Ultimate Solar Wallbox

This is a great improvement to my EV charging automation. I installed a wallbox, and extended the range of charging power from 1.4-2.4 kW to 1.4-11kW. This does not seem like a complicated thing, but if you have a wallbox yourselves, you know that 3-phase wallboxes start at 4.5kW. And 1 phase wallboxes end on 3.8kW. How did I manage to get control through the whole range? Check it out!
The script: gist.github.com/bruxy70/1ca13...
00:00 - intro
00:44 - issues: controlling cars, not wallbox
01:21 - issue: unofficial API
02:29 - issue: power ranges
03:59 - EV charging types
08:25 - EV charging limits
09:48 - switching from 1phase to 2 or 3phases
12:40 - asymmetric inverter limits
13:52 - limiting the frequency of phase changes
14:41 - switching phases
15:49 - controlling charging current
16:58 - script walk-through
31:35 - script review in YAML
33:46 - sharing script
34:13 - calling script by automation - charging modes
36:18 - outro

[@Klaus-macht-Bilder_de]

Interesting project - I did a similar project on an ABL-Wallbox which needed generic RS482-communication - which made the part of "talking" to the WB more complicated. I decided to uses MQTT for the WB-Communication and Node Red for the programming part. Our EV is a VW eUP that is capable for max. 2phase charging only - so so far a switch between 2 and 3 phase charging is not covered yet. On the WB I had the same situation, that the manuals offer to install the WB either for 1 or 3 phase charging (2-phase not mentioned. I implemented an standard 3x40A relais to interrupt phase 2 & 3 and a Shelly 3EM mainly for measurement. The relais of the Shelly is used to switch between 1 and 3 phase operation (via the 40A-Relais) - so no mode where I cant disconnect all phases. Thes was not documented anywhere but at least for load free switch between the modes thsi woks fine meanwhile for 3 years. I use this chance between 1 and more phases manual only by looking at the sky and the weather conditions. For my car I found, that it stopps charcing when charging is interrupted ~ more than 10 times and an day with individual clouds all trys with and automation for that switched much too often. For the balance between car and houses battery charging I calculate a reserve value of Watts depending on the house battery SOC. Further I definded a helper for a 2nd reserve power that can be modified between -3000 and + 3000 in 250W steps.This two reserve values and the house consumption were combined to determin how much PV power is available for car charging. Big advantage of that slider is e.g. if you know that the car is uses some hours during the day the power can be adjusted to use some house battery power that can betopped up after the car left. Here a link to a German description klaus-macht-bilder.blogspot.com/2021/09/steuerung-der-abl-emh1-wallbox-mit-home.html

[@DavidTelesPortugal]

I also have a pulsar plus. I have a automation running on nodered to adjust the charging current based on the current consumption and the max power I have. I only have 6.9Kw available on my apartment and since the wallbox is on the garage a couple of floors down, I have a powerline to provide internet to the garage and then I have a Shelly EM on the main fuse box reading the consumption from the garage and the total consumption. It works well, never had the power trip due to over consumption

[@rklauco]

Interesting exercise. My solution - inverter is symetric (Fronius), charget Go-E gemini flex charger 22kW. All I need to do is generate one MQTT message - how much solar is generating and how much do I take from/return to grid. The go-e will then calculate how much it can use and set the allowed current accordingly. On go-e you can even set the "threshold" - how much grid feed-in there needs to be before it even charges at all and how much grid feed should it keep - to make sure it does not charge the car from the grid. Works fully locally, no external API dependency, etc. Absolutely recommended.

[@LittleSpot]

I'm looking for exact this solution. Is there a tutorial for this somewhere in the web or can you explain it a little bit more? How fast is the polling/switching time of the goe charger? How long does it take adapt to a new charge current?

[@PatrickFelstead]

I have a Fronius solar inverter, and the Fronius WattPilot EV charger. They communicate with each other and the WattPilot ECO mode ensures charge current (power) uses only excess solar power. Works like a charm, no Home Assistant automation or script is necessary.

[@PatrickFelstead]

The WattPolit automatically switches between 1-phase and 3-phase. It's minimum is 1.4kW.

[@jonbraathen2232]

You got the wrong EVSE. The Go-e Gemini 11/22kW changes automatically between 1 and 3 phase and you can control all parameters easily from Home Assistant 😊

[@tonyjairus]

Hi, nice work, searching for similar solution myself, what inverter do u use? And wallbox?

[@bruxy70]

I have Goodwe 10K ET+. And Wallbox Pulsar Plus.

[@_v_e_c_t_o_r_]

Why don't you use evcc?

[@DethpickleDave]

Is wallbox a generic name for an EVSE? Or do you have a Wallbox brand EVSE like the Wallbox Pulsar Plus or something?

[@bruxy70]

The integration is for the Wallbox brand. I have Pulsar Plus. There are other wallboxes you can manage, e.g. through OCPP. Some others by sending them 1-10V analog input. But the one I got has native HA support

[@DethpickleDave]

@@bruxy70 thanks! I must have missed the details on the actual unit if you said it. I also have the Pulsar Plus and am running the HA integration. I’ve also experienced it just not working sometimes. Didn’t realize it was a polling limit.

[@bruxy70]

@DethpickleDave I did not have such issue yet

[@tiagomello]

Mr White? Is that you?