Strategies: types and adding a strategy
Pick the right strategy type, add it with the wizard, and keep the list of strategies tidy.
→ Overview
A strategy is a set of rules the controller runs on its own. It tells the controller which devices to measure, which devices to regulate (control), and how. Devices only collect data until a strategy uses them.
Most sites need exactly one strategy: the Energy manager. It keeps the grid connection within its limits and decides how batteries, PV inverters, EV chargers and heat pumps are used. The three ON/OFF strategy types are simple switches for special cases, for example a heater that should run only while the site exports power.
When the controller starts for the first time and no strategy exists, it creates an active strategy called Energy manager with the fuses and grid limits from Settings → Grid. You only need to add the devices to it on the Included items tab.
1 The strategies list
In the left menu, click Strategies. Each strategy is shown as a card. The strategies are also listed under Strategies in the left menu; click a name to open that strategy.
| Element | What it does | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy name (card title) | Click the card to open the strategy on its Last measurements tab. | — |
| Type | The strategy type chosen when the strategy was added. It cannot be changed later. | Energy manager, Power based ON/OFF regulation, 1-phase current based ON/OFF regulation, 3-phase current based ON/OFF regulation |
| Active | Green tick: the strategy is running and controls its devices. No tick: the strategy is switched off and controls nothing. | — |
| Bin icon | Deletes the strategy after a confirmation. See Delete a strategy. | — |
| Add strategy | Starts the add-strategy wizard. The same button is in the left menu under Strategies. | — |
2 Strategy types
| Type | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Energy manager | Measures the grid connection and regulates batteries, PV, EV chargers and HVAC (heat pumps) continuously. Follows a goal, import and export limits, fuse limits, schedules and price-based modes. | Almost always. This is the main strategy of a site. |
| Power based ON/OFF regulation | Compares the total active power of the measurement devices with two thresholds and switches the regulated devices ON or OFF. | You want to switch a load (heater, boiler, relay) on when the site exports more than a given power, or when import is above a given value. |
| 1-phase current based ON/OFF regulation | Same, but compares the current of one phase (L1, L2 or L3) that you choose. | The load and the problem are on one phase, for example a single-phase heater. |
| 3-phase current based ON/OFF regulation | Same, but checks the current of each phase L1, L2 and L3 against its own thresholds. The devices are switched ON as soon as one phase meets its condition. | You need per-phase current thresholds. |
How ON/OFF regulation decides
An ON/OFF strategy reads the measured value about once per regulation cycle and compares it with two thresholds:
- Activate above — the devices are switched ON while the measured value is above this value.
- Activate below — the devices are switched ON while the measured value is below this value.
- In every other case the devices are switched OFF. A threshold left empty is not checked.
The measured value is the active power (kW) for the power-based type, and the current (A)
for the current-based types. Power is the sum of all measurement devices; grid import is positive,
export is negative. So, to switch a heater on while the site exports more than 3 kW, set the
power threshold Activate below active power to -3.
The thresholds are set on the strategy's Last measurements tab after the strategy is created (see Strategy measurements, charts and archive):
| Threshold | Strategy type | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Activate above active power, Activate below active power | Power based ON/OFF regulation | kW |
| Activate above current, Activate below current | 1-phase current based ON/OFF regulation | A |
| Activate above current L1 … L3, Activate below current L1 … L3 | 3-phase current based ON/OFF regulation | A |
If the measured value moves back and forth around a threshold, the devices switch on and off just as often. Use Do you want to delay ON? and Do you want to delay OFF? (step 4 of the wizard) to hold each state for a minimum time.
An ON/OFF strategy switches only regulated devices whose control type is Auto. Each ON or OFF command is valid for 60 seconds and is repeated while the strategy runs. If the strategy stops, the command expires and the device returns to its own behaviour. See Control type and manual setpoints.
3 Add a strategy
The wizard has three steps for an Energy manager and four steps for the ON/OFF types.
With Active on, the controller starts regulating the selected devices a few seconds after you click Done. A new Energy manager follows the default goal Self-consumption with the import and export limits from Settings → Grid. Check these values before you put a strategy into operation on a live site, or create it with Active off and switch it on later.
Step 1: Basic settings
| Parameter | What it does | Unit / default |
|---|---|---|
| Active | On: the strategy runs as soon as it is created. Off: the strategy is saved but does not regulate. You can switch it later on the Last measurements or Details tab. | toggle · default on |
| Type * | The strategy type. See Strategy types. Choosing an ON/OFF type adds step 4 Goals to the wizard. The type cannot be changed after the strategy is created. | required |
| Name * | Name shown in the menu, on the strategy card and in the Reduxi Cloud. The wizard fills in the type name; replace it with something meaningful, for example "Boiler on PV surplus". | text · required |
| Back | Returns to the previous step or page. | — |
| Next | Checks the required fields and goes to the next step. | — |
Step 2: Regulate
| Element | What it does |
|---|---|
| Devices and strategies | All devices and strategies on the controller. Dragging an item out of this list copies it; the item stays available here. |
| Regulated devices and strategies | The devices (or other strategies) this strategy controls. Drag an item here to add it. Drag it outside the frame to remove it. |
For an Energy manager, add every battery, hybrid inverter, PV inverter, EV charger and heat pump the controller should manage. Do not add the grid meter here. For an ON/OFF strategy, add the device that should be switched, for example a relay or a heat pump.
A device configured as read-only cannot be regulated. The Configurator shows "Read-only device can not be regulated." if you drop one into the regulated list.
Step 3: Measure
| Element | What it does |
|---|---|
| Devices and strategies | All devices and strategies on the controller. |
| Measurement devices and strategies | The meters that measure the grid connection point (or, for an ON/OFF strategy, the point whose power or current is compared with the thresholds). If you add several meters, their values are added together into one measurement point. |
| Done (Energy manager) / Next (ON/OFF types) | Done creates the strategy and saves the regulated and measurement items. |
The measurement devices and the regulated devices can be changed later on the Included items tab. See Included items: what the strategy measures and controls.
Step 4: Goals (ON/OFF types only)
| Parameter | What it does | Unit / default |
|---|---|---|
| Do you want to delay ON? | Yes shows a field in seconds. Once the devices are switched ON, they stay ON for at least this time, even if the condition is no longer met. | s · default No (no minimum time) |
| Do you want to delay OFF? | Yes shows a field in seconds. Once the devices are switched OFF, they stay OFF for at least this time. | s · default No |
| Phase type | 1-phase current based type only. The phase whose current is compared with the thresholds. | L1, L2, L3 · default L1 |
| Do you want to set data saving interval? | Yes shows a list. How often the strategy's values are stored for Analyze and Archive. | Every minute, Every 5 minutes, Every 10 minutes, Every 15 minutes, Every 30 minutes, Every hour, Every day · default every minute |
| Do you want to set priority in case of multiple strategies? | Yes shows a list. If more than one strategy sends a command to the same device, the command of the strategy with the higher priority wins. | Lowest, Low, Medium, High, Highest · default Lowest |
| Done | Creates the strategy. | — |
The 3-phase current based type has no Phase type: it always checks L1, L2 and L3.
Open the new strategy's Details tab and check that Do you want to delay ON? and Do you want to delay OFF? show the seconds you entered. Correct them there if needed and click Save.
4 Settings of an ON/OFF strategy
An ON/OFF strategy has the tabs Included items, Last measurements, Analyze, Archive and Details. It has no Optimization modes tab.
| Tab / field | What it does |
|---|---|
| Last measurements → Active | Switches the strategy on or off. The change is saved immediately, without a confirmation. |
| Last measurements → Activate above / Activate below | The thresholds (see How ON/OFF regulation decides). Type a value or use the − / + buttons; the Configurator asks "Are you sure you want to set new parameters?" before it stores the values. |
| Details → Basic settings | Active, Name and Type (shown only). |
| Details → Advanced settings | Do you want to delay ON?, Do you want to delay OFF?, Data saving interval and Strategy priority in case of multiple strategies, as in step 4. |
| Details → Save | Saves the settings. The strategy restarts with the new values. |
5 Delete a strategy
The strategy stops at once. Its devices are no longer controlled by it, its measurement and regulated items are removed, and all its stored values (Analyze, Archive) are deleted. If the strategy was included in another strategy, it is removed from there too. This cannot be undone. If you delete the only Energy manager, nothing keeps the grid connection within its limits any more. To stop a strategy for a while, switch Active off instead.
6 Checklist
- The site has one active Energy manager strategy.
- Every grid meter is a measurement item and every controllable device is a regulated item of the Energy manager.
- Each device is regulated by only one strategy, or the strategy priority is set on purpose.
- ON/OFF strategies have their Activate above / Activate below thresholds set, with the correct sign for export.
- ON/OFF delays are long enough to avoid frequent switching of the device.
- Strategies that are no longer used are switched off or deleted.