Solar mode

Owing to changes in legislation, it is becoming ever more important to make optimum use of the solar energy generated by your solar panels. Raising your self-consumption indeed reduces the distribution costs you have to pay to your grid operator.
The way these distribution costs are implemented varies from country to country. In general, the distribution costs are calculated by the number of kWh that you purchase from the grid. The number of kWh you inject into the grid yourself (through solar panels, for example), is not deducted (or only partially).

What can you do with the solar mode?

The solar mode is a routine in the Niko Home Control programming software. The solar mode measures whether there is over-production from your solar panels. Through a connection to the smart/digital meter or with the measuring clamps, Niko Home Control measures whether you are injecting electricity into the grid every second. When there is a constant injection (> 300W) for a preset period, the solar mode will be able to activate appliances automatically. You can configure which appliances, and the order in which they are activated, in the Niko Home Control programming software or in the Niko Home app.

What do you need?

Which devices can you activate with the solar mode?

Device	Installation type
	Traditional wiring	Bus wiring
Third party device
Connected switching socket outlet
Smart plug (pin earthing and side earthing)
Switching module for 3 different circuits
Switching module for 6 different circuits
Heating or cooling module
Ventilation module

How do I activate the connection between the solar mode and the third party device?

You can activate devices from Niko partners with a partner API. If you have a smart device, you can activate the connection with IFTTT.

Partner APIs

The solar mode can initiate certain actions in the partner's system. You can set the heating a few degrees higher when your solar panels are over-producing, for example, or raise the temperature of your hot water system.

More information about the various systems can be found on our partners' respective pages.

IFTTT

Do you have a smart device that you want to activate with the solar mode? This can also be done with the connection between Niko Home Control and IFTTT. You can activate more than 500 different systems through IFTTT when your solar panels are over-producing.

Procedure

1. Activate the link between your Niko Home Control and your smart device's IFTTT applet.
2. In the Niko Home Control programming software:
   
   1. Create a virtual device.
   2. Create a basic action with the virtual device that only appears in the app and/or on the touchscreen.
3. In the Niko Home Control programming software or in the Niko Home app:
   1. Create the solar mode routine.
   2. Select the virtual device as one of the devices in the solar mode.
4. On the IFTTT website, create an IFTTT recipe:
   1. Go to https://ifttt.com/create/.
   2. For If This, choose Niko Home Control service.
   3. Click on the trigger Device turned on and select the virtual device.
   4. Click on Create trigger.
   5. For Then That, choose the service and action you want to activate when your solar panels are over-producing.
   6. Click on Connect.

How do I deactivate the connection between the solar mode and a device?

If you do not want to activate the connected devices when your solar panels are over-producing, you can deactivate the solar mode in the Niko Home app, on the touchscreen or on the Digital black on the Control tab.

You can use the programming software or the Settings menu to add devices to the solar mode or to remove them. This way, you can continue to optimise your Niko Home Control installation.