SolarSmart
See here:
https://github.com/Ghawken/SolarSmartPlugin/releases
Longer Readme on github (gave up converting to bbcode....)
Purpose:
To allow Power loads to turn on and turn off as excess Solar energy generated allows.
Harness your surplus solar energy automatically. SolarSmart monitors your photovoltaic (PV) production, site consumption, battery power, and/or net grid flow to calculate “headroom” (excess power) and then starts or sheds discretionary loads in a priority order so you use more of your own clean energy and import less from the grid.
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Table of Contents
- What SolarSmart Does
- Headroom: How it’s Calculated
- Operating Modes
- Devices Provided by the Plugin
- Quick Start
- Configuration
What SolarSmart Does
SolarSmart is an Indigo Domotics plugin that:
- Calculates “headroom” in watts: the spare power available to run discretionary loads.
- Starts loads (pool pump, EV charger, water heater, dehumidifier, etc.) when sufficient headroom exists.
- Sheds loads gracefully when headroom drops, prioritizing lower-impact loads first.
- Supports simple, robust control via Indigo devices or Action Groups.
- Works with either a single net grid meter or a combination of PV, site consumption, and battery power sources.
- Provides a test device to simulate conditions and validate your automations before going live.
Headroom: How it’s Calculated
Headroom is the amount of excess power you can safely use right now.
- Positive headroom → you have spare power available to start or keep running loads.
- Negative headroom → you’re short on power and importing from the grid; loads should be avoided or shed.
- A single, accurate net grid meter (preferred when available).
- Separate inputs for PV output, site consumption, and battery charge/discharge.
- Net grid:
- Negative watts = exporting to the grid (good; spare power).
- Positive watts = importing from the grid (no spare power).
- Battery:
- Negative watts = discharging (adds to available power).
- Positive watts = charging (consumes power).
Devices Provided by the Plugin
- SolarSmart Main Device (Controller)
- Holds configuration, reads meters, computes headroom, runs the scheduler.
- Exposes states such as current headroom, mode, last scheduler run, etc.
- SolarSmart Load Device
- Represents a discretionary load you want SolarSmart to start/stop.
- Assigned a tier (priority) and control method: direct device control or Action Groups.
- SolarSmart Test Device (optional)
- Lets you simulate PV, consumption, battery, and grid values.
- Ideal for validating behavior before connecting real meters and loads.
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Quick Start
1) Install the plugin- Double-click SolarSmart.indigoPlugin.
- Enable it in Indigo.
- Choose your operating mode.
- Select the meter/source states for PV, consumption, battery and/or net grid.
- Set the scheduler check frequency.
- Assign each load a tier (1 = highest priority).
- Choose how the load should be controlled (device on/off or action groups).
- Optionally set runtime quotas and allowed time windows.
- As headroom rises, SolarSmart starts loads beginning with Tier 1.
- As headroom falls, SolarSmart sheds loads starting from the highest tier.
Modify the test device to stimulate solar production and headroom. Once happy all is working.
DISABLE or delete the test device otherwise no real readings will be USED
Extensive logging available.
Code: Select all
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 🔍 DBG7 Device: SolarSmart Load Pool 2000W No Heater (id=127719016) Tier 1 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ 🧠 Decision Status: OFF Action: SKIP (quota) Skip: quota Headroom Now: -111 W StartsThisTick: 0 RunningNow: 0 ⏱️ Preferred Window Runtime Served (internal): 240 min Window Run (state): 240 min Remaining (state): 0 min Remaining (shown row): 0 min Used (state RuntimeQuotaMins): 240 min Percent: 100% Anchor Start (ts): 1755149613.112328 (15:33:33) 🛟 Catch-up / Fallback Active: state=False / mem=None Catch-up Str Col: Met Target: 120 min Remaining: 0 min Run Today (state): 0 min Run (active secs mem): 0 s Window: 00:00 - 06:00 Enabled: True 🔌 External / Control External Device On: False IsRunning(state): False Start Ts: None (—) Cooldown Start: None (—) Control Mode: device Cooldown Mins: 10 ⚡ Power & Thresholds Rated: 2000 W Needed (start threshold est): 2200 W Surge Mult: 1.00 Start Margin %: 10 Keep Margin %: 5 Min Runtime: 30 min Max Runtime (per start run): 240 min Max Pref Window: 240 min Quota Window Config: 1d 📦 Concurrency Snapshot Running Now: 0 Starts This Tick: 0 🗂️ Raw Internal st[] Keys IsRunning: False catchup_run_secs: 0 quota_anchor_ts: 1755149613.112328 run_today_secs: 0.0 served_quota_mins: 240 start_ts: None today_key: '2025-08-14' ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
