Configuring automations to optimize solar energy usage can sometimes lead to unexpected results, such as consuming energy from the grid even when your automation is set to turn on a device when the grid injection is positive.
Before trying to find why you are consuming from the grid, make sure you properly set up your automation and your thresholds. Check this article for more informations : How to properly set up your solar-based automations based on grid injection and maximize your photovoltaic electricity production
Let's explore why this happens and how you can resolve it.
Potential problem: missing shutdown automation
When you set an automation to turn on a device based on positive grid injection, your intention is to use excess solar energy instead of drawing from the grid. This works well initially, as your device uses the surplus energy generated by your solar panels. However, without a corresponding shutdown automation, the device may remain on indefinitely.
As the day progresses and solar production decreases, there might not be enough solar energy to power the device. If your solar production drops below the device's consumption, your home will start drawing energy from the grid to keep the device running. This defeats the purpose of the initial automation and leads to grid energy consumption.
This is why you need to configure shutdown automations.
These automations serve as a safety measure to turn off devices when there is no grid injection, preventing unintentional additional energy consumption.
How to configure a shutdown automation
To set up your shutdown automation, you will follow the same process that you followed when creating the device's power-on automation.
1. Open the Home + Control app:
Navigate to Settings, select Automations, tap the ➕ button in the bottom right corner and choose Custom automation.
2. Set up the trigger
Select Measurement and choose the energy meter that measures your solar production.
You will then arrive on the Trigger page, select Grid injection.
Select the "under" type and choose a threshold value that indicates when grid injection is low or zero. For instance, set the threshold to 0 W to trigger the shutdown automation when no excess energy is being fed into the grid.
3. Define the actions
Choose the device(s) that were activated by the initial automation.
Set the action to turn off these devices when the grid injection falls below the threshold.
Your shutdown automation is now created. Make sure to create as many shutdown automations as you have activation automations. By following this guide and these tips, you should be able to limit unintended grid consumption effectively.
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