Just replaced a non-smart geyser timer with a CBI timer, and I have it integrated into my home assistant.

I have automations in place in HA that will switch ON the geyser in the morning, and then off again. repeat again in the late afternoon.

I also have a Deye solar system in place (also integrated into HA) - my Geyser does not get power from the battery, so the geyser (and the time switch) dont function when its load shedding.

One BIG draw back with this design vs the manual timer. 

 

With the manual timer - when load shedding ENDs and power is restored to the timer, it will return to whatever state was intended by the time configuration

 

With the smart switch i have 3 options (ON, OFF, or REMEMBER LAST STATE)

 

I have left it on REMEMBER but the issue is that if loadshedding started when the geyser was meant to be OFF, then when loadshedding ends it will stay OFF, even though it should have triggered ON at that time

 

Interested to know how others have compensated for this

best solution i can come up with is detect when loadsheddings has ended based on grid sate going from OFF to ON, then determine if I am in an OFF or ON time period, and trigge geyser off or on. 
this just feels very clumsy, and will not be so nice to maintain. 

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by crudler

I've done something similar with my pool pump timer.

Basically, if the pump is supposed to run 14:00 to 16:00 and I've set my usual automation for that.  BUT if Load Shedding rocks up 13:00 to 14:00, it will likely never switch on.  So I've setup an alternative automation from 14:00 to 15:00 that triggers when the grid voltage exceeds 80V which will also switch on the pump.

That way, if power is off when the switch needs to trigger, the 2nd automation monitoring grid voltage will trigger it when the grid is restored.

yeah thats what I am tending towards. I think i need to read up on value templates to that I can have a single configuration for a Geyser time frames (morning, and evening)

else when i want to tweak my geyser times within the year I dont have to remember to change it in three places (triggers to switch on, off, and inside my voltage automation)

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by crudler

My Victron Integration provides a grid power entity. I use it to determine if there is loadshedding. 

Remember to cater for hysteresis. Add a time condition to your trigger.  

 

This automation is currently disabled since it pre-dates my geyserwala setup. The geyserwala simply switches to solar only during loadshedding. The geyserwala+HA setup is simply brilliant.

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by root
more info

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I have put the conditions inside the action for now. but in time id like to make it a bit neater

 

yay - it worked

 

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by crudler

I also remember someone saying that they keep setting the geyser to turn on every 15 min between the 2 times. That way if you miss the first one it will turn on again within 15min.

On 2023/11/02 at 5:48 PM, Greglsh said:

I also remember someone saying that they keep setting the geyser to turn on every 15 min between the 2 times. That way if you miss the first one it will turn on again within 15min.

You can setup some nice flows, especially when linked to node-red. 

I did something similar as you mentioned, and one a little more advanced would be the pool. I want it to run 2 hours a day, so when loadshedding approaches it stops, when it ends, and 2 hours haven't been done yet, it starts again. Also added a power rating for when the filter is full, as the power ramps down drastically. 

Same for geyser, and sprinklers