As per the heading, what would cause a Venus GX to overload?
I get this yellow popup error message from time to time and then basically real time data streaming is disabled.
Do I have too many devices connected to it? Does it happen if it gets too hot? (which it never is - not like an Mppt at least.
I have 3 Mppts’s on it, the ET112 and a lan cable going to a router.
Or could be because there are too many devices open on VRM?
It does it based on “load average”.
Load average, on a unix machine, is the number of processes (ie programs) that can run, but cannot run because they are waiting in line for time on the CPU.
Multi-processing (sometimes called multi-tasking) is like a man who walks while chewing gum. He chews a bit, then walks a bit. If he alternates really quickly, it looks like he is doing them simultaneously. That’s how multitasking works on computers. Imagine he needs to do 5 things that all takes up his full attention, then his load average is 4: One task is being done, on average 4 is always waiting.
The load average on a Linux system is the number of processes waiting for the CPU, as an average over the last 5 minutes. If the system sits idle some of the time, the load average will be below 1.
Systems with multiple CPUs/cores can of course do more than one thing at the same time.
For some odd reason, Linux also considers processes waiting on I/O to be in the “runable queue”, ie they count towards the load average even though they are blocked.
So, apologies for the long explanation, but it comes down to how hard the CPU is working.
If it works very hard, then the system says: We’re going to shut down the real time link, so we don’t make this any worse.
I see you are running a Venus GX. If I recall, that is a single core 600Mhz ARM processor only slightly faster than the original CCGX. And it is known that the load is beginning to rise on the older platforms. So, nothing you are doing wrong, just that the GX is getting on the older side, and the firmware has not gotten any lighter over the years.
Much obliged Plonkster.
So this definitely has something to do with the 3 Mppts’s, each which between them has 8 strings on. Lots of calculations and power point tracking to do.
So if I understand correctly, this will get worse as time goes on and larger data updates are done to all the connected devices?
So best option would eventually be to upgrade to the Cerbo or something even newer?
Two sides to this. On the one side, us folks at Victron need to be careful not to load things down too much. It is getting on the limit of what a CCGX can handle now. And on the other hand, yes, in time you would probably look a Cerbo, especially if you want to try any new stuff.
We’ve already decided to leave the CCGX behind with Gui-V2. It is not getting that.
I just googled the Ekrano. Eye watering prices!
What makes it somewhat of an issue, is that I would want to mount it somewhere in the house, it having such a nice touch screen and all. My entire setup is in the garage.
So I guess eventually when it becomes too much of an issue, I’ll go for the Cerbo. They go for about R3,5K
There are Cerbo specials around as well. I now use the mobile APP for my house screen. Works really well.