Assign Usage To A Scenario

Once the appliance list exists, the next job is to tell GridGap how those appliances are actually used in the scenario you are building. This is where the model becomes practical.

Where usage is set

After you create a scenario, the appliance list appears again in a scenario-specific section lower on the page. This is no longer the master list area. This is the scenario usage area.

Here you decide how the saved appliances behave in this particular setup. That usually means working with fields such as Hours used and Include in scenario.

What you are deciding here

At this stage you are not redefining the appliance itself. You are deciding whether that appliance belongs in the current scenario and how much it contributes to the modeled load.

One version can therefore keep a stable appliance list while the scenario in that version uses those appliances in a specific way. That is one of the reasons the app separates the master list from scenario usage.

Be honest about hours and inclusion

Usage is where optimistic assumptions can quietly distort the result. If an appliance only runs occasionally, reflect that. If it definitely needs to be covered during the outage or off-grid window, include it. If it does not belong in that scenario, leave it out.

This is also where you should think clearly about scenario intent. A minimal emergency scenario and a comfort-oriented scenario may use the same appliance list but very different usage assumptions.

Why this matters for later results

The scenario usage layer feeds directly into the load totals that drive battery sizing, inverter sizing, charging, and solar sizing. If the usage pattern is unrealistic, the later results may still look tidy while answering the wrong question.

It is often better to keep one scenario conservative and then create a separate version later for a heavier-use comparison than to blur two different use cases into one mixed scenario.

What to check before moving on

Before you leave the usage section, make sure the included appliances still match the story of the scenario. Ask yourself whether this scenario is meant to represent essentials only, normal household continuity, workshop essentials, weekend RV use, or something else. If the appliance mix does not match that story, adjust it before you calculate.