I think PV helps consumers change mindset

[cojmh]

Thanks Fintray,

I am also interested in the website you put up. Is this something you have installed yourself?

Probably a bit of a noob question - but presumably I could put a CT on to any circuit on the consumer unit to actually see what a particular circuit is using?

Thanks,

[Stig]

Probably a bit of a noob question - but presumably I could put a CT on to any circuit on the consumer unit to actually see what a particular circuit is using?

Yes -ish. A CT measures current and that's not always the same as power depending on the type of load. For a resistive heater it'll be accurate, for an electric motor not so much (not all the current is in phase with the voltage so your calculation of power will be higher than it really is).

[Stinsy]

Thanks Fintray,

I am also interested in the website you put up. Is this something you have installed yourself?

Probably a bit of a noob question - but presumably I could put a CT on to any circuit on the consumer unit to actually see what a particular circuit is using?

Thanks,

Beware! You’re about to open a big old can of worms of “real”, “apparent”, and “reactive” power!

In answer to your question: yes you can use a CT to measure power in any circuit, I’ve even seen little ones designed to sit on top of MCBs. However the “accuracy” will depend on what you’re measuring and what you intend to use the information for.

[cojmh]

Yes -ish. A CT measures current and that's not always the same as power depending on the type of load. For a resistive heater it'll be accurate, for an electric motor not so much (not all the current is in phase with the voltage so your calculation of power will be higher than it really is).

Thank you,

I have to admit that I don't understand the relationship between current and voltage when talking about phase difference. Someone has tried to explain it to me before but I have to admit I didn't understand. I just understand that things are more complicated than a simple voltage*current=power.

[cojmh]

Beware! You’re about to open a big old can of worms of “real”, “apparent”, and “reactive” power!

In answer to your question: yes you can use a CT to measure power in any circuit, I’ve even seen little ones designed to sit on top of MCBs. However the “accuracy” will depend on what you’re measuring and what you intend to use the information for.

I will tread carefully!

In terms of what what I wanted to do (if possible) is monitor different areas of the house for load - and specific loads. I envisage being able to monitor the following:

• Overall Incoming/out going power (my current source is the smart meter)

• Power from main PV array (my current source is the solax app which can be flakey)

• Power from additional arrays (in the future)

• Power used by Solar Diverter (still to be installed)

• Power used EPS circuit (no previous ability to measure)

• Power used by storage heaters (in the future)

• Power used by Car charger (in the future)

There might be a couple more that I might find interesting.

Some of my devices already do logging - but like others I find it frustrating that everything is in different places. The other thing I don't like/trust are cloud based services. I don't like the trend of having to buy "additional" services so that I can see my own data. So having my own monitoring solution that is locally hosted makes a lot of sense to me. I am not against cloud services but I don't like loosing functionality if I choose not to pay.

Thanks

[Fintray]

Thanks Fintray,

I am also interested in the website you put up. Is this something you have installed yourself?

Probably a bit of a noob question - but presumably I could put a CT on to any circuit on the consumer unit to actually see what a particular circuit is using?

Thanks,

Hi cojmh

I have had the monitoring system for several years now having originally one emonTx and an emonBase. After installing my second PV system with a Tesla battery I added an additional emonTx and updated the emonBase to one with a later RaspberryPi. This allows me to monitor up to 8 circuits which are PV1, PV2, Car charge, Import/export, Divert to HW, Battery charge/discharge and Kitchen with one spare. The emonTx also has the facility for temperature monitoring using one wire devices which I have but haven't used yet.
There are numerous ways that you can manipulate the data to give you the readings you require and the readings can be displayed as graphs, bar charts, dial gauges etc.
The data can be hosted locally or you can view it remotely via Emoncms.org, when you buy some of the kit you get a 20% credit (on the value of the purchase) to use against Emoncms remote viewing which is likely to give you between 5-10 years of free viewing depending on the number of items of data you wish to view remotely.
There are several integrations that can be used with the system e.g. Node-RED, none of which I have tried yet! There is also an active community forum for information, help, etc.

Hope the above is of some help.

[ALAN/ALAN D]

I Know I have lots of P.V. and wind turbines but how much energy is being used for the Lady of the house to learn one word in Spanish a week.

[Stinsy]

Beware! You’re about to open a big old can of worms of “real”, “apparent”, and “reactive” power!

In answer to your question: yes you can use a CT to measure power in any circuit, I’ve even seen little ones designed to sit on top of MCBs. However the “accuracy” will depend on what you’re measuring and what you intend to use the information for.

I will tread carefully!

In terms of what what I wanted to do (if possible) is monitor different areas of the house for load - and specific loads. I envisage being able to monitor the following:

• Overall Incoming/out going power (my current source is the smart meter)

• Power from main PV array (my current source is the solax app which can be flakey)

• Power from additional arrays (in the future)

• Power used by Solar Diverter (still to be installed)

• Power used EPS circuit (no previous ability to measure)

• Power used by storage heaters (in the future)

• Power used by Car charger (in the future)

There might be a couple more that I might find interesting.

Some of my devices already do logging - but like others I find it frustrating that everything is in different places. The other thing I don't like/trust are cloud based services. I don't like the trend of having to buy "additional" services so that I can see my own data. So having my own monitoring solution that is locally hosted makes a lot of sense to me. I am not against cloud services but I don't like loosing functionality if I choose not to pay.

Thanks

I were you I’d look at myenergi’s products.

This is from their marketing director’s personal install:

[cojmh]

Hi cojmh

I have had the monitoring system for several years now having originally one emonTx and an emonBase. After installing my second PV system with a Tesla battery I added an additional emonTx and updated the emonBase to one with a later RaspberryPi. This allows me to monitor up to 8 circuits which are PV1, PV2, Car charge, Import/export, Divert to HW, Battery charge/discharge and Kitchen with one spare. The emonTx also has the facility for temperature monitoring using one wire devices which I have but haven't used yet.
There are numerous ways that you can manipulate the data to give you the readings you require and the readings can be displayed as graphs, bar charts, dial gauges etc.
The data can be hosted locally or you can view it remotely via Emoncms.org, when you buy some of the kit you get a 20% credit (on the value of the purchase) to use against Emoncms remote viewing which is likely to give you between 5-10 years of free viewing depending on the number of items of data you wish to view remotely.
There are several integrations that can be used with the system e.g. Node-RED, none of which I have tried yet! There is also an active community forum for information, help, etc.

Hope the above is of some help.

Thank you for the info, that is really helpful.

I like the underlying technology too (Pi and Arduino) as I play with those for other things.

But I will have a dig around at the other stuff too. It has all come along a long way since I last really looked (mid 2015)

thanks again

[cojmh]

I were you I’d look at myenergi’s products.

This is from their marketing director’s personal install:

Thank you, I will have a dig around at how they have done that.