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Repair and troubleshooting information for the FixHub Power Series | Portable Soldering Station, the combination of the Portable Power Station and the Smart Soldering Iron. Released in October 2024.

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Is firmware 1.4.0 boot looping with error B02 & low 0% battery known?

Has anyone else experienced the following? Is this firmware issue known to those at iFixit working on FixHub?

I bought the FixHub soldering station kit sometime in February-March 2025, when the FixHub was still marked for pre-order (I think?), but was already on the shelves of Micro Center. I had only tried to turn it on for the first time after purchase yesterday (which in hindsight was an extreme misjudgement for quality checks of purchased tools that are relatively valuable). So, naturally I figured the battery probably drained out during that time.

I saw mentions of updating the FixHub's firmware via web searching, but I wasn't able to figure out how to do so until today. I was able to use the FixHub's web console page to update the FixHub to the latest version of 1.4.0. So, at least the FixHub wasn't dead on arrival.

However, 1.4.0 firmware version ends up in a very bad edge/corner case when the device is drained to 0%, has its firmware immediately updated to 1.4.0, and then attempts to charge its completely drained internal battery.

Generally FixHub will attempt to charge and the charging animation will come up, but eventually within 10-15 seconds encounter battery error B02/battery disconnected (though only once I saw it experience battery error B04/battery charging stopped for protection in the error logs part of the settings). (The FixHub error codes can be looked up here.) The FixHub will then turn itself off, and the empty battery icon will show when FixHub is turned off. If one attempts to turn of FixHub in this state, then the normal on menu will come up, but the battery icon will flash between completely empty (with just the battery outline) and the slightest line charge to show the 0% battery state. Due to this state, one can only get FixHub to navigate through the settings menu, but won't be able to heat up to solder. Not even using a non-PD cable of USB-A and USB-C could get the FixHub to begin charging past 0%.

I was able to resolve this issue by downgrading the firmware (or conducting a firmware downgrade attack, if the FixHub were to be used in a more stringent infosec scenario; but also not really because there was no firmware rollback protection in the first place) to the second latest firmware version 1.32, as I found the FixHub web console was still always able to work with the web serial interface. (Coincidentally, this reminds me of the web installer for Google Pixel/GrapheneOS, as these also seem to only work with Chromium-based browsers.) The process may have failed once at most, though I was able to simply refresh the FixHub web console page to start the process over again very quickly. Once I successfully flashed firmware version 1.3.2, then FixHub was able to charge with a "typical" GaN charger from 0% with no boot looping.

Although this is likely a rare edge case "in the field", if this issue can be reproduced, then I would recommend that this boot looping issue should be fixed in the next FixHub firmware release.

Update: I was able to upgrade the firmware from version 1.3.2 to 1.4.0 after the FixHub was fully charged. (I made sure to reset the battery health via the web console.) Before I upgraded the firmware and probably when the battery became fully charged (I wasn't home while it charged), the FixHub experienced a total of at least 4 consecutive B16 battery errors/battery warm (not hot). (The FixHub can only save a max of the latest 4 errors in the error log.) After about 2-3 failed attempts of upgrading the firmware from 1.3.2 to 1.4.0 (including when there was a false success result and the firmware stayed at 1.3.2), the FixHub was able to update to firmware 1.4.0. I will test to make sure the soldering functions work on the FixHub, to make sure the FixHub functions properly. If I don't make any further edits, then assume that the FixHub is working fine.

Final update: This issue seems to have been addressed in firmware version 1.4.2. According to the release notes for this version on August 8, 2025, the changelog on the console page states:

  • Fixed bootlooping errors that occurred when charging a dead battery
  • Improved accuracy of charge timer warnings
  • Minimized interruptions and clarified language regarding battery temperature errors
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@taivlam - I've forward your question on to the iFixit team, hang tight!

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@danj Thanks for flagging this.

@taivlam Sorry you ran into this — I’m currently checking in with the product development team to see if this issue is already on their radar. I'll follow-up as soon as I have an update.

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I have the same issue: Power Station was looking dead straigh out the box, tried connecting with USB-A, updated firmware to 1.4.0 successfully, now it's stuck at 0% charge, I'll try downgrading the FW and report back

UPDATE: flashed FW v1.3.2 successfully on first try and after a whole afternoon of charging (from a Lenovo 100W laptop charger, so plenty of power) it reached 75% popping error B16 Battery "Discharge limited" (so warm battery) a couple times. I then managed to unplug the Power Station and use it for soldering for a good hour of intermittent soldering without any issues.

Will try updating again to 1.4.0

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@luke7FPS, You’re definitely on the right track, and it sounds like you’ve already made some solid progress.

If you haven’t seen it yet, we’ve got a FixHub troubleshooting page that walks through common issues like this one — including steps for firmware updates and charging quirks.

If you’ve gone through that and are still running into trouble after updating to the latest firmware, don’t hesitate to reach out through our Support page. We’re here to help.

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I ran into this exact problem - Power Station was looking dead straight out the box, tried connecting with USB-A, updated firmware to 1.4.0 successfully, then was unable to charge due to B02 errors. Downgrade to 1.3.2 is now showing charging. Will monitor and look to upgrade to 1.4.0 when it's fully charged.

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@taivlam

Thanks so much for taking the time to document this so thoroughly — seriously, this is the kind of feedback that really helps us.

I checked in with our product development team, and while this does appear to be a unique edge case, we’ve gone ahead and logged it internally so the team can keep an eye on it. They don’t have any follow-up questions at this time — you covered a lot of ground in your report. These kinds of cases are always tricky, especially when they only appear under very specific conditions like the one you described.

Thank you for sharing your workaround and notes on behavior across firmware versions.

If anything changes or we learn more, I’ll be sure to follow up here. And if you run into anything else in the meantime, please reach out.

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Thanks for the response! Please let me know if there are updates.

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I ran into this exact problem -

  • Power Station was looking dead straight out the box
  • Tried connecting with USB-A, updated firmware to 1.4.0 successfully
  • Was unable to charge due to B02 Battery Errors.
  • Read the messages here <3
  • Downgrade to 1.3.2 is now showing charging.
  • Will monitor and look to upgrade to 1.4.0 when it's fully charged.

Thanks to @taivlam for the detailed debug/fix <3 - the iFixit community is awesome

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@frozenskys Thanks for jumping in and sharing your experience — and big thanks to @taivlam and @datasimov for helping lay the groundwork here.

This definitely wasn’t the out-of-the-box experience we hoped anyone would have, but I’m really glad the thread helped get you moving again.

We’ve logged this behavior internally, and while it’s a tricky edge case, the details you’ve all shared make it much easier to track and address.

Appreciate you all for digging in and helping each other out — this kind of collaboration is exactly what makes the FixHub better, and the community stronger.

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I just got it today, have the same problem, I imagine that the battery drained to 0 and the firmware 1.4.0 has a problem with that giving me bo2 battery error I down graded to 1.3.2 and now it looks like is charging with no errors, I will let it charge (if it does) and then update to 1.4.0 again, hope/doubt is a faulty battery?

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@datasimov, sorry this happened. Please update us to let us know if you were able to successfully charge the battery and update the firmware.

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Don't be sorry at all, within the contex of the preorder I did which is call preorder with risk involved. I was able with the same day with information in the forum to fix it( downgrade to 1.3.2 with usb A and charge to 100% and go back to 1.4.0). I then let it alone some days to see if it will discharge the battery and it did not after 4 days no use still 100% and working. I also apreciate the fact that I fix it my self which indeed is the whole point. 10/10

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Thank you for the the update — and we really appreciate the way you approached this.

Preorders always carry some risk, but it’s never our intention to ship something that requires immediate fixing.

That said, seeing you dig into the problem, find the info, and get things working again is exactly the kind of ownership and spirit this tool was made for.

Thanks for rolling with it, and for the reminder of what makes this community great.

Always feel free to reach out if anything else comes up.

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Exact same issue with mine straight out of the box today. Thankful for @taivlam efforts in identifying and solving the problem. Only posting for your visibility

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@wildbill57381, thank you. I'll pass this along to the team.

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Another instance of this to add on. Mine was completely dead out of the box and not charging or showing any signs of life. Downgrading to 1.3.2 allowed it to charge and start up, and I could then successfully update to 1.4.0 and use it without issues. I really feel this might be worth considering a new firmware update to prevent this out of box experience. Most folks will assume their device is defective and contact support without finding this post and mitigation.

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4 Comments:

I did the same thing. Also told the costumer support about it.

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@logansteffen and @adriangroendahl, thank you for reporting this and we're sorry that was your experience.

We are working on a firmware update right now that will fix the issue.

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@krisrodriguez That's great to hear, thank you!

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@logansteffen, Yes! And honestly, Thank you for sticking with us while we work to get this release out. It means a lot.

Please let me know if anything else comes up. Fingers crossed it doesn't, but if it does, every bit of feedback helps.

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Tai Lam will be eternally grateful.
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