Lux ac battery controller

saxon_viking

Solarchaser said:

newbuilder said:

htsoft said:

2. I have searched and Octolux is on the right track but I'm looking for a Solar prediction integration that will change the charge times for my current 9.6kWh of batteries. Does anyone know of any please? I want it to be able to run itself once it's commissioned.

UPDATE: After much more searching I found out that Chris who wrote Octolux has made new software called lxp-bridge https://github.com/celsworth/lxp-bridge

A big +1 for Chris and his lxp-bridge: I started running it a few days ago (using the data in node-red to change AC charge level based on next day's forecast) and it does its job perfectly. Chris was very helpful setting it up when I had some issues with the install and contacted him.

I would love to know where to start in this.

Agreed.
I would imagine a few of the users here could construct something they could sell to us, so that the idiots amongst us (me) don't have to learn python etc.

I really fancy something like this


But with my own selections

I like that - very slick, That's pretty much what I want

saxon_viking

htsoft said:

newbuilder said:

htsoft said:

2. I have searched and Octolux is on the right track but I'm looking for a Solar prediction integration that will change the charge times for my current 9.6kWh of batteries. Does anyone know of any please? I want it to be able to run itself once it's commissioned.

UPDATE: After much more searching I found out that Chris who wrote Octolux has made new software called lxp-bridge https://github.com/celsworth/lxp-bridge

A big +1 for Chris and his lxp-bridge: I started running it a few days ago (using the data in node-red to change AC charge level based on next day's forecast) and it does its job perfectly. Chris was very helpful setting it up when I had some issues with the install and contacted him.

I would love to know where to start in this.

I am running it on a raspberry Pi which is on 24/7 anyway, doing all the smart stuff of my house. Installing & config should be easy, following the steps on github.
Once it's running it is really easy if you are familiar with MQTT, it creates some channels you can subscribe to and get all the info from the inverter, plus you can send command back to it to change parameters as you wish.
I was already running MQTT server and node-red on the raspberry pi, so it was done in a few minutes. Now just testing 2 different sources for the solar forecast to see which one is more reliable & closer to the real figures. 

I'm still learning. I've got a proxmox server running 6 dockers and 2 raspberry pi's. The proxmox setup was easy. The docker setup not so easy. That lot was a learning curve, but it's totally trustworthy now. Runs on an old thin client that cost me £24 from ebay.

I'm glad that Chris is helpful, I'll most definitely need it.

My plan is to have a smart house so that MQTT or IFTT can run it all with preset conditions, but I need to learn that as well, but hey, I need a challenge! Most people seem to think "Siri" or "Alexa" is a smart house, but all that is is a voice operated remote control, which is not what I want. I don't want to be tied to 3rd party cloud providers. I want to use HA

I want to be able to turn on or off plug sockets / devices based on solar predictions and real world conditions so that when I'm away my wife doesn't have to interact with it [her orders ;-) ]

QrizB

There's an interesting thread from @Elevenses over on the main "Energy" board where they have had a Lux and a pair of Pylontechs fitted so they can time-shift E7:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6348424/economy-7-battery-storage
I've posted a link to this thread, maybe we'll see Elevenses here

Elevenses

TaDaaaa! 🥳

Elevenses

Yup, new system 9 days old, does almost everything I expected. 

38kWh used in 9 days, saving 18p per unit, equating to Just under £280 a year saving from a £3400 cost. 

It runs the whole apartment for 17 hours, usually between 10% and 25% remaining. 

Batteries should do 20 years at that rate. (6000 cycles)

madswitcher

Hi All,

I have tried using the Lux App on my iPad and also using the web interface of the Lux server.  They appear to show different data which at some points can be an almost 2:1 ratio. 

What do people take as being the definitive version of the data and graphs?

mickyduck55

The web interface updates more frequently than the App so it’s more accurate at tine of view 

Solarchaser

Yeah web interface is quicker updating as Micky says, app is slower to update

saxon_viking

htsoft said:

newbuilder said:

htsoft said:

2. I have searched and Octolux is on the right track but I'm looking for a Solar prediction integration that will change the charge times for my current 9.6kWh of batteries. Does anyone know of any please? I want it to be able to run itself once it's commissioned.

UPDATE: After much more searching I found out that Chris who wrote Octolux has made new software called lxp-bridge https://github.com/celsworth/lxp-bridge

A big +1 for Chris and his lxp-bridge: I started running it a few days ago (using the data in node-red to change AC charge level based on next day's forecast) and it does its job perfectly. Chris was very helpful setting it up when I had some issues with the install and contacted him.

I would love to know where to start in this.

I am running it on a raspberry Pi which is on 24/7 anyway, doing all the smart stuff of my house. Installing & config should be easy, following the steps on github.
Once it's running it is really easy if you are familiar with MQTT, it creates some channels you can subscribe to and get all the info from the inverter, plus you can send command back to it to change parameters as you wish.
I was already running MQTT server and node-red on the raspberry pi, so it was done in a few minutes. Now just testing 2 different sources for the solar forecast to see which one is more reliable & closer to the real figures. 

htsoft I got lost at "if you are familiar with MQTT...." and what easy steps on git hub? I'm completely lost, not for lack of trying to understand it, that's for sure.

I've got my dockers for MQTT, home assistant and lxp-bridge up and running. I just have no idea where to go next. I've managed to get basic stuff done in HA but I'm getting lost. How does something that looks so easy be so hard to do?

I would really appreciate a hand hold to get the solar forecast to control the charge times on my batteries. I'm sure it would help others too.

I'll buy the beers :-D

saxon_viking

I'm currently going with Home Assistant, htsoft has helped me (Thanks mate) as well as getting help from another member of the Home Assistant forum, on this work in progress. This as far as I have currently got with home assistant. This is the daily energy use and production.

I'm using docker images but I might need to go to a dedicated pc install as there seems to be a limitation with the docker images. The bits I need to incorporate to automatically control the charge or not programme of the lux power inverters don't seem to work with the docker version that I'm using. So once I've worked that out then I should be on the right track. But every day is a school day!

The reason for the two lines and two colours under solar production is because I have 2 strings of solar panels going into one inverter.

This is my "current status" screen, which is what I want to put on tablet on the wall. Ideally what I'm aiming for is that when the system imports mains during the peak hours that the dashboard glows red or turns red, I'll see what looks bests when I get there.