Good day @Sc00bs 

I would like to know if it's possible to integrate CBI smart Astute breakers in with home assistant. 

i have a client that has 7 of them (switching all the geysers and underfloor heating when the sun is out) the load is killing the batteries when loadshedding hits, if I don't monitor it regularly to switch on and off the batteries doesn't last 

i saw your video on integrating loadshedding onto home assistant which is very cool! Is it possible to great rules when loadshedding hits the smart breakers should turn off?

I'm super new in all of this. I haven't even started with home assistant, but it's my next task soon. 

thanks for all your info and videos! Helping a lot!

Yes - Home Assistant can integrate with the CBI switches. The switches are based on the Tuya platform and can use the normal Tuya integration or the Local Tuya integration. 

 

You would also need to ensure that the Inverter information is coming into HA - this is specific to the inverter type and there are integrations for most that can do this. An easy way to get inverter information in (inverter agnostic) is to use Solar Assistant which requires additional hardware (Raspberry Pi + cables)

This is an example automation i used when i only had 1x5kw inverter that switched off the geyser (on CBI devices) if the load got above 5600w

alias: Max Safe Load
description: ""
trigger:
  - type: power
    platform: device
    device_id: 117ead9d18839
    entity_id: sensor.load_power
    domain: sensor
    above: 5600
    for:
      hours: 0
      minutes: 5
      seconds: 0
condition:
  - condition: device
    type: is_on
    device_id: f58645638cce2
    entity_id: switch.geyser_switch_1
    domain: switch
action:
  - type: turn_off
    device_id: f58645638cce28e
    entity_id: switch.geyser_switch_1
    domain: switch
  - service: notify.mobile_app
    data:
      message: Max safe load reached - Geyser off
  - service: notify.mobile_app
    data:
      message: Max safe load reached - Geyser off
mode: single

 

Edited June 12, 20233 yr by mzezman
added code

Thanks for the reply @mzezman! Much appreciated! I was searching for CBI but couldn't find it. Now i know where to look. Thanks for the code. I see you mentioned raspberry pi. Would you recommend me using the ESP32 instead? 

Another question sorry like i said i don't have any experience yet.

Can i put a small pc/laptop by my client and then set up home assistant on there?

7 minutes ago, Scabanshi said:

Can i put a small pc/laptop by my client and then set up home assistant on there?

This would be ideal, you will struggle to find a raspberry pi, they have been sold out for years and all stock disappears as soon as it gets listed for sale. Old laptop/pc will be perfect for HA (you only need 2GB of Ram)

 

7 minutes ago, Scabanshi said:

Would you recommend me using the ESP32 instead? 

The Esp32 is a microcontroller (microchip) that is wired and programmed via flashing firmware to talk to the inverter directly and then send those messages to home assistant, it plugs into your inverter on the RS485 port and sends the decoded messages via WIFI to home assistant.

You could also use a RS485 to USB cable, connect it to the inverter & home assistant PC and achieve the same result

Edited June 12, 20233 yr by iiznh

24 minutes ago, iiznh said:

This would be ideal, you will struggle to find a raspberry pi, they have been sold out for years and all stock disappears as soon as it gets listed for sale. Old laptop/pc will be perfect for HA (you only need 2GB of Ram)

 

The Esp32 is a microcontroller (microchip) that is wired and programmed via flashing firmware to talk to the inverter directly and then send those messages to home assistant, it plugs into your inverter on the RS485 port and sends the decoded messages via WIFI to home assistant.

You could also use a RS485 to USB cable, connect it to the inverter & home assistant PC and achieve the same result

This is good advice ^

I only mentioned a Pi as that's what I use for Solar Assistant (and what i am familiar with) - but others have used an ESP device with great success.

I am running my HA instance in a container on my server but you can also run it in a VM - its about what you have available and what you are comfortable with in terms of config etc.

@Scabanshi Where are you located? If in PTA, I can show you what I have done with my setup.

 

Thanks all for the info. I do have a spare laptop that I'm going to connect up. I'll order the ESP32 and try my best. 

@McGuywerI am based in Midrand so i can definitely make plan to come through. It will be much appreciated. 

I am asking since I do not want you to order something that you will not use.
What is the inverter?

I suggest, setup Home Assistant, connect CBI's to HA using https://github.com/rospogrigio/localtuya

Then you add the inverter, then setup automations.

16kw Deye inverter.

So i should setup the CBIs first?

I'm sure it will be beneficial to buy the ESP32?

53 minutes ago, Scabanshi said:

Thanks all for the info. I do have a spare laptop that I'm going to connect up. I'll order the ESP32 and try my best. 

@McGuywerI am based in Midrand so i can definitely make plan to come through. It will be much appreciated. 

I am in Midrand as well @Scabanshi if you need a hand 🙂 

 Check out my video where I do an integration with a Sonoff Geyser Switch, works the same way you just need to connect the CBI switches using the Tuyalocal integration as mentioned by @McGuywer

 

 

10 minutes ago, Scabanshi said:

16kw Deye inverter.

So i should setup the CBIs first?

I'm sure it will be beneficial to buy the ESP32?

Does not matter in which order you setup the devices in HA.

First get HA installed, also give yourself remote access to HA.

Check on this forum how to add the Deye to HA. I have not done that but search the forum, it has been done multiple times.

I hope the client understands the value you add....

1 hour ago, McGuywer said:

Does not matter in which order you setup the devices in HA.

First get HA installed, also give yourself remote access to HA.

Check on this forum how to add the Deye to HA. I have not done that but search the forum, it has been done multiple times.

I hope the client understands the value you add....

 

I will definitely look at it. Thanks for the help so far.

I hope so too. Yes it's basically my first solar project. It's my CEO's house. We only do solar internally for the company, so I don't have a lot of experience and I'm trying to learn more about everything. They pull heavy loads with the underfloor heating (i know it's not advisable, but with the 11+kw of solar they get they generate can easily run it during the day. Problem is when loadshedding kicks in and the load does on the batteries. So my main focus is to get the loadshedding and breakers to work together.)

thanks again. I'll update you.

1 hour ago, Sc00bs said:

 Check out my video where I do an integration with a Sonoff Geyser Switch, works the same way you just need to connect the CBI switches using the Tuyalocal integration as mentioned by @McGuywer

 

 

Thanks @Sc00bs. Your videos is helping a lot!

Can i setup HA without being on site? I tried making the IP static as you explained in your video. But for some reason the Dlink router didn't show the IP addresses. 

3 hours ago, Scabanshi said:

Thanks @Sc00bs. Your videos is helping a lot!

Can i setup HA without being on site? I tried making the IP static as you explained in your video. But for some reason the Dlink router didn't show the IP addresses. 

You should be able to... How are you remoting into the LAN? 

5 minutes ago, mzezman said:

You should be able to... How are you remoting into the LAN? 

Sorry I'm not understanding..

I do have the inverter on solarman business

Just now, Scabanshi said:

Sorry I'm not understanding..

I do have the inverter on solarman business

Oh sorry I was responding to the question of installing Home Assistant when not on site. The Home Assistant needs to be on the same network as the Inverter 

8 minutes ago, mzezman said:

You should be able to... How are you remoting into the LAN? 

You need to set up a port forward to the static internal IP on your router.

Ok makes sense. Thanks again. Will hopefully be on site on Friday to try it out.

Just now, Douw G. Gerber said:

You need to set up a port forward to the static internal IP on your router.

Ok I'm sure my IT can assist me. I'm not clued up with that. Hope i come right

Just now, Douw G. Gerber said:

You need to set up a port forward to the static internal IP on your router.

I'm always wary of port forwarding. Also look into something like Wireguard or Tailscale VPN

Just now, mzezman said:

I'm always wary of port forwarding. Also look into something like Wireguard or Tailscale VPN

Ok thanks for the heads up. Will look at getting a VPN

+1 Install Tailscale, no forwarding or complex setups. I am currently testing ESP32 modules at friends' houses that I will be selling soon. It simply works by adding the tailscale plugin and adding it to my tailscale network

Edited June 12, 20233 yr by iiznh

49 minutes ago, iiznh said:

+1 Install Tailscale, no forwarding or complex setups. I am currently testing ESP32 modules at friends' houses that I will be selling soon. It simply works by adding the tailscale plugin and adding it to my tailscale network

Ok awesome. Would you please keep me in the loop when you are selling them.

Thanks

 

@Scabanshi You can also subscribe to the Home Assistant cloud which allows you to remotely manage the Home Assistant box without having to worry about VPN's etc.  It is an official Home Assistant service. 

https://www.home-assistant.io/cloud/

https://www.nabucasa.com/