Node Configuration¶

Virtual balance points enforcing power conservation (Kirchhoff's law).

Configuration Fields¶

Field	Type	Required	Default	Description
Name	String	Yes	-	Unique identifier
Type	"Node"	Yes	-	Element type

Name¶

Descriptive of electrical location: "Main Node", "AC Panel", "DC Bus", "Home Circuit"

Purpose¶

Nodes are connection hubs where power balance is enforced:

\[ \text{Power In} = \text{Power Out} \]

Not physical devices - represent electrical junctions.

Use Cases¶

Single node (simple): Central hub for all elements.

graph LR
    Grid<-->Node[Node]
    Solar-->Node
    Battery<-->Node
    Node-->Load

    style Node fill:#90EE90

Most residential systems use one node.

Multiple nodes (complex): Separate AC/DC or hierarchical distribution.

graph LR
    Solar-->DC[DC Node]
    Battery<-->DC
    DC<-->|Inverter|AC[AC Node]
    Grid<-->AC
    AC-->Load

    style DC fill:#E1F5FF
    style AC fill:#FFF5E1

Hybrid inverter systems with separate buses.

Configuration Example¶

Name: Main Node
Type: Node

Then connect elements to "Main Node" via connections.

No Sensors Created¶

Nodes are virtual - no physical measurements. Monitor connected entity sensors instead.

Troubleshooting¶

Infeasible optimization: Check all elements connected, sufficient sources exist, connection directions correct, limits not too restrictive.

Unexpected power flows: Verify connection endpoints, review node names unique, check connection min/max power limits.

Multiple Nodes¶

Use when:

Physical separation (AC/DC)
Intermediate limits (inverter, feeder capacity)
Hierarchical distribution

Configuration: Create multiple nodes, link with connections (e.g., inverter between DC and AC nodes).

Complexity: More configuration, more constraints, but models real architecture accurately.

Hybrid Inverter Modeling¶

For hybrid (AC/DC) inverter systems, use separate AC and DC nodes with a connection between them:

graph LR
    subgraph DC Side
        Battery[Battery] <--> DC_Node[DC Node]
        Solar[Solar] --> DC_Node
    end

    subgraph AC Side
        Grid[Grid] <--> AC_Node[AC Node]
        AC_Node --> Load[Load]
    end

    DC_Node <-->|Inverter<br/>Connection| AC_Node

The connection between DC and AC nodes represents the inverter. Set connection power limits to match the inverter rating.

See Connections for configuring the inverter connection.

Continue to Connections Guide