Setting Solar Assistant to switch between battery and grid based on utility high cost time.

[Billybob16]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to find a way to automate my system to use battery power during high utility cost hours.

My system off grid system is comprised of 4 Growatt SPF5000ES inverters tied to grid for backup, 3 are tied to PV arays totalling 15k watts combined, with 2 full racks (60kw) of lifepo4 48V batteries. I use inverter BMS with max discharge set to 30%. I may need to rais this to 35% to allow more balance time.

I have been running this for nearly 2 years with little to no problems. The system runs off grid around 90% of the time. We have not curbed our power consumption at all. We are running SBU, typically the system will be offgrid until early morning, then utility untell about 10AM then back to battery. The utility has introduced a high cost for demand hours that I want to avoid. Hours are 6-9 am and 4-8 pm.

I'm only concerned about the morning demand hours as the eavning hours are always on battery assuming a sunny day.

Can Solar Assistant maintain battery option be configured to switch to utility during the night say at 1 AM then back to battery say at 6 AM? By doing this I would have reserved enough battery to carry the early morning hours during high utility cost.

If not maby SA would be willing to add an option for this.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Can Solar Assistant maintain battery option be configured to switch to utility during the night say at 1 AM then back to battery say at 6 AM? By doing this I would have reserved enough battery to carry the early morning hours during high utility cost.

If not maby SA would be willing to add an option for this.

Yes, there are lots of automations available in the latest beta of SA that will do what you are asking.