Temperature "-100 °C"

[dewi-ny-je]

In https://github.com/ksheumaker/homeassistant-apsystems_ecur/blob/69b808cb2997c68a3c395c9fb580c6f16f9e27be/custom_components/apsystems_ecur/APSystemsSocket.py#L322

the temperature is calculated as offset by 100, since the ECU sends data with 0 = -100 °C up to 255 = 155 °C.

As result, when no data is available because the panel is offline, the HA and Grafana graphs are nonsense:

The component should filter out values of "-100 °C", so that HA and Grafana will omit the measurement point, which is what is right, since... the panel is offline! why a fake value?

I'm not sure how to replace a number by "unavailable" or how to avoid adding that measurement point altogether. Maybe replacing:

inv["temperature"] = self.aps_int(data, location) - 100

by:

if self.aps_int(data, location) > 0:
  inv["temperature"] = self.aps_int(data, location) - 100

but I don't know python, I just looked up "python if then else".

[HAEdwin]

I currently use https://github.com/HAEdwin/homeassistant-apsystems_ecur/blob/main/custom_components/apsystems_ecur/APSystemsSocket.py and get zero values when the inverter is offline. This keeps the temperature graph somewhat inbound. You can imagine that replacing a nummeric value for a text value for graphs won't work.

Edit: I was looking to the graph based on the Gauge which has a minimum value defined hence the zero values.

[dewi-ny-je]

No it wouldn't work but then the value should be omitted entirely, since that's what actually happens: the panels are offline and no value is reported by the inverters (which are powered by the panels).

In winter 0°C is a perfectly reasonable value for daily operation of the panels.

[HAEdwin]

Would you rather have it produce the graph like the red line is showing? I think, if the value is ommited entirely, the sensor produces an invalid data statement from within Home Assistant since the value is not being updated anymore. Option is to keep the latest value and jump to the new value when the inverter goes online but I don't think that is a neat solution. Just go to zero like all values is the best solution imho.

[dewi-ny-je]

I'm not at home but I can tell you that when data is missing home assistant simply omits the line, it doesn't connect the latest value with the newest one. It may also depend whether the previous value has an expiration or is set to be maintained until a new one arrives?

[12christiaan]

I confirm the same problem. during night the temperture drops to -100. this should not happen.

[dewi-ny-je]

This sensor has connection issues (TCP modbus) and clearly has holes in the graph where data is missing or errors are returned.

I know from ESPhome that sensors can be made to expire: https://esphome.io/components/sensor/index.html

But I searched the HA docs and I found nothing.

[dewi-ny-je]

https://community.home-assistant.io/t/is-it-possible-to-mark-a-sensor-as-unavailable/448865/3

How to make the sensor "unavailable" is beyond my capabilities, but it is possible and it is IMHO the correct choice whenever theECU provides "0" as temperature.

[HAEdwin]

The inverter temperature sensor is made unavailable by making it None if the inverter is offline. This results in a non-numeric value for users who use gauges to display the inverter temperature (like I do). To bypass the non-numeric state you have to create a value template in configuration.yaml like this example:

sensor:
  - platform: template
    sensors:
      temperature_non_numeric_806000111111:
        value_template: "{{ states('sensor.inverter_806000111111_temperature')|float(0) }}"
        unit_of_measurement: "°C"

The gauge on this sensor now shows 0 when the inverter is offline and state is non-numeric

None represents a non-fictitious value and does eventually create gaps in the graph but that is only the case when state becomes a value again. Meanwhile a gap is shown in the graph. 0 in the gauge represents a fictitious temperature.

[HAEdwin]

@dewi-ny-je and @12christiaan: Did the update https://github.com/HAEdwin/homeassistant-apsystems_ecur/commit/a8867f2787680f24880f04d24049833a6a152d76 solve your issue?

[12christiaan]

No, the update did not solve the problem. i think the unit is still online, while the value is already dropping to -100

[HAEdwin]

Noticed the issue due to unexpected behavior :) will look into it.

[12christiaan]

perhaps check if "frequency" > 0 than update "temperature" else "temperature" = none?

[HAEdwin]

creative idea, I'm going to find out why the online parameter is apparently not correct.

[12christiaan]

I like to help, but am new to HASS. i have started a TCPdump, so we will see tonight what happens on the communication flow. at least we can see what the system send, etc.

[HAEdwin]

Error was in the boolean evaluation, data was right. Solved it and evaluating... https://github.com/HAEdwin/homeassistant-apsystems_ecur/commit/35b9372df6f7b5bdf73a802801a72f986cb6abc4

[12christiaan]

i apply the change to my local script. let's see tonight what happens

[HAEdwin]

As expected, the "None" value produces a flat line until the value is no longer "None" and will then create a gap in the graph data. Here the temperature graph remains at 24 degrees Celsius and after the inverter went online it leaves a gap.

[dewi-ny-je]

When saving data to an external database such as Influxdb having a gap may be the intended behaviour. Using 0 as gap filling may well mean that in winter there is overlap between fake and valid data, in some locations (corner case I would say... it's uncommon). I would prefer the flat line which becomes a gap as soon as a new valid datum arrives,but other users may have other priorities.

[HAEdwin]

I get it but this does leave a challenge for those who use a gauge to indicate the temperature. To accommodate non-numeric values ​​in the gauge, None must be replaced by 0.

I'm struggling with a template myself but can't figure it out. value_template: "{{ 0 if states('sensor.inverter_806000011111_temperature') == none }} does not work

So I asked the community for help. It's a jinja thing :)

[dewi-ny-je]

Can you have an option in the settings? Besides IP address and polling time.

"When offline, report inverter temperature as: (leave blank for not reporting values, which may cause troubles with gauges)" Then a field with 0 as default.

[HAEdwin]

I also thought of that solution, but it can also be concluded with a clear comment that a value template must be used (https://github.com/ksheumaker/homeassistant-apsystems_ecur/issues/86#issuecomment-1213542652). I was already given a solution that works. As a result, the gauge then represents a fictitious temperature so it's better to keep the default None. I modified it in the repository. https://github.com/ksheumaker/homeassistant-apsystems_ecur/pull/84/commits/17d6fc086142d323f93da2079f8f9018d2bf038e

[HAEdwin]

Guess this issue can be closed? I asked @ksheumaker if he got some spare time left to do a merge of the pull requests so that we're more up to date.

[12christiaan]

i confirm the 0 is fine for me (100 times better than -100 :-) ) also here the change is working fine.