App to monitor home switchboard?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › App to monitor home switchboard?

stuffed

271 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 243704 27-Dec-2018 09:19

Am about to put in a new switchboard at home to replace our creaky 36 year old overloaded one.
Have had a look but can’t find any hardware/App that can monitor things with.
Anyone any suggestions?!
Thanks

Why work on Wednesday and stuff up 2 good long weekends

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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# 2150959 27-Dec-2018 09:32

There are lots of solutions out there, but hard to recommend any without knowing your requirements.

There are plenty of simple off the shelf solutions that simply involve clamping onto the phase, or if you want to get a little more advanced lots of Pi and Arduino projects out there as well that can offer a lot more functionality.

olivernz

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# 2150967 27-Dec-2018 09:38

Have a browse through the Sonoff stuff.
https://sonoff.itead.cc/en/

They might have something

k1w1k1d

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Ultimate Geek

# 2150999 27-Dec-2018 10:31

One person supports this post

Wow, that's a busy old switchboard!

Will be an interesting time consuming project to replace and bring up to current regs.

Has Sonoff got a SDOC yet?

PolicyGuy

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# 2151002 27-Dec-2018 10:34

2 people support this post

Also, when working on or removing the back board of the old switchboard (the one on which the fuse carriers are mounted), be aware this may well be asbestos fibre reinforced, so take appropriate precautions.

andrewNZ

2130 posts

Uber Geek

# 2151007 27-Dec-2018 10:52

The black panels contain asbestos (the inspectors here won't touch them), my understanding is that the brown ones don't.

ETA: this is the stuff that does, it doesn't look like yours.

Location: Dunedin

stuffed

271 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 2151049 27-Dec-2018 11:30

k1w1k1d:
Wow, that's a busy old switchboard!

Will be an interesting time consuming project to replace and bring up to current regs.

Has Sonoff got a SDOC yet?

Fortunately a good old mate who is a retired electrical contractor is doing the job (he put in the old one 36 years ago). In addition he is good friends with a major switchboard manufacturer.
Just that am trying to get the head around what is out there and trying to future proof as much as possible!

Why work on Wednesday and stuff up 2 good long weekends

mkissin

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

# 2151071 27-Dec-2018 12:12

Here's one that I'm giving serious though about:

https://openenergymonitor.org/

The IotaWatt version has lots of inputs, which may be more useful than the regular emon, depending on what you want to monitor. I don't know about the legal side of things, but since it's only the CT's going in the wiring, I doubt there's much issue.

Genesis is also running a pilot program for their EnergyIQ. Assuming you don't mind being with Genesis, it's actually a good deal ($99 up front for the install, then free 2 years and $10 per month after that).

Jase2985

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# 2151084 27-Dec-2018 12:39

As Steve said it depends on what you want to monitor, i use one of these

it shows me readings every 6 seconds, so its quiet easy to pin down whats using power

richms

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# 2151126 27-Dec-2018 13:42

andrewNZ: The black panels contain asbestos (the inspectors here won't touch them), my understanding is that the brown ones don't.

ETA: this is the stuff that does, it doesn't look like yours.

Its not only the board, a friends house had it mounted over a stud area that was lined with grey fluffy stuff as fireproofing that was also asbestos. That cost them a crapload to get removed and that was before the more stringent changes to the rules.

Richard rich.ms

PolicyGuy

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# 2151143 27-Dec-2018 14:32

richms:
andrewNZ: The black panels contain asbestos (the inspectors here won't touch them), my understanding is that the brown ones don't.

ETA: this is the stuff that does, it doesn't look like yours.

Its not only the board, a friends house had it mounted over a stud area that was lined with grey fluffy stuff as fireproofing that was also asbestos. That cost them a crapload to get removed and that was before the more stringent changes to the rules.

"Grey fluffy stuff" Eeeeew NASTY.
That is full moon suit, plastic sealed off, negative pressure HEPA filtered air territory these days. One of the last things you'd want to find unexpectedly when doing a home renovation

stuffed

271 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 2151163 27-Dec-2018 15:06

Jase2985:
As Steve said it depends on what you want to monitor, i use one of these

it shows me readings every 6 seconds, so its quiet easy to pin down whats using power

That looks interesting.
Did you buy through a NZ agent? Just that nothing happens when try to open the local site.
Guess it can go on the switchboard rather than the meter box?
For unit costings can you factor in daily line/congestion charges?
How much was it?
Very many thanks.

Why work on Wednesday and stuff up 2 good long weekends

k1w1k1d

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 2151186 27-Dec-2018 17:02

Try this https://reductionrevolution.com.au/pages/meter-monitor

Jase2985

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# 2151194 27-Dec-2018 17:12

Yes i did but i brought it a few years back and unsure if they still sell them

I have mine in the meter box, but it needs it be before any power takeoff so ideally the mainline into the switch box

you can manually input the unit cost etc that you are on.

I think i paid about $120 for it.

Here is an image from the cloud software