Generac PWRmanager installation and load management ROI | The Pitch

Load management is becoming a necessity as part of a home energy storage system. But what differentiates one system from the next? Here to make the Pitch is Generac product manager Michael McLaren. We discuss:

0:22 - How does load management install differ from a protected loads panel install?
2:02 - Added value for homeowner beyond flexibility?
4:16 - Differentiators among load managers / smart circuit products
5:58 - What happens when the internet goes down? (Three resilient backup options)
7:48 - Can PWRmanager be installed with a non-Generac system?
8:42 - Recent firmware updates
9:23 - How Outage Guard works and why it's cool

More on Generac from The Pitch
AC-coupling Generac generators with solar, batteries

More on Generac

Subscribe to Solar Builder magazine (it is free)

[bkramkowski]

I'm looking to do exactly what is described in the video. I'm on weather guard (I think) because I get alerts from Generac about upcoming inclement weather, but it doesn't do anything to change my charging/usage profile. So at that point, I'd like to (automatically) switch to charge mode to ensure the batteries are topped off. And then after the threat is passed, switch back. But I don't want to charge up from the grid. I also want to be able to cycle the batteries but not "throw away" power if the solar panels are generating more power than the inverter can pass to the batteries so that means I'd possibly want to lower the charging rate but it would take a bit of analysis on my highest solar output days to see what makes sense. So I want to enable TOU and be able to draw down on the batteries after the sun goes down to probably 45% and then go back to the grid for power. And then recharge from solar when it gets light again. And I know Generac has a web interface but all I can see is where my power is going to and coming from. I wish they'd open the web interface they use to us customers so we can modify things like this on our own from our computers rather than having to go to the LCD screen to do so. Ideally, there's be an API call that I could leverage with the rest of my home automation that already knows when sunrise and sunset times are at my location, as well as weather conditions. Then I wouldn't even need a seasonal profile for TOU but it would self-adjust every day based on sunrise/sunset times and weather conditions. Then I could be on full autopilot and maximize my efficiency.

I've searched and searched for information on doing this but it's pretty slim out there. This is the only video I've seen that comes close to describing what I'd like to do, and should be possible given everything I think I know about how Generac does things. But there are no good sources out there about how to do any of this - especially the API calls to automate settings. If anyone knows of any good sources of information on any of this, I'd appreciate knowing where I might find it.