Feature request for GX / VRM: display actual DC load consumption when solar production is active

Q&A and troubleshooting DESS
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In Victron systems managed by GX devices (Cerbo GX, Color Control, Venus OS, etc.), the “DC Loads” block currently shows the net flow between the battery and the DC bus, not the actual consumption of the DC loads connected to the system.

This means that:

  • At night, when there is no solar production, the displayed value correctly represents the real DC consumption.

  • During the day, when solar production is active, the displayed value represents the net result between what the panels supply and what the loads demand. This is not the information the user needs, which is the actual DC consumption of the system.

In other words, the user does not directly see the real consumption — they must calculate it manually from the battery and solar data — even though the system already has all the necessary information to display it.

Proposal

Add an optional toggle in the GX / VRM configuration, for example “Show actual DC consumption”, using a simple conditional logic:

if solar > 0:                     # Only when solar production is active
    if solar >= dc_loads:         # Case 1: solar input higher than DC consumption
        DC_real = solar - dc_loads
    else:                         # Case 2: DC consumption higher than solar input
        DC_real = dc_loads - solar
else:                             # At night or no solar
    DC_real = dc_loads            # Display direct consumption

This way, the display would always show the actual DC consumption (positive value), whether the battery is charging or discharging.

Compatibility with other configurations

This feature would be fully compatible with systems including a SmartShunt, MPPT, MultiPlus and Cerbo GX, as it only relies on values already available on the D-Bus (com.victronenergy.solarcharger/*/Dc/Power and com.victronenergy.battery/*/Dc/Power).

In setups with AC flow (e.g. MultiPlus charging or supplying 230 V), the AC consumption is already displayed separately in the “AC Loads” block, so no data duplication or interference would occur.

At night, system behavior would remain exactly the same as it is now.

Benefits

  • The user would see the actual DC consumption without having to calculate it manually.

  • No need for an additional SmartShunt to obtain this information.

  • The change is minimal — just a conditional subtraction using already available data.

  • Improves transparency and clarity without altering the system’s energy logic or structure.

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