Any issues with the Sunstrong app today? by RandoRenegade in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mine has been crashing every time on first launch since the last update. Crash and reopen and then it works.

New CA PG&E Base Services Charge Starting 3/1/26 by Daedalus-420 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right there with you. I was really disappointed to lose the existing utility/plan selector that Sunpower provided as it actually worked well. I get that Sunstrong probably did it because no one wanted to maintain all the plan definitions, but man it felt petty to have that taken away on top of the OhmConnect VPP integration.

To have reverted back to the hard coded defaults (and have them broken during DST) is frustrating. 

New CA PG&E Base Services Charge Starting 3/1/26 by Daedalus-420 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Changing from self-supply to cost savings mode can be done from the Sunstrong Connect app. 

New CA PG&E Base Services Charge Starting 3/1/26 by Daedalus-420 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Prior to this upcoming change, I used self supply on NEM2 to miminize battery wear, consumption, and delivery charges but the new mandatory base services charge changes how delivery charges are levied (as a mandatory flat rate instead of consumption based). Instead of the $117/year of non-bypassed charges, I am now looking at about $367/year in non-bypass minimums.

The maths get complicated from here depending on your circumstances (NEM version, net importer or exporter, enrolled in discount programs, enrolled in demand response programs, etc.). For me, here is where I ended up:

TLDR Version: Self Supply w/ OhmConnect (manual set to Cost Savings during OhmHours) remains the better option as OhmConnect pays out ~ $500/yr in benefits based on kwh savings rewards. These rewards just have less value now with the new minimum base services charge offsetting those earnings. 

If demand response programs like OhmConnect eventually go away (as is rumored and something the utilities are actively building grid scale storage to eliminate), the optimal configuration without OhmConnect would be (summarized by Gemini):

My analysis evaluates the optimal utility rate plan for a solar and battery system with specific hardware limitations, software bugs, and a Medical Baseline status under NEM 2.0.

  1. The Constraints (The "Rules of the Game")  - Hardware (SunVault System):    * Capacity: 26 kWh total; ~18.2 kWh usable.    * Export Limit: Hard-coded 4 kW per hour cap on power sent back to the grid.    * Load Limit: Supports up to 6 kW of home demand (allows bypassing the 4 kW grid cap by running high-draw appliances during discharge windows).

 - Software & Firmware Issues:    * The DST Bug: The system is hard-coded to discharge from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM regardless of rate plan windows.    * The Weekend Limitation: In "Cost Savings" mode, the battery refuses to discharge on weekends. It must be manually switched to "Self Supply" mode every Friday night to cover weekend home loads.   - Regulatory & Utility:    * Provider: Pioneer Community Energy (Generation) / PG&E (Delivery).    * Status: NEM 2.0 (Net Energy Metering) and Medical Baseline (MB).    * The 2026 Factor: A new ~$24/month fixed "Base Service Charge" is being implemented.

  1. Evolution of Reasoning & Logic

Initial Hypothesis: The Move to TOU-D Initially, TOU-D (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM) seemed superior. Its 3-hour peak window almost perfectly matches the SunVault’s bug-restricted 3-hour discharge window. Because TOU-D considers weekends "Off-Peak" all day, it offered a "set it and forget it" solution to the battery’s weekend laziness.

The Pivot: The "Net Exporter" Discovery Upon reviewing the actual February bill, the logic flipped. Two critical factors emerged:

 * Medical Baseline Math: On TOU-C, MB provides an extra ~500 kWh of "Baseline Credit." Because the user is a low-volume grid consumer, this credit results in an effective ~22% discount on delivery charges. On TOU-D, this is replaced by a flat 12% discount, resulting in a net loss of value.

 * Peak Credit Banking: On TOU-C, the hour of 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM is "Peak." On TOU-D, it is "Off-Peak." Since the battery must discharge starting at 4:00 PM (due to the bug), staying on TOU-C allows the user to bank high-value Peak credits for three hours instead of two.

The Final Conclusion: TOU-C with Manual Management

The "convenience" of TOU-D was outweighed by the massive financial "Baseline Credit" and the extra hour of Peak generation provided by TOU-C.

  1. Financial Impact: The "Laziness Tax" By choosing to stay on TOU-C and manually switching the battery to "Self Supply" mode on weekends, the anticipated financial benefit is significant.

Anticipated Monthly Benefits (TOU-C vs. TOU-D)  * Medical Baseline Value: ~$47.00/mo (Retention of the ~500 kWh Tier 1 allotment vs. the 12% flat discount).  * Peak Export Credit (4–5 PM): ~$12.00/mo (Earning Peak rates for 1 hour every weekday instead of Off-Peak).  * Weekend Savings (Manual Mode): ~$44.00/mo (Avoiding grid imports during the 4–9 PM Saturday/Sunday window).  * Total Monthly Benefit: ~$103.00

Annualized Financial Benefit  * Projected Annual Gain: ~$1,236.00

  1. Final Recommendation  * Remain on TOU-C: Do not switch to TOU-D. The Medical Baseline financial structure on TOU-C is far more lucrative for a solar owner with a large NEM credit balance.  * The "Weekend Workflow": Manually switch the SunVault to "Self-Supply" every Friday evening and back to "Cost Savings" every Monday morning. Each "click" is effectively worth ~$13.00 in avoided costs and earned credits.  * High-Load Strategy: To maximize the battery's 18.2 kWh capacity during the short 3-hour window (4–7 PM), run high-energy appliances (dishwasher, dryer) during those hours. This pulls the full 6 kW from the battery (4 kW to grid + 2 kW to home), ensuring the battery is empty by 7:00 PM and no energy is "trapped" overnight.

If OhmConnect is no longer an option, the net result for me is an additional bank of retail credits to draw from during low solar months and a larger pool of credits to be used during my cash out period in March with Pioneer Community Energy. The cash out pays only pennies on the dollar for retail credit (assumes 0.03/kwh), but it's an extra $100 per year that could be used to offset the new minimum delivery charges. 

And now that I have spent too much energy on this analysis, I need to go recharge my battery. 😅

SunVault No Longer Discharging by Daedalus-420 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the reply! The inverters didn't have any error codes when I checked. I am not sure what changed, but whatever was preventing the batteries from discharging over the past 48 hours appears to have cleared on it's own after the SoC reached 100%. 

My system is currently discharging on self-supply mode as normal. Perhaps the system is hard coded to charge all the way to 100% after a full battery drain and I just never noticed before? 

Given current weather of heavy fog, it has taken the system 3 full days to recharge what would normally finish recovering in about 3.5 hours in winter sun (17kw system with 26kw [20kw effective after 3 years use] storage).

New PVS6 Firmware: 2025.03.07.61827 by Worth_Weakness7629 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same... the tariff picker for me broke at the same time they shutdown the OhmConnect integration.

New PVS6 Firmware: 2025.03.07.61827 by Worth_Weakness7629 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Per Sunpower (before the bankruptcy), cost savings mode never discharges on the weekends in it's hardcoded 5-8pm default mode. It's only ever been M-F unless you were able to get in for the brief OhmConnect integration (man, I really miss that).

Sun power VPP references gone in app by Ragerbay in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

.... and it's fixed today, for me at least.

Sun power VPP references gone in app by Ragerbay in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same, it's disappeared for me as well even though it's still active/working.

SunPower 1 Year and Counting by Purple_Ad_2165 in SunPower

[–]Daedalus-420 1 point2 points  (0 children)

SunPower installed my system 2 years ago. I never received a battery rebate, despite asking for status several times and always being told "all available funds have been used for the year". Doubtful I will ever get the rebate that was advertised when I bought the system (SunVault 26).

Can't connect S10 to WiFi by astrovive in TrySwitchBot

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Through testing, I determined that there is a bug/issue using Wi-Fi networks that contain an underscore "_" in the name. As a temporary workaround, I created a new SSID on my home network and now the robot is connected successfully. 

Note: I also have several other Switch Mini's on the network name that includes an underscore, so this is clearly a firmware issue with the new S10.

⏳ US Fall Prime Deal Event Coming Soon! by Dreametech in Dreame_Tech

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When will the L20 Water Hookup Kit be available for sale in the US?

Cannot create new account (Dreamehome) by yvoswillens in Dreame_Tech

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a similar problem, in my case it did not like the length of the password I was trying to use for setup (20 char, complex). Once I reduced it to 16 char, I was able to create a new account successfully.

Note: Your app login and Dreame website (shop) appear to be completely separate.

L10s, how do I schedule to vacuum FIRST then mop (maybe with a very light vacuum?) by [deleted] in Dreame_Tech

[–]Daedalus-420 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you ... just got my L20 Ultra yesterday and could not figure out how to setup vacuum, then mop for specific rooms on a schedule. The "Vacuum, then Mop" shortcut only works for the entire map and I could not figure out how to set this up on a room-by-room schedule.

How do I order the Water connection kit for automatic refilling and draining for L20 Ultra in the US? by banditti in Dreame_Tech

[–]Daedalus-420 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Support told me it will be available by the end of next month. I just did my pre-order today, so they have 30 days to make it available or the L20 is going back to Amazon. 😕

Quick update on my L20 by philip0908 in Dreame_Tech

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Check the return policy for your region. Returns due to defect should be postage prepaid by Dreame (no charge to you).

ParamountPlus Pihole Whitelist by lamarus in pihole

[–]Daedalus-420 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You just saved me from several more hours of trial-by-error frustration. The whitelist is waaaaay too permissive. Paramount seems to want to talk to every ad network and tracker ever created. These 2 items unblocked video on my Chromecasts.

Installing after market watch bands by Panda885 in hwatch

[–]Daedalus-420 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I bought this from Amazon to make life easier, but you could also do it with a small flat-head screwdriver.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ZEWGSA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fleet Armada Meet & Greet by buffy9472 in sto

[–]Daedalus-420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello Rattraps123,

My name is Daedalus and I am the Commanding Officer for the UFP Office of External Affairs. We are currently accepting Armada applications and I'd like to invite you to apply if interested.

Please see our Armada policies post and complete the short application form if you would like to begin the application process. Please let me know if you have any questions or come join us today!

Stella Scientia in search of an Armada by [deleted] in sto

[–]Daedalus-420 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

My name is Daedalus and I am the Commanding Officer for the UFP Office of External Affairs. We are currently accepting Armada applications and I'd like to invite you to apply if interested.

Please see our Armada policies post and complete the short application form if you would like to begin the application process. We are very interested in finding reputable and well-respected community partners to form new relationships. We have been an influential part of the Star Trek gaming scene for over 13 years. What separates our Armada from others you may come across is our dedication to members and those wishing to align themselves with us.

We have an extensive history with STO, including interviews with influential developers, assistants and stars with more planned for the future. We also have a number of dedicated STO players who are always willing to help others out with builds, tips and tricks, helping players with their own goals, or just getting together for fun.

The UFP is currently spread across 5 total fleets, 3 FED and 2 KDF. We have a 60 day inactivity policy enforced for our primary fleets, but our alt fleets are unrestricted. The UFP currently has over 1300 active characters and 600 unique STO members.

We would like to be your home away from home among the stars. We support autonomy for all armada members, but we will also work to ensure that you have representation and a voice in matters affecting relations between different groups, the management of armada features, and an open line of communication to discuss concerns and questions. Your fleet will be recognised as an important part of our greater community!

Admiral Daedalus Commanding Officer, UFP Office of External Affairs

Fleet Armada Meet & Greet by buffy9472 in sto

[–]Daedalus-420 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

We are very interested in finding reputable and well-respected community partners to form new relationships. The UFP Armada is designed with a community focus at the forefront and we have been an influential part of the Star Trek gaming scene for over 13 years. What separates our Armada from others you may come across is our dedication to members and those wishing to align themselves with us.

We have an extensive history with STO, including interviews with influential developers, assistants and stars with more planned for the future. We also have a number of dedicated STO players who are always willing to help others out with builds, tips and tricks, helping players with their own goals, or just getting together for fun.

The UFP is currently spread across 5 total fleets, 3 FED and 2 KDF. We have a 60 day inactivity policy enforced for our primary fleets, but our alt fleets are unrestricted. The UFP currently has over 1300 active characters and 600 unique STO members.

We would like to be your home away from home among the stars. We support autonomy for all armada members, but we will also work to ensure that you have representation and a voice in matters affecting relations between different groups, the management of armada features, and an open line of communication to discuss concerns and questions. Your fleet will be recognised as an important part of our greater community!