Dear Victron development team, can someone please explain to me why it’s so difficult to integrate an additional variable into the DESS price formula? For the consumption price, simply integrate an additional variable “grid” into the price formula. Perhaps a practical example will help. My current formula is: (P + x € + x €) × VAT. If you now add another variable for the grid price, let’s call it “N,” it would look like this: (P + N + x € + x €) × VAT. And then a simple input mask with maybe 3-7 times. From 0-7 a.m. N = 7 cents, from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. N = 9 cents, and so on. This shouldn’t be a significant effort and would help many users. I’ve been told several times that it’s on the to-do list, but nothing has happened in this direction for months. I’m honestly disappointed.
Dear Victron development team, can someone please explain to me why it’s so difficult to integrate an additional variable into the DESS price formula? For the consumption price, simply integrate an additional variable “grid” into the price formula. Perhaps a practical example will help. My current formula is: (P + x € + x €) × VAT. If you now add another variable for the grid price, let’s call it “N,” it would look like this: (P + N + x € + x €) × VAT. And then a simple input mask with maybe 3-7 times. From 0-7 a.m. N = 7 cents, from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. N = 9 cents, and so on. This shouldn’t be a significant effort and would help many users. I’ve been told several times that it’s on the to-do list, but nothing has happened in this direction for months. I’m honestly disappointed.
I would like to add a few words to all of this. I am from Germany and this topic is new and current here, but I know that users in other European countries have been waiting for it for a while. And in other countries this development will probably become relevant at some point too. For me it would take the DESS and its savings potential to a completely new level. To clarify this, here are a few prices. In Germany I pay around 25-30 cents per kWh of electricity used, and the reduced grid charges alone amount to around 8 cents for me. That is 25-30% of the cost of my electricity used, which, combined with dynamic pricing, represents enormous potential. If only I could use it via the DESS. Victron would only need to add this time-variable factor.
Thank you for keeping the conversation going about this issue / improvement. I’ll put it to use immediately if it eventually gets implemented. And I know several others who will do the same. We need to resort to suboptimal workarounds at this time, such as allowing grid charging only during the cheaper night tariff.
I’ve actually resolved not to let this issue fall into oblivion. There are several users in my circle of friends who are affected by this. I don’t really understand the fundamental problem. My programming skills are limited, but I’ve certainly gained some experience in the past. Such an additional factor doesn’t imply a fundamental change in functionality. It’s only one factor in determining the price.
Perhaps it is too simple and some people are not aware of the price implications.
I occasionally write code, and work with full time programmers on a daily basis. As far as I can tell, it’s not a difficult feature to implement. This is a matter of attention and priorities in my opinion.
That’s exactly how I see it, too. Ultimately, only Victron can make that decision. I’ve actually resolved not to let it get forgotten, or alternatively, to get an explanation as to why it isn’t being implemented promptly. The most likely explanation would be a lack of capacity, whether personnel or technical, within VRM.
Hi there,
The reason why this is not done yet is one of prioritization, not complexity. Tomorrow we roll out the newly designed DESS configurator, to make DESS setup less scary to end users.
Now that that will go live, we can add the time variable. I have scheduled it into our planning for October.
Thanks Barbara for the answer. One question: Will the old configuration be retained, or does each user have to revise it once?
Great news😎
Hello Barbara, for those of us that are not fully aware of the internal structure of the Victron organisation, specifically with respect to product development activities, could you shed some light on the relationship between VRM and DESS development activities?
I had to laugh a little about the idea of DESS being scary. I believe for quite a few of us it’d be better worded as excitingly frustrating. In a good sense don’t get me wrong, looking forward to see what tomorrow’s configurator will bring.
hahaha, I think intimidating is the word: the current configurations will still be valid, it is just that we moved a lot of advanced settings to an advanced setting menu, which by default is taken care of for users, but for those that want to tweak DESS further, they can.
Intimidating, that fits the bill indeed, but only when still climbing the learning curve. How about my other question, is it correct that the VRM team has taken over the DESS development (from?)? I’m asking because I am interested in the creation of a community DESS project, to better support sharing of experiences and cooperative development of Node-RED driven DESS adaptations for specific use cases not coverred by the the functionality offered by the current DESS impkementation. I suggested some time ago to make DESS a catagory of its own in support of that.
Hi @UpCycleElectric ,
DESS has always been developed by the VRM team. I am not sure what you mean but I’d be happy to help!
Postponed again?