.1, along with an intelliflo VS, and an IC60. I’m using a wired protocol adapter to run ScreenLogic on my phone and MacBook. I also have Intellibrite color led lights for spa and the pool, unfortunately the lights have been in the garage for 5 years as I keep putting off the installation. My question is should I upgrade the Easytouch firmware from 2.1 to a newer one? Curious what benefits or improvement there will be. I haven’t noticed any problems with the version 2.1. I live in NJ. Thanks

 

[Telemachus]

I tend to be of the opinion that if something isn't broken, don't mess with the firmware.

That having been said, you can always downgrade to older firmwares if you don't like any features of the new ones.

 

[JerryTa]

I tend to be of the opinion that if something isn't broken, don't mess with the firmware.

That having been said, you can always downgrade to older firmwares if you don't like any features of the new ones.

I think you're right. Also, updating the firmware seems complicated, I wouldn't want to mess it up.

 

[Telemachus]

I think you're right. Also, updating the firmware seems complicated, I wouldn't want to mess it up.

Well if it's much cheaper and easier than it was just a few years ago, thanks to the guys here on this thread.

 

[VictorE]

I was able to perform the 2.150 firmware updates to both my outdoor Easytouch 8 panel and my easytouch 8 wireless remote. I used a PE Micro USB Multilink Rev. C on an old Windows XP laptop. I used the Prog12z version 1.71 from the link posted by LukeS in post #71. I did need to make changes to the batch files as described by Mikem95626 in post #74. I used a second Micro JST connector with pins 1 and 6 hooked up to the outdoor panel to power the wireless controller for the update (described with pictures by geobrick in post #59).

The Micro JST connectors I ordered from ebay had a different color order. Make sure to go by pin number as illustrated in JerryT's first post, not by color.

I did notice one odd thing after going from 2.010 to 2.150. Both the pool temperature and the air temperature numbers were wacky (195, 202 degrees F) on both the outdoor panel and the wireless controller. After about 7-8 minutes they switched to normal values.

Thanks for all posts on this thread - the collaboration here is what makes the internet great and keeps pool ownership affordable. I couldn't get anyone to come out for the reprogram for under $300. The programming took less than 5 minutes.

UPDATE: I noticed my pool cleaner wasn't coming on. It would never exit the start delay even if manually cancelled on the panel. I erased the EEPROM and reprogrammed all my labels, schedules and settings and this completely resolved the problem. If you are making a large jump like I did (2.010 -> 2.150), I recommend writing down your settings, resetting the EEPROM, and re-entering your settings.

UPDATE 4/20/17: The need to erase the EEPROM was a bug in the 2.150 firmware. The 2.160 firmware fixes this and it is no longer necessary to erase the EEPROM.

Can you do a flash on intellitouch controllers? Both indoors and outdoors.
I live in Houston.

 

[jerryt]

Can you do a flash on intellitouch controllers? Both indoors and outdoors.
I live in Houston.

Yes, I can

 

[VictorE]

Thank you. How do we go about it? Do you want me to bring you the boards from outdoors and indoors. Please contact me on:

[email protected]

I live in the Woodlands.

 

[VictorE]

JerryT
I checked my mail after I asked you for a reply and then I assumed that you could not.

Thanks,

Victor

 

[jerryt]

Sent you an email reply

 

[TonyR68]

Does anyone here know where to find the latest firmware for the IntelliFlo/IntelliPro pumps and the new (6 button) MasterTemp heater (link)?

 

[jaroy]

Success! After a long winter and many other delays, I have successfully upgraded the firmware of my ET! More than a year later but it's done. I went from 2.10 right to 2.19. I used @Telemachus 's methods and it worked flawlessly!

For any other official cheap ******** like me who refuse to buy a new controller, FYI I updated my SunTouch from 2.05 to 2.09 today following the excellent instructions in this thread. And FWIW everything worked seamlessly on a Windows 11 laptop.

Only difference to the steps posted above is that the SunTouch chipset appears to be the slightly cheaper MC9S12A64. Select that when converting the firmware file as well as when flashing.

My particular approach for the connection wire was to skip the crimping / splicing altogether with the 6-pin cable from this $9 bundle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PWZTC88

 

[ogdento]

oh those connectors are nice!!

 

[Telemachus]

Agreed. Nice find on the connectors

 

[bmn001]

First of all, this thread is rad. Thank you to everyone who has contributed over the last 9 years to document this process, and especially to @Telemachus for finding the ultra-inexpensive USBDM.

All of the hardware that I need to install the update on my outdoor panel and wired indoor panel just arrived.

Does anyone know if the "heating concern" in 2.180 (mentioned in this post) has been resolved in 2.190?

Is there a link where I can grab 2.160 to revert back if things go south?

 

[jerryt]

Other then someone having 2.160 stored on their computer, Pentair does not appear to link older software. You might try Pentair support and see if they can send you a link.

 

[rsissons]

Hi guys.

I have an easytouch1 8
Controller Firmware: 1.050
Protocol Adapter Version: POOL: 5.2Build 738.0 Rel
Configurator Version 5.2Build 738.0 Rel
The Easytouch was put in in 2006. I read on here for the firmware update to work, it should be post 2009>
Before I go down this road of ordering, building, and Updating the firmware that this method will work. We just redid the whole pool and deck with new Intellibrite color lights and when I went to assign the circuit function of 'Intellibrite', it wasn't in the list and was I was reading somewhere that it was because of the firmware being old.
If I am wrong in anything I just stated, let me know.
If I am not wrong and this method won't work, how do I get the firmware updated?
Thanks!

 

[ajw22]

Hi guys.

I have an easytouch1 8
Controller Firmware: 1.050
Protocol Adapter Version: POOL: 5.2Build 738.0 Rel
Configurator Version 5.2Build 738.0 Rel
The Easytouch was put in in 2006. I read on here for the firmware update to work, it should be post 2009>
Before I go down this road of ordering, building, and Updating the firmware that this method will work. We just redid the whole pool and deck with new Intellibrite color lights and when I went to assign the circuit function of 'Intellibrite', it wasn't in the list and was I was reading somewhere that it was because of the firmware being old.
If I am wrong in anything I just stated, let me know.
If I am not wrong and this method won't work, how do I get the firmware updated?
Thanks!

There are two versions of the EasyTouch. Unfortunately it sounds like you have the EasyTouch 1.

Version 1 are EasyTouch boards shipped prior to 5/5/2008. They cannot be programmed with version 2.010 or higher. The flash memory on the older board is a MC9S12A64 1x16x64k device and doesn't have enough flash memory for the new firmware.

Version 2 of EasyTouch uses a C9S12A128 1x16x128k device with double the memory.

The firmware version on an Easytouch 1 board is frozen in time at 1.060, whereas the Easytouch 2 version is 2.180 as of January, 2020.

Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I suggest you look into the EasyTouch to IntelliCenter upgrade. You can read more about that at Pentair Automation Systems - Further Reading

 

[rsissons]

Thank you Allen, that saves me time not trying to update it and finding out it wouldn't work.
I'll look into the ET-IC upgrade. Thank you for the links.