question

Talfan Stamps avatar image
Talfan Stamps asked

Victron connect Can't see most smart devices where previously I could

I've had my Samsung A70 for 2 years. I've connected with at least 60 devices, mainly MPPTs, with no trouble. All of a sudden, since Sept 2020, I have been struggling to see the smart solars in the device list in Victron connect.

I have tried deleting and reinstalling Victron connect, I've totally cleared my paired devices, I've tried plugging in my smartdongle, which I used over and over with bluesolars so it was well known to my phone, but now I can't even see that. The weird thing is that I can see the smartsolar at my house (with the cool new feature of the signal strength) and can sometimes see others, but most of the time I'm like an idiot who doesn't know what he's doing because my phone won't cooperate... I always see GX devices, never a problem.

Is this a Victron issue or a personal phone issue?!? How to fix it? Am on the verge of wasting money on a new phone..

Today I had to use my customer's phone to update his MPPT which had been on a 24V system and now on 48V, and was crying over-voltage but I couldn't get in to do what I know needed done. It was frustrating and even embarrassing.

VictronConnect
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1 Answer
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@Talfan Stamps

Location Services must be enabled to see devices on Android.

connect-location-disabled.jpeg

Why is Access to Location Services required?

Android 5 and later requires access permission for VictronConnect to the (coarse) Location Services. Otherwise it can not scan for the Bluetooth products.

Besides permitting access to its data, the Location Services also need to be enabled in many (but not all) cases.

Note that after enabling Location Services, the GPS itself, can be switched off again: the Android Location Services are more than GPS. Bluetooth, and WiFi-, scan results can technically also be used to approximate the phone's location; hence these requirements.

Despite the above, you can be sure that Victron is not interested in, nor tracking your location.

Being sensitive to privacy issues at Victron ourselves, we are not happy with this requirement. But there is nothing we can do about it, unfortunately. More information about why it is needed to enable the Location Services is here.


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