Brultech ECM-1240 Labview Code

Developer's Corner General Dev Discussions
1

I am trying to integrate the data from a Brultech ECM-1240 into the Vera. I am having trouble getting the info from Brultech (3 Emails and no response). Anyone out there have the serial protocol for this device?Thanks
Thanks Ben for giving me the PDF

Tim Alls
AllSeas Yachts

2

They hand-vet everyone who gets the API. In turn these folks cannot share it with others, but their derived works can be 8)

I’m assuming you put in an explanation of your intended usage in your note to Ben.

You might want to do a Google Code search, as there are a few [C-based] examples that show the format.

I have a stub of Lua code that’ll read it, but haven’t pulled the trigger yet on detaching mine from GooglePM, and don’t want to show it before I’ve actually checked/tested it.

Anyhow, go do a few google searches and you’ll see responses in C, Python that handle the “native” format, along with others that handle a more textual format.

HINT: It’s extremely simple to read, and it’s fixed format unless you use the Support tools to reconfigure it to the name=value&name=value style. I imagine the fixed-format version will be trivial to read in Labview.

Support tools are available via registration on their site, using the serial# of your ECM-1240 device as part of the registration process.

3

Thanks, I will try them again and include the sales information. I will look at the registration process as well. I was searching code forums tonight and they all said the same thing you are saying…can’t reveal the top secret codes! Its good they made it so hard to get because everyone I know is just dying to get a hold of it…right?
Anyway, I want to get it to do a raw binary dump…I am used to getting dumped on!
The unit looks awesome, I am hoping for individual channel information on one second intervals…we will see.
More to come.
Thanks again
You have been a big help.
Regards
Tim

4

Thanks Guessed…They finally sent me the PDF today!
We are wiring it up today…code starts this afternoon.
There might be Generator problems (unstable frequency) assosiated with the unit…waiting to hear back.
Regards
Tim Alls
AllSeas Yachts

5

Would this be a better purchase for someone looking to monitor whole house consuption, vs. using the Aeon Labs’ Z-Wave PM device?

I know it is more expensive, but being linked to Google PM and being able to monitor independently seems valuable. If this one just works and is farily accurate then I guess it is worth the money right there. Could you give me your thoughts, pro/cons? Thanks.

6

This device is acyually cheaper if you take in to consideration that is is monitoring 7 different circuits. This isn’t a calculated KWH it is an actual KWH meaning it really measures the amperage. It records Watt Seconds on seven independent channels. Each channel can have more than one transducer hooked up so you can catch everything in a room.
Before I get my foot in my mouth let me finish the software and run it…could be a piece of junk!
Regards
Tim Alls
AllSeas Yachts

7

Too late, I think I might be sold. You had me at 7 circuits ;D

Seriously, let us know what you find out.

8

Well I finished installing the unit this afternoon and the software was pretty easy. We are now logging Stateroom KWH’s and it looks like two thumbs up!
Information is broadcast on one second intervals and it works like a charm.

Regards
Tim Alls
AllSeas Yachts

9

Guessed, you mentioned that someday you would write a plugin for this device…
I want to encourage you to do so. This is the real deal in power monitoring. I thought it would just measure the current draw but it does much more:
It measures the AC line voltage and records 7 different counters that show Watt Seconds on each. The applications for this are far reaching.
I have the unit online and it really works well!
Because it uses counters you would only need to read the data stream once a minute at the most…that makes it easy on resources that Vera lacks.
Regards
Tim Alls
AllSeas Yachts

10

Don’t worry, it will be written. I have 2x units and 14 clamps so it’ll be interesting to see if Vera can keep up. I have another box that can run all of it if V’s hardware is too small (for both real time collection and some archival and graphing)

11

I have been running one unit for a week now and so far so good. Reading the unit is easy but it has been more of a challenge to format the data into something meaningful! I ended up writing code to record the watt second counters every minute, total the KWH for that minute and start building an array. Any suggestions on formatting and saving the data for easy and meaningful graphs?
Regards
Tim Alls

12

Now that I am running the 1234 firmware power monitoring came to life in MIOS. I think that the interface will not support the Brultech…it seems kinda dorky if that is a word!
Tim

13

Natively, Vera only supports Z-Wave devices that support energy metering. For other interfaces, you’ll need a plug-in. Or did you mean the user interface, in relation to multi-channel power meters?

14

I know there is no support for it yet…Guessed is going to be working on one when he has time. I am just curious how to tie it in and how to make Vera display the data. I am thinking that only a portion of the data should be passed to Mios for display and the bulk of the data should be analyzed with a PC that has more processing power for 3D graphs, Bar Charts, ETC. ETC…
I am looking for ideas. The Brultech is a great device but the amount of data coming in from it exceeds the capabilties of Vera!
I would personally love it if MCV would come out with a small fanless PC running their program under Linux…I know, I know,it’s not the direction their going…I have been reading MCV’s point of view and I know they need to make money to survive! Perhaps rather than beating a dead horse the solution is to do what I mentioned previously (Fanless PC) as an open source project that interfaces with the Vera. Something that allows pretty touchscreen interfaces and lot’s of gatgets for those of us who like to play!

Regards
Tim

15

In MiOS I only plan to display the current values for each ECM-1240 channel. There is no provision/capacity to store & crunch historical values directly in Vera, without a USB-Key hanging out the back, and a lot of “free” cycles to collect/compute this stuff - unfortunately my Vera is more than max’d so the storage-addition-only option isn’t going to work for me.

I think that the fancier visualizations will require something like:

http://bugs.micasaverde.com/view.php?id=1386

so that the graphs (etc) could be rendered, using something akin to Google Charts. For now, I’ll be able to do it with the new HTML functionality that’s in SQRemote. I’ve already used that to display other Graphics like Weather.

I have a separate device that I’ll use for long-term [in-house] data retention, charting, etc, since I’ll be able to ensure it’s stability given the workload it’ll likely have to undertake. It’s specs will easily do the job (512K RAM 512K Flash, GigE, Bluetooth, 1.2GHz processor all in a plugpack form)

16

Thanks for the link…how in the world do you remember where all these topics are at!

Ben at Brultech has a setup similar to what you are describing…I must find out how he did it! He has a huge amount of data that can be charted any way you can imagine, a perfect tool for power mangement.

I will check out the charting tools you are referring to…sounds like an easy way to crunch the data without writing so much code.

Regards
Tim Alls

17

I wanted to get this topic back up and discuss what I think might be an easy way to bring data into the Vera from the Brultech.
If a virtual dimmer switch was created and an outside program wrote to the Wattage Variable would Vera pick it up and log it along with its other loads? I am already stuffing Engine Data into Vera which works fine…how about energy monitoring and with no custom code to write?
Why this method? No bugs to work out and no overhead issues with Vera…it wouldn’t know the difference!
Thoughts?
Regards
Tim Alls
AllSeas Yachts

18
If a virtual dimmer switch was created and an outside program wrote to the Wattage Variable would Vera pick it up and log it along with its other loads?

Interesting idea - should work.

See http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php?topic=2495.msg37300#msg37300 for an implementation of a virtual binary light.

19

Ap15e,
Is this an on / off switch or can it be used as a dimmer?
I am trying to bring in Values to the LoadLevelStatus Variable so that SQRemote can display values for me as well…also Does the binary switch you mentioned create a Wattage Variable?
Regards
Tim

20

The [tt]StateDevice[/tt] (SD) isn’t my original work.

No, the SD cannot be used as a dimmer, because it is derived from [tt]D_BinaryLight1.xml[/tt].

No, the SD doesn’t allow for setting the wattage.

You could derive a virtual dimmer from [tt]D_DimmableLight1.xml[/tt]. You must include the [tt]S_EnergyMetering1.xml[/tt] and/or(?) the [tt]S_HaDevice1.xml[/tt] service to be able to set the wattage.

BTW, wouldn’t it be nice if MCV would ship Vera with a bunch of virtual devices?