Software Update Keeps Failing

[Scottes]

I got a Smokefire ELX4 about a month ago.
I've never been able to get the update to succeed (5 or 6 attempts). It always hangs around 31-35% done.

Yesterday I did the following:
- Reset Device
- Uninstalled the app from my phone (Samsung S9)
- Reinstalled the app
- Disabled WiFi on the phone. I had 4 bars of G4 connectivity on the phone.
- Paired with the grill

This started the update process.
I watched it go from 1% to 2% then walked away, leaving the phone with 8 feet of the grill, indoors but line-of-sight through a window.
I kept the app open and never touched the phone except to wake it up after the display timed out.
I kept an eye on the app occasionally.

11:42 The update was at 2%
11:51 30%
11:53 35%
12:04 35%
12:12 Set the grill to 600F for burgers
12:38 Burgers on, update at 35%
12:45 Burgers done, update at 35%
1:39 Still 35%, gave up.

Later today (hopefully, whenever I get the time) I am going to try doing all of the above (minus burgers) using my tablet, also a Samsung.
I also plan on screen-capturing to get version info and such.
I could also try my wife's iPhone tonight - I assume the app works on iPhone?

Then, if necessary, it will be time to call Weber support - which may be tomorrow.

I'm posting the above and reaching out to see if anyone has any ideas of what else I can try before I call Weber support.

 

[egsell]

I wonder of the act of starting a grilling session stalled the update, I would not be surprised if that did. Simple logic model(not intended as an insult) would be to not perform any update activity while performing primary functions. I have servers at work that behave similarly.

 

[Scottes]

The message on the software update screen says that "you" can continue using the grill...
But I am going to try shortly - without touching anything - and see if it ever gets past 35%

 

[Scottes]

Well, I tried my tablet and phone again. Left them dedicated to the task of updating the Weber software. Each time I left them for over 2 hours and neither got past 34%.

 

[egsell]

Bummer, seems like support is your next stop.

 

[Scottes]

I called support yesterday. 22 minutes on hold, 15 minutes of giving contact info and registering the grill, 5 minutes of "I dunno".

And then a promise that a specialist would call me within 24 hours, and that didn't happen.

I also found that the grill cannot see any WiFi networks, even though my phone and tablet see 7 - 2 of mine (15 feet from the grill) and 5 from the neighbors.

And a cook today was frustrating... It took me 18 tries - eighteen - to set a probe temp. I was sliding the temp, and it would suddenly jump back to 77F. 18 times.

I'm not too happy right now.

 

[Goneincognito]

Did you try the iPhone?

 

[Scottes]

No, I forgot, so Thanks! for the reminder.
I'll try tonight.

 

[Frawil]

I called support yesterday. 22 minutes on hold, 15 minutes of giving contact info and registering the grill, 5 minutes of "I dunno".

And then a promise that a specialist would call me within 24 hours, and that didn't happen.

I also found that the grill cannot see any WiFi networks, even though my phone and tablet see 7 - 2 of mine (15 feet from the grill) and 5 from the neighbors.

And a cook today was frustrating... It took me 18 tries - eighteen - to set a probe temp. I was sliding the temp, and it would suddenly jump back to 77F. 18 times.

I'm not too happy right now.

I had a different problem with my grill. Customer Service was virtually nonexistent. After not being able to use my grill the entire month of July I gave up, gave my grill away and bought another brand. I loved it when it was working correctly, but customer service failed.

 

[tw33k1963]

You might want to try putting the controller in recovery mode. That has helped me in the past when I was having trouble with updates.

Step one: Hold the three buttons to the right of the dial with one hand while unit is on. Step Two: Power off the unit at the main power switch beside the power cord while continuing to press the three buttons. Step Three: While STILL holding the three buttons power the EX back up with the power switch.

 

[TJM]

Hi I had the same issue.
Took me a couple of days to figure it out. Here's what I had do.
When I opened the App to do the update I had to make sure the App and my screen didn't time out because if it did %33 was all I could get and the udate would stall.
When I changed the screen time out in my settings to "never" and kept the App open and just made sure to play with it every now and then the update completed.

 

[Scottes]

WTF?

I finally got a chance to try the wife's iPhone.
Installed the app, paired it, it checked for updates.
And it reported that it was up-to-date.

It asked to setup wifi, so I did. It found at least 7 networks, mine included, so I entered the password. It said it failed to connect.
But when I checked all the info, it said it was connected.

I went back to my Samsung phone, and it reported that everything was up-to-date and WiFi was connected.

W. T. F. ?

 

[Scottes]

Frawil, I can't say enough bad things about my Weber support experiences. The first person was not knowledgeable as far as the app was concerned, which is understandable, but then gave me BS about a callback within 24 hours. The second person I talked to told me something, then something else when I pointed out that his statement was impossible, and when I responded to that he changed to a third story. He told me that I'd get a callback with 24, 48, and 72 hours. Yes, he said all three. And I still haven't gotten a call, even though it's been more than 72 business hours.

tw33k1963, that is VERY nice to know. Thanks.

TJM, I looked into that, but to my surprise I cannot set my screen timeout to Never. It's not an option. 10 minutes is the max.

 

[Scottes]

Lol... I finished typing the above, and found an email from Weber support saying "I tried giving you a call and was unable to reach you at (978) 2xx-yyyy or leave a voicemail."

Correct number, and I called it from my cellphone and it works just fine.

Big, big fail on Weber support. 3 people, 3 fails. Pathetic.

 

[MackeyC34]

Weber makes great Grills and I love my SmokeFire (including all its warts) - but they are not good at writing software. SmokeFire is a great platform but IMHO the software is woefully inadequate. Over time it has gotten better but I think it still has a long way to go. The grill itself is solid hardware-wise but it is the controller and its software that makes or breaks it. For the sake of all of us I do hope Weber pays attention to this forum and might even get to the point of asking us what things we'd like to see in future software releases.