I would like to have a data logger that can track the KWs being used in my home. I need to know load times/days etc. I have seen a number of items that do this by attaching to the power cable from the consumer unit and then sending this data using RF to a display unit.
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but this does not have a PC interface so I cannot use it to log data over a long period of time. Question: How does this device collect/measure the total electricity used?
It has a sensor that you connect around the live wire of your meter tails that measures the current flowing in the wire. The sensor transmits the signal to the receiver (as shown in the photographs on the above website) and the receiver (which you programme for the nominal voltage of the mains) then calculates the power being consumed by the whole house. This is an instantaneous (or maybe average) reading and the unit does not appear to do any data logging at all.
See here:
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I wasn't prepared to pay for something really expensive
I have a secondary elctricity meter (that was originally a coin operated one) that has had the coin mech taken out and a slotted LED sensor put on the disk, which via an optoisolator drives the interupt bit of the parallel port. I've been logging electricity (and water too) using this method for over 10 years now.
Yes, and I use a simple RS transducer to give me water rate usage, though that has to have a 'divide by 100' circuit in series due to the rapid rate of revolution. The software (which I wrote) does simple zone control on my central heating, and also has provision to monitor gas, but I've never found a suitable sensor.
Could you rig up an optical sensor that looked directly at the digits on the companies gas meter. It wouldn't have to actually read the numbers, it could just log movement of the last digit (thinking of my gas meter that has an 'odometer' type display)? Although thinking about it a webcam with character recognition could take periodic snapshots of the gas meter
I held back from that approach as it could scare the pants off meter readers ! The normal gas meter 'breathes' with a bellows, and can be distinctly heard. I had indended to make a microphone based system with filters to pick out it's distinctive sound, but like so many things never got round to it.
If you used a laser mounted on the wall opposite the meter the meter reader should only notice a small burning sensation if he keeps his head still for more than a minute!
But the problem with both that gas interface and opto electricity interface is that they invite too many questions from the meter readers - I'm sure that you'll be reported for possible fiddling attempts with bits stuck all over the meter. That's why I opted for a separate meter that I modified in series with the boards meter.
I can't even remember the last time we actually had someone round to read our meters... Even so, it'd be trivial to pull the blu-tack blob holding the sensor off the meter for the meter read so I really don't see this as a significant disadvantage, particularly in the context of the simplicity and low cost.
Me neither - especially as the meter readers don't work directly for the supplier and are unlikely to be arsed to do anything about it even if they did suspect foul play. Besides, the seals would still be intact so even a jobsworth would have little reason for suspicion.
If what you put on the meter is no more than a photocell /phototransistor on end of cable, this minimises the suspicions. Put the circuitry on it there too raises more question marks.
In the time I've been here I dont think theyve ever even seen the meter, they dont seem interested now.
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