question

Hi @George Pool

What type of phone do you have? Is there perhaps a different phone that you can use to try to connect? This might give us some more information.

And can you perhaps create a service report on the failing phone after trying to connect and attach that here in an answer? How to create a service report can be found here: https://ve3.nl/VictronConnect_How-to-create-a-VictronConnect-Service-Report

> I have even driven to a cell phone tower, stood right next to it, and still nothing.

Since you mentioned the GlobalLink shows up in VRM, it does appear to be connected to the Internet correctly. The connection from the VictronConnect app to the GlobalLink is made via Bluetooth Low Energy, while the connection from the GlobalLink to the Internet is made via cellular LTE-M. Problems connecting using the VictronConnect app to the GlobalLink are not related to its cellular connectivity.

> I have read about a batch of these units having bad firmware and therefore not connecting. Is this what is happening to my unit? It has all the symptoms.

No, this does not seem to be the case. The GlobalLink is correctly connecting to VRM, so the cellular connectivity is working and your unit is not affected by the issue you are referring to.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

Hello @Thiemo,

Thank you for your reply and assistance.

I am monitoring all my equipment via Bluetooth on a Samsung S22 Ultra. As everything works great and all the other Victron equipment communicates perfectly through Bluetooth, I very much doubt it has anything to do with the connection itself, or the phone (hardware) for that matter. With that in mind, there might be an incompatibility issue? My phone is up to date on the lastest software; One UI v. 5.1 (android v. 13).

After having communicated my issues for a couple of days with the dealer out of Toronto, and not having been able to troubleshoot and find a solution for the issue, we both agreed that the unit be exchanged. Therefore, it is now with the dealer and I am awaiting a new unit. I therefore cannot run the suggested service report with that unit.

While I await the new unit, are there any suggestions that you can offer me beyond the installation procedures and videos that will ensure the best opportunity for a successful connection?

Thank you!

Hi @George Pool

The GlobalLink is using a completely different Bluetooth Low Energy chip than all our other products and we know this causes different behavior between the GlobalLink and our other products. So it could be your phone might have problems with the GlobalLink and not with other products. Therefore a Service Report is useful when a next GlobalLink also shows these problems. And it is also useful to try with a completely different phone.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

Hello @Thiemo

The Samsung S22 Ultra is the only phone I have.

Is the Bluetooth incompatibility with certain devices hardware or software related? If it is hardware related, I am going to prefer not to get an exchange as to avoid risking similar issues and instead not purchase it at all. The dealer has been helpful, but has indicated that I may be responsible for the cost of returning the (new) unit if I experience similar issues. So if there are known incompatibility issues even with phones as common as the Samsung S22, then I would rather not acquire this equipment and instead wait for Victron to work out the bugs and/or incompatibility issies before I reconsider this purchase.

I await your response and advice on this.

Hi @George Pool

What we have seen so far is that these kinds of problems are mostly consistent for a certain phone, so there is a big chance that a new GlobalLink will show the same behavior.

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

@Thiemo, I cancelled the order with the dealer. Once you have tested the GlobalLink 520's compatibility with the Samsung S22, I will reconsider.

I am very surprised that you guys did not fully test the compatibilty with common platforms such as Samsung phones prior to releasing it, especially if you are using new hardware in your devices that utilizes a different type of bluetooth connection. Samsung has used the same type of bluetooth processors for years.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Victron lineup, but I feel you may have missed the ball on this one, or at the very least rushed its release. Especially when you deliberately change the way your devices communicate by introducing new hardware and not fully testing how this functions across the most common platforms.

Hi

I experience the exact same issue with my Google Pixel 7 pro. The phone connects to my other Victron devices such as a smartshunt and three smartsolar mppt's but the globallink is stuck in this endless loop. When I initially set it up I was able to connect via bluetooth, but I think this issue started after the latest firmware upgrade (v2.06). As the globallink is installed in a remote off-grid cabin I was not able to test with with other phones this weekend, but next time I am there I will bring a deck of different phones and tablets to hopefully connect.

I also have this exact same problem, tried the rebooting, my Pixel 6 Pro, my Galaxy Tab A7 too, but no luck. Reinstalled the VictronConnect app, forgot and then again paired equipment with my cell phone, all failed to fix the issue. My system is also in a remote cabin and I will try my Windows Laptop when I finally get there again.

I was able to connect one time a year ago when I tried. But I added a Ruuvi sensor to pick up temperature in May of 2023 and have had this same two screen loop since then. Last time I tried was a day ago, September 11, 2023.

System has a SmartSense Battery Monitor and Smart Solar 100/50 Charge Contoller, which work perfectly with the VictronConnect app. But I cannot connect my Ruuvi sensor with the Globallink 520 via bluetooth.

Thiemo, if I purchase the VE Direct USB cable would I be able to connect to the globallink 520 and then use that to connect the Ruuvi temperature sensor to the Globallink 520 and ultimately to have VRM show temperature readings at the remote cabin?