Appendix G: Upgrading the Firmware
G
January 2016                                                                                                                      Page G–1
Appendix G: Upgrading the firmware in a UPLC-II™
General Firmware Upgrade Procedure 
(Specific instructions for a particular firmware ver-
sion are provided with each firmware release on the
www.ametekpower.com website.)
Cautions  when  upgrading  to  later  firmware  ver-
sions: 
• Protection system must be out of service and
all trip circuits opened,  in  order  to upgrade
the firmware. 
• Reconfirm all settings and calibrations prior
to putting back in service. 
• Upgrading from previous firmware versions
usually will revert the settings to the factory
default of an ON/OFF unit. You will need to
then reload your settings. 
• If the transceiver board hardware revision is
less than revision 7, please contact the facto-
ry for a replacement board. The revision can
be  identified  on  the  administration  page
under the “Firmware” tab when you are con-
nected to the unit or through the front panel
keypad  SET  button  menu  (Configure/View
Revisions). 
• Check what version of Internet Explorer you
are using before starting to upgrade. If using
IE9 or higher then you must be in ‘compati-
bility  view’  to  avoid  issues.  IE8  and  older
versions will work fine. 
Upgrade Process 
1. Log in using the Ethernet port (faster port)
or RS-232 (slower port) on the UPLC-II™
with an administrator or super-user account.
See chapter 5 for details.
2. If  not  previously  done,  save  the  settings
configuration  file  as  a  “xml’’  file  (remem-
bering to add the .xml extension to the file
name) and as a “report’’ file (.txt). The SOE
file  (.csv)  may  also  be  saved  if  desired.
[NOTE: If you do not get a pop up window
asking you where to save this file, then try
continuously holding down the control key
(CTRL) before clicking the ‘’save configu-
ration’’  button  and  keeping  it  held  down
until the window pops up, then release the
key.] 
3. Take the UPLC-II™  system out of  service
by  powering  it  down,  removing  the  coax
from the rear of the chassis and loading the
transmitter output (J1) with a 50 or 75 ohm
non-inductive  resistor,  whichever  is  the
applicable load. Power the unit back up. 
4. Two  files  make  up  the  upgrade  process  if
updating  from  Version  2.0x  to  later  ver-
sions.  The  code  loader  (UPLCL1_5.mem)
file must be uploaded to the UPLC-II™ unit
first. (If updating from Version 3.0x or high-
er  the  code  loader  file  is  not  required,  so
skip to step 7). This will prepare the unit to
accept  the  actual  firmware  file
(UPLCVx_xx.mem).  Copy  these  two  files
to a directory on the computer that you will
be using for upgrading the UPLC-II™. 
5. Log back onto the system as in step 1 prior.
On the left hand side of the web page, click
on  “Admin”.  This  will  take  you  to  the
administration  page.  Click  on  the  tab
labeled  “Firmware”.  There  you  will  see  a
browse button for locating the needed files.
Click on the button  and  navigate to where
you  have  stored  the  files  in  Step  4.  Select
the  code  loader  file  (UPLCL1_5.mem),
then  click  on  “update  code”.  The  system
will  go  through  several  steps.  DO  NOT
TURN  UNIT  OFF  during  this  process.
Click on the Continue and OK button, when
prompted to do so in order to continue the
process.  When  complete,  the  UPLC-II™
front panel will  display the words  “CODE
LOADER”  to  indicate  that  it  is  non-func-
tional  and  ready  to  be  updated  to  latest
firmware. 
6. Close  the  browser  and  log  back  onto  the
system as in step 1.