OpenEnergyMonitor

Do you have a complete list of materials for both the input and output and all other caveats?  We'd like to build our own, but want to make sure we get all of the appropriate materials.  Thanks!

Can you recommend me which Hardware I require to develop a small project to measure Energy saved not too dissimliar to yours.

Having read your forum I'm already thinking you will save me a lot of work since the system you have is not too dissimar but I have not purchase any hardware yet and it looks like the arduino route is the way to go but which one ?

I have a system which currently switches off AC and lighting circuits for rental homes when the client is out of the premisses using a simple keyfob Timer and Relay circuit. I would like to develop a monitoring systems to show me energy saved using the efergy sensors which I already own.

I wish to Measure 2 analogue sources of Current (like 2x 110v on each line) using a small loop sensor which give me a small voltage change. Then I need to record the values and compare them to values obtained prior to them removing the keyfob which generates another signal to tell me to start counting time and multiplying that by time elapsed and the energy used thus giving me the amount of KWH saved between Client out and Client In.

I wish to store the results to show me how much energy has been saved since the last reset say and display this on a LCD (Louis project with 16 x2 chars LCD should do) which could also show me lapsed energy saved until the key is returned on the keyfob.

I have looked at the Arduino Uno option with Makershield but there are other options which seems more attractive given that I will want a more permanent solution once developped.

1) Ardweeny + Protoshield
2) Prototino
3) Boardwino

I Have yet to purchase any of these but would like guidance as to which combination I should use to develop then build my boards--- given that I might want to make about 20 of these to hand out to my clients. The Programming side looks fairly comprehensible as I was a C programmer.

I will start with building a dual Current sensor module using your code as guidance and see how I do before I need help.

Background : I'm Responsible for switching over 100KW of energy (Client cannot leave without taking key and AC and lights switch off automatically once they are gone) in 25 rental homes in a tourist town in Costa Rica and live here during the UK winters - this project is to pay for my beers and to give something back to the environment !

Jean

Hello Trystan.
I would like to try and replicate your project but using a different uC.
I haven't figured out how fast you need to sample the ADC for the CT clamp. I would like to know this number since it will help me select a proper uC.

Thanks,
Stelios

I just started working on this, I have it breadboarded for a single CT (100A) and managed to calibrate it for current. I can't find the sketch for version 3. I am having a ton of trouble calibrating it under version 2. I'm in the US and where I live we have peak demand metering. This means that during peak periods they take the highest hour's KWH usage and charge you a ton for that single hour. Needless to say a meter that tells me the instantaneous usage would save me a ton of money. My plan is to use contactors to shed load as the load increases. I already shed the water heater during peak periods but I need to be able to tell what is being used NOW, not an hour ago like the meter reading tells me. When I can get the device calibrated somewhat I'll add a second CT and move it to the meter location.

Help me find the version 3 sketch please.

dave

Hi Tristan,

Excellent website - have build a PDU (PowerDistributionUnit) for 19" Racks based on your code with 10
Current Transformers.
Data is polled by a Perl script and stored in a RRD Database. Graphs are generated by rrd.cgi on a Webserver...

http://www.komputer.de/wordpress/?p=8

Sorry but it's in german

Michael

Fantastic project. I have built it up and started logging data to mySQL using an ethernet shield. I've also brought your "scope" code into the main monitoring code, so I can see the waveform while monitoring.

http://energy.bbarker.co.uk

I think I may try a display unit next - I've been looking at how you built yours.

Thanks for the writeup,

Ben

Hi, this is an excellent site - I have been looking around for some time now for a solution that would allow me to monitor home power usage without having to leave the PC switched on all the time.

I have got hold of a couple of Seeeduino boards and a pair of 315 Mhz RF link modules, I've got the Seeeduino's talking to each other with the RF link and all is looking good, however... I'm using one of the OWL CT sensors - it seems to give out some voltage when I check it on a load inside the house (kettle - using the test setup you describe, break out live from the 3 core cable), when the kettle is on I get a reading of 0.384VAC, however, I always seem to get the same reading out of the Seeeduino - 512 i.e. 2.5v on the Analogue input...? (Non Invasive V3)

I was wondering if you or any other viewers of the site have managed to get this working with an OWL sensor?

Once again, excellent site - i'll post up the details of my setup once I get things working.

A.