Hey everyone! I’ve been working on a project to integrate my solar energy system with my home’s water heating system, and I wanted to share my experience and some lessons learned. This project has been a great way to reduce my energy consumption and make use of the abundant solar power we receive here.
First, let me give you an overview of my setup. I have a photovoltaic (PV) system installed on my roof, which is connected to a battery storage system. The battery not only stores excess energy during the day but also powers my home at night. Additionally, I have a smart water heating system that uses a Modbus-based water tank. The goal was to automate the process of using excess solar energy to heat water when possible.
I’ve written a rule in OpenHAB that triggers when the battery is nearly full (around 95%) and there’s excess PV generation of at least 2000W for 15 minutes. When this happens, the system increases the water temperature from 48°C to 55°C and boosts it to 70°C. The system then monitors the energy consumption, and if it exceeds the PV generation for three minutes, it reverts the water temperature back to the default settings.
The code I’ve written is functional, but I’m always looking for ways to improve it. For instance, I’d love to implement a more efficient monitoring system that could predict energy usage patterns and adjust the water heating accordingly. If anyone has suggestions or improvements, I’d be thrilled to hear them!
This project has been incredibly rewarding. It’s not only helped me save on energy costs but has also given me a deeper appreciation for how solar energy can be integrated into daily home operations. I’m excited to see how this system evolves over time and how I can further optimize it.
If anyone else has similar projects or tips on integrating renewable energy sources with smart home systems, I’d love to hear about them! Let’s keep the conversation going and share our experiences!
Best regards,
Marcel