SINAMICS G120C Firmware Upgrade from V4.5 to V4.7 SP6: Procedure

The SINAMICS G120C accepts a controlled firmware jump from V4.5.x (including the 4503007 / V4.5.3.0 build) to V4.7 SP6 and beyond, provided the upgrade is performed with the correct tool, the correct Control Unit (CU) variant is addressed, and the source build meets the documented starting baseline. This article consolidates the official upgrade instructions from Siemens document 67364620 (SINAMICS G120 / G120C / G120D / G110M / G120P / ET 200pro FC-2 firmware upgrade manual) and the release notes for the latest service pack, Siemens document 109814239 (SINAMICS firmware 4.7 SP14 HF6).

1. Why Upgrade a G120C from V4.5 to V4.7 SP6?

V4.5 is end-of-life for new feature work. V4.7 SP6 and later add field-proven fixes that matter in production:

• Improved Safe Torque Off (STO) diagnostic behavior on CU240B-E-2 / CU240B-2 / CU250S-2 Control Units.
• Extended PROFINET / EtherNet/IP conformance for controllers that assert stricter GSDML / EDS checks.
• Bug fixes for F30001, F30002, F30012, F30021 and the F08501 / F08502 PROFIsafe diagnostic trips seen on V4.5.x.
• Support for newer motor data sets and updated SINAMICS Startdrive / TIA Portal project portability.
• Hotfix branch 4.7 SP14 HF6 (document 109814239) is the recommended target for new installations and for any drive that previously exhibited sporadic F08501 / F08502 events.

2. Identifying the Current Firmware

Before initiating an upgrade, capture the running firmware version, Control Unit hardware (r0019 / r0097), and the parameter backup. Three sources are available:

For the example drive in the source (MLFB 6SL3210-1KE11-8UF1, XAC821-000043, FW 4503007, V4.5):

• r0965[0] → 4.5.3.0
• r0965[1] → build date stamp (decode with Siemens Product Partner lookup)
• r0019 → Control Unit hardware identifier (e.g., CU240B-E-2, CU240B-2, CU250S-2)

3. Compatibility Matrix: Source Firmware → Target Firmware

The G120C's CU240B-E-2, CU240B-2, CU250S-2, and the G120C PN variants share a common firmware package per release line. The supported skip-upgrade paths are documented in Siemens document 67364620 (Firmware upgrade chapter). The relevant excerpts:

For the example drive on FW 4503007 (V4.5.3.0, pre-HF11), the safe sequence is:

1. V4.5.3.0 (4503007) → V4.5 HF11 (intermediate, mandatory baseline)
2. V4.5 HF11 → V4.7 SP6 (or directly to V4.7 SP14 HF6 if you want the latest in the 4.7 line)

Skipping step 1 and going directly from a pre-HF11 V4.5.x to V4.7 SP6 is the most common reason the upgrade aborts with F0119 (Firmware version on CompactFlash Card / memory card differs from internal flash) or F0120 (Firmware upgrade failed). When the upgrade is rejected, the drive remains on the original firmware — it does not brick — but a clean re-attempt using the two-step sequence resolves the issue.

4. Prerequisites

• Tooling: One of (a) SINAMICS Startdrive in TIA Portal (recommended, V15.1 or later; V16+ for V4.7 SP14 HF6), (b) STARTER V5.5 HF1 or later, or (c) the drive's integrated Web server (CU240B-E-2 / CU250S-2 only) for a cardless, network-based upgrade.
• Firmware file: Download the appropriate SxP / SxS / bin package from Siemens Product Partner or directly from document 109814239. Match the file to the exact CU hardware (e.g., SINAMICS_G120C_CU240B-E-2_4.7_SP14_HF6.sxpx).
• Memory card (optional but recommended): A blank or freshly formatted SD card (2 GB minimum, FAT32) for the card-based upgrade method. The G120C accepts the SINAMICS SD card 6SL3054-4AG00-2AA0 or a third-party industrial-grade SD card.
• Connection: Either (a) RS232 USB cable (6SL3555-0PA00-2AA0) for BOP-2 / STARTER over point-to-point, (b) PROFINET or EtherNet/IP to the G120C PN variant, or (c) the Web server over HTTPS to a known CU IP address.
• Drive state: The drive must be in Ready (not running, not faulted past recoverable state). De-couple the motor for safety during the upgrade; an active ramp can cause a failed upgrade if the bus is interrupted mid-write.
• Power stability: 24 V Control Unit supply must be uninterrupted for the full 8–12 minutes the upgrade takes. A UPS on the 24 V rail is best practice.
• Project backup: Upload from PG / device, save the project file, export the parameter set (p0971 = 1 in STARTER).

5. Choosing the Upgrade Method

6. Step-by-Step: Web Server Upgrade (CU240B-E-2 / CU250S-2)

1. Connect to the drive's Web server. Default URL: https://<CU IP>/index.shtml or via STARTER → Online → Accessible nodes.
2. Log in with the user that has Standard or Expert rights (default admin: user admin, password set on first boot).
3. Navigate to Functions → Firmware update.
4. Select the firmware file (e.g., SINAMICS_G120C_CU240B-E-2_4.7_SP14_HF6.bin or its package). The page parses the file header and displays the target version, target CU hardware, and the source requirement (e.g., Minimum source firmware: V4.5 HF11).
5. If the source is V4.5.3.0 (pre-HF11), the Web server will offer the option to chain: first push V4.5 HF11, then in a second pass push V4.7 SP14 HF6. Accept the chained update.
6. Click Update. The drive will display CU restart pending, reboot, run the firmware write to internal flash (~6–9 min), and reboot a second time.
7. Wait for the CU to return to Ready. The web interface will show the new firmware version on the Identification page.
8. Verify with the verification steps in section 9.

7. Step-by-Step: STARTER / Startdrive Upgrade

1. Open the project in TIA Portal (Startdrive) or in STARTER. Go online with the drive.
2. Right-click the drive → Online → Firmware update. (Startdrive: Project tree → Drives → <device> → Online → Diagnostics → Firmware update.)
3. Browse to the firmware file. Startdrive validates the file and shows: target version, target CU, current source version, and the warning Source firmware below V4.5 HF11 — chained upgrade required if applicable.
4. Confirm the upgrade path. For the example drive (V4.5.3.0), the recommended path is:
   V4.5.3.0 → V4.5 HF11 → V4.7 SP6 (or V4.7 SP14 HF6)
5. Click Update. The drive enters the firmware update state. Do not cycle 24 V.
6. When the drive reboots, re-establish the online connection. Confirm r0018 = 4.7.6.0 (or the higher SP14 HF6 build).
7. Perform a parameter Download to PG and compare against the pre-upgrade backup. The parameter set is preserved; some defaults may have shifted to the new firmware's defaults — manually confirm safety-related and motor-related parameters (p0300..p0349, p9500 for STO, p9601 for safety integration).

8. Step-by-Step: SD Card Upgrade (Fleet Rollout)

1. Format the SD card (FAT32, 2 GB minimum).
2. Create a folder structure the drive expects:
   /SIEMENS/SINAMICS/
3. Place the firmware files in the folder. For a chained V4.5 → V4.7 upgrade, both files are placed; the drive applies them in numeric order.
4. Power off the drive. Insert the SD card into the CU.
5. Power on the drive. The CU reads the card, validates the firmware, and writes it to internal flash. The RDY LED flashes green/orange during the write (~6–9 min).
6. When the RDY LED returns to solid green and Ready is shown on the BOP-2, the upgrade is complete. The drive may auto-restart one or more times.
7. Remove the SD card only when the CU is in a steady Ready state — never during a write.

9. Post-Upgrade Verification

After the upgrade, run the following checks before re-commissioning the drive on the machine:

10. Troubleshooting Matrix

11. Rolling Back to V4.5

There is no official Siemens-supported downgrade path. The recommended approach when the new firmware is incompatible with the application:

1. Upload the pre-upgrade parameter backup from the PG / PC (this is the file you saved in section 4).
2. Reflash the original V4.5.x build using the SD card method. The drive will boot into the older firmware.
3. Perform Download to device of the saved parameter set.
4. Verify safety parameters (p9500, p9601) and re-run the safety acceptance test if STO is in use.

12. Field-Proven Caveats

• TIA Portal version: TIA V15.1 is the minimum that recognizes V4.7 SP6 GSDML. For V4.7 SP14 HF6, TIA V16 update 4 or later is required. Mismatched TIA Portal versions will not refuse the upgrade but will block the re-integration of the drive into a project.
• Fieldbus telegrams: New telegrams (e.g., telegram 350, 370) added in 4.7 require the controller's GSDML to be updated. A controller still on the old GSDML will reject the new PZD mapping.
• Safety log: The safety log on 4.7 has a slightly different format than on 4.5. Tools that parse the log (e.g., SIMATIC Automation Tool) must be on a version that understands the 4.7 format.
• Bulk upgrades: When rolling out to 50+ drives, use the SIMATIC Automation Tool's firmware update feature with a parameter-delta CSV. This avoids the manual two-step approval on every drive.
• SP version visibility: r0965[0] shows the major SP version; for the precise build (HF6, etc.), use r0965[2] on the latest 4.7 line.

13. Summary

For a SINAMICS G120C on V4.5.x (e.g., 6SL3210-1KE11-8UF1, FW 4503007), a direct jump to V4.7 SP6 is supported only if the source is at V4.5 HF11 or above. Drives below that baseline — including the V4.5.3.0 (4503007) build in the source — must first be upgraded to V4.5 HF11, then to V4.7 SP6 (or, for the latest, V4.7 SP14 HF6 from Siemens document 109814239). The two-step procedure follows the firmware upgrade chapter in Siemens document 67364620. Web server, STARTER / Startdrive, and SD card paths are all valid; the Web server is the simplest for a single drive, the SD card is best for fleet rollouts, and STARTER / Startdrive provides the deepest diagnostic feedback.