Re: Remote energy metering

["Richard Parker" <mr.richard.parker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Kevin,

Thank you for your very thorough reply!

My overall goal is to be able to log energy consumption withim our home
ove=
r
time, I presume this would require me to monitor and store the
'instantaneous consumption' provided by the meter.

I have read many different solutions, and to be honest I am quite stunned
that a very simple way of doing this doesn't really exist - and by 'simple'
I'm referring to just being able to fit a device into the DIN-rail and have
that wirelessly transmit consumption information. I am not an electrician,
so I would have to hire one to install the DIN-rail equipment for me -
presumably a registered electrician will also be aware about regs regarding
the separation of high and low voltage cabling.

I'm not adverse to coding, however - I'm a programmer for a living - so I
a=
m
confident I could write some software to receive the information, however
i=
t
is to be received.

The only thing that is clear to me so far is that in my quest to find a way
of doing this without ripping apart my flat and becoming a professional
electrician in the process is that there are simply more and more questions
to answer!

What would *you* do? :)

Many thanks

Rich


On 03/04/07, Kevin Hawkins <lists@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi Richard,
>
>    The RFXCom or Electrisave products can be connected around the main
> feed into the consumer unit and measure the same values  (they don't
> have to go before the meter).  If you're wanting to measure your whole
> consumption just make sure the feed isn't in any way divided (eg
between
> consumer panels) before its point of attachment.  As you are
considering
> a DIN rail mounted meter I assume the panels are within your property.
>
>     As to the product you mention it looks interesting and suitable.
> Probably they charge extra for their own software suite but as long as
> the IP connection parameters and protocol is documented you should be
> able to write your own application processing this data . I haven't
read
> the docs so not sure if it reports via Ethernet the current
> instantaneous consumption ( I see it diplays it) or if that is
important
> to you.
>
>    As you are going to write your own software anyway you could do
this
> at a lower cost (via Ethernet) using RFXCom/Electrisave and the xPL
> conduit or xAP and a Netiom/Viom with a low cost single width DIN
mount
> KWHr meter. However that DIN mount unit is very neat and I was
surprised
> it wasn't more expensive actually..   Do check you have  enough
physical
> space to mount it and you will need to observe some regulations
> regarding segmenting low voltage (Ethernet) and mains within the
> consumer unit.
>
>    K
>
> - Richard Parker wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I'm still on my quest to find a (relatively) easy way to monitor
my
> power
> > consumption, with a view to logging usage over time in SQL
server.
> >
> > Yes, RFXCom is an option, as may be the Electrisave product, but
both o=
f
> > these require some kind of wireless communication, and access to
the
> feed
> > into the meter. As I live in a flat, my meter is halfway down the
hall,
> and
> > I don't want to install a wireless device. Hence I was on the
hunt for =
a
> > DIN-rail mounted ethernet-communicating kWh meter, and I think
I've
> found
> > one.
> >
> > Does this product look as though it may do the trick? It's a tad
> expensive
> > (=A3395!):
> >
> > http://www.elcomponent.co.uk/products.php?id=3D135&pid=3D37
> >
> > Thoughts, anyone?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Richard
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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