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

[Kevin Hawkins <yahoogroupskh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Gary,

xAP is essentially just the protocol used to transfer data between
nodes.  What you are after is an application that can interface with xAP
but provides database and graphing.  There are several commercial
applications that can do this - usual HA Automation commercial
favourites as well as some free ones.

On the free side you could use xAP Floorplan (recommended) and I
believe there's a xAP logger database application although I have never
used it.   You could of course roll your own as Dave suggested.  Google
provide a nice API for graphing and there are some neat Flash based
gauge/graph applications too.

A different approach I highly recommend is OPNMax as long as your
data is presented via the xAP BSC schema.  This is a standalone embedded
device - actually a converted Linksys NSLU2 'Slug' - these are available
new for around £50.     Once you load the free OPNMax software it
becomes a xAP BSC controller with logic and scheduling and includes a
web interface and ftp server.   Also provided is a SQLite
database/logger and a Java based graphing application, so viewable in
your browser.. as well as PHP and Perl scripting.  I log and graph my
energy consumption this way.   You should be able to count and average
your info as you can trigger scripts and DB actions on device change .
Pretty impressive as a standalone embedded xAP controller.

http://www.opnode.org
http://www.ukusa.demon.co.uk/Temperatures.jpg
http://www.ukusa.demon.co.uk/Utilities.jpg

cheers Kevin

Gary wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I have been busy in interfacing my gas meter to my RS232 port and
> would now like to interface it to xap. I would like to datestamp each
> pulse which comes every 22 seconds roughly and store this in a
> database. Also would like some pictorial interface etc.
>
> This is just the 1st of various sensors, windows doors etc PIR.
>
> Any advice on how i can get xap to display the info, at first just
> starting with the Gas meter. Its needs a counter to keep total of
> pulses, then average them and also output them graphically?
>
> And advice welcome?
>
> --- In xap_automation@xxxxxxx
> <mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com>,
"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
> <mailto:xap_automation%40yahoogroups.com>,
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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