PV / Solar Excess Optimizer: Auto-control appliances (wallbox, dish washer, heatpump, ...) based on excess solar power

markusmazurczak · May 30, 2023, 7:31am

I am having problems understanding what this integration is doing because it will detect that there is more DC generated than actually used. It tries to start my wallbox but a second after that he stops the wallbox

2023-05-30 09:23:43.754 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Export History: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1562.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5815, 5897]
2023-05-30 09:23:43.755 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] PV Excess (PV Power - Load Power) History: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1563.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5816, 5897]
2023-05-30 09:23:43.760 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Home battery charge is sufficient (100.0/80.0 %) OR remaining solar forecast is higher than remaining capacity of home battery. Calculated average excess power based on >> solar power - load power <<: 4154 W
2023-05-30 09:23:43.762 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Average Excess power is high enough to switch on appliance.
2023-05-30 09:23:43.763 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Cannot switch on appliance, because appliance switch interval is not reached (3/5).
2023-05-30 09:23:43.768 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Appliance is already switched off.
2023-05-30 09:24:43.756 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Export History: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1562.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5815, 5897, 5926]
2023-05-30 09:24:43.757 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] PV Excess (PV Power - Load Power) History: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1563.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5816, 5897, 5926]
2023-05-30 09:24:43.765 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Home battery charge is sufficient (100.0/80.0 %) OR remaining solar forecast is higher than remaining capacity of home battery. Calculated average excess power based on >> solar power - load power <<: 5027 W
2023-05-30 09:24:43.768 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Average Excess power is high enough to switch on appliance.
2023-05-30 09:24:43.768 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Cannot switch on appliance, because appliance switch interval is not reached (4/5).
2023-05-30 09:24:43.771 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Appliance is already switched off.
2023-05-30 09:25:43.754 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Export History: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1562.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5815, 5897, 5926, 5924]
2023-05-30 09:25:43.755 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] PV Excess (PV Power - Load Power) History: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1563.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5816, 5897, 5926, 5924]
2023-05-30 09:25:43.759 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Home battery charge is sufficient (100.0/80.0 %) OR remaining solar forecast is higher than remaining capacity of home battery. Calculated average excess power based on >> solar power - load power <<: 5881 W
2023-05-30 09:25:43.761 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Average Excess power is high enough to switch on appliance.
2023-05-30 09:25:43.763 INFO (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Switched on appliance.
2023-05-30 09:25:43.763 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Adjusting power history by -4140.0.
2023-05-30 09:25:43.764 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Export history: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1562.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5815, 5897, 5926, 5924]
2023-05-30 09:25:43.766 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Adjusted export history: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1562.0, 1654.0, 1703.0, 1675.0, 1757.0, 1786.0, 1784.0]
2023-05-30 09:25:43.767 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] PV Excess (solar power - load power) history: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1563.0, 1654.0, 5843, 5816, 5897, 5926, 5924]
2023-05-30 09:25:43.768 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] Adjusted PV Excess (solar power - load power) history: [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1607.0, 1610.0, 1496.0, 1563.0, 1654.0, 1703.0, 1676.0, 1757.0, 1786.0, 1784.0]
2023-05-30 09:25:43.769 INFO (MainThread) [homeassistant.helpers.script.wallbox] wallbox: Running template script
2023-05-30 09:25:43.770 INFO (MainThread) [homeassistant.helpers.script.wallbox] wallbox: Executing step call service
2023-05-30 09:25:44.773 DEBUG (MainThread) [custom_components.pyscript.file.pv_excess_control.on_time] [switch.wallbox (Prio 1)] Appliance is already switched off.

I dont understand why he is doing that. All entities that are needed are configured and given correct values but I dont get why the integrations is doing what it is doing

InventoCasa · May 31, 2023, 6:04am

@markusmazurczak the reason is that you did not configure it correctly.

The script is not trying to switch the appliance off again, it is just retrieving the state. Which is off, right after it tried to turn the appliance switch on. Which means there is something wrong with your configuration. You can paste your configuration variables here. What did you pass for Appliance entity?

InventoCasa · May 31, 2023, 6:09am

@aziwa Unfortunately I have no idea at the moment where this is coming from and why it occurs only with some users, also I do not encounter these problems myself (and I’m also switching the automations dynamically on/off).

Best chance we have is that everybody, who has this problem, tries to reproduce it and right after that send me the full home assistant logfile, including the PV excess automation configuration and the info, at what exact time the problem occured.

markusmazurczak · May 31, 2023, 6:56am

My config is

id: '1685362280575'
alias: Wallbox - Überschussladen
description: ''
use_blueprint:
  path: pv_excess_control.yaml
  input:
    automation_id: wallbox_uberschussladen
    pv_power: sensor.total_dc_power
    export_power: sensor.export_power
    home_battery_level: sensor.battery_level
    min_home_battery_level: 80
    home_battery_capacity: 9.5
    solar_production_forecast: sensor.combined_remaining_solarforecast_production_for_today
    appliance_switch: switch.wallbox
    appliance_switch_interval: 5
    dynamic_current_appliance: true
    appliance_current_set_entity: input_number.wallbox_input_current
    appliance_phases: 3
    actual_power: sensor.wallbox_power_consumption_in_watt
    load_power: sensor.load_power

I understood that appliance_switch has to be an entity which starts or stopps the wallbox and I am not able to configure the “standard” wallbox entity HA gives me. I have an easee wallbox and I cannot configure the easee-wallbox-entity for the appliance_switch.

To give the integration a switch entity I configured a template one:

- platform: template
  switches:
    wallbox:
      value_template: "{{ is_state('sensor.wall_e_status', 'charging') }}"
      turn_on:
        service: easee.action_command
        data:
          device_id: [MYID]
          action_command: start
      turn_off:
        service: easee.action_command
        data:
          device_id: [MYID]
          action_command: stop

At the moment I am writing that I am getting an intuition … It is possible that I have to change the value_template for the status because the integration has 5 or 6 different states?

HugosDad · June 2, 2023, 9:05am

The instructions state to add the automation ID as the entity and that this is available by clicking the three dots… That’s not possible when you first build an automation, it needs to be saved first.

The current settings screen shows my ID as: automation.excess_solar_optimiser_immersion_switch is this the expected format, or is it without automation.?

Thanks

redbak · June 2, 2023, 12:28pm

Nick

When you create your automation, you would give it! a unique name, then copy that name and when you have filled all the relevant information you will hit the save button. A pop up window will appear when that happens you paste the unique name give it a description and hit the rename word at the bottom right of the window. It will automatically save it under the name. Please see below screen shots of one I just setup for the washing machine. Hope this helps your question, its a bit of a learning curve for me too.

automation_entity_id_washing_machine_solar_rename

HugosDad · June 2, 2023, 2:01pm

Got it working, it’s great! Thanks

redbak · June 2, 2023, 2:03pm

Sounds good…can you please post here what you did to get it working for the benefit of others?

redbak · June 2, 2023, 2:27pm

Hi Henrik,

I know this has been mentioned in a few post above.

If you make changes to an automation and they save and run it, the change seems to kill pyscript from running and automation does not run also there are no logs too. The only way to start pyscript and the logs is to restart HA. I noticed that even the cron 0.0.0.0 does not seem to work I simulated this see the below screen shots.

Normally running log.

After simulated change to an automation pyscript stops running and no log

2023-06-03 00_23_10-Logbook – Home Assistant

Cron 0.0.0.0 in pv_excess_control.py fails to restart pyscript or the logs

Only a restart would get pyscript and the logs working

Have you found a workaround for this without having to restart HA?

HugosDad · June 3, 2023, 6:47am

Observed an issue overnight with the automation which is set to govern the use of our immersion heater.

The automation works well in the day, in that it activates the immersion during excess solar. However, I have an ‘off peak’ automation set to run during the night which also activates the immersion (if required) to take advantage of the low electricity rates.

I can see that HA did activate the immersion overnight, but this automation then immediately turned it off… Is there any way I can work around this?

Thanks

NemesisXB · June 3, 2023, 5:06pm

Awesome automation.

I have a problem though. I have set my pool pump to turn on for an hour but I have run-once enabled so it only runs once a day, but it still runs multiple times a day:

What am I missing?

redbak · June 6, 2023, 7:50am

Following up from my post above. I have managed to find a work around, where if a change was made to the existing automation when its saved and run it kills the pyscript from running. It’s taken a while of persisting with this, and I’m sure over a 100 restarts of HA and full reboots with the same amounts of deleting and redoing all the automations.

The very first time you setup an automation, you carry out the OP instructions, you will see the pyscript running every 10 seconds or there abouts. Now here is where it went pear shape, if I need to make a small tweek to one of the automations, make the change, save and run the script, it kills the pyscript from running, even leaving it overnight when the cron runs it still would fail to run. The only way to make it all run is delete all the automations, restart HA and start again.

So the simplest way to make a change to the automation is as follows.

Open the automation.
Click on the 3 dots on the top right.
From the pop up menu “disable” the automation
Make the changes you need.
Hit the “Save” blue button at the bottom right of the page.
Follow step 1 & 2 above
From the pop up menu “Enable” the automation
Dont hit the “Run” button As this will kill pyscript from running.
From the left of the menu bar select “Logbook” you will see that the automation was turned off and turned on and pyscript is happy and running.

Hope this helps all who are having this issue. Just for clarity here is my HA details

Home Assistant 2023.5.4
Supervisor 2023.04.1
Operating System 10.2
Frontend 20230503.3 - latest

Update 15/06/2023
I have just found that whilst this work around does not kill the running pyscript, it accepts the changes in the blueprint but this does not write the changes to pyscript module. So this is what I do now to make changes to an automation.

Disabling/Enabling you blueprint automation works fine. I only find and a few others that making any changes to the blueprint once its running kills pyscript. I now opt to disable the automation, delete it and redo it with the settings I want, save, run the automation and then enable it. Works well for the moment.

redbak · June 6, 2023, 7:59am

Nick,

Not sure why your setup is doing this as I have a couple of automations setup in PV / Solar Excess Optimiser and the same ones setup to run at night when the electricity rates are offpeak they run perfect.

See if there is anything in the logs and manually run the automation and see what happens.

Good Luck

markusmazurczak · June 6, 2023, 11:55am

I get it Working by changing the value_template for my wallbox_switch from

value_template: "{{ is_state('sensor.wall_e_status', 'charging') }}"

to

value_template: "{{ states('sensor.wall_e_status') in ['charging', 'awaiting_start'] }}"

The Easee Wallbox goes into state ‘awaiting_start’ while it is doing some load balancing on the 3 phases or while it is waiting for the car.

markusmazurczak · June 9, 2023, 6:22am

Can someone help me in understanding what exactly is meant with “Load Power” in the blueprint?
My panels are generating DC into my inverter which sends current to the battery (if the battery is not already fully charged) and converts DC to AC to send it into my “house”.

Is “Load Power” meant as the full load including battery charge (which comes from the panels) and house consumption or is load power meant be to house consumption without the load that goes into the battery?

My battery is only charged using DC from the panels. There will be no charge from the AC side

redbak · June 10, 2023, 11:47am

Hi markusmazurczak,

So my understanding I’ll break this down.

Load Power would be the actual house load.
If you specify the Load Power then you have to also specify the Export Power. (Which is Power you push back to the grid)
If you specify a battery then all your solar would charge the batteries at the maximum setting as well as supplying the Load Power in priority order.
Once your battery if fully charged to the percentage you set it to, power will be then set to the load in priority order and if there is no load (nothing is used in the house) then power will be sent to the grid.

Just a side note, you have a hybrid inverter? if so then the above applies. Batteries are not taken as part of the load. Now if you have a offgrid inverter then the load power includes the battery.

Have a look at what Henrik explains about load power.

Hope this help…

HugosDad · June 12, 2023, 7:16pm

Are you seeing:

file_pv_excess_control_on_time has been triggered by time 2023-06-12T20:14:53.474468 in your log file every 10 seconds or so?

redbak · June 13, 2023, 6:03am

Yes if it running you will see it every 10 seconds

spencerralph · June 13, 2023, 1:32pm

Henrik

I’m new to both solar and home Assistant, so excuse the basic questions.

I have installed your automation and it does seem to be running (every 10 seconds i see it trigger in the logger) however even if I’m exporting 3KW i don’t see the appliance turn on. Is there a way to see what the code is pulling from the sensors, to help debug the system. also i was not sure where and how i enable the logger (which configuration.yaml file do add the statement to) and where will i see the output?

Thanks Spence…

redbak · June 14, 2023, 12:32am

Nick,

Just a thought that struck me…

Are you using the same Automation Entity ID

*PV Excess Optimiser
&
*Off peak heater automation?