Victron VRM Portal: Getting Started Guide

Key Takeaways

• An internet connection and a Victron GX device or LoRaWan device are essential for VRM Portal access.
• You need the VRM Portal ID, which uniquely identifies your system, to add it to your account.
• Always ensure your system has had a successful connection to the VRM Portal before attempting to add it to your user account.
• If you encounter issues, verify internet connectivity of your GX device and the accuracy of the VRM Portal ID.

How do I get started with the Victron VRM Portal?

The Victron VRM Portal is an online platform for monitoring and managing your Victron energy system from anywhere. To begin using it, you need specific hardware and an internet connection, followed by creating an account and adding your system.

Setting up your Victron VRM Portal access

Accessing the VRM Portal involves ensuring you have the necessary equipment, finding your system's unique identifier, creating an account, and then linking your system.

1. Confirm System Requirements

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

• Internet connection: A computer connected to the Internet is required to access the VRM Portal website.
• GX Device or LoRaWan Device: A GX Device or LoRaWan Device is required for connection to the VRM Portal. These devices collect data from your Victron system and send it to the portal.
• Successful initial connection: The system needs to have had a successful connection to the VRM Portal before adding the installation to your user account. It is recommended, especially when working with SIM cards, to first configure and test the internet connection in your office, before installing it on location. Applying power to a stand-alone GX device or Victron Global Remote will do, as they also connect to the VRM Portal when there are no products connected.

2. Locate Your VRM Portal ID

The VRM Portal ID uniquely identifies your system. You will need this ID to add your installation to your VRM account.

• GX device menu (Cerbo GX with GX touch display): The VRM Portal ID can be found in the menu Settings → VRM Logger. It looks like this: be300d83ff04.
• Venus GX & Cerbo GX: The VRM Portal ID is printed on a label on the side.
• VGR, VGR2 and VER: The VRM Portal ID is the IMEI number. It is written on a label on the back of the modem, and on a label on the outside of the carton. It can also be requested by sending a text message to the modem with the command 'GSM'.

3. Create Your VRM Portal Account

Follow these steps to register for a new account:

1. Go to https://vrm.victronenergy.com.
2. Click ‘Register for Free’.
3. Complete all the requested information.
4. You will now receive a confirmation email with a link to activate your account. Click this link to activate your account.

4. Add Your Installation to Your User Account

Once your account is active and your system has communicated with the VRM Portal, you can add it to your account.

• Prerequisite: Make sure that the system has already started communicating with the VRM Portal. Or, in case it is an off-grid installation where a SDcard or USB-Stick is used, first upload the data file.

1. Select the product you want to add.
2. Enter the IMEI or MAC Address number for one of the VGR, VER or GX device products.
3. Click 'Add' and your device is now paired with your VRM user account.

If you are the first user to add this installation to your account, you will automatically have Admin rights for this installation. Any subsequent users that add this installation to their account will become a normal user, that cannot change any settings. An Admin user can assign Admin rights to other users on the Settings page.

Common Issues and Solutions

Managing Your VRM Portal Installation

After successfully adding your installation, you can configure settings and utilize various features for monitoring and management.

Installation Configuration (Settings Tab)

The 'Settings' tab allows you to customize your installation's details and user access.

• GSM Number: This field is useful to save the GSM number of the SIM card of a Victron Global Remote. The only function of this field is to keep it in a safe place, nothing else.
• Description: Use this field for the name or description of the installation.
• Tags: Tags are useful for accounts that have many installations. For example, you can filter by depot (North, South, West, East) if you have a hybrid generator rental company. Adding tags to an installation is done in the 'Settings' page by typing the tag name and clicking 'save'.
• Set location: Set the location of the installation by dragging the cursor to the right place. This automatically sets the timezone that is used for all x-axes on the graphs as well.
• Users: Configure which users are admin and which are not. Admins can change settings on all installations for which they have admin rights. You can also invite new users to this installation.

Tips and Tricks for VRM Portal Use

• Invite a user function: Use the Invite a user function to pair this installation to other user accounts as well. It is also possible to invite users that do not yet have a VRM user account. They will automatically be directed to the account creation page.
• Device List: To see a list of all connected products and their firmware version numbers, go to the Settings tab, and then the Device List section.
• Screensaver: The screensaver enables you to quickly see what state the installation you're currently viewing is in. Configure the screensaver in your profile settings to automatically show up after a period of inactivity, or press the "s" key twice while viewing an installation.
• Alarm monitoring: Check and if necessary alter the default alarm monitoring setup to your needs.
• VRM app: Do not forget to install the VRM app on your phone. It is available for free in both the Apple store and the Google Play store for Android. For Android, it is also possible to download the APK files on our software and downloads page. Once more than one installation is linked to your VRM user account, you will see all of them on a map. When multiple installations are close together, they will be grouped into one balloon. The colour of the balloon will be red when one or more installation grouped in that balloon has a problem.

Safety

The Victron VRM Portal is a software monitoring and management platform and does not directly involve physical safety risks. However, the underlying Victron energy system it monitors involves high voltages and currents. Always follow all safety guidelines and instructions provided in the manuals for your physical solar installation components, including inverters, batteries, and charge controllers. Ensure all electrical work is performed by qualified personnel.

When to call a technician instead

If you are unable to establish an internet connection for your GX device, or if your Victron system consistently fails to send data to the VRM Portal despite verifying all settings and requirements, you may need to contact Victron Energy support or a qualified solar installer. These issues often require on-site diagnosis of the physical hardware or network configuration.