Solcast Global Solar Power Forecast Integration

HA_n00b · February 9, 2023, 1:15pm

@del13r right, I think having 1 site would be the correct way.

Here is my layout:

14 panels, the red group is tilting 35 degree and the green group is tilting 42 degree.

Each panel max output is 405 watt (14x405 = 5670 watt).
Each inverter is IQ7A-72-2, which output is 349 watt (14x349 = 4886 watt).

Not sure with Azimuth, but I set to 112 (it’s between west and south, near south-west).

This was yesterday forecast and production.

Let me know if you can suggest to configure Solcast in this situation.

del13r · February 9, 2023, 6:30pm

Here is what is supposed to happen

The forecast will add the 2 roofs together, (10.78+8.23 = 19) and show each individual roof in the diagnostic.

I cannot explain why you are only seeing results for 1 roof.

Maybe go to Solcast API Toolkit and scroll down to api usage section.

First, check how many api calls per day you are allowed.

As a rule of thumb, my home assistant uses 23 api calls per day in default configuration.

It would appear that new free hobbyist accounts are limited to 10 api calls per day. Perhaps that is the case with you.

From the read me on the solcast by oziee

The integration now allows users that now only get 10 calls to disable the auto api polling where thye can then create their own automations to call the update solcast service when they want

Also, another thought I had was, did you add both roofs before or after setting up the add on in ha? Perhaps remove the add on, confirm both roofs are setup in the solcast toolkit, the re add the add on in home assistant.

If you are limited to 10 calls per day. You could automate the api calls to occur every 2h11m (2h24m might be safer) as the absolute minimum interval over a 24 hour period, or schedule the calls to happen every hour for a 10 hour period of your choosing.

HA_n00b · February 10, 2023, 8:47am

@del13r I removed and re-added the integration, but that didn’t help. And I found this error in the logs:

Solcast http_data error: Traceback (most recent call last): File “/config/custom_components/solcast_solar/solcastapi.py”, line 416, in http_data _data = self._data[‘siteinfo’][site[‘resource_id’]][‘forecasts’] KeyError: ‘72f2-5c0e-xxxx-xxxx’

72f2-5c0e-xxxx-xxxx is the site resource id of the 2nd group.

I could execute the api URL and got back JSON data:
https://api.solcast.com.au/rooftop_sites/72f2-5c0e-xxxx-xxxx/estimated_actuals?format=json

So, I don’t know why that error, no error code.

Probably @anon7821378 can help?

Holdestmade · February 10, 2023, 9:01am

Have you tried regenerating your API key and re-adding it to the integration ?

HA_n00b · February 10, 2023, 9:30am

Yes, I did. Regenerated the API key and used that for the new integration.

I will try to completely removed the integration, deleted from HACS, restart HA.
Regenerate API key again
Re added the integration again
See how it goes.

anon7821378 · February 10, 2023, 11:03am

Delete the ha/config/Solcast.json file and restart ha

Let me know

HA_n00b · February 10, 2023, 11:48am

Thanks @anon7821378 it works!

Got both sites refreshed.

Deleted the integration
Deleted /config/solcast.json
Recreated the Solcast API key
Re-added Github repo
Re-downloaded Solcast integration
Re-added Solcast integration

HA_n00b · February 13, 2023, 11:32am

So, I have this automation to call Solcast update:

- alias: solcast_update
  description: New API call Solcast
  trigger:
    platform: time_pattern
    minutes: "0"
    seconds: "0"
  condition:
    condition: sun
    before: sunset
    after: sunrise
  action:
    service: solcast_solar.update_forecasts
    data: {}
  mode: single

And I have disabled the auto API polling:

If I look in the Log Book, why it used 2 API every hour?

UPDATE:

I checked the logs, and found two calls every hour. Why is this? Something wrong with my automation?

I only have 1 Solcast automation:

Holdestmade · February 13, 2023, 11:45am

Mine does exactly the same with the same automation. I have 2 roofs (one account), I assumed it was because of that ? Does it do an API call for each roof ?

HA_n00b · February 13, 2023, 12:28pm

Oh no, probably that’s the case. I also have 2 roofs in 1 account. But, I don’t know if the API call for each roof, need to check that with Solcast to confirm, I think.

By the way, do you know how to modify the script to call once every 2 hours? Probably that can help a bit.

Holdestmade · February 13, 2023, 1:58pm

I think this is how you do it ?

- alias: solcast_update
  description: New API call Solcast
  trigger:
    platform: time_pattern
    hours: "/2"
    minutes: "0"
    seconds: "0"
  condition:
    condition: sun
    before: sunset
    after: sunrise
  action:
    service: solcast_solar.update_forecasts
    data: {}
  mode: single

HA_n00b · February 13, 2023, 2:05pm

I will try that for tomorrow. Meanwhile, I sent message to support via Solcast account asking this. Hopefully they will reply and explain.

SgtBatten · February 14, 2023, 12:25am

Have they changed the api limits to 10 for new accounts?

HA_n00b · February 14, 2023, 4:57am

Yes, only 10…

HA_n00b · February 14, 2023, 6:40am

@Holdestmade here is the answer from Solcast support, see below. It looks like HA component gets the data from the account and find it has 2 sites, then it sends request to both sites. Probably @anon7821378 can confirm this?

sheaven · February 14, 2023, 2:49pm

Hey oziee - Solcast integration works great! Many thanks for this!
Could you please expand the forecast data to also show the forecasts for the days after tomorrow? I believe that the data from Solcast actually includes the next 3 or even 7 days. Would be great if we could access this additional info in HA as well.

Would like to use automations for electric appliances (pool heater and EV charger) based on more than 1 day of forecast.

Many thanks!

anon7821378 · February 18, 2023, 4:31am

it already does
https://github.com/oziee/ha-solcast-solar/issues/90

sheaven · February 18, 2023, 7:14am

Sorry, I believe I have not been clear. As far as I can see, the current integration collects the data for today and tomorrow (total values plus 30min intervals in attributes). I am already working with these and works great.

What I am missing is the data for after tomorrow. Ideally I would like to have access to today (d0), tomorrow (d1), d2, d3 etc

I believe that the solcast API call retrieves data for 7 days but the integration only writes d0 and d1 to HA - ignoring the remaining data.

Would that be possible include the remaining data or am I missing something?

anon7821378 · February 18, 2023, 7:27am

you have been clear… but obviously you have not actually read though that link… all the data is there for the next 7 days… there might only be a visible sensor with values for today tomorrow… but all the data for the next 7 days is there too

read that link properly and you can create your own sensors for d3,d4xxxxx

anon7821378 · February 18, 2023, 8:05am

@sheaven

ok I have version 3.0.33 that now includes new sensors for D3…D7 for future daily forecast totals