home power monitor project and Hello

[auto_man]

Hello, I stumbled into the site a few days ago looking for some info on building a home monitoring system. There looks to be plenty of good info, I look forward to reading. My plan is to attempt building a home power monitoring system currently i have a few lem current transformers and I plan on ordering a dataq starter kit for data recording. I am hoping to build a prototype of sorts on just one circuit, something to debug hardware and software. I am not sure I have the best equipment, but I just want something to start with. The transducers were acquired for a low cost of free so I couldn't pass them up. I am sure even if the dataq logger doesn't meet the needs for this project it will be a good piece of equipment to add to the pile of gadgets. I am open to any tips or suggestions...

 

[electron]

Hi, welcome to CT!

Do you want to build this project because you are not aware of any commercial products, or are you doing it just for fun? If it's the former, check out the Brultech or TED hardware. If it's the latter, then hopefully someone else can chime in

 

[auto_man]

My first reason to build it is fun, my second is cost.

Actually what I want to buy is the ted software algo's that I could install on a pc and I would supply my own hardware. The problem I have is that all the off the shelf systems I have looked at don't do what I want. I want to monitor every circuit in my panel and most of the off the shelf systems only monitor the main. I would like more resolution than that. I want see what things really draw the juice in addition to monitoring all the various appliances I have. I would also like the data to be available on my webserver and I don't know if that is a feature is available with off the shelf ones. On hardware I plan to spend 20bux / circuit including current transducer etc. I will need a data logger, I will either build my own logger board(40bux-60) using a small micro like the star12 or purchase a serial port logger. I currently estimate I would be into it about 500 bux then need to write the software. I know it is tons of work, but I need a project to keep me busy...

My long term goal is to monitor the effect of different money saving ideas I hear from time to time. I am tired of people telling me to do stuff but don't have data to support it. I would also like to have a running log so that I could go back in time so to speak and see what power usage over some past period of time, I believe it could predict equipment failure. We do this sort of thing at work, we monitor equipment so that we know the prime maintenance interval. In addition we monitor things like on-time to see when say an additional machine would be needed because the one(s) we currently have are running close to capacity.

Hi, welcome to CT!

Do you want to build this project because you are not aware of any commercial products, or are you doing it just for fun? If it's the former, check out the Brultech or TED hardware. If it's the latter, then hopefully someone else can chime in

 

[WayneW]

The problem I have is that all the off the shelf systems I have looked at don't do what I want. I want to monitor every circuit in my panel and most of the off the shelf systems only monitor the main. I would like more resolution than that. I want see what things really draw the juice in addition to monitoring all the various appliances I have. I would also like the data to be available on my webserver and I don't know if that is a feature is available with off the shelf ones.

Here is one option for multiple circuits.
http://www.brandelectronics.com/onemeter.html

 

[auto_man]

The problem I have is that all the off the shelf systems I have looked at don't do what I want. I want to monitor every circuit in my panel and most of the off the shelf systems only monitor the main. I would like more resolution than that. I want see what things really draw the juice in addition to monitoring all the various appliances I have. I would also like the data to be available on my webserver and I don't know if that is a feature is available with off the shelf ones.

Here is one option for multiple circuits.
http://www.brandelectronics.com/onemeter.html

Thanks will check it out.

 

[auto_man]

Started my blog about the project:

http://www.cocoontech.com/blog/auto_man/index.php?