Getting power usage information directly from Smart Meter

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Getting power usage information directly from Smart Meter - EDMI Mk7C

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#1332516 27-Jun-2015 05:42

gzt:
gzt: Heres the envi one avail nz

http://www.smartnow.co.nz/products/envir-energy-monitor/optismart-have-arrived/

I'm surprised it wasn't easy to get one of those. Importing from uk is the other option there.

There is an alternative free shipping in USA from the supplier atm:

http://www.bluelineinnovations.com/

But the envi is the more flexible system by a long way.

Somehow forgot to mention the above uses an optical monitor exclusively.

timmmay

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#1332527 27-Jun-2015 07:34

gzt: The open energy monitoring project has an optical option available with a fully built pi node. Optionally can use own pi. Imho extending the RJ45 sensor signal (TTL) cable should work ok to bring the node inside.

http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/buildingblocks/opticalpulsesensor

Has both WiFi and ethernet available. Flexible solution (additional sensors of many kinds can be added) but expensive all up at close to NZD$400.

Thanks, I've looked at that before. Their website is by experts, for experts, there's nowhere that I can find that gives a beginners guide. $400 is way too much for a toy. Thanks though :)

The sensor itself is cheap, it's just not clear what you need for it to work with. I have a spare R.Pi v1, I could get a wifi module for it, if that would be a cheap option.

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#1332814 27-Jun-2015 23:51

Their forum is active. A question there could be the best option.

Edit: But it looks easy as connecting the sensor to gpio.

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timmmay

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#1332956 28-Jun-2015 13:56

Thanks, I've asked on their forum. Seems simple enough. NZ$500 for a base station, two temperature sensors, and a power sensor, so not particularly cheap.

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#1332993 28-Jun-2015 15:58

Ok. My reading is you can connect the sensor to GPIO on your existing pi + run the monitoring software on the same pi + from there log to a local or remote server (assuming network)(or sd).

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#1332999 28-Jun-2015 16:17

See the Software heading at the bottom of this page for the best quick summary of that config:

http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/emonbase/raspberrypi

timmmay

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#1333008 28-Jun-2015 16:43

The problem with that project is the documentation is written by people familiar with the software and hardware, and how it all hangs together. The pages give a high level overview but not that much detail.

The EmonBase is actually fairly cheap. The expensive part seems to be the EmonTX v3, which you connect the IR sensor to and transmits wirelessly to your base. It does say you can connect the optical sensor directly to the R.Pi through the RJ45 connector, I guess then the R.Pi has to have a USB WiFi module to connect to the base station.

I quite like the idea of going the whole hog, with the base station, remote temperature sensors, etc, which is around $500. If power metering is all I did (not temp) then I'd just need one more R.Pi with a wireless card to connect the sensor too, and the hub product or R.Pi addon as a base station, which would only be maybe $150. I could always add temperature stuff later.

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t0ny

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#1571755 14-Jun-2016 15:40

It is now 2016. What are people using now to monitor the power usage from the meter. I have the same EDMI Mk7C unit and smartnow does not appear to be around anymore.

timmmay

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#1571795 14-Jun-2016 16:28

I just wait for it to arrive via Flick's dashboard.

RUKI

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#1572113 15-Jun-2016 09:22

My "smart meter" has been recently swapped to "two way meter" (cost me $99) because of the Solar + Battery install. Solar system has not been comissioned yet, but the software they said will provide Live view of the usage/generation.

t0ny

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#1572139 15-Jun-2016 09:40

Flick would be a good option if they just provided a feed for the data they are receiving. I can then overlay the projected power prices with the current usage and actual spot price being charge to get a better view of how i am doing. At the moment, if i make any adjustments to my power usage then i have to wait couple of days to see the impact.

sparkz25

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#1576321 18-Jun-2016 20:11

these smart meters have a tamper switch in them that can disable the meter if tampered with and let the retailer know when they have been tampered with, and the on board serial port is directly connected to a modem with a sim installed for the energy company to read the meter, the info from the meter is all relayed back to the retailer and the retailer will know when the tamper sw has been activated or the meter has lost power and so on, in Hamilton well install their own meter to monitor their network for voltage and current draw, this also would tell them which areas are affected by high or low voltage and so on, there is a way to get around the tamper sw in the smart meters but you might have to just figure that out for you selves

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#1576326 18-Jun-2016 20:15

I settled on the Efergy system which puts the usage on the cloud and I can get that integrated to openhab . Has already shown some interesting data

timmmay

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#1576367 18-Jun-2016 21:53

sparkz25:

these smart meters have a tamper switch in them that can disable the meter if tampered with and let the retailer know when they have been tampered with, and the on board serial port is directly connected to a modem with a sim installed for the energy company to read the meter, the info from the meter is all relayed back to the retailer and the retailer will know when the tamper sw has been activated or the meter has lost power and so on, in Hamilton well install their own meter to monitor their network for voltage and current draw, this also would tell them which areas are affected by high or low voltage and so on, there is a way to get around the tamper sw in the smart meters but you might have to just figure that out for you selves

Holy sentence structure batman. I don't have a clue what you're trying to say, it's too difficult to read.

Hinko

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#1602393 1-Aug-2016 17:33

Possibly of interest: http://vectorams.co.nz/retailers/downloads-and-resources that includes the capability of
COMMUNICATIONS:
• 3 Independently Working Communication Ports
• Optical Port: FLAG (IEC 62056-21) or ANSI Type 2 (ANSI C12.18)
• RS-232 with Modem Power Supply (2G/3G Supported)
• Option for second RS-232
• UDP/IP GPRS/PPP Capable
• Option for Zigbee Mesh RF & MV-90™

Also note these meters include "disconnection and reconnection of electrical services remotely"

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