Ok this is a weird request you’ll see, but first understand my setup.
1.- I am using SENSE abroad in a country called Nicaragua.
2.- The electric company does not issue bi-directional meters since there is a law pending approval since forever (whole monopoly, political issues).
3.- My solar panels are grid-tied, no batteries at all and basically the intention was to help lower the bill during the day, this being said they generate the minimum my house consumes on “standby”.
4.- If whatever the case may be, I generate more power than what is being consumed in my house, this will head out to the power lines and the electric company will still charge me for “consumption”.
Is there a way SENSE can generate an alert either by total or by each of the 110v lines in it so that if there is more power being generated by the solar panels than those of the Mains it can let me know ?
My objective is either shutting down the solar panels or turn on a device remotely once SENSE sends me the alert.
Since this is likely an edge case, sense will probably make it a low priority. However, this could be done using home assistant using the unofficial plugin. Depending on how you turn off the system, it might even be able to be done automatically.
i am doing something a little similar with a wemo plug that will turn things on if im generating more then consuming during the day. Then if it goes lower will turn off the wemo plug. This is all running externally using python
I get the frustration of the laws however just burning electrons or turning the system off seems a bit draconian. I’m at least part of the reason you added solar panels was environmental, may I suggest you just focus on that part of the reason and not undercut the production?
Edit: Oh! I just got the point they are charging you for the amount you are producing. First time I read this I missed that.
Wow, this’ll work. Have to get me a wemo since what i have are tp-link. Seeing the golf cart example that you have, it would be interesting to try and link with a sonoff fan controller so that it can turn these on or off instead.
Or I can put a WEMO in celing fan wiring somehow. But this is great ! Thanks
If you’re using a grid tie inverter connected to the panels to generate AC power and feed it into your breaker box, I suggest you replace it with this grid tie inverter that includes a built in limiter that measures the load coming in from your mains and produces only enough power for the load so that it doesn’t flow back to the grid. Im in the USA and have split phase 110v - I currently have one of these grid tie inverters (1000 watt) connected to one phase and intend on getting a second for the other phase.
Here you can see my solar production (limited) increase when the load on the house increases. Since this is only on 1 phase I won’t produce enough to zero out my consumption until I get another inverter for the other phase.
i have both wemo and tplink, this can most likely be changed for TPlink HS110 as well, I did it for wemo as after a power brup wemo defaults to off. I use these for most things and the HS110s are on my fridge and network equipment. The rest of the stuff I would prefer it to default to off so no big deal to me. Plus the wemo’s were cheaper at the time i bought them.
