Blu 1 bricked after aborted firmware update

[Linwood]

Got  Blu 1 (actually got 5 of them0. 

Got them all working with Home Assistant.

Decided to check firmware, so added first one to shelly app (which I do not use generally, but have on Android). 

Jumped through the hoops and update started.  Bar stopped and disappeared but that device still showed updating.  And kept showing it, left phone beside it and did some other things, came back after several minutes, no change.  Finally closed the app.  Couldn't get anything to happen with the device, no tone when I hit the button. Pulled and replaced battery - no change. Tried deleting it so I could re-add to application (this appears to have been a mistake given another forum entry).  Could not re-add. 

Swapped battery for known good - no change.

Pulled battery, put it back, pushed button for 30+ seconds - no change. 

Pulled battery, pushed button, put in battery while holding - no change.

It would appear the attempted firmware update bricked it.  I should note that the battery, despite being brand new, showed 100% on first couple pushes, then fell to 58% before the attempted update.  I'm wondering if it was shipped with an almost dead battery which died during the update and caused a problem?

Is there a way to recover from a firmware update failure? 

(This seems a recurring problem, I got one Blu 1 with completely DOA battery, and 2 of the ones I just installed already show less than 100%, one 83%, one 82%.  I think that these are being shipped with weak/dead batteries. Anyone else seeing that? )

Linwood

[Linwood]

I think I know more.  I did not have spare buttons (and they are not available on Amazon where I can get them quickly). 

I did however have a big stack of Blu Door/window sensors, which I assume are similar. 

I just worked with two separate ones.  One had a battery that measured (out of the device) 2.8v and one 2.88v.

A new battery measures 3.22v. 

A new battery under a 100 ohm load measures about 2.85-2.9v, the included batteries dropped to 2.6v. 

I don't know what the standards are (if there are any and I think not) for judging depletion, but I believe that Shelly is shipping pretty depleted batteries (or at least they arrive depleted), and I think mine failed when it did the firmware update.  These d/w sensors were direct from Shelly in the US. 

I've done two of the door/window sensors now without issue after swapping the battery.  I know these are cheap, but it's annoying to throw away a "new" battery, but I think I will do so on all the other devices before trying a firmware update.

=============================

Now on to more weird aspects.  When I did the firmware update it said I needed it, but did not tell me what the old version was.  I did the following with the second: 

- Asked for firmware check

- Paired the device

- Cancelled out

(I hoped at this point the info or firmware screen would show current version)

- Started again

- Was told that it was up to date BUT then it proceeded to tell me to update

- Updated (or did it?)

- Said it was up to date 

Very confusing what's actually happening there, I have no idea if I just updated or not, since I can't apparently see the FW version?

I don't think I will update my buttons though... they are working, I have no extras (well, I did, but it was bricked).  Sad that I don't trust it.  There really should be a way to recover. 

 

Edited June 10 by Linwood

[Linwood]

Oh... the as-shipped battery shows 100% even with that low voltage.  For whatever that's worth

[Olsche]

do you know the BLE debug app?  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cloud.shelly.bledebug

Please use this app if you have problems updating with the Smart Control app.

 

 

[Heinz]

@Linwood As @Olsche linked there is a debug app you can use to recover the device when its gone to a strange state it is currently in

[Linwood]

I was not aware of it.  I just installed it, nothing.  Checked and the (newly installed a few days ago when trying to recover) battery was dead.  Replaced it, and then the debug app saw it and could update it. 

I wonder if it was hung in some state that was battery-hungry. 

At any rate, it now has fresh firmware and a fresh battery.

That tool is a LOT easier to use than the app.  Going to update the other button devices now. 

Thank you thank you.

And please... consider shipping these with batteries NOT installed!

[Linwood]

This is terrific.  I just made the rounds and updated 9 devices installed plus that previously bricked one; fast, didn't have to have a discussion about rooms and icons and such, and they just worked. I have another half dozen or so window sensors going to install later, so this is very handy. 

I do wish that the informational packets sent to home assistant that include battery level included firmware version, so I could get a quick view when updates are needed, but otherwise I'm all set. 

Again... thank you thank you.

[Heinz]

glad it worked out and is solved 

[Semi]

Hey all...
Well I used BLE debug app (android) for firmware update and you know what? I bricked with it TWO Motion sensors. I thought it was just the first broken piece.

This is a log output:

[19:00:25] Connecting to C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA, retry #0
[19:00:25] OTA: false,
[19:00:25] RST: false,
[19:00:25] BND: false,
[19:00:25] ENC: false,
[19:00:25] DEC: false,
[19:00:25] LOC: false,
[19:00:25] PIN: false,
[19:00:25] BUZ: false,
[19:00:25] BCN: false,
[19:00:25] DEV: NOT NULL,
[19:00:25] PRO: NULL
[19:00:25] [BLE] Attempting LE connection to C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA
[19:00:25] [BLE] GATT CONNECT TIMEOUT IN 11000MS!
[19:00:29] [BLE] GATT CONNECT TIMEOUT CLEARED!!
[19:00:29] [BLE] Connected to GATT server. Attempting to start service discovery: true
[19:00:29] [BLE] SERVICES DISCOVERY TIMEOUT IN 11000MS!
[19:00:29] BLE Connected: C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA
[19:00:30] [BLE] Services discovered: 3, status: 0
[19:00:30] [BLE] SERVICES DISCOVERY TIMEOUT CLEARED!!
[19:00:30] [BLE] GATT CONNECT TIMEOUT CLEARED!!
[19:00:30] [BLE] Supported GATT services: 3
[19:00:30] [BLE] Checking service 00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[19:00:30] [BLE] Checking service 00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[19:00:30] [BLE] Checking service 1d14d6ee-fd63-4fa1-bfa4-8f47b42119f0
[19:00:30] [BLE] ShellyBleOtaReadyDevice CAN MANAGE THIS SERVICE!!
[19:00:30] Device processor found: ShellyBleOtaReadyDevice
[19:00:30] OTA: false,
[19:00:30] RST: false,
[19:00:30] BND: false,
[19:00:30] ENC: false,
[19:00:30] DEC: false,
[19:00:30] LOC: false,
[19:00:30] PNG: false,
[19:00:30] BUZ: false,
[19:00:30] BCN: false,
[19:00:30] DEV: NOT NULL,
[19:00:30] PRO: NULL
[19:00:30] [BLE] NULL DEVICE using ADV data {-1=-1:12:A90B0B05000A0541BEF52E3C, 1=1:1:06, 9=9:3:4F5441, 10=10:1:00, 27=27:7:00C3D10A41BEFA}
[19:00:30] [BLE] Working magic on device OTA (C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA), model SBMO-003Z
[19:00:30] [BLE] --- REQUESTING MTU 500 ---
[19:00:30] [BLE] MTU CHANGED TO 512 w/ STATUS 0
[19:00:30] [BLE] MTU changed to 512, chunk size: 462, slowness level: 0, starting update...
[19:00:30] [BLE] Data received from 25f05c0a-e917-46e9-b2a5-aa2be1245afe: 4
[19:00:30] [BLE] BOOTLOADER VERSION: 02010001 (02-01-00-01). Will write with normal speed
[19:00:51] Download OTA from https://repo.shelly.cloud/firmware/BLE_DEVICES/SBMO-003Z.gbl
[19:00:52] [BLE] OTA data: LB:0, LA:232428, C:504, S:462
[19:00:52] [BLE] ----------------------------------------------------------------------
[19:00:52] [BLE] Writing Characteristic f7bf3564-fb6d-4e53-88a4-5e37e0326063!!!!!!!!
[19:00:52] [BLE] INT: 0
[19:00:52] [BLE] HEX: 00
[19:00:52] [BLE] STR:
[19:00:52] [BLE] OTA prepared. Will send data now to 984227f3-34fc-4045-a5d0-2c581f81a153 ...
[19:00:54] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0100 / 0504 (462 bytes), [75-D6-D7-02..EC-29-CA-05], chunks remaining: 404
[19:00:56] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0200 / 0504 (462 bytes), [D1-8A-FA-4D..5F-68-16-3E], chunks remaining: 304
[19:00:58] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0300 / 0504 (462 bytes), [B2-AD-F7-13..CB-0B-04-93], chunks remaining: 204
[19:01:00] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0400 / 0504 (462 bytes), [E8-98-75-D6..0C-F0-02-BF], chunks remaining: 104
[19:01:01] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0500 / 0504 (462 bytes), [62-00-6C-FF..ED-E8-31-37], chunks remaining: 4
[19:01:01] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0503 / 0504 (462 bytes), [E1-3F-27-D6..79-4D-29-DB], chunks remaining: 1
[19:01:01] [BLE] Wrote chunk 0504 / 0504 (042 bytes), [E8-B5-9A-A7..64-8A-5D-59], chunks remaining: 0
[19:01:01] [BLE] OTA file uploaded successfully: 232428 bytes written. Finishing update...
[19:01:01] [BLE] ----------------------------------------------------------------------
[19:01:01] [BLE] Writing Characteristic f7bf3564-fb6d-4e53-88a4-5e37e0326063!!!!!!!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] INT: 0
[19:01:01] [BLE] HEX: 03
[19:01:01] [BLE] STR:
[19:01:01] [BLE]  !!! FAILED TO WRITE CHARACTERISTIC f7bf3564-fb6d-4e53-88a4-5e37e0326063 (128)!!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] Failed to write characteristic f7bf3564-fb6d-4e53-88a4-5e37e0326063 because 128
[19:01:01] Magic Failed! Failed to write to characteristic f7bf3564-fb6d-4e53-88a4-5e37e0326063, status: 128 on DiscoveredShellyDevice{mScanResult=null, mBluetoothDevice=C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA, deviceType=BLE, generation=GBLE, signalStrength=-34, revision=1, batteryLevel=-1, defaultPasskey=695537, encryptionKey=[], deviceName='ShellyBLUMotion-3c2ef5be4105', deviceAddress='C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA', ipAddress='', deviceID='XB66172389048581', digestPassword='', model='SBMO-003Z', modelInt=5, pinToBondWith='695537', hasWiFiEquivalent=false, longID=true, checked=false, controllable=false, pending=false, authEnabled=false, readyForOTA=true, justUpdated=false, buzzerEnabled=true, jti=, advPduList={-1=-1:12:A90B0B05000A0541BEF52E3C, 1=1:1:06, 9=9:3:4F5441, 10=10:1:00, 27=27:7:00C3D10A41BEFA}, deviceSettings={}, deviceStatus={}, deviceInformation={}, authChallenge={}}
[19:01:01] [BLE] ShellyBleOtaReadyDevice.class CLEANED UP!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] ShellyBleOtaReadyDevice.class CLEANED UP!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] GATT CONNECT TIMEOUT CLEARED!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] SERVICES DISCOVERY TIMEOUT CLEARED!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] GATT CONNECT TIMEOUT CLEARED!!
[19:01:01] [BLE] Disconnected from GATT server with status 0. Closing GATT... C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA
[19:01:01] BLE Disconnected (0).
[19:01:01] OTA: false,
[19:01:01] RST: false,
[19:01:01] BND: false,
[19:01:01] ENC: false,
[19:01:01] DEC: false,
[19:01:01] LOC: false,
[19:01:01] PNG: false,
[19:01:01] BUZ: false,
[19:01:01] BCN: false,
[19:01:01] DEV: NOT NULL,
[19:01:01] PRO: NULL
[19:01:17] [BLE] OTA SLOWNESS LEVEL IS NOW 1!!
[19:01:17] [BLE] Attempting LE connection to C3:D1:0A:41:BE:FA
[19:01:17] [BLE] GATT CONNECT TIMEOUT IN 11000MS!
[19:01:28] [BLE] CONNECTION TIMEOUT FIRED!!

...and after this I'd got a notification saying:

Quote

 

OTA Update Failed

Your device could not be updated. Unfortunately in this state the device can not be used. If you device's warranty is still valid, please contact support.

 

Is there some way to fix this? I'm desperate...