I’d like to be able to see my home electricity usage, solar PV generation, iBoost, EV charger (and soon to be added battery storage) in a single display.
I’m ok with fitting hardware but haven’t the first idea about programming transmitters/receivers or integrating them into a graphical output etc, I should also add I’ve no time or real inclination to learn how…
Is there an off the shelf system or can I buy in the expertise? A Google search just brings up a million ads so thought I’d ask here where I can clearly see the sort of thing I’m looking for. Some details below, appreciate any help I can get:-
Norfolk coast, single phase supply.
3.2kw Zanussi PV array (garage roof 20m away)
Inverter in garage loft with generation meter.
Battery storage will go in garage loft.
EV charger (Ohme) at garage.
Geo Solar II PV monitor in kitchen
Solar iBoost in boiler room
Main board with a single spare way
OctopusEnergy supplier liberty smart meter
I think we can probably help you, but because everyone’s electrical installation is different, it’s impossible to say that some configuration and setting up won’t be needed. What I can say is there’s a lot of free, and usually very prompt, support here if you can find a little time to learn how to do the setting up. I do realise that you have specifically stated
but a certain amount of learning is inevitable with any system in order to get the best out of it.
I’m afraid we don’t generally work that way. This is just a community of individuals in many countries who generously help each other. You could hope that someone in your locality (I’m around 180 miles away) sees this and offers to help - I’ve added the “services-wanted” tag.
From a very first look at your requirements, it does look as if you need two emonTx’s and an emonBase and power supply, plus the necessary sensors - 2 × a.c. adapter and possibly 5 × c.t’s.
But the other problem is, I’m not sure when our shop will be able to supply you - because of the ongoing global semiconductor shortage.
I’m sorry I can’t be all that encouraging, but be assured we’ll do our best to help you, given your constraints.
Thanks for the excellent reply Robert. I think setting up would be ok if I had commissioning docs/manuals it’s the programming that’d be my problem. CTs etc I’ve installed and connected with to the iBoost, PV monitor, I’ve also got a smart thermostat system which uses Z wave to communicate hub to components, I can find my way around that when items need re adding etc.
I’ve spent days looking at off the shelf “solutions” and some look to go a fair way to what I’m looking for but none so far truly integrate the separate components of my system how is pictured it, the closest I’ve seen is “sense” which is an American monitor.
Thanks again for the reply, I’m no worse off for waiting to see what happens and for shops to be restocked etc, if there is anybody out my way (Norfolk coast) that can help I’d love to hear from them.
Can you define “programming” for me. When I was working for my living, we had a customer who confidently asserted they were ‘programmers’. It turned out, they knew how to use a spreadsheet and precious little beyond that.
We don’t expect you to (although you can if you wish - everything here is open source) write stuff like this:
EmonLibCM_datalog_period(EEProm.period); // period of readings in seconds - normal value for emoncms.org
EmonLibCM_setAssumedVrms(EEProm.assumedVrms);
EmonLibCM_setPulseEnable(EEProm.pulse_enable); // Enable pulse counting
EmonLibCM_setPulsePin(3);
EmonLibCM_setPulseMinPeriod(EEProm.pulse_period);
I think I could find my way around those pages. Are you limited to 2 CTs? I’d like to know when my iBoost was on, car charger, battery storage as well as my sonar generation v consumption? I could fit CTs to those lines and monitor those?
I’ll put a bit of effort into learning those, thanks for your nudging!
For the emonPi, yes. The emonTx has 4 c.t. inputs (Garage?) and that links to the emonPi by ISM band 433 MHz radio (so if WiFi reaches into the garage, there’s a good chance this will too). Depending on how your immersion heater and iBoost connects to the mains (a dedicated circuit or ring main?) you might need a second emonTx just for that.
The new emonTx (when it appears later this summer) will have 6 c.t. inputs, the next emonPi hasn’t been thought about seriously yet.
I wouldn’t put too much effort in yet - the main idea is to see what sort of setting up is needed. When it comes to learning, I suggest playing with it for a good few hours and seeing how you get on before you permanently install anything. You’ll almost certainly get something working, then decide to throw that configuration away and start again, once you’ve learned a bit.
I’ll sketch out what I have and where it is and count the inputs I need, I’m assuming inputs could be totalised? If so then I could have the 4ct version in the garage (PV gen, battery flow, ev charge, garage consumption) and a 2ct version at the house measuring house consumption and iBoost and combine the house and garage for a total use. I think that the garage and house may be too far away for wireless, it’s around 20m. There’s a separate line into the garage as my wife has a work space behind it so Wi-Fi is available but different routers at the house and garage.
20 m clear line of sight isn’t a problem - but how many walls of what construction would there be as well?
Wi-Fi is possible for the garage, but it’s not the “native” way that the emonTx communicates - it means adding a Wi-Fi module inside, plus a power supply (the a.c. adapter for measuring the voltage can’t supply adequate power for WiFi).
For the house, the emonPi on its own is only good if the immersion feed goes direct from the consumer unit (unless the C.U. and meter are in the boiler room) - because you’re using the other input for the main incoming supply. You can (but you won’t want to) extend the c.t. leads through the house to the boiler room).
