WallBox VooDoo

Driving Electric is a joy… except when it is not. On Tuesday evening Dave put the car on to charge. All went well. No harder than charing a phone if you stay out of the car’s charging menus. For some reason, he dragged out the WallBox app to check on the charge and discovered that there was an update to apply to the EVSE. And …

Revisions

1. 2023-01-12 Original

References

1. https://support.wallbox.com/en/knowledge-base/connecting-to-your-charger-via-bluetooth-for-the-first-time/
2. https://support.wallbox.com/en/knowledge-base/how-to-connect-your-charger-to-the-wi-fi-with-the-mywallbox-app/
3. https://support.wallbox.com/en/knowledge-base/how-to-update-your-chargers-software-with-the-mywallbox-app/

Yep, It’s all there, but …

The WallBox Pulsar+ EVSE references are complete and well written covering initial connection of the WallBox app to the EVSE, setting up the house WiFi connection on the EVSE, and applying firmware updates.

So, the Dismal Manor WallBox decided to be a beast. It dropped off WiFi and wouldn’t go back on. Applying the update via BlueTooth was not a happy experience. The EVSE just hung, and hung, and hung…

Apparently, something times out if the charger is only active once per week or so. I’d guess that our UniFi console causes the EVSE connection with WallBox Galactic HQ to drop when UniFi Console does its weekly update checks. This leaves the EVSE WiFi interface in a state where it will not rejoin the network under control of the BlueTooth connected WallBox app.

Could Dismal WallBox be revived?

Fortunately, Dismal WallBox can be revived. The first time I revived it, I went out to the electrical load center (Brits think “consumer unit”). on the north wall of Dismal Manor next to the meter box and cycled the breaker for the EVSE leaving power off for 15 seconds or so. This was something I was not keen to do at 2200 hours. Could the WallBox app restart the EVSE? Of course it could but where did WallBox hide the Restart clicker?

Not here said the home screen.

Not here! But what are those Advanced Options? Let’s look.

At the very bottom of the advanced options is a button with the faintest of outlines that, when clicked, restarts the EVSE’s firmware. Once the firmware is reset and running, you can reconnect via BlueTooth, navigate to the connect screen, and actually get the WiFi to connect to a network.

Recommendations …

Dismal Wizard has some recommendations for updating WallBox Firmware. I’ve never successfully applied a WallBox EVSE update without first restarting the EVSE, either with the breaker or with the WallBox App. I’d just cut to the chase and restart first as follows. It is not bad. You can try this well ahead of charging. And you cannot apply an update while the EVSE is engaged in a charging session.

1. Log in to the EVSE using the WallBox App and BlueTooth.
2. Confirm that WiFi is connected, (cloud appears on the home screen)
3. If App is BlueTooth Connected, navigate to Advanced Options and restart the charger
4. Restart the WallBox App and authenticate.
5. Select the charger
6. Navigate to settings (gear on home screen).
7. Pick the connectivity page.
8. Pick WiFi. Select your home network and enter its password.
9. EVSE should join the network.
10. Return to the charger screen.
11. Click Software is available if the available download is newer than what is running (if it is, the running version will appear below the download button).
12. Click through the prompts to start the installation.
13. PYour phone inhales the update image and installs it on the WallBox EVSE. EVSE restarts.
14. Life is good.