Battery charging/discharging times

[Antarie]

Hi all, I would need some help.

Situation: we had 8 solar panels with battery installed in autumn last year. The inverter is Solis, model S5-EH1P3KL. We are on the Octopus Flux tariff for import and export. Since we installed the panels and battery, we have not touched any of the settings, meaning the battery charges during the day and the house draws from it for as long as energy is available or until capacity is exceeded/we need to pull from the grid. We do sell some energy back to the grid but the battery has been managing all of that by itself.

I have repeatedly seen people online mentioning charging a battery by buying during low cost hours and discharging it back to the grid during high cost hours. However my partner, who is normally the more tech savvy half of the couple, spent 6 months telling me this process was not possible with our inverter, and then a further 6 (once it became clear that story was not holding up) ignoring the issue altogether. I am honestly extremely frustrated that we spent thousands of pounds on this whole set up and we are not using it to its full potential.

So...if I can get over my fear of heights and climb into the attic, what should I do to set up the system so the battery can charge between 2 and 5 AM and discharge between 4 and 7 PM? I have been reading this thread https://camelot-forum.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=1823 and looking at the user manual for the inverter. As far as I can tell I should:
- go into Adavanced Settings > Storage Energy Set > Storage Mode Select >Self Use Mode > ON > Charging from grid for Self Use > Allow (to allow the battery to charge from grid)
- go into Adavanced Settings > Storage Energy Set > Storage Mode Select >Self Use Mode > ON > Time of Use for Self Use (to set the charge and discharge time)

What do I do at that point?
- Do I choose Optimal Income = Run, and set the first Charge Time line to 2-5 AM?
- Do I also need to set the first Discharge Time line at 4-7 PM?
- What do I do with the other charge/discharge lines below that?

If there is anything I am missing please let me know...as I said this is not my strong suit. I also read there are dongles that can be used to change these settings directly in an app, but I have no idea where to start from to buy/install one.

Thank you in advance for any advice.

S.

[Joeboy]

If your solis inverter can work.from an app you should be able to programme it without going into loft?

Hopefully a solid owner will be along to confirm.

Welcome to the forum.

[Antarie]

There is an app that shows some data from the system, like how much electricity is being generated/stored in the battery/used by the house/sent to the grid, but there is nothing on there allowing us to change the settings on the inverter. So it seems for now, climbing in the attic is the only way. =/

Thank you for the welcome!

[Joeboy]

There is an app that shows some data from the system, like how much electricity is being generated/stored in the battery/used by the house/sent to the grid, but there is nothing on there allowing us to change the settings on the inverter. So it seems for now, climbing in the attic is the only way. =/

Thank you for the welcome!

Have you got fixed charging parameters on flex? That would make it easy. Go up set once. Although in saying that a dongle can be added to activate WiFi app control? That's the way I'd go. Aye, after going up tomorrow, manual setting and swearing to get beyond the fear of heights. My SWMBO doesn't like heights at all but will do it anyway.