question

smejfi avatar image
smejfi asked

VRM consumption wrong

Hello guys, Im facing some trouble with VRM data on one of our (many) Victron instalations and cant really find the solution. It is a single phase boat system with 48V LiFePo4 batteries and MultiPlus-II 5000VA. The problem is that the numbers of consumption shown in VRM Dashboard page dont match the reality (although the Advanced data seem to be perfectly fine). Let me explain it on one specific hour (14:00-14:59) of the selected day, but it happens all the time. So, in the selected hour VRM claims that the total solar production is 1.64 kWh and the total consumption is 1.24 kWh (see Fig1), but if we look at the AC consumption graph in Advanced tabs (Fig2,which matches the reality), we can calculate that the real ac consumption in selected hour is about 0.34 kWh (area below the consumption curve). Yes, there are some dc loads in the system, but Im sure they were disconnected during this time period and Im pretty sure they are not the cause of this.

Generally, VRM seems to show similar consumption as solar production in this specific instalation (see Fig 1). Sometimes it seems that the real consumption it should be showing is the difference between the sun production and the incorrect consumption number, but thats probably just a coincidence. Also it is hard to say where does the number of consumption come from when there is no sun production (night), because for example from 03:00-03:59 system shows total consumption only 0.1 kWh while if we calculate it from the advanced graph, we get approximately 0.25 kWh.

Maybe the important information is, that shortly after we started this system (before the mppts with solar panels were connected), we ran beta version of Venus (because we wanted to test new GUI). We noticed this VRM issue after a few days with solar connected, so we went back to oficial Venus version, but the problem persisted and still persists.

I have read somewhere on this forum that there might be some bug in beta version, which lasts even when the version is changed to the standard one and that the solution might be to factory reset cerbo. This I havent done yet (because for now I dont have personal access to the boat) and honestly it seems to be the last hope.

I will by grateful for any other suggestions/ideas.


Best regards, Filip zuri1.pngzuri2.png

VRM
zuri1.png (43.6 KiB)
zuri2.png (34.7 KiB)
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

2 Answers
jojoma avatar image
jojoma answered ·

Hi, I have the same problem with my installation (3-phase AC system, 1 MP2-5000 on phase 1).
Using venusOS 3.40-17

I'm currently on vacation, so the real energy consumption at home should be almost constant throughout the whole day...

The overview shows a total consumption of 10.7kWh, but it should be more like 3.2kWh (160W * 20h, see "System - AC Consumption")

Any help is appreciated :-)


screenshot-2024-06-05-at-211710.pngscreenshot-2024-06-05-at-211806.png



screenshot-2024-06-05-at-211710.png (196.7 KiB)
screenshot-2024-06-05-at-211806.png (198.3 KiB)
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

dognose avatar image
dognose answered ·

I encountered this issue a few times for various systems. It seems, like somehow the solar-production is counted kind of twice:

If you drill down the numbers, you will eventually notice, that the difference between shown consumption and actual consumption is always: "Solarproduction". You will especially notice this, when looking at figures about "direct consumption" which linear increases with solar production.

So, in the system theres something stuck, causing 100% of Solarproduction to be considered as "direct consumption" on top of the regular values. (Assuming it is "coming in", without beeing considered solar production, but the grid meter does not count it going out, so it's considered "direct consumption out of nowhere")

In all cases, purging the installation from vrm and creating a new installation solved this - but this will remove all historic data. No big deal, if it's a young system where historic data isnt pretty useful right now, but sad if it's a system running for months or years already..


3 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

jojoma avatar image jojoma commented ·
I deleted my installation from the VRM portal, restarted my venusOS (running on raspberry pi), and added the installation to the VRM portal again. All the data is gone, but the original issue is still there :-(


I guess I need to re-install venusOS and set it up completely fresh, so that I get a new vrm portal ID?


0 Likes 0 ·
Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ jojoma commented ·

The portal id is tied to the pi. So no that wont help. You would need a new pi.

The problem is likely with config anyway not the vrm, which only stores an reports data it is sent

0 Likes 0 ·
jojoma avatar image jojoma Alexandra ♦ commented ·
So wiping the pi and installing a fresh venusOS might solve the problem (due to having a new, clean config), but it will not give me a new portal ID?

Will try it when I'm back home from traveling. Don't want to do this remotely ^^


0 Likes 0 ·