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In VRM remote portal, clicking the Add Device button opens a page with ten different GX devices: Cerbo GX, Ekrano GX, Multiplus GX, and so on. Conspicuously absent is a generic Venus OS device, in my case a Raspberry Pi.
How would I add such a device?
Have you tried any, does it even matter? My cerbo is listed as "Gateway" after creating the site, only if i open its details its listed as a cerbo, but thats listed besides other details like serialnumber, firmware version or last connection. Clearly all information that was loaded from the device
I assumed it does matter, else why have ten different varieties?
And yes, I did add the rPi as a Cerbo GX. VRM created a Gateway entry, just like yours. It has a VRM portal ID, a few other entries, and a slot for a serial number, currently sporting Unknown. Can't see any way to edit to info to give it a real one.
Do you know how I can edit this info? Would putting the serial number of my Multiplus II in that slot give VRM the data it needs? Any other ideas?
Why have ten options to click if it doesnt matter? Because people get confused if their device is not listed. A far as i remember there once were only two options, one was CCGX and the other something else, and even if you had a cerbo or venus you needed to select CCGX
Sounds to me like it works how it should. Since its not an original victron device, it cant have a serialnumber. Im sure theres a file somewhere in the venusOS that has the type and serial number stored, that could be edited. I guess using a SN of a device that will be in the same install could lead to issues. Dont know if the SN has any relevance for VRM.
So the Gateway is the rPi running Venus OS, not the Multiplus II. And giving it the serial number of the Multiplus would likely not help at all, even if I could find some place to apply it.
OK, then how does one add a generic Venus OS device to VRM? I know it can be done: mine was connected for several months, before I screwed it up and it lost communication. And I've read other peoples' postings, saying they have a similar setup.
Any idea how it works?
Im sorry, i dont understand what else you are expecting it to do or show in VRM
If a device is listed in the VenusOS menu, then it should also be listed in VRM automatically.
You can check a devices VRM Instance trough the VenusOS menu. Most likely a number like 279 or similar.
If a device is not listed in the VenusOS menu then theres a communication issue between the RPi and the device.
If it is listed but has no VRMinstance then im not sure what the issue might be
Hmm, yeah, all my interaction with VenusOS has been via VRM. Hadn't thought to connect a monitor to the rPi (it's tucked away out in the van). Good suggestion. I'll give that a try. You may hear from me again.
I've been using the remote console on the local network, in addition to VRM. It hasn't been much help so far. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. But connecting a monitor and keyboard has been instructive, as I see that the Venus OS installation is not working properly anyway. I may be back
It doesn't matter what you select in the "Add Installation" menu.
Select something and enter the VRM ID of your device. Normally the ID is the MAC address of the LAN controller of the device.
To check the ID, connect to the device locally and go to settings -> VRM online portal -> VRM ID.
It turns out my copy of Venus OS on the micro-SD card was corrupted. Put a new one on there and re-initialized it. Seems to be working a bit better. VRM can see my installation of Venus OS. It recognizes that I've set it up (with remote console) to be connected to shore power, a generator, and a battery bank. However, it's not showing any data for those: the boxes are all empty.
At one point, VRM complained that it wasn't getting data, and suggested that Two-Way Communication was not enabled. I went through every setting in the remote console. I didn't see the words "two-way communication" but there was a setting for enabling remote console on VRM, and I turned that on. Haven't seen another error message, but no data, either.
I know I'm communicating with VRM, as I changed my avatar and the new one shows up, but still no data.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
On the remote console or display goto menu>settings>VRM online portal and two way communication should be in there if you are using the official release. If you are using beta version then things may be different, you would need to read the beta release notes on the new forum, see the sticky announcements on the modifications section here.
No, it was easier just to restore the official release. Still no Two-Way Communication. I know I've seen it somewhere, but not any more
Then went to the Dashboard page. No change. Forum software won't let me upload an image, but there are five boxes: a blue one with the Victron logo, labelled Off, four more labelled Shore, Generator, Battery, and AC Loads, each showing only a single dash.
Got me guessing
It recognizes that I've set it up (with remote console) to be connected to shore power, a generator, and a battery bank. However, it's not showing any data for those: the boxes are all empty.
Using the remote console, if you go into the menu of the VenusOS, are there any devices listed?
https://imgur.com/a/n7QMpN9
I just walked through the whole menu tree in remote console, and I'm not even seeing an entry for Device List. Where is it located?
In VRM, the Device List has a Gateway, with a VRM ID that matches my rPi, and an offer to update its firmware, which is up to date.
The device list is the default view after opening the menu.
https://imgur.com/a/E8x9DGY
Thats the usual overview
https://imgur.com/nJ3plX9
Click on any space
https://imgur.com/VBlSKNA
Then click on the Spacebar and you get the device list
If theres no devices in the device list then theres an issue with the communication between the venusOS and the MPPT/Multiplus/Whatever or an issue of venusOS itself
I tried to upload an image of my block diagram, but the forum software won't let me (Parsing response failed.) It has four boxes: one is my Multiplus II, labelled Off, two for AC Input and AC Loads, each showing only "--", and one that looks like the profile of a battery, also only with place-holding dashes.
Seems like everything is turned off, even though it's functioning well. The Multiplus II charges on shore or engine power, and inverts otherwise, as evidenced through the battery's app and VictronConnect talking to the SmartShunt.
I'd think that there would be something simple to make VRM aware that data is available, but I can't figure out how.
You can upload images for free to https://imgur.com/upload for example, or many other websites. and then post the link to it here. Or move to the new community https://victron.discourse.group/
Youre describing the regular overview, not the device list, check the links i added above, they show screenshots of my remote console as an example
Yes, I'm describing the Overview. As I mentioned, no Device List is offered. Clicking on the Overview does nothing.
But in the Overview, and on another overview-ish page, there's a box that shows my system name, and labels it Off. As I said, all the other boxes show dashes. Any idea how to turn it on?
https://imgur.com/a/23rYbGp
OK, now I'm seeing data again. It may have been a bad Ethernet cable. Arrrrrrgh!
I'm still playing with it. If I need more help, I'll be back.
Thanks @Chrigu and @Matthias Lange - DE for all your help. It's appreciated
