To Get Going
Used by:
- CampSecure CampSecure
- Caravan Mover (Basic) Caravan Mover (Basic)
- MotorPac Comprehensive Mover Control MotorPac
- Levelation Levelling Control Levelation
- VanSecure LPG Gas & Intruder Alarm System VanSecure
The app and the control unit together form a system in which neither part is of any use without the other. Without Bluetooth communication between the two components the app will only display the basic motor functions that can be performed once the Bluetooth link is established.
Additionally the display buttons for the Heat Probe, Load Cell, Water Tank Monitoring, and Alarm System extensions only become visible when input data pertaining to these features is received by the mobile phone.
Step 1: Provide 12V power to control unit. The 12V input powers the electronics in the control unit. 12E is routed to the mover relays and is measured by the Battery Voltage Monitor. If only one battery is used both of these inputs are derived from the main battery. For complete info on this see Caravan Mover (Basic) which has a schematic near the bottom of the page.
Step 2: Enter and Save the MAC Address(es) as described below, and then restart the app. Android will ask for the pairing PIN code (1234) and there may be a couple of false starts at first but if the MAC is correctly entered and the controller has power then the red icon at top left will become a Bluetooth rune after a few seconds, and your phone will be connected to the controller.
The MAC Address
In the Bluetooth Communications world the master device (the mobile phone) needs to know the Media Access Control
(MAC) address of the slaves (the remote control units). For security (to prevent others taking control of your caravan) the Caravan Pilot app (CPX.apk) needs to be given the MAC address of the remote control unit, which is given on an attached label. To facilitate easy switching between two control units from a single phone 2 MAC addresses can be entered.
When establishing a Bluetooth connection between the mobile phone app and the control unit for the first time you will be asked for a Pairing Pin. This is PIN is 1234.
To enter the MAC address double click on the Caravan Pilot title. A list of programmable parameters shown at right will appear. These include the SMS target phone number for VanSecure alarm system, the 4 zone identifiers from the alarm zones, a check box to clear the sequential SMS numbering, and 2 MAC addresses. (If only one MAC address exists the lower line will show only spaces). Restart the app after entering the 2nd MAC Address for the first time.
Edit the upper (or lower) MAC address to what is reflected on the product label and tap the Title again. The data as entered will be saved.
The second MAC Address makes it possible to operate two remote controls (you may have 2 trailers) from a single mobile phone. When 2 MAC Addresses are entered a button appears on the Home screen that allows a quick switch between MAC Addresses. When only one remote control is being operated the lower MAC field should be left blank.
When installing program updates it can be expected that the data previously entered in this area will be lost, and you will need to re-enter it.
From V6.0 upwards the Android operating system requires the user to grant permission for an app to use system resources such as the camera's flash. The first time (only the first time) the flash is used you will be asked to grant permission for it's use. When this happens the app will be paused by Android and will have to be manually resumed.
The other edit fields on this screen are:
- The SMS contact number,
- The soft alarm names,
- The Clear SMS Count check box.
All of which are relevant only to VanSecure Alarm System or Extension
Note: If the Pairing dialogue is repeatedly unsuccessful it may well be because the MAC Address as entered is incorrect by a digit or two. Check the MAC Address is correct if the Pairing operation fails.
The pairing routine is conducted by the Android operating system and not by the app. On occasion it may happen that the Bluetooth module in the controller gets left in a state of limbo during the pairing process and fails to connect to the mobile phone via Bluetooth when it is complete. If such a difficulty is encountered switch the power of at the controllers power switch and power on again after a few seconds. This will reset the Bluetooth device.
The fact that the pairing process was initiated by Android gives a 99% level of confidence that the Bluetooth from the controller is working correctly because it proves that the controller could present its MAC address to the mobile device, which can only be done through Bluetooth.
Android V12 Additional Permissions - "Nearby Devices Allowed"
In their drive for greater security Google have added another permission requirement in Android 12 and upwards. Until it becomes possible to grant this permission through the app it must be done manually through Settings -> Apps -> Permissions. Toggling Nearby Devices OFF and ON again will create the environment that allows a Bluetooth connection to be established.