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How do I replace an Ekho EK-WL8-TRH translator without losing the configuration?

Back up the original EK-WL8-TRH, match the software and firmware versions, clear the replacement, then restore the backup and verify every wireless device on site.

Direct answer

Back up the original EK-WL8-TRH with the Ekho Configuration software (referred to as the Ekho Configurator in the software guide) before you remove it, install the replacement translator, match the software and firmware versions used to create the backup, clear any configuration already held on the replacement, restore the backup, then verify every wireless device on site. Most restore failures are caused by a version mismatch between the backup and the target translator, or by a configuration that is already present on the replacement unit.

Applies to

  • Products / Models: EK-WL8-TRH (Ekho hybrid wireless translator module)
  • Firmware / Version: All versions (procedure verified against EK-WL8-TRH installation manual STFV.425551.070-E-UM rev. 15). Some functions have firmware minimums; for example, turning off the sensing element of an OS, OV or HS device needs device firmware 22 or higher and translator firmware 27 or higher. Match the Ekho Configuration version and the translator firmware between the original and the replacement unit where possible.
  • Region: Not applicable
  • Standards: BS EN 54-17 (short circuit isolators), BS EN 54-18 (input/output devices), BS EN 54-25 (components using radio links)

Resolution

  1. Confirm the replacement is the same type of translator. The replacement must be an EK-WL8-TRH from the same Ekho translator family as the unit being removed.
  2. Record the versions used for the backup. Read the firmware from the translator display, shown as WL8-TRH v x.x / RF v.y, and note the version of the Ekho Configuration software you are using. Large gaps between the backup and the target firmware can cause restore errors or inconsistent behaviour.
  3. Take a backup from the original translator. Create a folder named after the site and the translator address, save the configuration file into that folder, then take a copy of the internal data and save it into the same folder without changing the file name.
  4. Install the replacement translator and connect it to the PC through the micro-USB port.
  5. Match the versions. Check the firmware of the replacement and the version of Ekho Configuration against the values recorded in step 2. Restore with the same major software version that produced the backup; firmware and software can be upgraded after the configuration has been pushed into the translator.
  6. Clear the replacement if it already holds a configuration. Press and hold buttons 1 and 3 together while power-cycling the translator, then select Yes at the Clear all? prompt. This erases the whole program configuration and returns the access code to the default value given in the installation manual, so confirm you hold a good backup of the original unit before you do it.
  7. Restore the backup onto the replacement translator with Ekho Configuration, then apply the changes so that the configuration is programmed into the translator.
  8. Verify on site. Check on the translator display that the loop address is the same as that of the original unit (the address used to name the backup folder in step 3), and set it through the translator menu (Start Addr) if it is not. When the loop address matches the original unit, the panel does not need to learn the loop again. If you use a different address, make the panel learn the loop again. Then check every wireless device for signal, addressing and response. If a device still does not appear on the loop, see Why do my Ekho wireless devices not appear on the fire panel loop?.

If the restore fails

A restore typically fails in one of three ways: the software reports that the backup belongs to a different translator, that the number of devices in the backup does not match the target, or that the target still holds a configuration and cannot accept the file. Record the exact wording shown by Ekho Configuration and quote it when you contact support.

Typical causes:

  1. Translator ID mismatch. Some versions embed the identity of the original translator in the backup file and do not fully support restoring it into a different translator without additional steps.
  2. Version mismatch. The backup was created with one combination of Ekho Configuration version and translator firmware, and you are restoring it into a translator running a different firmware version. Read the firmware from the translator display (Configuration menu, shown as WL8-TRH v x.x / RF v.y) and record both values before and after the swap.
  3. A configuration is already present on the replacement. Clear it as described in step 6, and check that the number of devices in the backup is within what the replacement is allowed to handle.
  4. Corrupted or incomplete backup. If the original translator was unstable when the backup was taken, the file may be inconsistent. Where the backup cannot be restored at all, export as much of the configuration as you can from the backup or from screenshots and re-enter it manually into the replacement with Ekho Configuration.

When to contact technical support

Contact Hochiki Europe technical support if the restore still fails after the software and firmware versions have been matched and the replacement translator has been cleared, if the backup file cannot be read at all, or if you have not completed Ekho training. Formal training is required to design, install and commission Ekho systems. Have the translator firmware version, the Ekho Configuration version and the exact wording of any message shown by the software ready before you make contact. For warranty terms and the returns procedure, see Warranty, Returns & Support.

Safety note

This article is general guidance for Hochiki Europe products. Design, installation, commissioning, maintenance and modification of fire detection and alarm systems should be carried out by, or under the responsibility of, a competent person in accordance with the applicable standards (for example BS 5839-1 in the UK). Statutory requirements imposed by the relevant enforcing authority also apply. Always refer to the current product manual and data sheet for the exact model before carrying out any work.

References

The installation manual listed above is not a published document.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-13 — Reviewed by: Hochiki Europe Technical Support