ᐅ Energy management systems and control of washing machines, dryers, and the property

For example, E3/DC offers such systems combined with an inverter and battery storage.

However, this does not work simply on the principle of “solar power is available now, then not anymore – and the machine turns off,” but instead incorporates weather data and forecasts.

This approach allows large consumers (heat pumps, pool heating, etc.) to be controlled effectively.

It also helps to avoid the 70% shutdown, as the system changes the usual sequence of “self-consumption, battery charging, grid feed-in” on a predicted sunny day. Despite the battery being almost full in bright light, the system already feeds electricity into the grid, because it knows that the 70% limit will be reached around midday and that any excess energy beyond that point will first be stored in the battery.

kati1337 schrieb:

If I pay €80, I can calculate how many photovoltaic-powered washing cycles it would have to provide just to cover the initial cost.
Apart from that, I don’t like the principle of the device turning on and off constantly when it’s cloudy (?). I can imagine it would be better for the laundry if the program runs regularly without many interruptions.

Yes, that is completely misguided and shows how not to do it. If the machine is running, the cycle should run through. €80 for a basically "normal" switchable outlet is totally overpriced... partly why this is rejected by the general public, since the entry cost is excessive.

That’s why I’m saying there should be a concept for the whole building, not something that requires "special" outlets.

In my case, load management costs me about €10 per outlet and a few minutes on the laptop. The sensors etc. are already there for other subsystems, and the data they provide can be used for all applications, not just for one specific device.

WilderSueden schrieb:

Energy management might be somewhat more efficient, but until you recover the initial investment, a large family would have to wash for decades.

Normally, some kind of EMS (energy management system) is always necessary with photovoltaics. So you always have those expenses. Why not get the most out of the system, then?

blubbernase schrieb:

Do you have some keywords I could search for?

Hmm, do you want the names of the interfaces and protocols? Something like RS232, RS485, JTAG, etc. These are generally known, but handling them often requires training in this area.

motorradsilke schrieb:

No. But with all of them, there is the problem of manually loading and unloading the washing machine.

No, that’s not a problem but a necessity, whether you have an EMS or not.

motorradsilke schrieb:

Sure, if someone enjoys that and sees it as a system made up of many components,

That’s exactly the point. It’s not a standalone device, but part of a whole.

motorradsilke schrieb:

you first have to recover the initial cost

Misconception. There are many things in home building (and other areas of life) where you simply have to spend money and never make it back. In the case of photovoltaics, some form of energy management is always necessary and mandatory. So why not use its full potential?

In other words, the money is gone no matter what because this has to be a black box, and without it, the photovoltaics don’t deliver any power from the roof. It makes sense to get the highest possible benefit from this black box. Of course, there are also those who don’t care about that.

motorradsilke schrieb:

Right, that’s why we don’t have one.

To each their own. Others wouldn’t want to live without it anymore. You see the same pattern with the topic of the thread: some don’t understand it and don’t want to hear about it, others find it pointless, some consider it uneconomical, and then there are those who clearly see the benefits and appreciate it.

I still don’t quite understand how much technology I need for all of this... I need a machine that I can control via an interface. I need a system of sensors, I need an energy management system, and I need a network with computers so that I can store everything persistently? It all sounds kind of expensive.

It is also true when compared to the benefits. And a truly clean, easy-to-use solution does not (yet) exist.

Mycraft schrieb:

Usually, some type of EMS is always necessary with photovoltaic systems. So, the expenses are always there. Why not get the most out of the system then?

Could you go into more detail? We’re building with a 40+ system, including the battery and photovoltaic. But I wasn’t aware that anything special is managed besides the battery, which tries to charge itself when there is likely to be too much feed-in and is otherwise curtailed.

Take a look at the details of your inverter; most have some integrated features. It usually depends on what the smart meter measures. Then, it typically communicates either via SG-Ready contacts or Modbus to other consumers that you want to control based on the energy yield.