config.md

Configuration

Listed below are the separate configuration files, generated from templates after running the ./util/config.sh script. The default configuration file location is ~/.config/solar/ and will be refered as the base dir for the below config files.

Arrays arrays.json

Inside the ~/.config/solar/arrays.json it's important to understand, that an array's parameter surface_tilt accepts degrees and 0 means laying flat horizontally on a roof, while 90 means hanging flat vertically on an external wall. surface_azimuth uses 0 as north, 90 as east, 180 as south and 270 as west.

Wind turbines wind.json

Wind turbines operate between a minimum and maximum wind speed. Below the minimum they will not generate anything while above the maximum a good quality wind turbine should use its magnetic breaks, in order not to work above the speed. You need to enter the wind speed range in meters per second (as it's presented by the manufacturers), while the resulting minimal and maximal production in wattage. The system will calculate the produced power value from proportion between the two ranges.

Geo geo.json

Is expected to be modified by you, according to the physical location of the solar farm, the northern hemisphere and eastern side of globe are represented with positive numbers of Lat / Lon in degrees. Southern hemisphere and western side of globe use negative numbers of Lat / Lon. The script src/geolocation.py will aid you in setting the right values.

The variable city is meant to deliver weather reports. It is possible, that your farm's location is so remote, that the city where it belongs to, isn't listed on the weather reports. In such cases, please enter the nearest largest city, until the script stops complaining.

Batteries batteries.json

Defines your set of batteries. Currently only one battery type is supported and only the first battery type from the list will be taken into account. Their count however, will have a multiplying effect on the storage. Below are the parameters and example values:

Var. name	Value	Description
"name"	"Ca-Ca"	An arbitrary name. In this case the abbreviation means "Calcium-Calcium" lead-acid battery.
"count"	2	The number of batteries of the same type.
"discharge_rate_c_by"	10	The discharge rate of the battery at discharge. See this paper about lead-acid batteries. For LiFePO4, you'd typically select 1. Available choices: 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, 100.
"max_discharge_amp"	11	The maximum amount of Amperes, that the battery can deliver.
"max_capacity_amph"	60	The maximum capacity of the battery in Ampere-hours, as provided by the manufacturer.
"max_charge_v"	13.2	The maximum charging voltage, that you set in the MPPT controller.
"min_load_amph"	30	The minimum load, that has to remain in the battery, not to damage it. For lead batteries, it will be half of the maximum.
"discharge_per_hour_percent"	0.9	The percentual self-discharge value per hour.

Computers computers.json

Defines mining rigs. Currently the system doesn't need to compute for a long time when the number of mining machines larger than 2. (TODO: It will be addressed in the near future, as it's not really rocket science to introduce a better search algorithm) In case a single computer should be disabled, please set its count field to 0.

If a given computer cannot be reliably suspended, as descriped in the automation, please enter the following line for the computer in question:

"is_poweroff" : true

Habits habits.json

Allows you to declare your daily/weekly habits, that drain the solar power in a predictable way. The syntax used there for scheduling is better explained by this documentation. A single example:

0 15 10 * * ? * means: 10:15 AM every day

Here's more interactive way to understand the syntax. Note, that it doesn't use the required seconds part though.

As with the computers.json, a given habit may be disabled by setting its count field to 0.

A special case of a habit is the Inverter - the piece of hardware that flips Direct Current to Alternating Current. If you don't intend to make any use of the inverter and the AC that it produces during the night, it makes a lot of sense to switch it off for that time, since it can consume even 25 W in idle mode. This greatly contributes to the battery drainage, yielding no benefits, if you only can switch it on by yourself on the next day. In order to model this act, you may schedule the usage of the inverter, just like any other habit. Next, you need to set the variable "default_use_schedule" : false of the Inverter to true.

System system.json

Defines the voltage of the system (12, 24 or 48 V) used for conversions, as well as the inverter's maximum acceptable input direct current in Amperes. Other 3 options include the ability to independently: generate, buy and/or sell the electricity. The combination of these options helps in deriving the optimal solution for your case, regarding the profitability of the operation.

Volatile config-volatile.json

Contains various entries from across the project, which don't really deserve their own config files.

Var. name	Description
glob / ARCHIVE_IMAGES	Archive images for future finer analysis, like when your OCR module misinterprets the readout
glob / TESTING	Internal variable used for testing
paths / HOME	Home directory. Currently unused.
paths / DIR_TMP	Temp directory, where all the intermediate files should be stored.
paths / DIR_ARCHIVE	If there's a need to archive anything, this basepath shall be used.
paths / DIR_OCR_SCRIPT	Script path for the OCR module.
paths / IMG_CAPTURE_PATH	Path where the captured images shall be stored.
hosts / IMG_CAPTURE_HOST	Host that capture images for OCR.
crypto / TICKER	What crypto to mine.
crypto / FIAT	In which FIAT currency to value it.
crypto / ASSET_LIST	Where to fetch asset list from.
crypto / ASSET_PAIRS	Where to fetch pair list from.

For OCR related entries, please have a look here

Electricity price

TODO: enable scheduling the electricity buy/sell prices via cron, like in the Habits json. //