Hi all

I am considering getting a Sonoff loadshedding detector as per link and wondering if it will be able to work in my case.

I have 2 loads that I run through my inverter (Geyser and pool pump), but only wish to run them when Eskom power is available to ensure that PV is used as much as possible and any shortages come from Eskom power and not the battery. If loadshedding happens during a timeframe one of the loads is active, the loadshedding detector needs to switch off these loads. If Eskom returns, it should activate the load if it is within its active timeframe, with a 5 or 10min delay. Obviously because the loads are connected via the Inverter, their individual timers see AC power as always available.

Will the Detector be able to do this? Hopefully @Sonoff Africa will be able to shed some light

Edited September 1, 20232 yr by sjp100
Added info

I believe so, I assume the geyser and pool pump are on sonoff timers?

 

If so, then you create a scene that when the loadshedder detects that there is no grid it turns the sonoff switches for the pool & geyser are off.

Although the tricky part is getting the scene to turn the geyser & pool pump on only within a certain time frame (I assume when there is sun out and at night it should remain off)?

25 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

I believe so, I assume the geyser and pool pump are on sonoff timers?

 

If so, then you create a scene that when the loadshedder detects that there is no grid it turns the sonoff switches for the pool & geyser are off.

Although the tricky part is getting the scene to turn the geyser & pool pump on only within a certain time frame (I assume when there is sun out and at night it should remain off)?

The pool pump is a sonoff timer. Geyser is a red pole energy timer. Both work via eWelink.

I will add the timeframes I wish them to be on or off, but obviously I don't want to change them with every stage of loadshedding. This will also solve the cases that loadshedding is skipped/suddenly changed or if there are random power outages.

3 minutes ago, sjp100 said:

The pool pump is a sonoff timer. Geyser is a red pole energy timer. Both work via eWelink.

I will add the timeframes I wish them to be on or off, but obviously I don't want to change them with every stage of loadshedding. This will also solve the cases that loadshedding is skipped/suddenly changed or if there are random power outages.

Do you have any desire to look into using something like Home Assistant? This might make it easier to get what you want.

Although an additional cost for a Raspberry Pi and then a bit of work to get it setup.

 

The only way I can think of getting it to be on when you want it and off when you don't with eWeLink only is to set multiple "off" schedules at various intervals. That way if there is loadshedding at night and the power comes back at say 10.30pm, the scene will be triggered to turn the pool pump & geyser on but then let's say every 15 minutes you have a schedule running to turn them off.

 

Something like this, but you keep adding them throughout the time you you do not want the pool pump & geyser to be running. That way, worst case, it will run for a maximum of 15 minutes only.

 

There may be a better way to do it (I hope there is), but I cannot think of how at the moment with eWeLink alone.

Home Assistant automations really are the best for this type of thing as you can put so much more intelligence into them.

You could set it to only turn the pool and geyser off if you are not making solar power and it is going to flatten the battery as an example, so if the sun is shining why not heat the geyser up, even if the grid is off.

Once you get your inverter connected to Home Assistant there are a host of other things you can do. 

Only turn the pool pump on if there is good solar power forecast for the day etc.

https://www.youtube.com/@SolarIntegrations

+1 For HA combined with node-red.
I used an R3 mini to run from the grid, but not provide anything, secondary, I use the ESP integration to predict loadsheddings. 

Whilst the R3 works great, there is a 3-5min delay when it loses power, but better than nothing when there is outages outside of loadshedding.

The same way around. When loadshedding ends in 15mins (ESP), and the R3 has power, normal operations resume. 

 

From what I remember, the loadshedder works the same, so there might be that delay as well 

8 hours ago, Pho3niX90 said:

+1 For HA combined with node-red.
I used an R3 mini to run from the grid, but not provide anything, secondary, I use the ESP integration to predict loadsheddings. 

Whilst the R3 works great, there is a 3-5min delay when it loses power, but better than nothing when there is outages outside of loadshedding.

The same way around. When loadshedding ends in 15mins (ESP), and the R3 has power, normal operations resume. 

 

From what I remember, the loadshedder works the same, so there might be that delay as well 

I wonder why the R3 takes so long to find your wifi. My Sonoff basic takes less than 20 sec. Further having a always on setting I find it switches on the moment it gets power after LS even before it connected to the WiFi. 

13 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

I wonder why the R3 takes so long to find your wifi. My Sonoff basic takes less than 20 sec. Further having a always on setting I find it switches on the moment it gets power after LS even before it connected to the WiFi. 

It's the other way around. Finding the wifi isn't an issue, as property is covered with Unifi AX 6LR's. 

The problem is disconnecting, and it's probably because it keeps power a bit after it's gone, since it's in an idle state (barely using power itself). Then, sonoff has a built in retry mechanism when a device goes offline. 

The way of detecting if there is truly grid is the cheapest method, and I had an extra mini.

The way I see it, if you are going to be using Home Assistant then provided you are able to, I'd say integrate your inverter(s) into Home Assistant and use the grid voltage or status to tell you when there is no grid and then trigger changes like that.

That is what I have done and it works well with lxp-bridge and the Luxpowers and my friend has done it with his Sunsynk inverter and Home Assistant as well.

Node Red provides a looot of customization and functionality in terms of what should happen when and how etc. However if you are not much of a coder you may struggle a bit, I do although have a friend who has been helping me a bit with the Node Red side of things.

Hi

On 2023/09/01 at 2:53 PM, sjp100 said:

Hi all

I am considering getting a Sonoff loadshedding detector as per link and wondering if it will be able to work in my case.

I have 2 loads that I run through my inverter (Geyser and pool pump), but only wish to run them when Eskom power is available to ensure that PV is used as much as possible and any shortages come from Eskom power and not the battery. If loadshedding happens during a timeframe one of the loads is active, the loadshedding detector needs to switch off these loads. If Eskom returns, it should activate the load if it is within its active timeframe, with a 5 or 10min delay. Obviously because the loads are connected via the Inverter, their individual timers see AC power as always available.

Will the Detector be able to do this? Hopefully @Sonoff Africa will be able to shed some light

Hi

Hope you are well, The LoadShedder bundle will defiantly do it with the standard eWelink scenes. There is new options available in eWelink and Sonoff New iHost (Local) for day time and night time scenes which are linked to Sunrise and Sunset with offsets and delays.

HA defiantly has more options and more customizations. We outsource all the HA work.

Aleks

Sonoff Africa