Turn on/Off head pump depending on solar power

[dascrip (Dominik)]

Hi Folks,

I turn in cycles in the last weeks.

I have a solaredge inverter from where it is easy to get the extracted data.
I would like to switch the headpump on / off depending on available power from the solar grid - also easy to realize.

Now I need the magic, as I don‘t want to switch the head pump at every cloud reducing the power. I have no idea, where I could get the needed information- my idea would be to focus on the power average of the last 15 min, if this is over a certain threshold an action should take place.

Does anyone could point me in the right direction? I didn’t find anything when I searched for it.

[mstormi (Markus Storm)]

@dascrip

I didn’t find anything when I searched for it.

Well, energy management in the end it’s complex and many details you need to take care of.
So you’re only at the beginning of a longish journey and I wouldn’t expect people to give an answer on this request of yours because there is no quick one.
You should consider getting a readymade solution like my EMS do it for you.
The SolarEdge implementation part isn’t completed (well, it presumeably is but it’s still untested with real world inverters). There’s a free demo at https://storm.house/installation#demo.
I would of course finalize that and get your installation to work before you need to decide on a purchase. Do you happen to have a battery, too ?

[hilbrand (Hilbrand Bouwkamp)]

I’m not sure if promoting your own commercial product is really appreciated here. Maybe don’t do that.

[michaeljoos]

I have done something similar with a rule and with timeout. You could try something like this (JSS):

var TimeoutID;
var power = items.getItem("solarpower").state;
var level = 2000;

var runme = function() {
items.getItem("heatpump").sendCommand(OFF);
}
 
if (power < level) {
  if (typeof TimeoutID !== 'number') {
    TimeoutID = setTimeout(runme, 900000);
  }
} else {
  if (typeof TimeoutID === 'number') {
    clearTimeout(TimeoutID);
    TimeoutID = undefined;
  }
}

1. Start timeout when the solar power falls below the level
2. If the solar power remains below the level for 15 minutes, the function is executed and the heat pump is switched off
3. Otherwise the timeout is reset

→ Timeout in milliseconds = 900000
→ Level can also be from an item instead of using a hard-coded value and linked to UI (to set from there)

To trigger the rule you can use “If solar power changes”, or to reduce too many rule triggers, with a cron (e.g. check every minute)

[mstormi (Markus Storm)]

@hilbrand

I’m not sure if promoting your own commercial product is really appreciated here. Maybe don’t do that.

That was an unfortunate combo, sorry. My answer was meant to be good advice, and I still truely believe that someone who “has been running in circles” without “finding anything” really has a long way to go and really would be better off with some readymade product because I have just been there, spent a lot of work and know it’s complex in the end and there’s a lot of details you need to pay attention to to get it right.
But you’re right of course, I should not have have combined that answer with with a promo. I guess have too many hats I’m juggling with and sometimes an inappropriate comes out on top.
Apologies, will take more care.

[dascrip (Dominik)]

@michaeljoos

I have done something similar with a rule and with timeout. You could try something like this (JSS):

var TimeoutID;
var power = items.getItem("solarpower").state;
var level = 2000;

var runme = function() {
items.getItem("heatpump").sendCommand(OFF);
}
 
if (power < level) {
  if (typeof TimeoutID !== 'number') {
    TimeoutID = setTimeout(runme, 900000);
  }
} else {
  if (typeof TimeoutID === 'number') {
    clearTimeout(TimeoutID);
    TimeoutID = undefined;
  }
}

1. Start timeout when the solar power falls below the level
2. If the solar power remains below the level for 15 minutes, the function is executed and the heat pump is switched off
3. Otherwise the timeout is reset

→ Timeout in milliseconds = 900000
→ Level can also be from an item instead of using a hard-coded value and linked to UI (to set from there)

To trigger the rule you can use “If solar power changes”, or to reduce too many rule triggers, with a cron (e.g. check every minute)

Thanks, this looks really promissing - I will give a try on it.