Ensuring ESS only charges in IOG bonus slots if car charging- OCPP/ Tesla

[chrisgla]

Im trying to stop the Fox ESS charging in IOG bonus slots when car is not charging.
How do I make sure Fox only charges ESS in bonus slots when "sensor.tesla_state" = 'charging' , but always also charge in the 1130 - 0530 window?

Predbat latest with FoxESS modbus on IOG tariff, Bottlecap Dave Octopus integration.
IOG controls Wallbox using OCPP, HA also has Wallbox plug in.
HA also has EV battery/ SOC data from Teslamate.

In Predbat I have
switch.predbat_octopus_intelligent_charging = false

car_charging_battery_size:
  - 90
car_charging_limit:
  - 're:sensor.tesla_charge_limit_soc'    # shows as 70% in predbat
car_charging_soc:
  - 're:sensor.tesla_usable_battery_level # shows as 70% in predbat

car_charging_energy: 're:(sensor.myenergi_zappi_[0-9a-z]+_charge_added_session|sensor.wallbox_portal_added_energy|sensor.wallbox_pulsarplus_sn_123456_added_energy)'

[gcoan]

Can you explain why you wouldn't want Predbat to charge your battery when you get a bonus IOG cheap rate slot? Predbat should plan battery charging based upon the IOG sensor, and if you get an extra cheap slot, regardless of the car charging, your electricity is I believe at the lower rate?

Have you set car_charging_planned and car_charging_planned_response in apps.yaml. These may help your requirement

[chrisgla]

I could be wrong, but everything I read states bonus charge slots are only off- peak if (car) charging actually occurs?

Have added below, will try to fix Wallbox template and commit.

'''' car_charging_planned:
- 're:(sensor.wallbox_portal_status_description|sensor.myenergi_zappi_[0-9a-z]+_plug_status|sensor.wallbox_pulsarplus_sn_249105_status_description)'

car_charging_planned_response:1
- 'yes'
- 'on'
- 'true'
- 'connected'
- 'ev connected'
- 'charging'
- 'paused'
- 'waiting for car demand'
- 'waiting for ev'
- 'scheduled'
- 'enabled'
- 'latched'
- 'locked'
- 'plugged in'
- 'waiting'
'''

[chrisgla]

Sorry, I should maybe explain why I thought Octopus OCPP might change things.
When I had Octopus connected to Tesla APi they could see car SOC and planned charge. I rarely got bonus slots. I set required SOC and got that.
But Tesla API became unreliable to they advised I used charger OCPP.

With OCPP Octopus to Wallbox, Octopus has no visibility of SOC or car planned charge. Just set "charge to add" which I usually leave at 90% as can't be bothered changing. Now, every or most days I get bonus slots.

I'd assumed they were policing that by watching the Wallbox OCPP for consumption by EV. No consumption, rate is peak.

[chrisgla]

Still happening with car_charging_planned and car_charging_planned_response set in apps.yaml.

Is therd a datapoint or two in Predbat that I could use as an inhibit from an automation in Home Assistant, ie ess_charging_inhibit and car charging inhibit?

[gcoan]

Getting back to your original question:

Im trying to stop the Fox ESS charging in IOG bonus slots when car is not charging.
How do I make sure Fox only charges ESS in bonus slots when "sensor.tesla_state" = 'charging' , but always also charge in the 1130 - 0530 window?

Simplest way could be to write a script that predbat calls when it starts charging rather than predbat directly calling the inverter start charge service

In that script:

• check if current time is in the cheap rate period OR car is charging

• if either of these is true, start battery charging

• else do nothing

You might need to set repeat: true in the charge start service definition in apps.yaml to ensure predbat calls the script every time it runs and charging is planned to avoid issues of the car charging starting after predbat runs and the script deciding not to charge the batteries, but best to test whether this is needed or not

[chrisgla]

Hadn't thought about operating output.
I can just change mode se commandst to point to HA automations, ie
service: select.select_option
entity_id: select.foxess_stepps_work_mode. > helper.ess.mode

Thanks!