building_flashing.md

Building the firmware

You can get the latest release off of https://github.com/dingo35/SmartEVSE-3.5/releases, but if you want to build it yourself:

• Install platformio-core https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/core/installation/methods/index.html
• Clone this github project, cd to the smartevse directory where platformio.ini is located
• Compile firmware.bin: platformio run (or pio run)
  

Following these instructions on Linux you would create firmware.bin in directory /path/to/SmartEVSE-3.5/SmartEVSE-3/.pio/build/release as follows:

sudo apt install platformio
git clone https://github.com/dingo35/SmartEVSE-3.5.git
cd SmartEVSE-3.5/SmartEVSE
pio run

To enable the telnet server that allows you to online view the debug logs, add the compile flag like this:

PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS='-DDBG=1' pio run

Other compile flags:

• DDBG=0 : no logging (default)
• DDBG=2 : log via USB-C connector
• DMIN_CURRENT=5 ; decrease minimum allowed current from 6A to 5A ----> THIS IS NOT FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS SO AT YOUR OWN RISK !!!

For versions older than v3.6.0, build the spiffs filesystem:

• Compile spiffs.bin: pio run -t buildfs

If you get all kinds of mongoose compile errors (mg_....), that means that your python environment is not installed correctly. Usually a link from python python3 solves the problem:

whereis python3
cd /usr/bin
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python

If you execute:

python packfs.py

this should generate a fresh src/packed_fs.c file.

Flashing the firmware

1. Almost always, even when your webserver seems not to be working, the http://ipaddress/update link will be working; this is the simplest way to flash your firmware; with the "Choose file" option you can flash any firmware[.debug].bin you downloaded or built. When flashing firmware older then v3.6.0, you must also flash spiffs.bin this way.

2. Alternatively, you can connect your SmartEVSE with a USB-C cable to your computer:

   • Linux users: the device will present itself usually as /dev/ttyUSB0
   • Windows users will have to install USB drivers https://www.silabs.com/de...o-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers

   You can use the following flashing software:

   1. If you have installed platformio:

      pio run -t upload
      

      THIS IS THE PREFERRED WAY, because it also flashes your bootloader and the partitions.bin; so whatever you messed up, this will fix it!

      For versions older than v3.6.0, upload the spiffs filesystem:

      pio run -t uploadfs
      

   2. esptool:

      sudo apt install esptool
      esptool --port /dev/ttyUSB0 write_flash 0x10000 firmware.bin
      esptool --port /dev/ttyUSB0 write_flash 0x1c0000 firmware.bin 
      

   3. Flash it with a 3rd party tool: A nice 3rd party tool can be found here: https://github.com/marcelstoer/nodemcu-pyflasher Follow the instructions in the screenshot posted here: dingo35#79 Remember to flash to both partitions, 0x10000 and 0x1c0000 !!!

I think I bricked my SmartEVSE

Luckily, there are no known instances of people who bricked their SmartEVSE.

Get your preferred firmware.bin from the asset zip you can download from https://github.com/dingo35/SmartEVSE-3.5/releases, and follow the instructions in Flashing the firmware.

If all else fails, follow the Building the Firmware instructions, and flash following the "pio run -t upload" path; always works!!!