Off-Grid Solar Power Automation Design
Budget: £20 – £250 GBP
Hi,
I have an off-grid solar system which fills batteries during the day to discharge over night.
In order to use the excess power generated when the batteries are full, the inverter makes a second 240v output live when the batteries reach 100%. It keeps this second output live until the batteries discharge to 95% and then turns it off.
I use the “Tapo” suite of devices throughout the house, so it is very useful to let that system know when the batteries are full and the second output is live.
I am currently doing this by manipulating one of their “window sensors” and a spring loaded solenoid. When the second output is live the solenoid is ‘on’ and it pushes the window sensor closed. This allows me to work logic on their app, turning various sockets on and off throughout the house. When the second output powers off the solenoid goes off, the spring pulls it back —> the window sensor opens and the logic is updated. See attached image.
This all works ok but was only meant to be temporary. The solenoid often stays on for 9 hours plus even at this time of year and gets very hot. I would prefer a safer system to run for the next 20 years or so.
I would like someone to design and build a safe system that could perhaps run a stepper motor to open and close the window sensor. Or an entirely different design that can apply movement to a window sensor depending on whether a live feed is on or off!
Thanks,
Guy
I have an off-grid solar system which fills batteries during the day to discharge over night.
In order to use the excess power generated when the batteries are full, the inverter makes a second 240v output live when the batteries reach 100%. It keeps this second output live until the batteries discharge to 95% and then turns it off.
I use the “Tapo” suite of devices throughout the house, so it is very useful to let that system know when the batteries are full and the second output is live.
I am currently doing this by manipulating one of their “window sensors” and a spring loaded solenoid. When the second output is live the solenoid is ‘on’ and it pushes the window sensor closed. This allows me to work logic on their app, turning various sockets on and off throughout the house. When the second output powers off the solenoid goes off, the spring pulls it back —> the window sensor opens and the logic is updated. See attached image.
This all works ok but was only meant to be temporary. The solenoid often stays on for 9 hours plus even at this time of year and gets very hot. I would prefer a safer system to run for the next 20 years or so.
I would like someone to design and build a safe system that could perhaps run a stepper motor to open and close the window sensor. Or an entirely different design that can apply movement to a window sensor depending on whether a live feed is on or off!
Thanks,
Guy