The Global Link 520 is excellent, when it works, but it doesn’t always work. I don’t know why and would appreciate some help please.
The unit is connected to a BMV-712 via a cable to VE.Direct connector #1, five Victron units via Bluetooth Instant Readout (2 x MPPT’s, 2 x Orion’s and a SMP), and 3 x Ruuvitags.
These all show perfectly on the VE Direct APP
When it works the information is sent to the Victron cloud and is available on the VRM portal. All the information is available and it’s an excellent system.
I have tried both the ‘puck’ and ‘long’ Victron aerials, and a high gain aerial as alternatives to the internal aerial. An external aerial definitely helps, but doesn’t solve the problem. I’m using the longer Victron aerial.
The GlobalLink was supplied with a 1nce SIM that is good for five years and should roam to all networks. Alas there are many places where it does not ‘communicate’ via the LTE-M network.
My suspicion is that the networks do not allow the 1nce SIM to ‘get through’ to the Victron network.
I read on a forum that there have been many problems with these units, but only read of one solution, which was using a Soracom SIM.
As a test I took a giffgaff SIM from a GSM remote AC switch which works well. This is a data SIM, not a IOT-M SIM, but I thought I’d try it and it worked.
The Global Link connected to Telefonica Europe and worked perfectly. It sat in the workshop for 24 hours and it seemed to miss only one connection in 24 hours. Signal strength was between -83dB and -93dB
The GlobalLink manual shows this specification for a Custom SIM card
nano SIM
Must support LTE-M (CAT-M1) which is not the same as regular 4G(LTE)
Must allow random APN settings
The giffgaff SIM does not meet those requirements as it has a fixed APN setting, but worked in the workshop, possibly as it didn’t move.
I bought a Soracom Plan01s SIM which does meet the requirements.
This appeared not to work either, but unlike the other SIM cards I can ’see’ a bit more information on the Soracom Dashboard. I also communicated with their support team who told me the device was creating sessions then deleting them 1 second later.
They also said that Vodafone LTE-M in the UK was functioning as intended.
This was the ‘proof’ I was looking for that the Globallink was communication with the ‘mast’, but not getting any further.
I have to say the signal strength indicator is not helpful. It shows no signal at all, but in fact that is misleading as the ‘mast’ is receiving loads of signals, just not letting them through.
Over a week data was sent successfully once from the 1nce SIM.
Over four hours data was successfully sent once from the Soracam SIM.
Both of these have been with Vodafone UK
Soracom were very helpful and advised new settings for the Globallink, but there is no way I can apply those settings to the GlobalLink.
I’ve tried the release firmware v2.06 and the Beta firmware v2.07-95 which seemed better as it saw the Orion’s while the release version did not. The version made no difference with the connection.
Apologies for the lack of correct terminology but this is not something I’m familiar with.Hopefully someone can help me with this.
Regards,
Paul.