Making VRM work with Octopus Intelligent Go

[JAF065]

Continuing the discussion from DESS API Not Refreshing UK Octopus Prices:

Responding to Dave Walker

Hi Dave

I am having to start a new topic since I am limited to three replies to the previous topic.

Here is the screen shot of Node Red for my Myenergi Zappi charger

Many thanks for helping. James

[JAF065]

Message above is for @DaveWalker

[DaveWalker]

How are you planning to use the Victron system

• Ess with I presume scheduled charging 11.30pm to 5.30am

• Dess and that takes care of the charging using the fix schedule.

  Asking because it will change how we get it to behave when the car is plugged in

  Also do you want the battery to charge or simply not discharge when the car is charging ?

  Dave

[JAF065]

Probably easier just to stick with ESS since that is already working well with Octopus. If it were possible to get the battery to charge from the grid in the smart charging slots that would be good.

[DaveWalker]

You need to add 3 nodes from the bottom of the pallet . Custom input, custom output and virtual switch

Setup the switch as a toggle with name Autocharge. This will enable us to turn off function from VRM dashboard/remote console

In both the custom input and output select these drop downs - the slightly cut-off word on the screenshot is state

Dave

[DaveWalker]

Now add two change nodes from near the top of the pallet and connect like this

Set the change node connected to the custom input like this. Make sure you set the dropdowns to Flow and Msg

Here is the setup for the change node connected to the Toggle switch

[DaveWalker]

Slight mistake we need to remove a connection

and now final push - blue arrows are switch nodes, red arrows are change nodes

Change the zappi info inject node to inject automatically at a interval of 1 min - do not go faster of you will get rate limited

In use change mode is set up like this - change the values so they only turn on and off when mains not solar charging

you add the second condition via the + near the bottom

Here are the rest of the nodes - we use these to set the correct values, enable auto charging with the toggle and to prevent constantly trying to set a mode when it is already in that mode

Hopefully that all makes sense

Dave

[JAF065]

I think I have done all that. I have three separate flows now:

Is that correct or should they be linked together somehow?

Thanks

[DaveWalker]

No they are separate. The status is passed between by using the flow context which you should have set

Once deployed you should also have a toggle switch on the vrm dashboard seen by pressing here

This will enable you to turn the function off it it causes problems

Dave

[JAF065]

Brilliant. I think that is working (I had a problem that I hadn’t spotted the variables had to be set to be numbers not strings but fixed that). I will have to do some more testing with the car plugged in but all seems to be good for now.

Thanks very much for your help.

James

[DaveWalker]

No probem at all glad to help.

Dave

p.s. you are a qualified node red programmer now