Enhanced Control of Energy Storage with HomeWizard

S.C.O.R.E. → Resilience → Energy

Overview

The new battery charge modes in HomeWizard provide homeowners with the flexibility to either prevent charging or discharging of their energy storage systems. This capability enhances energy management, allowing users to optimize their energy usage according to their needs.

Benefits

• Ability to prevent battery charging during peak grid rates, saving on energy costs.
• Control over discharging energy to maintain battery health and longevity.
• Increased energy independence by managing when to store or use energy effectively.

Intent

This capability enables homeowners to have granular control over their battery storage systems by setting specific modes for charging and discharging. The outcome is improved energy efficiency and cost savings.

Preconditions

• HomeWizard integration is properly set up with @DCSBL battery systems.
• Battery system must support the new charge modes.
• Home capability platform like Home Assistant is operational.
• Home Assistant installed and configured.
• Integration available and authenticated: Zigbee2MQTT.
• Device installed and reachable: Energy Monitoring.

Actors

• Homeowner managing energy costs
• Family member monitoring energy usage
• Energy-conscious guest

Trigger

The capability is triggered when the homeowner manually selects a charge mode on the HomeWizard dashboard.

Workflow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[Select Charge Mode] -->|check| B{{Is mode valid?}}
    B -->|Yes| C[Apply Charge Mode]
    C --> D[Battery State Updated]
    B -->|No| E[Show Error Message]

Workflow Description

1. Open HomeWizard Dashboard

The homeowner accesses the HomeWizard dashboard via their device.

2. Select Charge Mode

The homeowner chooses either zero charge only or zero discharge only from the available options.

3. Confirm Selection

The system checks if the selected mode is compatible with the current battery state.

4. Apply Charge Mode

If valid, the selected charge mode is applied to the battery system.

5. Receive Confirmation

The homeowner receives a notification confirming the successful update of the battery state.

Postconditions

The battery charge mode is set according to the homeowner’s choice, and the battery state is updated accordingly.

Optional Enhancements

• Add notifications for optimal charge/discharge times based on energy rates.
• Integrate with solar panel systems for automated charging strategies.
• Implement a historical analysis of energy usage before and after mode changes.

Recommended Components

Source Examples

• 2026.1: Home is where the dashboard is ?? – Home Assistant (homeassistant)