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Remote LED flash detector of the electricity meter

efi222 9642 63
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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
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  • #31 21167784
    mumin
    Level 12  
    https://openenergymonitor.org/

    I suggest you read up, topics developed (flashing diode too).
    I eventually ended up playing with a meter from Ali (something around 100£) with inductive measurement, reading from anywhere on earth via phon for each phase with reports and online measurements of consumption too.
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  • #32 21167814
    efi222
    Level 19  
    khoam wrote:
    .
    Or feed the LMV358 with any of the ESP8266 pins. Then, during deep-sleep the LM will have the power cut off.

    Well, but if I cut power to the amp then I won't wake up the ESP. Unless I'm misunderstanding the concept.
  • #33 21167871
    TvWidget
    Level 38  
    You could have used an ESP32. It has an available ULP processor that allows you to count pulses at low current consumption.
    Even lower current consumption is achieved in devices with a BLE interface. This type of sensor working with a current counter consumes on average about 30uA@3V. It can therefore be powered by a CR2032 battery.
    A circuit with a photoresistor is relatively very current-consuming. Using a phototransistor will considerably simplify the circuit and reduce current consumption.
  • #34 21167919
    efi222
    Level 19  
    @TvWidget , thanks for your interest and layout suggestions. This project was created a bit from off-the-shelf parts from a drawer. The next version will probably be more thoughtful. :) .
  • #35 21168568
    adamjur1
    Level 41  
    Hello
    In my new house I have solved the control of energy consumption with three zigbee series sensors with small clamps clipped on a wire in the switchboard. I have the energy consumption with some aggregation and analysis elements on my phone in the smart life app.
    Regards.J.
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  • #36 21168599
    efi222
    Level 19  
    Well, that's right. "In the new house". If I had extra wires pulled at the meter, I wouldn't be combining. The energy meter box is outside. And there are two switchboards in the house. It would be possible to do it on transformers. But a rather elaborate circuit would come out to add up the power drawn.
    The layout proposed here is a simple alternative for more elaborate systems.
  • #37 21168610
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
  • #38 21168643
    efi222
    Level 19  
    I don't know which is the first time I've written that I don't have the option of adding wires in the meter box. And such would be needed to use such an output.
    The second problem is that ZE is reluctant to provide this outlet. On a "because they don't" basis. Or this option is disabled in the meter.

    Added after 39 [seconds]:

    But thanks for the good intentions :)
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  • #39 21168667
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
  • #40 21168775
    efi222
    Level 19  
    Bottom line. Maybe it's a misnomer to say that there are no opportunities, because there always are. At the cost, of course, of commitment, of 'getting by'.
    But man intuitively seeks solutions that are simple, not necessarily the best.
    I will also write that I am a proponent of cabling. Ethernet at home for fixed devices. Wifi for mobile.
    Weather stations of my own design, NTP watches - radio communication. Let me just say that I have no problems with radio communications. In my opinion, if such communication is limping along, the problem may lie with the equipment itself, or the fact that it is working in conditions not designed for it, rather than the fact that it is radio communication itself. And if something works properly "on the radio" why bother to combine.

    Added after 27 [minutes]:

    I would also add that in my case, if I had to struggle with extra wires I would choose the option of 6 transformers in two switchboards.
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  • #41 21169318
    Mastertech
    Level 27  
    Fly cannon.
    ESP +transformer for a few pln +display and you have the whole combo.
    Measuring AC current is very simple and cheap, it's not a clamp meter for DC.
    And you have everything at home under full control.
  • #42 21169341
    TvWidget
    Level 38  
    Mastertech wrote:
    ESP +converter for a few pln +display and you have the whole combo.
    You forgot to measure the voltage often on three phases and the rather complicated calculation of the power consumed.
    Connecting what you are proposing requires reworking the switchgear, which can be sealed by the ZE. Counting LED flashes is a trivial and safe solution. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for two-way meters.
  • #43 21169386
    Mastertech
    Level 27  
    In just a moment, after the drastic increases in energy prices, you will be installing such a meter in the fuse box.
    A single or 3-phase costs pennies on Ali. In addition, of course, to the meter provided by PGE.
    The cost of such a device is about 40 PLN, so everyone will be able to afford to give one for each fuse and monitor the "devourers". It is very interesting to compare what the PGE meter counted with what the one from Ali counted.

    What I would need is a device for quick reading of readings on an electronic meter so that I don't have to stare for a few minutes at all the data scrolling on the display, I've noticed that even the debt collectors don't have such devices, there is room for improvement here because the blink counting is so ridiculous nowadays, but it's a policy similar to that of heat allocation meters - you don't have to be interested in it, we'll send you a bill and you only have to pay us.
  • #44 21169452
    efi222
    Level 19  
    Such a small conclusion... :
    Nowadays, all appliances must be Smart. A duplicated kWh meter is also needed, because one is not enough. Lack of space? I'll add a second cabinet. If a Chinese meter shows me less kWh consumed, I can sue the power company. And the data must be sent to the cloud. Back and forth. After all, I have fibre optic internet, then I must generate some traffic.
    Simple devices that end up showing the same thing - bin....
  • #45 21169532
    TvWidget
    Level 38  
    Mastertech wrote:
    I would need a device for quick reading of electronic meter readings in order not to stare for a few minutes at all the data scrolling on the display, I noticed that even the collectors do not have such, here there is room for improvement because counting blinks is so ridiculous at present
    .
    I guess every meter installed by ZE has an optical port to read the data quickly. As far as the hardware for this is concerned, the matter is simple. Usually, however, ZE disables the optical port or password-protects access to it.
  • #47 21169701
    acctr
    Level 38  
    efi222 wrote:
    Can a colleague define the current power consumption?
    .
    What is there to define - such a measurement ensures that you know what the power consumption is at any time. Your detector only tells you what the power consumption was when the LED flashed.
    What the power consumption was at some time between flashes you do not know.

    Sam Sung wrote:
    A bike meter shows your current speed, or only the kilometres taken? After all, it works on an identical principle - measuring the time between pulses.

    I don't know if you ride a bike or not, but you don't have to wait 36 seconds to measure your speed, as it's already 2 pulses per second at a "dizzying" 20 km/h. So the analogy is hardly apt.
    sq3evp wrote:
    You can, but I guess counting pulses is simpler?
    Simple digital circuits counted pulses in a straightforward way, to this we will add a measurement in units of time
    .
    The matter is not simple because you have to use the 1/x function. Straightforwardly on simple digital circuits this cannot be done.

    TvWidget wrote:
    You forgot to measure the voltage often on three phases and the rather complicated calculation of the power consumed.

    The voltage measurement is a plug + a second ESP. The dales fly to one place, there they are consolidated against the timestamp and then it's just processing and presenting them.
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
  • #48 21169740
    efi222
    Level 19  
    acctr wrote:
    .
    What is there to define - such a measurement ensures that you know what the power consumption is at any time. Your detector only tells you what the power consumption was at the time the LED flashed.
    What the power consumption was at some time between flashes you don't know.

    Maybe I'm clinging. But:
    The detector measures the time between LED flashes.
    Any measuring instrument needs time to measure. Whether it's an out-of-touch one or a digital one. Momentum is not a technical term and does not specify a specific time. In colloquial language, if I say "I'll be there in a minute" it can and will take a minute or five.
  • #49 21169763
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
  • #50 21169764
    efi222
    Level 19  
    acctr wrote:
    .
    I don't know if you ride a bike or not, but you don't have to wait 36 seconds to measure your speed, as it's already 2 pulses per second at a "dizzying" 20 km/h. So the analogy is hardly apt.
    .
    Only at 3km/h it won't be so "colourful" anymore. This detector works in a similar way. At high power consumption e.g. 3kW I have about 1 pulse per second.

    Added after 8 [minutes]:

    @BBElektrotechnik You're right, that's why this gadget should be regarded as an indicative indicator of power consumption at low consumption. At intakes of single kilowatts it is much better. And these are the ones we are most interested in :D .
  • #51 21169782
    acctr
    Level 38  
    efi222 wrote:
    Instantaneous is not a technical concept and does not define a specific time.

    It is, even terms and symbols are used: instantaneous voltage value - u, instantaneous current value - i.
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
  • #52 21169784
    TvWidget
    Level 38  
    The electricity meter is used to measure the energy consumed. The current power consumed shown on the display is only an estimated calculated value. In reality, it is the average power consumed over a period of several seconds (display update period).
    The meter constant (number of flashes per kWh) is always matched to the measuring range of the meter. Thus, the percentage accuracy of energy and also power measurement is more or less constant.
    In residential meters, the constant is of the order of 6400 imp/kWh. There are also meters with a constant of 20000 imp/kWh designed for use with current transformers.
  • #53 21169791
    acctr
    Level 38  
    acctr wrote:
    Your detector only tells you what the power consumption was at the time the LED flashed.
    .
    More precisely, it gives the power based on the calculation P=W/(t2-t1), where t2-t1 is the time between one flash and the other.
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
  • #54 21169808
    efi222
    Level 19  
    Discussion by discussion... And with me it now displays:
    Device screen showing power consumption. .
    And let it stay that way :D .
    The consumption of the last hour could still be added to the code.
  • #55 21169833
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
  • #56 21169867
    efi222
    Level 19  
    Well, I didn't write here about the professional use of this device, because that's nonsense. If there is a need for accurate measurements I will order transformers.
  • #57 21169879
    khoam
    Level 42  
    efi222 wrote:
    If there is a need for accurate measurements I will fit transformers.
    .
    This gadget ("detector") does not take any measurements, in the sense of measuring the electricity consumed. It merely copies the measurement from the meter, and as you know copying involves a loss of accuracy. It is like fitting a camera that tracks the meter readings and transmits this image via WiFi on demand or at set intervals.
  • #58 21169910
    efi222
    Level 19  
    That is why the word "pointer" and not "gauge" is used at the beginning of the article
  • #59 21169920
    khoam
    Level 42  
    If this indicator is placed in a box outside the house, do you realise that the operation of the photoresistor will be quite strongly dependent on the ambient temperature?
  • #60 21169930
    acctr
    Level 38  
    khoam wrote:
    the operation of the photoresistor will be quite strongly dependent on the ambient temperature?
    .
    This can be improved by using two photoresistors in a bridge circuit.
    Helpful post? Buy me a coffee.
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Topic summary

A user has developed a wireless LED flash detector for monitoring electricity consumption using an ESP8266 chip and the ESP NOW protocol. The device captures LED flashes from the electricity meter, indicating current power consumption in kilowatts (kW). The system operates in deep sleep mode to minimize power usage, with a current draw of approximately 160uA. Discussions include the effectiveness of the photoresistor used, battery life estimates with a 18650 battery, and the potential for using alternative communication protocols like Zigbee. Participants also discuss the limitations of the device in measuring instantaneous power versus cumulative energy consumption, and the challenges of implementing wired solutions in existing setups.
Summary generated by the language model.
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