OutBackPower Mate3 integration with Home Assistant

How Does This Software Work?

This integration is based on ReadMateStatusModBus.py (RMS) for reading MATE3 and ChangeMateStatusModBus.py (CMS) for writing data.

• RMS creates a JSON file with almost all useful parameters extracted from Mate3 and pushes MQTT data for selected parameters. More functionalities of RMS can be configured in the config file (config.cfg).
• Home Assistant needs to be configured to receive MQTT or decode the JSON file.
• An MQTT broker must be installed (MQTT documentation is outside the scope of this project).
• Running CMS will write a specific parameter to MATE3. More details can be found here.

ReadMateStatusModBus.py

• Queries MATE3/MATE3S, retrieves data, formats it, registers it in the MariaDB database (optional - more info here), pushes MQTT data, and returns a JSON file.
• The ReadMateStatusModBus.py script should run at a set interval. A task should be created for this (Windows or Linux).
• config.cfg is the configuration file for the script and should be set up based on your needs.

ReadMateStatusModBus.sh (Optional)

This is an example Linux script that can be used to start ReadMateStatusModBus.py. The script should run at the desired update frequency (e.g., every minute). Refer to your OS or distribution’s documentation for setting up daemons or scheduled tasks.

ChangeMateStatusModBus.py

• ChangeMateStatusModBus.py can write ModBus data to MATE3. A few parameters can be changed.
• The script accepts arguments to indicate the parameters to be changed. It can also change multiple parameters during a single run.
• More details can be found here.
• Integration in Home Assistant can be achieved using shell commands. Examples are below and in the documentation folder here.

Home Assistant Configuration

A new folder named data should be created in the www folder located in Home Assistant (e.g., \home-assistant\www\data). This folder is where the JSON file will be saved by RMS.

Integration Variants

1. MQTT - Predefined Parameters with Individual Topics:

   • Use MQTT Explorer to view the full list of available topics.

2. MQTT - Access to All Parameters:

   • A single common topic, outback/mate, provides a payload containing the JSON with all data (same as the JSON file saved by the script).

3. JSON File Decoding:

   • Use the file platform integration in Home Assistant to decode the JSON file saved in the Home Assistant folder (/config/www/data/status.json).

Sensor Configuration in configuration.yaml

Variant 1: MQTT - Predefined Sensors

Add the following sensors in configuration.yaml:

mqtt:
  sensor:
    - name: outback_ac_input
      state_topic: "outback/inverters/1/ac_input"
      unit_of_measurement: "V"
      state_class: "measurement"

    - name: outback_ac_output
      state_topic: "outback/inverters/1/ac_output"
      unit_of_measurement: "V"
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_grid_status
      state_topic: "outback/inverters/1/ac_use"
    
    - name: outback_grid_input_mode
      state_topic: "outback/inverters/1/grid_input_mode"
    
    - name: outback_charger_mode
      state_topic: "outback/inverters/1/charger_mode"
    
    - name: outback_ops_mode
      state_topic: "outback/inverters/1/operating_modes" 
    
    - name: outback_charge_mode
      state_topic: "outback/chargers/1/charge_mode"
    
    - name: outback_soc
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/state_of_charge"
      unit_of_measurement: "%"
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_bat_voltage
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/battery_voltage"
      value_template: "{{value | round(1) }}"
      unit_of_measurement: "V"
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_bat_temp
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/battery_temperature"
      unit_of_measurement: "°C"
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_pv_power
      state_topic: "outback/summary/cc_total_watts"
      unit_of_measurement: "W"
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_input_amp
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/shunt_a_current"
      unit_of_measurement: "A"
      state_class: "measurement" 
    
    - name: outback_used_amp
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/shunt_b_current"
      unit_of_measurement: "A"
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_divert_amp
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/shunt_c_current"
      unit_of_measurement: "A" 
      state_class: "measurement"
    
    - name: outback_since_charge_met
      state_topic: "home-assistant/outback/fndc_since_charge_met"
      unit_of_measurement: "days" 
      value_template: '{{value | round(2)}}'
    
    - name: outback_charge_met
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/charge_params_met"

    - name: outback_today_net_input_kwh
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/todays_net_input_kWh"
      state_class: 'total_increasing'
      device_class: energy
      unit_of_measurement: kWh
      value_template: '{{value | round(2)}}'
    
    - name: outback_today_net_output_kwh
      state_topic: "outback/fndc/todays_net_output_kWh"
      state_class: 'total_increasing'
      device_class: energy
      unit_of_measurement: kWh
      value_template: '{{value | round(2)}}'
    
    - name: outback_pv_daily_kwh
      state_topic: "outback/mate"
      state_class: 'total_increasing'
      device_class: energy
      unit_of_measurement: kWh
      value_template: '{{value_json.summary.pv_daily_Kwh | round(2)}}'

Variant 2: MQTT - Custom Sensors

Add sensors as per your needs in configuration.yaml. Below are examples:

mqtt:    
  sensor:
    ## Sensor for AC input voltage
    - name: solar_ac_input_file
      state_topic: "outback/mate"
      value_template: '{{ value_json.devices[0].ac_input_voltage }}'
      unit_of_measurement: "V"

    ## Sensor to calculate selling watts 
    - name: outback_sell_watts
      state_topic: "outback/mate"
      value_template: '{{(value_json.devices[0].sell_current|int + value_json.devices[1].sell_current|int) * value_json.devices[0].ac_output_voltage|int}}'
      unit_of_measurement: 'W'

    ## Sensor to calculate buying watts
    - name: outback_buy_watts
      state_topic: "outback/mate"
      value_template: '{{(value_json.devices[0].buy_current|int + value_json.devices[1].buy_current|int) * value_json.devices[0].ac_input_voltage|int}}'
      unit_of_measurement: 'W'

Variant 3: JSON File Decoding

Use the file platform integration to decode the JSON file saved by the script. Add the following sensors in configuration.yaml:

sensor:
  - platform: file
    name: solar_ac_input_file
    file_path: /config/www/data/status.json
    value_template: '{{ value_json.devices[0].ac_input_voltage }}'
    unit_of_measurement: 'V'
  
  - platform: file
    name: solar_ac_output_file
    file_path: /config/www/data/status.json
    value_template: '{{ value_json.devices[0].ac_output_voltage }}'
    unit_of_measurement: 'V'

Shell Command (optional)

add in configuration YAML (in below example input_select with desired arguments should be defined)

shell_command:
  script_test_write_mdb: "python /config/phyton_scripts/script_test_summary_mdb.py "
  script_outback_change_grid_input_mode: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ChangeMateStatusModBus.py {{states.input_select.solar_grid_input_mode.state}}"
  script_outback_change_charger_mode: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ChangeMateStatusModBus.py {{states.input_select.solar_charger_mode.state}}"
  script_outback_start_bulk: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ChangeMateStatusModBus.py StartBulk"
  script_outback_stop_bulk: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ChangeMateStatusModBus.py StopBulk"
  script_outback_start_eq: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ChangeMateStatusModBus.py StartEQ"
  script_outback_start_eq: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ChangeMateStatusModBus.py StopEQ"
  script_outback_read_mate_status: "python3 /media/web/mate3_homeassistant/ReadMateStatusModBus.py"