EcoFlow PowerOcean WiFi setup

How EcoFlow WiFi connections work

One thing that catches people out: both the EcoFlow battery and the EcoFlow inverter can connect to WiFi independently using the same EcoFlow app. But when they are physically connected to each other, only one of them needs an internet connection, because the connected device shares its data with the other through that physical link.

Typically, you connect the inverter to WiFi, and the battery data appears in the app automatically. The inverter sends your system's readings up to the cloud (EcoFlow's online service, where they are stored), and the app reads them back from there. Connecting both can cause duplicate data entries or confusion in the app. So if you are wondering which one to reconnect, it is almost always the inverter, and the battery needs no connection of its own.

Which scenario applies to you?

There are two situations, and they need different steps. Find yours in the table below.

Scenario A: New router or changed WiFi password

When your WiFi network changes, the PowerOcean keeps looking for the old network. You need to give it the new details, and that is done from the EcoFlow app on your phone.

For the app to talk to the system, the PowerOcean first has to be put into pairing mode. There are two ways to do that, and the first one is far quicker.

What you will need

• A smartphone with the EcoFlow app installed and Bluetooth turned on
• Your new WiFi network name and password
• Your WiFi network must use the 2.4 GHz band. WiFi comes in two types, called bands, and the PowerOcean cannot see a network that only uses 5 GHz

Method 1: Use the pairing button (try this first)

There is a small button made for exactly this job. EcoFlow calls it the IoT button, which stands for Internet of Things. Pressing it puts the system into pairing mode, and nothing needs to be switched off.

On most systems the button is on the underside of the inverter unit, right next to the glowing status lights on the bottom panel. It is tiny, about the size of a pen tip, and usually made of rubber or soft plastic, so it is very easy to miss among the heavy black cables and connectors around it. On some models it sits on the battery junction box instead, which is the connection box where the batteries are wired together. If you have several batteries stacked on top of each other, the button can end up trapped inside the stack and out of reach. If that is the case for you, skip straight to Method 2.

1. Make sure the PowerOcean is switched on.
2. Find the small pairing button. It is about the size of a pen tip and sits just beside the status lights on the bottom panel of the inverter, or on the battery junction box.
3. Press and hold it for 3 seconds.
4. The WiFi/status light will start to flash. That means the unit is ready to pair.
5. Open the EcoFlow app on your phone.
6. Tap on your PowerOcean unit, even if it says "Offline", then tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
7. Tap Network or WiFi, then follow the prompts to choose your WiFi network and enter the password.

If you can reach that button, you are done. Nothing needs to be shut down. Only move on to Method 2, the full system restart, if the button cannot be reached.

Method 2: Full system restart (only if the button cannot be reached)

If you have more than one battery in a stacked setup, the WiFi pairing button, which EcoFlow calls the IoT button, is hidden inside the stack. It cannot be reached without taking the equipment apart. In that case, restarting the whole system will put it into pairing mode instead.

Step 1: Switch the system off from the app

1. Open the EcoFlow app on your phone.
2. Select your PowerOcean system.
3. Go to Settings and tap Shut Down.

Step 2: Turn off the three switches, in this order

1. Turn off the main switch first. This is the switch marked "AC grid isolator", "Solar main switch" or "Inverter Main Switch", and it will have a label stuck on it by the installer. You are looking for a large, heavy rotary dial, usually red and yellow, or a wide breaker that takes up two slots in the panel. It is not one of the small breakers. It is usually next to the inverter, or inside your main electrical panel. Switch it to OFF.
2. Next, turn off the solar panel switch. Look at the bottom of the EcoFlow inverter unit. Find the rotary dial marked "PV" or "DC isolator", and turn it to OFF. This stops the roof panels sending power to the unit.
3. Turn off the battery last. Find the ON/OFF button on the side of the battery unit. Press and hold it for about 10 seconds, until the lights go out completely.

Step 3: Leave everything off for 5 minutes

Leave everything switched off for 5 minutes. Do not skip this. The system needs the time to power down fully before it will start up cleanly again.

Step 4: Switch everything back on, in reverse order

1. Battery first. Press the ON/OFF button on the battery to wake it up.
2. Next, turn on the solar panels. Turn the PV or DC dial on the bottom of the inverter back to ON.
3. Main switch last. Switch the large rotary dial or double-width breaker marked "AC grid isolator", "Solar main switch" or "Inverter Main Switch" back to ON.

When the PowerOcean starts back up, it broadcasts a Bluetooth signal for the first few minutes. That is the window the EcoFlow app uses to reconnect.

Step 5: Enter your new WiFi details

1. Give the system about 2 minutes to start up.
2. Open the EcoFlow app. The system will still show as offline at this stage.
3. Tap on the PowerOcean anyway, then tap the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
4. Tap Network or WiFi.
5. Follow the prompts to choose your home WiFi network and enter the password.

Your system should be back online within 60 seconds.

Scenario B: Same router, connection dropped

Use this when nothing about your internet setup has changed (same router, same network name, same password) but the PowerOcean is showing as "Offline" in the EcoFlow app.

Power cuts or router updates can knock the PowerOcean off the network. Because your network name and password have not changed, you should not need to type them in again.

Step 1: Check the router first

Before touching anything on the solar side, confirm your home WiFi is actually working:

• Check that other devices in the home can get online.
• Restart the router by unplugging it from the wall for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Wait for it to come back up fully.

Step 2: Restart the PowerOcean

If the router is fine but the system is still offline, restart the PowerOcean to refresh its network connection. Use the same safe shutdown sequence as Method 2 above, and keep to the same order, because switching the battery off while the solar panels are still connected can damage it:

1. Turn off the main switch first. That is the large red and yellow rotary dial, or the wide double breaker, marked "AC grid isolator", "Solar main switch" or "Inverter Main Switch".
2. Then turn off the solar (PV) isolator.
3. Then turn off the battery.
4. Wait 5 minutes with everything switched off.
5. Bring it back on in reverse order: battery first, then the PV switch, then the main switch ("AC grid isolator", "Solar main switch" or "Inverter Main Switch").

Step 3: Check whether it has reconnected

Give it 2 to 3 minutes, then check the status light and the app as described below. If the system does not reconnect on its own, your saved network details may have been lost. In that case, go back to Scenario A and start with Method 1, the pairing button, to enter them again from scratch.

Verify your connection

You can confirm the connection was successful by checking the status light on the PowerOcean and the app display.

Check the status light

The status light on the inverter should change from flashing to solid blue or green, depending on your software version. A solid light means the WiFi connection is working.

Check the app

Go back to the app home screen. The "Offline" status should disappear, and live solar and battery data should start appearing within 30 to 60 seconds.

Troubleshooting

If you are having difficulty reconnecting, find your issue below.

"Device Not Found"

If the app cannot find the inverter via Bluetooth:

• Pairing mode not active: press and hold the pairing button for 3 seconds and check that the status light is flashing. The unit has to be in pairing mode before the app can detect it.
• Bluetooth turned off or unreliable: turn your phone's Bluetooth off and back on, then close and reopen the EcoFlow app.
• Distance too far: stand directly in front of the unit, within 3 to 5 metres.
• Phone Bluetooth cache issue: on Android, clear the Bluetooth cache via Settings > Apps > Bluetooth > Storage > Clear Cache. On iOS, turn Bluetooth off, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on.

WiFi network not appearing in the list

If your new router combines 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz into one network name (some routers call this Smart Steering or band steering), the PowerOcean may struggle to connect. Try these options:

• Walk 15 to 20 metres away from the router with your phone until the signal drops to one or two bars, which pushes your phone onto the 2.4 GHz band. See Method 2: Walk away from the router. This is the easiest option and needs no settings changes.
• Log into your router and separate the bands so they broadcast as two distinct network names (e.g. "HomeWiFi-2.4" and "HomeWiFi-5G").
• Create a "Guest Network" specifically for 2.4 GHz devices.
• Temporarily disable the 5 GHz band while you complete the setup.
• Is your network name hidden? If your network name is hidden, the app may not detect it. Make it visible temporarily, or check whether the app lets you type the name in yourself.

Connection fails repeatedly

If the app accepts the WiFi password but the connection fails repeatedly:

• Special characters in the password: some characters such as quotes, backslashes or emojis can cause problems. Try simplifying the WiFi password temporarily to test.
• Router security setting: routers protect your WiFi using a security type, and newer routers use one called WPA3, which older PowerOcean units may not support. If yours is set to WPA3 only, change it to WPA2, or to a mode that allows both, and try again.
• Weak signal strength: even if your phone can see the network, the inverter may not have a strong enough signal to keep the connection. Check the signal at the inverter's location, and consider a WiFi extender or moving the router closer.
• Router access list: if you have set your router to only allow certain devices, you will need to add the PowerOcean to that list.
• Double-check that your WiFi password is entered correctly. Passwords are case-sensitive, so a single wrong capital letter will stop it working.

Connection established but app still shows "Offline"

If the status light on the inverter is solid (indicating a successful WiFi connection) but the app still displays the unit as offline:

• Cloud sync delay: it can take 30 to 60 seconds (or up to a few minutes) for the inverter to check in with the EcoFlow cloud and update the app. Wait a moment and refresh.
• Router firewall or network restrictions: your router may be blocking the inverter from reaching the internet. Check your router's firewall settings, or try connecting to a different network temporarily to confirm.
• Incorrect WiFi password: the inverter may have connected to the local WiFi but cannot sign in. Go back to Scenario A and start with Method 1, the pairing button, to enter the details again.
• App cache issue: log out of the EcoFlow app and log back in. Do not jump straight to removing the device, because that can wipe your history. See the warning on removing and re-adding the device first.

Last resort: remove and re-add the device

This is the last resort. Only try it if nothing else on this page has worked, because of the risk to your data explained below.

1. In the EcoFlow app, go to the device > Settings > Remove Device.
2. Press and hold the pairing button for 3 seconds to enter pairing mode.
3. In the app, tap the "+" icon to add a new device.
4. Follow the on-screen setup steps to reconnect the unit and set up WiFi from scratch.

Battery and inverter both showing in the app

If you have both an EcoFlow battery and an EcoFlow inverter and both are connected to WiFi, this is unnecessary and may cause duplicate data or confusion.

When a battery is physically connected to an inverter, only one of them needs WiFi. The recommended approach:

• Keep the inverter connected to WiFi.
• Remove the battery's WiFi connection in the app settings, or delete the battery from the device list. It will still work locally through its physical connection to the inverter, and its data will still appear in the app, because the inverter sends your readings up to the cloud (EcoFlow's online service, where they are stored) and the app reads them back from there.

How to check if your WiFi is 2.4 GHz

The EcoFlow PowerOcean works best with 2.4 GHz WiFi networks, so it is important to make sure you have this band available. Most modern routers broadcast both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, but they do not always make it obvious which one you are connected to.

Why does it matter?

• 2.4 GHz WiFi is more compatible with devices like battery systems, smart plugs, and older smart home devices.
• 2.4 GHz has better range and penetrates walls more effectively.
• 5 GHz WiFi is faster but has a shorter range and may not be visible to the PowerOcean.

Method 1: Check the WiFi name

Many routers label the two bands separately. You may already see two WiFi networks like this in your settings:

• HomeWiFi-2.4
• HomeWiFi-5G

If that is the case, simply select the one marked 2.4 when connecting your PowerOcean.

Method 2: Walk away from the router (easiest fix)

If your router puts 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one single network name, you do not need to change any settings to get your phone onto the 2.4 GHz band. You can use distance to do the work for you.

5 GHz is fast but has a short range. 2.4 GHz is slower but travels much further. So once you put enough distance between your phone and the router, your phone will drop down onto 2.4 GHz by itself.

1. Connect your phone to your home WiFi as normal.
2. Walk 15 to 20 metres away from the router, ideally through a wall or two.
3. Watch the WiFi symbol on your phone. When the signal drops to one or two bars, your phone has almost certainly moved onto the 2.4 GHz band.
4. Start the pairing process from that spot.

Method 3: Check in your router settings (advanced)

If your WiFi network name does not show the frequency, you can log into your router to check and manage the bands. Most routers have an app or web portal you can log into from your phone or computer. Here is how to do it on most routers:

1. Find your router's IP address. That is just a short string of numbers that identifies your router on your home network, a bit like a house number. It is usually printed on the back of the router itself, but the most common ones are 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.
2. Open a browser (e.g. Google Chrome) and type the IP address into the address bar at the top of the screen. This opens the router's login page.
3. Log in. You will need the admin username and password, which should also be printed on the back of the router.
4. Look for a section called Wireless Settings, WiFi Settings or Advanced Settings.
5. In this menu, you will see your WiFi bands listed as 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

Some routers allow you to separate the bands so they show as two different networks (which is recommended for easier setup). Look for an option called "Separate Wireless Bands" or "Disable Smart Steering". Others may only show one combined network name (called band steering). If your router uses band steering and you cannot separate the networks, you may need to contact your internet provider for help.

Method 4: Use a WiFi analyser app

If you prefer not to log into your router, you can download a free WiFi analyser app on your phone. These apps scan the area and show you nearby WiFi networks along with their frequencies. If you see your network listed as 2.4 GHz, you are good to go.

What if your WiFi is only 5 GHz?

If your router only broadcasts 5 GHz (which is rare) or if you cannot separate the bands, you might need to:

• Check with your broadband provider to enable 2.4 GHz.
• Use a WiFi extender that creates a separate 2.4 GHz network for devices like your PowerOcean.

Other useful resources

For additional support and information about your EcoFlow system, you may find these resources helpful:

• EcoFlow UK Official Website - Product information, manuals, and official support
• EcoFlow Club Facebook Group - Community support and user discussions
• EcoFlow YouTube Channel - Video tutorials and product guides
• EcoFlow on Instagram - Latest news and updates