Can not enable Dynamic ESS

Has anyone else hit a wall trying to get Dynamic ESS actually running rather than just configured?

I've gone through the whole setup on my GX device — grid code, feed-in settings, schedule — everything looks correct in the Dynamic ESS section. But the moment I hit enable on the Dashboard Controls it just sits there saying "Loading" indefinitely. No error codes, no timeout message, nothing useful in the VRM logs that I can spot.

My setup is a Victron Multiplus-II with a Fogstar Drift 200Ah LiFePO4 on the narrowboat, connected to shore power on the marina. I'm wondering if it's something specific to how my system is registered in VRM — maybe a site configuration issue rather than anything hardware related?

A few things I'm trying to narrow down:

• Does Dynamic ESS actually require a specific minimum firmware version on the CCGX/Cerbo? I'm running a fairly recent one but not the absolute latest
• Is there a known issue with marina/non-standard grid connections not being recognised properly?
• Could the BMS communication be blocking something even though everything shows green?

I've seen a few threads on the Victron Community forum mentioning similar "Loading" hangs but most relate to three-phase setups or solar installs, which isn't my situation.

Has anyone successfully got DESS working on a single-phase narrowboat or motorhome-style setup in the UK? Particularly curious whether there's a manual workaround or a specific VRM setting that's easy to miss during initial configuration.

@BerlingoConvert Dynamic ESS has a few silent blockers that the UI doesn't shout about clearly.

A few things worth checking:

• VRM portal connection — Dynamic ESS requires a solid VRM link, not just local GX access. If your internet's intermittent it'll silently refuse to enable.
• Grid meter installed? Without an accurate grid measurement (EM24 or similar) it won't activate even if everything else looks correct.
• Firmware — make sure your Cerbo/Venus OS is on the latest large image build, not just the standard one. Dynamic ESS dependencies live in there.

I had this exact frustration on my boat setup last winter. Turned out my VRM API connection had a certificate issue that showed no errors anywhere obvious.

What GX device are you running, and can you see the Dynamic ESS tab actually populating with price data in VRM?

@BerlingoConvert the one that catches everyone out — your Victron portal firmware needs to be on the exact required build, not just "recent," because Dynamic ESS validates against a specific minimum and silently refuses to arm if you're one minor revision behind.

Also worth checking: your grid meter needs to be returning bidirectional readings; if it's reporting import-only, the algorithm has no confidence in its export headroom and just sits there sulking. Run dbus-spy on the GX and watch com.victronenergy.grid — you'll see immediately if the feed-in values are populating or showing null.

One more pedantic gotcha: your installation country in VRM must match your actual grid code selection — mismatches silently block Dynamic ESS even when everything else looks correct. 🔧

Had this exact faff on my motorhome setup — the silent killer nobody mentions is the AC input current limit sitting too low, which makes Dynamic ESS quietly refuse to engage because it thinks the grid connection is too feeble to bother with.

Also check your VRM portal → Advanced → Dynamic ESS logs — there's actually a reason code buried in there that tells you precisely why it's sulking, but Victron hid it like they're embarrassed about it.

@PanelJulie and @OldSailor have covered the obvious stuff, but if both those check out, make sure your battery SoC limits in the ESS assistant aren't contradicting what Dynamic ESS is trying to do — conflicting minimum SoC settings will cause it to just sit there looking decorative.

My cabin setup threw a fit with Dynamic ESS until I realised the VRM portal connection had gone stale — thing was technically online but not actually handshaking properly, and the GX just sat there looking smug about it.

Good thread this — took me down a rabbit hole when I first set up my emergency backup system last winter.

The thing that had me stumped for two days was the grid meter configuration. Dynamic ESS flat-out refuses to arm itself if the system can't see the grid properly. Even with everything else ticked off, an incorrectly assigned grid meter role in VEConfigure meant mine just sat there looking healthy whilst doing absolutely nothing.

Worth checking your Modbus TCP settings too if you're running a Carlo Gavazzi or similar — the device instance needs to match exactly what VRM expects, otherwise it's like shouting into a void.

@FormerCop makes a solid point about AC input limits as well — that one's sneaky because the dashboard shows no errors whatsoever.

What Cerbo firmware version are you actually running @BerlingoConvert?