What are the Advanced Options in Solar for Localvolts?

What are the Advanced Options in Solar for Localvolts?

You can enable advanced controls in Solar for Localvolts by turning them ON in the Preferences page and configuring your settings. These settings are useful if you are a battery or EV owner, and allow you more control over your system. 
Your Advanced settings will look different depending on whether you use Export Control (with a compatible smart meter registered in the app), or whether you use Scaled Production (no compatible smart meter).

Export Control Users

When you use Export Control, your default minimum export during negative FiT is set to 0.05kW. This is so that your battery system can register 'excess solar' and start charging. If your system has different excess limits, you can adjust your minimum export amount. If you don't have a battery, you can set this to 0kW.

How to change your Negative-FiT Export limit 

1. Turn on Advanced Settings and set your export Limit for negative FiT periods2. If you have a battery, set this to at least 0.05kW to allow your battery system to register 'excess solar' and charge.



Scaled Production Users

We’re aware that customers using Scaled Production usually need to ‘suspend’ their Solar for Localvolts plans to allow their battery or Electric Vehicle(s) to charge. We’ve introduced a new ‘Scheduled Increase’ feature which allows you to schedule this instead, to avoid manually suspending and reactivating your plans. The new ‘Scheduled Increase’ option allows you to schedule a time for Maximum Production during negative FiT. You can set a time interval and choose what days to apply this. 

If you’re currently using Scaled Production, you can enable ‘Advanced Inverter Settings’ from the Plan Preferences page, and configure a schedule for Maximum Production during negative FiT (‘Scheduled Increase’).
The feature will default to ‘OFF’ until you configure it. If you want to cancel your schedule, simply turn 'Advanced Settings' OFF. 

Important information
  • During your scheduled period, your inverter will be set to Maximum Production during Negative FiT. This has the same effect as ‘suspending’ your plan during this period.
  • This feature will mean that you don’t have to manually suspend and re-activate your plan each time you need your battery charging.
  • We suggest scheduling a time when there is usually excess solar available, like during the middle of the day.
  • The automation does not connect to your battery or see its charge level, so:
    1. If your battery reaches 100% before the scheduled ‘end time’, then any excess power will be exported to the grid until the end of the scheduled period.
    2. The Scheduled Period will end at your set ‘end time’ even if your battery is not fully charged.
    3. We suggest scheduling a period that’s roughly similar to how long it would take your battery to charge, and trying some different settings based on your requirements. 
  • You can disable the Scheduled Increase option by toggling ‘Advanced Settings’ to OFF at any time. The inverter will return to the usual Scaled Production curtailment in the next 5-minute run of the automation.
  • If you have more than one inverter with a Solar for Localvolts plan, you’ll need to set a schedule for each plan.

    • How to configure your schedule

    1. Turn on Advanced Settings and set a start and end time.2. Select your days for the timed increase to occur.3. You can choose any combination of days for your schedule.





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