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nickdb asked

Node Red - Eskom se Push integration for load shedding

Attached are two flows required to integrate ESP into node red for those that want to get load shedding forecasts and then use this data to automate behaviour in response to outages.

I have not got far enough to create a flow for auto-charging/topup yet, but will get there.

You will need to sign up for an API key at: https://eskomsepush.gumroad.com/l/api?layout=profile.

This is put into the "set header to token value" node.

You will also, using postman and the instructions available at ESP or online, find your region code URL and put that into the "check forecast status node".

Thanks to Phil Gavin for the ESP flow which I have modified.

The Load shedding flow will put the following on a dashboard.


screenshot-2023-04-14-at-133739.png

You can then use the various outputs to develop whichever behaviour you require in order to automate for load shedding.

I will post mine once available.

I am sure there are more efficient ways of doing this for those more experienced, but it works.


Node-RED
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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

flow-esp.zip

flow-LS.zip

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myvicrocks avatar image myvicrocks nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Ahhh @nickdb thats boss!!! - I dont have nodered on my Cerbo yet... the UI nodes in the flow is that the Victron nodes from the large image?
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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ myvicrocks commented ·
Several additional nodes will need to be added, such as moment, the ui (dashboard) nodes etc. I will compile a list.
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4 Answers
Dirk-Jan Faber (Victron Energy) avatar image
Dirk-Jan Faber (Victron Energy) answered ·

I had not seen this post before, and I made https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-eskomsepush to easily connect the EskomSePush load-shedding API with setting the MinSOC.

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Thanks. Somewhat more sophisticated than mine.
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andybrink avatar image andybrink commented ·
Hi Dirk-Jan,

there seems to be an issue with the node when there is no loadshedding which causes the query credits to be consumed too fast. Is there any chance that you have a look into this?

Thanks a lot!

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ andybrink commented ·
Have you checked you are on the latest version of the node?
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andybrink avatar image andybrink nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

I recently updated to the latest version of the node (Version: 0.0.12) but it still seems to have the same issue.

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Dirk-Jan Faber (Victron Energy) avatar image Dirk-Jan Faber (Victron Energy) ♦ andybrink commented ·

If you check "Verbose: add extra logging when running", you might get some extra info that can help debug the cause in the debug tab.

Simple things to check:
- make sure that your GX device is set to the correct timezone
- make sure that the key is only used once

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andybrink avatar image
andybrink answered ·

Hi all,

as anyone experienced issues with the ESP API in the past 3 days? I understood that there were various issues with the Victron backend.

I am using the Node developed by Dirk-Jan (link above) but it seems that the quota is consumed already and I could not trace back why.

Thank you for any hints!

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
If you search it uses a lot of your available queries.

Haven't seen any myself and the node is independent of VRM so that shouldn't affect anything.

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ludwigo avatar image ludwigo nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

Hi, it seems that when loadshedding is suspended it does not see a result that can interpret and then retries until all your credits are used. Then because you have run out of credits it cannot configure your required level until the next day.

From their docs:

  • Note: An empty list means no events for that stage
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andybrink avatar image andybrink ludwigo commented ·
Hi all,


I do notice the same pattern and hoped that it would be resolved since Dirk-Jan updated the node ( 0.0.12 now). However, it still seems that whenever there is no loadshedding that the query credits are consumed too fast.


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ludwigo avatar image
ludwigo answered ·

Does anyone know how to update the ESP node to the latest version?


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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Go to manage palette and there will be an update button next to the node.
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Dirk-Jan Faber (Victron Energy) avatar image
Dirk-Jan Faber (Victron Energy) answered ·

I have done some testing with version 0.0.12, but don't see any strange things in credit consumption rate.
1688554452213.png

I've used the flow here to graph the API calls.

If someone does encounter problems, please do report as much info as possible to help debug the cause. That includes area, screenshots and logging. And the best place to report issues is on the github site: https://github.com/dirkjanfaber/node-red-contrib-eskomsepush/issues


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