UK energy monitor - EcoManager plugs and DIY interface

Other Devices & Integrations Power Management
21

In case anyone is interested in this system, I now have the basic system operating, with Vera plugin. This just creates the devices on Vera, and reports the switch state and the power being used. At some point I’ll add control of the switches…

If you’re interested in this, let me know and I can release the plugin and write up how to get it working…

Chris

22

Hi Chris

Any idea of timescale to control the devices. I’m trying work out the best way to control a number of sets of Christmas lights.

Thanks

Gareth.

23

I’ll probably add this later in the week. It’s added into the controller code, but not the plugin yet as I’m working away from home for the next few days…

It should be pretty simple though.

Cheers
Chris

24

Hi Chris, Futzle

With the Optismart, as it will read actual pulses, i assume it will report your usage more accurately

Could this allow you to enter a meter reading, and then in a (existing or new) plugin, it update that base value so you have a virtual meter (kW counter) that could be comparable to what would be on the actual meter and utility bill ?

25

Yeah, that’s the idea.

26

Thanks Futzle - that is a plugin I would like to have on my dash, something that shows me actual (current) usage but also my accumulated usage too. I already use an iOS called Kwh which I have to manually enter my usage into. I have 3 years of data in here and it’s a great app, as it allows me to see my past, current and future usage in many ways (ave daily, weekly, monthly etc.).

Considering you and Chris have done such a great job on developing Energy Monitoring and reporting plugins, I’m torn between them, and also that iOS app, yet I ultimately would like to back and invest in one horse…:slight_smile:

27

Well, I can give you inside information on my horse: I draw the line at what the monitor can tell me. With the CurrentCost instantaneous power monitors that means power now, plus whatever history the base station keeps. With the OptiSmart interval meters, that means total pulses ever counted*. The intention is that if you disconnect the base station from Vera for a week, then reconnect it, you haven’t lost anything. I’m not in the market for making a data logging plugin, especially when there are already good ones out there. (That’s not to say that you can’t attach a data logger to my plugin, indeed that’s what I want people to do.)

  • I will make one concession and provide a manual tare button to zero out the count. It’s implemented as a number that I subtract from the lifetime pulse count. If you want to go in there and make it a negative number to match what your meter said the first time you attached OptiSmart to it, I won’t stop you.