Whole House Power Meter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: paul_g_787
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2022, 07:12:36 pm
content: With the cost of energy rising I am looking into getting a meter to monitor and record my power usage at home and I was wondering what you all here could recommend as a solution.Essentially something like a Kill-A-Watt, but for a whole house.My house is in the UK and is fed with a standard 240V 100A feed.My distribution unit is in the garage so I would need something that can be monitored remotely.Requirements I have in mind already:Clamp meter type that can clamp onto the 100A live input.Measures Volts, Amps and by extension Watts, Power Factor and KW/h.Records the readings over time.Networkable so as to access the over-time data via a web browser (wifi or ethernet).Remote display to view live usage from elsewhere in the house.Does anything like this exist?

author: richnormand
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2022, 07:29:35 pm
content: I have a mains supply house meter (new generation with variable rate according to time of day) from Hydro-Ontario.In addition to the usual indications of power used, it also logs the time of day and communicates wirelessly with the power company for billing.There is also an IR LED on the dial plate that outputs a pulse for each kWh used.To monitor the whole house I have a small optical reader taped to it and it is battery powered.In the house is a receiver that gives a real time display of the rate/time and graphs of usage as well as estimating your monthly charge.These were part of a free promotion in Ontario by the power company a few years ago.The advantage is you do not have to mess with sensors around the mains wires and the phases.Look at the possibility that your meter has that capability, it is the best non contact solution.There are several models available here but I do not know about the UK.Can send you photos if you are interested.

author: nfmax
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2022, 07:35:56 pm
content: My meter has a red LED that flashes - more correctly, changes state between on & off - for each Wh consumed. I have a phototransistor and AC-coupled Schmidt trigger that generates a pulse each change of state, sticky-taped to the meter. This is connected by wire to the house datalogger. Mine is home made, but there are commercial units available.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2022, 07:37:11 pm
content: Over here, the utility companies are rolling out smart meters that can be easily setup for net access etc. It might be interesting to check with your local provider if/when they might do the same?Otherwise: there are alotof options. Some smarter than others. Smappee per example has the energy meter but adds an ecosystem around it. Some of these smart meters (not sure about the smappee) are intelligent (I'm sure the marketing fap will mention AI) and based on the consumption profile it will identify the consumer and so will be able to tell you how much your fridge consumes based on measuring the overall consumption.As I said, there is alotout there.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2022, 07:39:47 pm
content: Webcam pointed at the meter? Simple and cheap.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2022, 10:39:13 pm
content: There are lots of DIN rail mount power meters available.Or check out this project:https://openenergymonitor.org/

author: dobsonr741
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 12:30:05 am
content: Power meters are commodity, I'm using one of these: Aeotec by Aeon Labs ZW095https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Aeon-Labs-ZW095-ZW095/dp/B00XD8WZX6Your contribution shifts from analog hw to software setup of a Z-Wave hub, nothing extraordinary a raspberry pi would not do.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 01:15:58 am
content: There are several open source projects like thishttps://openenergymonitor.org/There are also some off the shelf solutions, I have an Efergy energy monitor that has a pair of current transformers that fit over the main feeders in the panel and connect to a small wireless transmitter.

author: paul_g_787
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 08:15:07 pm
content: Thanks! openenergymonitor.org is pretty much what I am looking for!I don't want to modify my existing installation for no good reason, partly for cost, partly because, well I really don't need to.I am not keen on the new smart meters, the biggest problem is that they lock you in to one provider so you can't switch easily, also the security issues I have read about where people have been "hacked".Additionally, my next door neighbour had to pay for a new smart meter to replace his less than one year old smart-meter to change supplier!He also discovered that they bill you for the VA used and not just the Watts!!! So now he tell me he is paying more for his electricity than if he had just opted out of the smart meter in the first place.I am perfectly happy with my original "dumb" meter, it works fine and I just type the reading in on the website once per year. Less than 2 minutes work for me per year.The idea of a smart meter is great, but in practice form the stories I have heard it is not executed well. Maybe in a few years time?So the open energy monitor looks pretty ideal for my needs.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 31, 2022, 08:53:01 pm
content: Quote from: paul_g_787 on August 31, 2022, 08:15:07 pmNo they don't. Residential customers are charged for real power only. Being billed on apparent power is an ancient fear of those who believe it would massively increase their bill (which it won't, unless their power factor is utterly awful, which they should fix).