VESC Firmware Stuck on 2.18 - Help

Hey guys,

So I have a TB Vesc I got from a forum member here for one of my friend’s builds and I’m trying to get things programmed. Plugged in the Vesc and it said the firmware was too old, went to go upload the firmware and it just took forever and timed out.

I think the bootloader wasn’t installed correctly, so I grabbed an stlink and reinstalled the bootloader (or so I think). Blue and green lights turn on, and red light blinks 3 times when plugged in. I keep trying to update the firmware and it goes through the process of updating, but every time I go back into the tool, it says the firmware is still too old. Please help…

You’re going to have to do some small update jumps. Going from really old to newer seems to do this.

You’ll have to get some of the in between VESC tools to do this.

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Any idea how I can get ahold of those “in between” tools?

Here ya go friend.

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So I began trying to do small increments using the lower tools, but it doesn’t seem to budge from the 2.18 firmware it’s on.

Any other thing I can try?

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Flash bootloader first then flash firmware right after. Try that. Good luck

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Try Ackmaniac. In the same archive.

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No luck😕

Downloaded the 2.54 tool and tried to upload Ackamanaiac’s 2.54 firmware, and the Vesc just wont budge from its 2.18 firmware, no matter what I do @BillGordon

Try 3.103, Ive had the same issue and was always able to install the 3.103 firmware.

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This has worked on everything for me.

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Jeez, I guess this vesc is just non-compliant. Downloaded the 3.103 tool, and the default bin file and tried uploading both through the custom file and included file tab.

Still stuck on 2.18 :confused:

I could technically run it on the 2.18 bdlc tool but we all know it’s just not the same…

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Is there any way to completely “erase” the Vesc and start over? I know that’s what reinstalling bootloader and firmware is, but anything aside from that?

Flash using SWD method. Works w everytime for me.

6 min mark

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Will give that a try tomorrow! Thank you!

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bootload via st link and after you are able to make the connection to vesc tool flash the bootloader again from the vesctool. After that flash the fw.

Should help

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Like already mentioned flash the bootloader first.
Some escs come without bootloader so it is not possible to update the firmware until you upload the bootloader.
You can do that either through the SWD port of another esc or an ST link.