How to Set Up Time-of-Use on Your Deye Inverter — Maximise Savings
Time-of-use (TOU) programming tells your Deye hybrid inverter when to charge batteries and when to discharge them. By aligning battery usage with DEWA's peak pricing periods, you can maximise your electricity savings beyond what solar generation alone provides.
Understanding DEWA Tariff Periods
While DEWA does not officially have time-of-use pricing tiers like some Western utilities, your solar production pattern creates a natural TOU benefit:
- Solar hours (7am-5pm): Free energy from your panels — use it or store it
- Evening peak (5pm-11pm): No solar production, highest household demand (AC, cooking, lighting)
- Night off-peak (11pm-7am): Lower demand, grid power only
Optimal TOU Schedule for UAE Homes
| Time Period | Inverter Mode | Battery Action | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00-12:00 | Solar priority | Charge from excess solar | Free battery charging |
| 12:00-17:00 | Solar priority | Full — export excess to grid | Net metering credits |
| 17:00-23:00 | Battery priority | Discharge to power home | Avoid grid import at peak |
| 23:00-07:00 | Grid | Hold (reserve for next day) | Preserve battery for peak |
Setting Up TOU on Your Deye Inverter
Via SolarMan App
- Open the SolarMan Smart app and select your inverter
- Go to Settings > Work Mode > Time of Use
- Enable "TOU Mode"
- Set up to 6 time periods with the following options per period: charge from solar, charge from grid, discharge to load, hold
- Set minimum SOC reserve (we recommend 20% for emergency backup)
- Save and verify the schedule takes effect
Via Inverter Display
Press the menu button on the inverter, navigate to System Settings > Work Mode > TOU, and configure the same parameters using the display buttons.
Advanced Tips
- Seasonal adjustment: In summer (longer solar hours), set the charge window earlier and extend the discharge window
- Weekend mode: If home during weekdays, you may want to discharge batteries earlier for daytime AC usage
- Generator integration: If you have a backup generator, set the inverter to avoid discharging below 30% SOC to allow generator to take over during extended outages
Expected Savings
Proper TOU programming can increase your monthly savings by 15-25% compared to a system without TOU optimisation. For a typical UAE villa, this translates to an additional AED 100-200 per month in reduced grid imports during peak hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up time-of-use on my Deye inverter?
Open the SolarMan app, go to Settings > Work Mode > Time of Use, enable TOU Mode, and configure up to 6 time periods. Set charge from solar during the day (7am-5pm) and discharge to home during evening peak (5pm-11pm). Set minimum SOC to 20% for emergency backup.
How much extra can I save with time-of-use programming?
Proper TOU programming can save an additional 15-25% on your electricity bill compared to a system without TOU optimisation. For a typical UAE villa, this means an extra AED 100-200 per month in reduced peak-hour grid imports.
What minimum battery reserve should I set?
We recommend setting minimum SOC to 20% for UAE homes. This reserves approximately 2 kWh per BOS-G module for emergency backup during unexpected grid outages. You can lower this to 10% if backup power is not a concern.
