bqStudio

The snapshot did not get attached.

Hi Thomas,
Here I copy the "Error Message" which pops up all the time.

The message cannot be attached or copied hence writing it for you:
"The detected device is not compatible with this application!
Some actions could cause the device to lose communication permanently and enter an unrecoverable state.
Proceed at your own risk.
Select OK to continue, Cancel to close the application. OK Cancel Tabs

Best Regards,
Raymond

Raymond,
If the message is in response to trying to use bqStudio with the bq30z55, then it would be expected. The program does not support the bq30z55.

Tom

Hi
i am getting the same message with the BQ27421A-G1 also. do you have any solution?

Alon

Hi Alon,
i posted a response to your original post.
thanks
Onyx

Hi All,

I'm getting the same error message.

I selected 1E9B_1_03-bq78350_R1.bqz.

I have an EV2400 connected but I haven't connected the device yet because I don't want to brick our boards. Shouldn't bqStudio support the bq78350-R1?

Thanks for the help!

Sheldon,

Did you download the latest version of bqStudio from the web? (v1.3.52) It should support the bq78350-R1. There is a possibility that the device or EVM is programmed with the original bq78350 firmware and you will need to upgrade it to the -R1. Just reading the device should not brick it. Bricking usually occurs when you program the wrong firmware to the flash,

Tom

Hello Tom,

Thank you for the instant gratification! I'm using Version 1.3.45 of bqStudio and the EV2400 firmware is Version 0.05. The EV2400 is brand new and has never been used before, it just arrived a couple of days ago.

I'll install v1.3.52 tomorrow and connect a board to see if it communicates (holding my breath until then).

How would I upgrade the EV2400 to the -R1, if necessary?

Thanks, Sheldon

I use the EV2300 with the bq78350-R1 and do not have any problems we have had people experience compatibility issues using it with their computers.

Hello Thomas.

I upgraded to bqStudio v1.3.52, as suggested but it didn't change the symptoms

I've now connected our BMS to the EV2400.  I've discovered that if I power the EV2400 and the BMS up before starting bqStudio then I do not get an error message and bqStudio automatically detects both the EV2400 and the bq78350-R1. However, if I start bqStudio first, I have to manually select the bq78350-R1 and then I get the message about the device not being compatible with bqStudio.

I'm elated that our BMS appears to be working properly right out of the gate and is accurately measuring all seven cell voltages, current, TS1 and TS2. I had to change a few registers, such as the AFE Cell Map, to enable all of the measurements and this worked with no issue. However, I'm still concerned about bricking the device once I start serious testing and loading up the registers in earnest. I haven't connected an actual Li-Ion battery yet, only a current limited battery simulator.

How can I confirm that bqStudio is in fact compatible with the bq78350-R1? It seems like it should be, it's referenced on the "Tools and Software" tab of the bg78350-R1 Product Page.

Please help!

Sheldon

Auto-detect and manual selection should yield the same results. This is the version number for the bq78350-R1. Try auto-detect and see whether you get the same data. If you get something else, then the gauge does not contain the -R1 FW.

Hello Thomas,

Yes, I get the same data as you do.

Is it possible that the error message referring to an incompatible device occurs because bqStudio is unable to communicate with the device rather than because it's a bq78350-R1?

Sheldon

Is auto-detect the only problem and does the gauge work properly after you get bqStudio opened. Or, do you have functional problems as well?

Thomas,

I don't have any problem at all with auto-detect, it always works correctly and I never get a warning about the chip being incompatible.

The only problem I have is when I start bqStudio before I power up the BMS and EV2400. I then have to manually select the bq78350-R1 and this is when I get the incompatibility warning. I only get the incompatibility warning when bqStudio cannot detect the bq78350-R1. That's why I'm wondering if the incompatibility warning occurred because no device was detected and not because I specified a bq78350-R1.

The few changes I was brave enough to make, to things like the AFE Cell Map, were successful and the AFE is accurately measuring voltages and temperatures.

Maybe I'm being overly cautious but I've been hesitant to make any more changes until I'm sure there's no incompatibility problem that could brick the boards

I have a few constructive suggestions for improving the documentation. The schematics for the reference design and EV are not drawn very well and are very difficult to follow. They make some very simple circuitry look very complex and convoluted. After redrawing the TI schematics I realized how simple it actually was. I would be happy to share one of my schematics as an example (it uses TI devices almost exclusively). I'm sure that a more understandable schematic would significantly reduce the number of technical queries you receive and probably not scare off as many potential customers.

This is the first time I've designed a Li-Ion battery pack but I've been designing power management systems for over 40 years so I'm not a complete novice. I find the documentation on the bq78350-R1 to not measure up to the high standard other TI products achieve. For example, there are a number of places where the documentation mentions "SBS" but never defines what that means. I suppose if I'd designed Li-Ion battery packs before I might have known that but I haven't and I didn't. I got curious and only after several Google searches realized that it stand for "Smart Battery System". I was having difficulty understanding why some things were done or why they worked the way they did but the documents at the sbs-forum website made much of this crystal clear. Is there a reason why Smart Battery System is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?

Thanks for bearing with me.

Sheldon

Sheldon,
If bqStudio auto-detects your EVM, then you should be okay. I am not sure about the other power up sequence? Yes, SBS means the Smart Battery System Spec.
Tom