Leaf spy dongle

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

w35t0b

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2018
Messages
11
On Google Play, the description of the Leaf Spy app says this about dongles:
The only one currently recommended is the Bluetooth Konnwei KW902...

Sometimes these descriptions don't get updated, so I don't know if this is still the case.

Any suggestions on where to obtain this "gold standard" dongle or if any other dongles are recommended?

Thanks!
 
w35t0b said:
On Google Play, the description of the Leaf Spy app says this about dongles:
The only one currently recommended is the Bluetooth Konnwei KW902...
Do NOT get the KW-902!

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=23776 is posted by the author himself. There is no point in wasting time w/the KW-902 when there are plenty of others that aren't manufactured incorrectly.

Are you planning to run on iOS or Android? KW-902 won't work on iOS anyway. If you want to run on iOS, the author recommends LELink. Example: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=19147&p=525414&hilit=lelink+manual#p525414.

For Android, he also recommends LELink as long as your phone supports Bluetooth LE, but LELink is expensive. There are cheaper Bluetooth (non-LE) options that will work on Android just fine.
 
I'm on iOS but I would think the adaptor should talk to either OS the same.

This is what I bought in Sept & it has been working flawlessly so far;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJRYMFC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
HerdingElectrons said:
I'm on iOS but I would think the adaptor should talk to either OS the same.

This is what I bought in Sept & it has been working flawlessly so far;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJRYMFC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
NO!!!

The iOS version CANNOT work with conventional Bluetooth dongles, only supported Bluetooth LE dongles such as the LELink above.

See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=540142#p540142.
 
w35t0b said:
On Google Play, the description of the Leaf Spy app says this about dongles:
...
Any suggestions on where to obtain this "gold standard" dongle or if any other dongles are recommended?
Since you mention Google Play, if you plan to run on Android, besides expensive LELink (if your phone supports Bluetooth LE), you could try skimming the last few pages of:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=12785
http://www.electricvehiclewiki.com/wiki/leaf-spy-pro/ under Clone ELM327 Bluetooth Scanner

At http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22368&p=537683&hilit=amazon+work+time#p537683, I pointed to two at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=506937#p506937 that work fine for me on my Android phone. I bought them in mid-2015, before the Android version supported Bluetooth LE at all.
 
HerdingElectrons said:
Ugh, why can't anything ever just be simple. My apologies
Prior to the iOS version supporting any Bluetooth LE dongles, IIRC, it only worked w/certain wi-fi OBD2 dongles.

The Android version supported Bluetooth (not Bluetooth LE) for ages then later added Bluetooth LE support.

Turbo3 at an EVent ages ago himself showed me an iPod Touch (6th gen, I think) working w/a Bluetooth LE dongle. At the time, it might've been work in progress or just completed. (Turbo3 lives a few miles from me and it was likely at an EVent at Nisan's Sunnyvale research office years ago.)

BTW, I have pinged him at least once to remove the verbiage of "The only one currently recommended is the Bluetooth Konnwei KW902 which still supports all the needed ELM commands to communicate with the Leaf..." from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Turbo3.Leaf_Spy_Lite&hl=en_US given his own dis-recommendation.

Unfortunately, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Turbo3.Leaf_Spy1&hl=en_US has the same problem while https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Turbo3.Leaf_Spy_Pro&hl=en_US is correct.
Due to a recent cost reduction (and feature reduction) many of the cheap ELM327 OBDII Bluetooth adapters from Asia no longer work with the Leaf and report themselves to be version 2.1. The previously recommended Bluetooth Konnwei KW902 OBDII adapter is also no longer recommended as a batch of defective ones have made their way into the market. These will basically short out your Leaf's CAN bus (or any CAN bus they are plugged into). But when removed do not seem to cause any lasting damage.

With the release of version 0.39.97 LeafSpy Pro now supports two Bluetooth 4.x LE approved adapters. The recommended one is the LELink available from Amazon. Bluetooth 4.x LE has the advantage of not needing to be paired and lower power from both the Android device and the Leaf. The LELink is highly recommended and also works with the iOS version of LeafSpy Pro.
 
Well, I'm so glad I posted the question.

I hope Turbo3 edits the description on Google Play. People tend to give some credence to the develper's words, especially when it's stated so emphatically.

Thanks for all the input, and I'm sorry I didn't specify that I'm using Android.
 
Well you did say Google play store so I knew you were on Android. I was simply ignorant to the fact that there's a technical difference since so often the two OS'es copy each other
 
Do wifi dongles inherently connect better than Bluetooth dongles?

This Veepeak wifi model has an average 3.9/5 rating of a total 1144 reviews. 3 of those reviews mentioned using Leaf Spy; 2 said it worked well, 1 said he could not get it to work
https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Scanner-Compatible-Android-Diagnostic/product-reviews/B00WPW6BAE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_viewopt_kywd?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=1&filterByKeyword=leaf+spy

This Veepeak Bluetooth model has an average 4.3/5 rating of a total 1173 reviews. 6 of those reviews mentioned using Leaf Spy; they all said it worked well.
https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Compatible-Vehicles/product-reviews/B011NSX27A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_viewopt_kywd?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=1&filterByKeyword=leaf+spy

Thanks for your input!
 
w35t0b said:
Do wifi dongles inherently connect better than Bluetooth dongles?
I've never used a wi-fi dongle w/the Android version. Don't see a reason to. I can't think of a single time I've heard of an Android Leaf Spy user using a wi-fi dongle.

Turbo3 himself no longer recommends them for iOS: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=525414#p525414.
 
w35t0b said:
Do wifi dongles inherently connect better than Bluetooth dongles?(/quote)

In my experience WiFi was always a bit flakey but Bluetooth LE has been rock solid. I suppose a lot depends on the particular dongle design and/or OS
 
cwerdna said:
w35t0b said:
On Google Play, the description of the Leaf Spy app says this about dongles:
The only one currently recommended is the Bluetooth Konnwei KW902...
Do NOT get the KW-902!

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=23776 is posted by the author himself. There is no point in wasting time w/the KW-902 when there are plenty of others that aren't manufactured incorrectly.

Are you planning to run on iOS or Android? KW-902 won't work on iOS anyway. If you want to run on iOS, the author recommends LELink. Example: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=19147&p=525414&hilit=lelink+manual#p525414.

For Android, he also recommends LELink as long as your phone supports Bluetooth LE, but LELink is expensive. There are cheaper Bluetooth (non-LE) options that will work on Android just fine.

The “LE” part of Bluetooth LE (low energy) is a nice feature though.
 
Is this a good dongle to use with Leaf Spy Pro?

https://bafxpro.com/products/obdreader

I saw this recommended on another MNL thread (I can't remember where) and bookmarked it.

I was hoping to use this and a Kindle Fire that I bought in 2014. Otherwise, the next cheapest Android solution that works. Thanks.
 
Kieran973 said:
Cool, thanks. Yeah, let me know what kind you have whenever you get a chance.

I read that, winced, and walked outside to the car. The reader looks identical, and is the same brand - BAFX. The serial number from the barcode is X000OHH3KF. (Note the three zeros followed by a capital "O." That isn't a typo.)
 
Back
Top