Re: How suitable would Xap be for monitoring Gas + Electric?

["Kevin Hawkins" <yahoogroupskh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just to mention that xAP hardware can also help here.

There is a device called the xAP Netiom

http://www.phaedrusltd.com/system/index.html

This provides a lot of I/O (inputs , outputs, serial, counters,
latches) as well as a web interface and all the I/O is xAP enabled.

One of the useful aspects for this application is the counters and you
can attach the pulse output type energy meters to an input and have
the Netiom count those pulses for you.   Then you can either report
them every 'n' increments via xAP or have an application that just
reads them.  Effectively you have a network readable meter, meaning
you don't need the PC available 24/7.

I use this approach myself for several zones of electric and both gas
and water.

K


--- In xap_automation@xxxxxxx, "Gary" <questuk1@...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> OK thanks James, that's given me a much clearer view of Xap and its
uses.
>
> Regards
>
>
> Gary
>
> --- In xap_automation@xxxxxxx, James Traynor
> <james.traynor@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > It really comes down to what you want to do with the data, but
the
> short
> > answer is yes it should be part of the system.  If all you are
doing is
> > logging data to a database, and everything you are going to use
the
> data
> > with is on teh pc connected to the PIC, then xAP isn't going to
help
> you
> > much. However I would imagine you want to share the data, display
the
> > data, maybe even IM the data or speak the data. That's really
where xAP
> > will help you as alot of the connectors are done. I don't know
about
> gas
> > but there is an app to xAP enable a currentcost electricity
monitor
> > which will be probably be useful.
> > The .net framework will give you all the xAP elements to your
> > application you will need to send and receive messages. Floorplan
could
> > be used to log data and graph it too with some scripting.  Many
> > possibilities, mainly depends on platform and what you want to
display
> > where. Remember though that xAP is a protocol, so is ideal to get
info
> > from A to B, well A to everywhere really, but you still need apps
> > for the receiving and sending!
> >
> > James
> >
> > Gary wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I haven't used Xap yet, but I am intending to monitor my Gas
usage per
> > > minute and eventually my electric. I would like real time
data and
> > > historical and it would be nice to have graphs.
> > >
> > > I had considered writing some code in Visual Basic 2008
express, but
> > > am wondering if all the hard work has been done for me and
use Xap?
> > >
> > > The data will eventually be sent into my PC using RS232 or
USB via a
> > > pic micro. But for initial trial will most probably use
parallel
port
> > > and just count the pulses.
> > >
> > > How suitable is Xap for this?
> > >
> > > Any ideas and thoughts welcome?
> > >
> > > Regards Gary
> > >
> > >
> >
>



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