admin forgive me if it's excessive info but I'll describe usage.
Userid: tepid-topi
I have GivEnergy Gen1 kit
3 x 8.2kw batteries
Hy5.0 inverter
with 16kw LG ashp, ev, 8kw pv solar
Currently on Octopus Agile imports with Fixed exports. Seems to be working very well but need to maximise battery efficiency and avoid Agile peak rates.
Ashp is using weather compensation and most efficient if used 24x7. But in winter will setback thermostat in peak periods to reduce usage in that period.
Charging batteries from solar and cheap grid slots.
Background:
Inverter max charge/discharge is 2.6kwh which means harder to maximise use of cheap Agile slots. If batteries are empty (not normally the case) they take around 10 hours to fully charge. So I try to top up from cheap slots whenever available day or night.
Ashp is large so at times may draw 5kw or more.
ASHP is 2020 model and will not integrate with Home Assistant afaik
Wonderwatt usage:
I've been on Agile only since March this year and using WonderWatt a few months. I find Wonderwatt easy to use but so far need to manually adjust every day - perhaps my fault in settings? I'm using 20 slots across 3 charge windows per screenshot with override to Automatically pre-select import slots below 13.5p (partly based on PV solar fixed exports are 15p so should only use to charge batteries when grid imports are above approx 13.5p)
My adjustments take into account the battery SOC and charge rate 2.6kwh as well as a look at likely weather and demand in the home ... so i choose cheapest slots
to maintain 100% SOC
to maximise pv solar exports at 15p
especially charging and using cheapest slots by price e.g. I see batteries are likely at 70% so i need around 8kw but 2.6kwh charge rate means that needs at least 3 hours (6 slots)
typically removing all preselected slots over 13.5p in summer (as I'll hopefully charge from solar)
in winter I get very little solar relative to usage. So likely will keep topping up batteries all day and night. Choosing cheapest slots as much as possible with general objective sub 19p
Obviously the last penny of cost is not particularly important in overall picture so automation might not be able to match my picks that have elements of weather forecasting and experience - unless you can go further with AI or predictive charging! But I think simple automation should get "close enough" that I might not need to tweak daily?
I guess my thoughts are that
- Using charging windows is useful
- Ideally recognising SOC and therefore only taking sufficient cheapest slots to maintain target. (As it is slots might be taken by WW that fill batteries at 13.5p or more .. even if negative rates available an hour or 2 later)
- Cheapest slots under preselected 13.5p priority is good base
- But avoiding charging entirely over a preselected max would be better for me
- perhaps I would never auto charge over 19p
- that might mean preselected slots actually used are far below my 20 slots. Perhaps you would have a min and max number of slots on each charge window? In my case using max if under 13.5p...
- some users might prefer that max to be linked to SOC? Not sure I would use that. e.g. do not charge over 19p unless SOC under a limit (say 40%) and use best slots over 19p to bring back SOC to a limit (say 70%)
Sorry about long reply! Hope it helps or happy to follow further.
