← Install

Requirements

Surprisingly little, and you probably already have most of it.

What you need

1. Home Assistant OS running on a small computer at home, e.g. a Raspberry Pi 4/5, a mini PC, or a ready-made Home Assistant Green (version 2024.1 or newer, with the App Store). Don't have Home Assistant yet? → Starter path.
2. At least one energy device Franzl can read: inverter, battery storage, wallbox, heat pump, smart meter … Ideally it's already integrated into Home Assistant, but it doesn't have to be, Franzl helps you find it. To check whether your models are supported: device check.
3. The Franzl app (iOS or Android, free) and an account: email, Google, or Apple.

What you DON'T need

• No manufacturer bridge, no extra hub. Franzl talks to your devices over your own network.
• No manufacturer cloud account for most devices: local comes first.
• No forced subscription. The full monitoring is free forever, and for the launch the autopilot is unlocked for everyone too.
• No Linux knowledge. Everything runs through point-and-click interfaces: Home Assistant installs Franzl, and the app guides you through the rest.

Nice to have (makes Franzl better, but optional)

• A grid meter measuring point (e.g. a smart meter with a local interface, or a Shelly 3EM in the meter cabinet): this lets Franzl know your actual household consumption and distribute solar surplus precisely instead of estimating it. Without a grid meter, Franzl still works; it just won't show self-sufficiency or household consumption, rather than estimate them.
• A dynamic electricity tariff (aWATTar and others): unlocks price-based optimization. Fixed-rate and peak/off-peak tariffs work just as well.
• A linked car (e.g. a Tesla account or VW data-sharing): this lets Franzl know the charge level and charge toward a target instead of charging blind.