Hi,
The other week, when I opened VictronConnect on my phone, the response of the app was that a mandatory firmware was required (V1.16). From what I could remember, I had no choice but to go ahead with this upgrade and fortunately all went fine.
It turned out that this upgrade introduced the user role “TECHNICIAN” to the existing roles (USER and ADMIN). In doing so, I as the owner was reduced from ADMIN to TECHNICIAN and my dealer was left as is, as ADMIN. I had to beg my dealer to reset me to ADMIN.
The intend of the upgrade was to introduce a user role, so that service personnel could do what they need to do and can do as TECHNICIAN, without having the power to reduce my user role or to delete my installation from my user.
My dealer responded by saying that the upgrade caused all users registered as dealer-users to remain as ADMIN and all other ADMIN users (including me as owner) to be downgraded to TECHNICIAN.
An update of a device doesn’t have anything to do with the VRM portal.
The new technician role was introduced a few months ago.
All admins should be remain admin.
As far as I know there was no automatic downgrade from admin to technician for non-dealer-users.
It was either the MPPT or the Cerbo GX, apologies for not being alert enough then. I had not opened the VictronConnect app on my iPhone for a long time and when I did (about 10 days ago), the app responded in RED with “Mandatory Update, do not switch off the phone, do not answer any incoming phone calls … etc etc.”. I did not check immediately on the portal, but a few days later I noticed I was downgraded to “TECHNICIAN”. I have a program running (perl, JSON) that reported being unable to read the diagnostics info on the console. I logged in and discovered being downgraded.
My dealer (EEC South Africa) said that this upgrade did this, but I got suspicious when I noticed that 2 admin users belonging to them were still ADMIN, since only one dealer-admin is registered. This morning I downgraded them to TECHNICIAN, leaving me and my wife as the only ADMIN … the owners of the installation.
I sure hope a future upgrade will not downgrade a non-dealer-user … !!! I sure hope you are right in that an upgrade will not change user roles.
I dived in my event logs and it was my dealer who demoted me and my wife from ADMIN to TECHNICIAN. The upgrade had nothing to do with it, contrary to what my dealer told me.
It was an upgrade - to the VRM to add a feature to allow tech support without jeopardising your ownership. Not the upgrade you did.
That being said I do know installers get itchy when home owners change things as it can cause issues. I do have some clients whom I don’t allow full access as they can be absolute clowns changing stuff then shifting blame for issues and not wanting to pay for correction (thank you events logs). I had to tell them that they are demoted.
A good honest discussion is all that is needed. (With some people though as some just can’t behave like adults).
Why demote without communication ? Why lie ? Why make up stories ? Why showing a total disrespect for the client ?
I understand there are folks out there who are owner and cannot handle the responsibility. That is not an excuse to treat them like fools.
We live here with 5 families, depending on electricity. Local power here is a joke and out for days sometimes. We are dependent on a dealer that takes issues seriously, not playing power games.
I do not accept to be grabbed by the balls by an unresponsive, lack of service dealer.