MPPT with no Bluetooth after power-off

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question

drlbradley asked Mar 22, '22

MPPT with no Bluetooth after power-off

I have an issue with a newly introduce Victron MPPT SmartSolar 100/30 into an established LifePo4 Ve.Bus system.

{MPPT Firmware V1.59, ProductID 0xA056, Serial HQ21039FHW3 - These details have been sourced from my CerboGX}

All of my charge systems (Orion and MPPT) are routed via a Cyrix Li-Charge and as a result, the MPPT shut down the first night and is no longer visible in the Victron Connect App.

The next day, when there is sufficient energy on the panels, the MPPT wakes up, I can see this on my CerboGX (attached).

However the MPPT is NOT shown in the Victron Connect App, nor is it shown in the VE.Smart Networking section of the Connect App for my SmartShunt 500A/50mV. Despite the MPPT being originally setup to join the smart network.

In order to see the device on Victron Connect I have to disconnect the panels (and the cables on the battery terminals) from the device and reconnect them (effectively giving it a reboot I presume). After doing this, the MPPT is visible on the Victron Connect app and I can connect to it.

This behavior is consistent.

I've confirmed that the MPPT retains its settings, and ultimately as I have this connected via VE Direct I wouldnt be bothered about seeing it in Victron Connect except that the app is the only way to manage the firmware on the device.

MPPT Controllers Bluetooth VE.Bus

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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 23, 2022 at 02:10 PM

Hi @drlbradley

When the MPPT is not visible in VictronConnect, is there something like a bluetooth interface visible with a black rectangle as icon?

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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drlbradley Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 23, 2022 at 02:25 PM

No, and all of my other Victron devices are listed and accessible in the Victron Connect app. I dont think its an app problem, I think its a MPPT-bluetooth-problem

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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ drlbradley commented · Mar 25, 2022 at 08:22 AM

Hi @drlbradley

It will take us some time to investigate this further. We hope to have some more information next week.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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drlbradley Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 25, 2022 at 09:01 AM

Many thanks - my supposition is that when sufficient light hits the panels to initiate a start-up (remember my MPPT is abstracted from my battery bank by the Cyrix relay), however during start-up there is still insufficient solar power to drive the BT radio. The radio stack aborts after hitting a retry limit and then remains offline until a power cycle is performed later in the day - when there is sufficient energy to power the BT radio and therefore the unit regains BT capability.

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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ drlbradley commented · Mar 28, 2022 at 10:20 AM

Hi @drlbradley

I was unable to reproduce the issue, but we would still like to know what causes this. Can you perhaps create a service report when this occurs (so before unplugging the PV connection)? The procedure is described here: https://ve3.nl/VictronConnect_How-to-create-a-VictronConnect-Service-Report

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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drlbradley Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 30, 2022 at 09:24 AM

VictronConnect_report_MPPT_shown.logVictronConnect_report_MPPT_NOT_shown.log

Hi,

I have created two service reports. One where the MPPT is not shown in the Connect app, and then another service report created after removing and reinstating power to the device, and ensuring that it was visible in the Connect app.

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victronconnect-report-mppt-not-shown.log (98.3 KiB)

Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ drlbradley commented · Mar 30, 2022 at 01:28 PM

Hi @drlbradley

Are you also signed in on VRM in VictronConnect and can you view the settings of the MPPT via the VRM tab in VictronConnect. If so, can you please test if switching off the bluetooth of the MPPT (via the VRM tab in VictronConnect) also makes it discoverable again in VictronConnect on local tab? The bluetooth enabled settings can be found on the Product Info page, which can be accessed using the three dots in the upper right in the Settings page of the MPPT.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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drlbradley Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 30, 2022 at 01:47 PM

Probably not the best test as currently the MPPT *is* visible in VictronConnect via Bluetooth.

However I have just followed those steps.

Results:

The following screen was shown, the top right icon - the cloud with spinning highlight was displayed for some time, followed by an error message stating "Unable to connect to the RPC broker. Configuring the device is not possible".

I closed the app, and tried again, this time the cloud icon was displayed and then after approx 30 seconds was replaced by the ellipsis icon, which then allowed me to toggle bluetooth off, then on.

I checked and the MPPT was visible in Victron Connect via Bluetooth.

I will check these steps again when the device is no longer visible via Bluetooth. (probably tomorrow morning!)

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img-4987.png (282.8 KiB)

Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2022-03-23T12:52:54Z

JohnC answered · Mar 23, 2022 at 12:52 PM

Hi @drlbradley

If you have a VRM link available to that Cerbo, use wifi and select 'VRM' in VictronConnect. Your devices should all be accessible from there.

Not sure how firmware is handled then by VC, but that's available in VRM anyway.

Might depend on what kit you're using for access, but the mainstream stuff should handle that ok.

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drlbradley commented · Mar 23, 2022 at 01:18 PM

Thanks! I had forgotten that firmware update is available in VRM.

If losing Bluetooth capability is expected behaviour after a power-off I wouldn't have purchased the "Smart" version of the MPPT!

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JohnC ♦ drlbradley commented · Mar 23, 2022 at 01:48 PM

@drlbradley

I can't say this for sure, but bluetooth probably plays second-fiddle to VE.Direct, which is normally a one-at-a-time protocol. And bt may well be pushed off on purpose in certain circumstances.

I've never actually used my bt, don't need to. Maybe good as a failover if the GX or internet died.

Victron usually give wire priority, like ethernet will be used before wifi on the GX. And I suspect bt would be treated the same, deliberately or not.

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Answer 2 · 2022-03-31T06:56:25Z

drlbradley answered · Mar 31, 2022 at 06:56 AM

Good morning,

An update on the post above.

This morning the MPPT was not visible in the Local section of the Connect app.

I followed your instructions. It did take some time for the spinning cloud icon to resolve to the settings icon, however I was able to toggle Bluetooth off then on.

Upon checking the Local /Bluetooth section of the Connect app I could see the MPPT.

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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 31, 2022 at 07:40 AM

Hi @drlbradley

Thank you for trying this. This probably helps us a lot in finding the root cause, although we're still not there yet. The fact that it can be re-enabled this way might even mean that it can be solved via a software update.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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drlbradley Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented · Mar 31, 2022 at 08:54 AM

You're welcome - thank you for your continued help and support.

vriendelijke groeten

/David

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