[APP][Pro] Solar Forecasts (SolCast + Forecast.Solar)

Apps
162

Previous test version didn’t work, so there is a new one in the app store.
it now tries to get the daily forecast between 01 and 04 LT

  • If you use a flow card to do manual polling in the night, it will also get the daily forecast. (if it was already updated, it will ignore the action)
163

Hi, thanks for your work. Bus as said, no hurries :grinning:
Today I got a todays forecast. I disabled the auto polling to prevent API usage. This seems to work.
Perhaps the issue was caused by 2 devices with the same API key polling too much.

164

Hello Pieter
thanks for this great app, but since the update this morning the manual calls no longer work, I have now set it to automatic and it does work. [2 sites (east west) 2 API keys and 50 calls => 25 per site]

165

I see, I think it is fixed again

166

So is 3.2.1 the right version now?

167

Installed 3.2.2, now I cannot disable automatic polling

image
image499×625 17.8 KB

168

3.2.2. I had to make some fixes.

I have some time this weekend to check for more bugs or requests.

169

OK, I have downloaded 3.2.2 and this happens. Card Unavailable. Error - "Network Request Failed. And if I try and replace it Solcast isn’t in the Apps list. Happened with 3.2.1 also. Because it crashed I couldn’t generate a diagnostic. Here is one after the App recovered.

IMG_4166
IMG_4166846×441 56.3 KB

Screenshot 2024-04-10 at 10.44.19 AM
Screenshot 2024-04-10 at 10.44.42 AM

IMG_4165
IMG_41651290×2314 148 KB

170

Hmm fixing one bug created another one.

I hope latest version is good again

171

Yep, 3.2.4 looks OK. I’ll report back tomorrow morning and let you know how it goes.

172

There is a new test version 3.3.0 available.
It is still rough, but should work.
Test on own risk :slight_smile:

New:
When you selected the new API (10 calls) or disabled polling and use flows to manual update:

  • The app will every half hour update the values with previous fetched data (historic), so without an API call.
  • The API calls are visible in the device itself.
    (As far as I know, it is not possible in homey to display date time in the device, that’ s the only way to easily see when the last update from Solcast was)
173

Hey, just a hint: You can use a string capability to show up in sensor view. You can fill it with the local time. I t dependes on the API data if ou can use the epoch time from the API (if provided) or use Homey time (that’s UTC, so yopu have to convert it to local time fur the user).
Example:
=> homey.openweathermap/drivers/owmOnecallCurrent/device.js at master · RonnyWinkler/homey.openweathermap · GitHub
=> Get timtezone: let tz = this.homey.clock.getTimezone();

174

To simplify the app, I suggest to remove the whole automatic polling thing and old and new api.

I guess it is easier to use flows to fetch updates, so you can choose yourself the amount of api updates.
If you have more than 1 installation, it will also be easier.

I will work on the intermediate updates, based on historic data.

If you don’t agree, please let me now.

1 Like
175

There is a new test version available of a major update.

See the first post for all the changes and the second post to setup the flows.

BREAKING CHANGES!

  • Remove automatic polling
  • Remove Upload function (Solcast stopped with the function)
  • Remove automatic update when the app starts.
  • Calculating values in between API Calls
  • Add API counter + API error + timeline of updates
  • Streamlining
  • Add a button to fetch an update
3 Likes
176

I love this app… Thanks!!

Now I just need to figure out great ways to use it (I have no EV)
But - I just wanted to express my gratitude!

177

Thanks for the great app!

Can I ask for advice? For 4 days, the forecast data for today is no longer updated. Other data updated in order. Restarting the app didn’t help.

Do you have any idea where the error might be?

Screenshot_20240426_164118_Homey
Screenshot_20240426_164118_Homey1440×2926 103 KB

Thank you.

178

Did you make an extra flow as described in the first post?
It needs to be trigger arround 02 utc+2

179

Thanks for your help!

I didn’t have Flow - Fetch Midnigh Update.

It is OK now.

180

Hi @Pieterv123 thanx for this app. I’m checking in as a new user. I created a solcast account, installed the app and solcast device and the example update flows. Everything is working as expected. Very easy to get up and running. In the coming day’s I will monitor the predictions and functionality and finetune my use case for this app and information. My main purpose will be to optimise the charging of my Sessy Homebattery on solar power.

Af few questions:

  • Am i right the midnight update time for the Netherlands is at 02:00 (like in your example)?
  • I observed the API calls counter was reset to 0 after the first 30 minute in-app update. I had 2 api call’s and now it is back on 0. Is this correct behaviour? I would suspect the reset would be round midnight update? Diagnostic report 33407f38-39f6-427a-942c-0674c77f6e7f
181
  • yes 2 am in the netherlands is correct.
  • it is a strange bug, maybe observe if it still happens today.
    I think it will only happen when you first set up the app