Shimano EP8 Firmware

[Pivot]

My new bike has Shimano EP800 motor and firmware 4.1.5
I see 4.1.6 is out, do we know what capabilities are released or removed with 4.1.6?

Recent releases removed access to some key features, e.g. market settings, so I am not sure if I should even bother

 

[Pivot]

I found the log of releases but it’s incomplete:
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/e-tube/project/firmware/detail.html?model=DU-EP800

I am certainly not motivated to do f/w 4.1.6

 

[Pivot]

So interesting part is that I have followed the eMax-tuning procedure and I downgraded f/w to 4.0.2 which allows to change the Market settings.

Using the ST-U app I have set it to US market and subsequently upgraded it to 4.1.5, anticipating that now I have bricked the US setting, to benefit from all the subsequent f/w improvements.

To my surprise and delight — running f/w 4.1.5 — I can still change the Market setting to EU and US.

I think it is one of those undocumented features, which I thought I would share with the enthusiasts on this forum.

So while e-TUBE is encouraging me to upgrade to 4.1.6, I will ignore it, until some really important f/w improvements get released, which will probably brick the settings.

 

[aarfeldt]

I am certainly not motivated to do f/w 4.1.6

I've updated without any issues.
What's your worry ?

 

[Pivot]

I've updated without any issues.
What's your worry ?

Can you change Market settings with 4.1.6?

I can still change between US and EU with 4.1.5, which I am told I shouldn’t be able to(?)

 

[Zimmerframe]

Can you change Market settings with 4.1.6?

I can still change between US and EU with 4.1.5, which I am told I shouldn’t be able to(?)

You shouldn't be able to. I wonder if it's changed and then updated if the fields have already been populated so it's accepted. But you can't change with that firmware. How easy is it to change back to 4.1.5 if you've gone to 4.1.6 ?

 

[aarfeldt]

Can you change Market settings with 4.1.6?

I did this yesterday without any issues.

 

[Pivot]

Great, so it is def undocumented feature.
The Reg Log shows EU
The eBike Info shows US

I upgraded back to 4.1.5 and I can still change the Market settings.

 

[Pivot]

You shouldn't be able to. I wonder if it's changed and then updated if the fields have already been populated so it's accepted. But you can't change with that firmware. How easy is it to change back to 4.1.5 if you've gone to 4.1.6 ?

I haven’t done 4.1.6 to 4.15, but I am convinced that it would be as easy as going to 4.0.2, ie, 5-min job.

Also it turns out that I am not the only one being able to change the Market setting after the f/w upgrade

 

[Pivot]

I updated the f/w to 4.1.6 and I can no longer change the Market settings. The ST-U app shows that it is possible, but during the update process it fails and reverts to the current setting.

Clearly there was some kind of glitch in the system, and sadly it is now rectified, but downgrade takes 5 min, so it is not a real problem, just extra few steps.

I can see an opportunity for another App development, to script and implement the f/w downgrade process

 

[Pivot]

 

[Coolcmsc]

My EP8’s been playing up in two ways at 1000km.
Reporting the symptoms for other’s info as I’ll report the LBS solution when I have that and I’d be interested if anybody has had either of these two symptoms.
If you feel tempted to report an opinion of Shimano motors in general or another issue, it would be really kind if you could resist that so as to avoid cluttering the thread - Ta!
1. It’s switching on just fine with normal display, but no power. Also, the ETube app is saying the motor firmware update is corrupt (it wasn’t updated recently) and despite trying, it can’t overwrite it. Also, when connected to the LBS computer via the display they get the same report about corrupt firmware and also can’t update it. However, if the LBS computer is plugged directly into the motor, the corrupt firmware update is detected and successfully overwritten.
2. At the same time, there’s something odd with the chain ring. If the peddles are rotated backwards with the chain on, the chain ring rotates as well (not supposed to). If it’s ‘whizzed’ backwards with the battery out, the on/odd switch light blinks on briefly and then goes out, as does the display briefly at the same time. And then, something ‘loosens’ (in the motor?) and the chain ring almost completely stops turning during back peddling. If the chain is removed, the peddles rotate smoothly and soundlessly, forwards and backwards and the chain ring doesn’t move forwards, but does rotate backwards a bit (this is after the above ‘whizzing’). However, the chain ring is overly ‘stiff’ and sometimes in a 360 rotation very stiff and then suddenly releasing (which repeats). By the way, if you don’t know, rotating the chain ring forwards with the chain off is normally a little stiff, but entirely smoothly so, unlike mine which is too stiff and jerkily so.
My LBS is familiar with the EP8 and hasn’t seen either of these two events before, far less together.
They are in discussion with Madison/Shimano and when I know more I’ll report back.
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