The node(s) in this repository lean on @victronenergy/node-red-contrib-victron to make working with the Victron equipment as easy as possible.

Currently this repository consists of a single node:

• schedule charging - this node makes it easy to insert a schedule for ESS control. It is made to work together with the EskomSePush API node to make sure that the battery is charged when load shedding is scheduled.

This node leans on @victronenergy/node-red-contrib-victron for creating a schedule on a user-friendly way.

It expects an incomming message, containing:

• msg.active - Whether or not to activate the schedule. When false, it will disable first schedule (unless msg.slot has been set, in which case it disables that slot)

Two of the following three values are needed, when msg.active has been set to true:

• msg.start - Seconds since the start of the day to start schedule.
• msg.end - Seconds since the start of the day to end the schedule.
• msg.duration - Time in seconds the schedule should last.

Note that the msg.start and msg.end are formatted in seconds since the beginning of the day. So 2:30 at night will become 9000.

Optional other inputs:

• msg.soc - The desired sate of charge, ranging from 0 to 100>. Defaults to 100 when not given.
• msg.day - Default, the schedule will be set to be active daily (value 7). But this can be overruled by inserting a different value here, using the values:
  • 0 - Sunday
  • 1 - Monday
  • 2 - Tuesday
  • 3 - Wednesday
  • 4 - Thursday
  • 5 - Friday
  • 6 - Saturday
  • 7 - Every day
  • 8 - Weekdays
  • 9 - Weekends
• msg.duration - Duration of the schedule (in seconds)
• msg.slot - The schedule slot to use (0 - 4). Defaults to the first slot (0)

This node has been made to work closely together with the EskomPush API node. So if the input contains the msg.LoadShedding field, it will make the schedule fit insert a scheduled charge to fill the battery before the next load shedding event or schedule will become active. It will only add a schedule while loadshedding is not active.

Under the hood the schedule charging node uses the dbus paths of service com.victronenergy.settings:

• /Settings/CGwacs/BatteryLife/Schedule/Charge/0/AllowDischarge
• /Settings/CGwacs/BatteryLife/Schedule/Charge/0/Duration
• /Settings/CGwacs/BatteryLife/Schedule/Charge/0/Soc
• /Settings/CGwacs/BatteryLife/Schedule/Charge/0/Day
• /Settings/CGwacs/BatteryLife/Schedule/Charge/0/Start

After receiving correct input, the status will become green, showing an "Ok". If the input was unexpected, the status becomes red and the text should give a clue on what went wrong.