Summer Battery Management Strategy

I am looking for thoughts on how to manage the battery when it runs down to its lowest SOC during Summer

Previously I have left it at 4% until it charges back up with the sunshine the next day, but I am unsure if leaving the battery in that state is good for it or not.

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience on how to deal with this, should I continue to do what I have been doing, or should I carry out a timed charge to get me to the next day?

It would be great to get feedback from any GivEnergy members of the forum @Adam-Reynolds @Mickey (GivEnergy) @Danlambert (GivEnergy) if possible.

Thanks
Martyn

Martyn

You'd only want to charge from grid if the price you're getting your energy is cheap. There's no reason to use the grid energy from your battery if the price of the energy is the same as during the day. You'd also be seeing efficiency losses from drawing to battery and back out.

edit: as for 4%, I believe the battery is calibrated to work on a surplus energy to maintain its own functions. So theres no harm in leaving it at that level

Mickey (GivEnergy) Thanks for the reply.

I will continue to let the Eco mode run the battery, and not do a timed charge unless it is cost effective.

a few of us have optimised our systems with a little home automation. It looks at the forecast for the following day, based on this it determines how much energy will be generated and can be fed to the house / battery. If there is not enough then the inverter is scheduled to import a certain amount during cheap rate. The end result being the house runs off solar + battery + cheap rate electricity and only pulls from the grid demanding more than the inverter can output. A more detailed write up and code can be found here https://github.com/lockedj/solarbatteryoptimize