Includes a Python package soliscontrol which has modules for controlling a Solis inverter using the Solis Cloud API. This can be used to view key inverter parameters and to set daily charge times (within a cheap rate period) or discharge times (within a peak rate period). It will also check that times are synchronised with the inverter and that charge currents do not exceed the configured maxima.
The project also includes solis_flux_times a Pyscript Home Assistant app for use with energy suppliers that offer a cheap rate charging period and a peak rate discharging period such as the Octopus Flux tariff (for details see below).
Note this project is based on the Solis API docs for
monitoring
and control
and on solis_control which
has the practical details for constructing requests to the Solis API.
You should access the Solis Cloud API by following these
instructions.
Based on the values returned you will need to create a secrets.yaml - replace xxxx in the following example:
key_id: "xxxx"
key_secret: "xxxx"
user_name: "xxxx"
password: "xxxx"
station_id: "xxxx"On your inverter you will also need to enable Self Use mode and set Time of Use: Optimal Income to Run - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1A80cSOrhA
Put your secrets.yaml in the soliscontrol folder then edit main.yaml to suit - an example as follows:
battery_capacity: 7.1 # in kWh - nominal stored energy of battery at 100% SOC (eg 2 * Pylontech US3000C with Nominal Capacity of 3.55 kWh each)
battery_max_current: 74 # in amps (eg 2 * Pylontech US3000C with spec Recommend Charge Current of 37A each)
# Also see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1A80cSOrhA to view battery Dis/Charging Current Limits
inverter_max_current: 62.5 # in amps - see inverter datasheet specs for 'Max. charge / discharge current' (eg 62.5A or 100A)
random_start: true # charging/discharging starts at a random point within the periods below (if false takes place at the start of the period)
charge_period: # morning cheap period when energy can be imported from the grid at low rates
start: "02:05"
end: "04:55"
current: 50 # charge current setting in amps
discharge_period: # evening peak period when energy can be exported to the grid at high rates
start: "16:05"
end: "18:55"
current: 50 # discharge current setting in amps
#api_url: = 'https://www.soliscloud.com:13333' # defaultUse the solis_control_req_mod.py module. The other modules in the package
(solis_control_req_class.py, solis_control_async_mod.py, solis_control_async_class.py)
are experimental. You should save your secrets.yaml in the same folder.
To get help:
python solis_control_req_mod.py -h
To get inverter status information:
python solis_control_req_mod.py
To set inverter charge and discharge times to one hour per day:
python solis_control_req_mod.py 60 60
The pyscript app sets inverter charge (and discharge) times daily just before the start of the
cheap and peak rate periods (it runs a defined number of
minutes (_cronbefore) these periods).
Each charge or discharge episode is restricted to within the appropriate period
but its duration takes into account the solar forecast and the
current battery charge level. You can use the _randomstart setting to choose whether
charge/discharge takes place immediately or at a random point within the period.
You should work out the following values depending on your household usage:
_morningrequirement is the target energy 'reserve' you want to have in place after your morning cheap rate. The 'reserve' consists of the predicted solar yield for the rest of the day and the battery energy stored after charging. Set this to zero if you don't want any charging to take place or to a negative number if you don't want to take any action (for example if you have an existing charging schedule that you want to preserve)
_eveningrequirement is the target energy 'reserve' you want to have in place after your evening peak rate. The 'reserve' consists of the predicted solar yield for the rest of the day and the battery energy remaining after discharging. Set this to zero if you don't want any discharging to take place or to a negative number if you don't want to take any action (for example if you have an existing discharging schedule that you want to preserve).
You should also monitor the accuracy of solar forecast values for your home (they can be adjusted using the _forecastuplift multiplication factor in the configuration below).
First install a solar forecast integration either Forecast.Solar or
Solcast (which I have found to be more accurate).
Next install Pyscript. Now copy solis_flux_times.py to the pyscript apps folder
and copy solis_common.py and solis_control_req_mod.py to the pyscript modules folder (and if necessary solis_s3_logger.py see below).
Configuration is via the pyscript config.yaml - an example as follows:
allow_all_imports: true
hass_is_global: false
apps:
solis_flux_times:
forecast_remaining: 'solcast_pv_forecast_forecast_remaining_today' # entity id of Solcast remaining energy today (kWh) - in 'sensor' domain
# forecast_remaining: 'energy_production_today_remaining' # alternative entity id of Forecast.Solar remaining energy today (kWh) - in 'sensor' domain
morning_requirement: 12.0 # ideal target kWh level for rest of the day (solar predicted + battery reserve) at morning charge period
# zero means morning charging will be actively turned off each day (a negative number will disable any action in the morning)
# can also be the id of an entity which defines this value eg a helper = 'input_number.morning_reserve'
evening_requirement: 5.0 # ideal target kWh level for rest of the day (solar predicted + battery reserve) at evening discharge period
# zero means evening discharging will be actively turned off each day (a negative number will disable any action in the evening)
# can also be the id of an entity which defines this value eg a helper = 'input_number.evening_reserve'
cron_before: 20 # minutes before start of periods below to set charging/discharging times
forecast_uplift: 1.0 # multiplication factor for forecast values if they prove to be pessimistic or optimistic
solis_control:
key_secret: !secret solis_key_secret
key_id: !secret solis_key_id
user_name: !secret solis_user_name
password: !secret solis_password
station_id: !secret solis_station_id
#api_url: = 'https://www.soliscloud.com:13333' # default
battery_capacity: 7.1 # in kWh - nominal stored energy of battery at 100% SOC (eg 2 * Pylontech US3000C with Nominal Capacity of 3.55 kWh each)
battery_max_current: 74 # in amps (eg 2 * Pylontech US3000C with Recommend Charge Current of 37A each)
# Also see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1A80cSOrhA to view battery Dis/Charging Current Limits
inverter_max_current: 62.5 # in amps - see inverter datasheet specs for 'Max. charge / discharge current' (eg 62.5A or 100A)
random_start: true # charging/discharging starts at a random point within the periods below (if false takes place at the start of the period)
charge_period: # Cheap period when energy can be imported from the grid at low rates
start: "02:05"
end: "04:55"
current: 50 # charge current setting in amps
discharge_period: # Peak period when energy can be exported to the grid at high rates
start: "16:05"
end: "18:55"
current: 50 # discharge current setting in amps
#Uncomment these lines if you have an S3 data logger that occasionally disconnects - checks access and if necessart restarts the logger
#s3_username: !secret solis_s3_username
#s3_password: !secret solis_s3_password
#s3_ip: !secret solis_s3_ipBased on the settings above you will need to add the following lines to the pyscript secrets.yaml replacing xxxx:
solis_key_id: "xxxx"
solis_key_secret: "xxxx"
solis_user_name: "xxxx"
solis_password: "xxxx"
solis_station_id: "xxxx"
#solis_s3_username: "xxxx" # see above
#solis_s3_password: "xxxx" # see above
#secret solis_s3_ip: "xxxx" # see aboveLook in the logs for entries tagged _solis_fluxtimes. In the example the charge times will be set _cronbefore ie 20 mins before the start of the morning cheap rate period at 01:45 and the discharge times will be set _cronbefore ie 20 mins before the start of the peak evening rate period at 15:45.
There is also a _testsolis pyscript service which allows you to test different settings and view the results in the log (without taking any action).