Device to measure consumption and voltage

[Mama Noodle]

Looking for a simple device that can accurately measure my household consumption so I can compare it to the consumption noted on my bill by PEA. I would also like it to be able to accurately measure my incoming line voltage over time. 

 

Can anyone recommend such a device? I dont mind installing it in or next to my consumer unit. 

[RichCor]

These are usually called Data Loggers, Voltage Logger or Data Analyzer. Some of the newer consumer-oriented versions support bluetooth connectivity for either collecting recorded data or real-time graph display on an iOS, Android or computer.

 

 

Crossy made his own.

 

 

[Mama Noodle]

31 minutes ago, RichCor said:

Crossy made his own.

Saw the one Crossy made, thats a bit overwhelming as there's several layers of stuff I would need to learn. Was thinking if someone could link to something more ready-to-buy and easily installable. 

[RichCor]

I'm been doing an Internet search but most of what I've found is for single-item measurement and used 'through connections' to take accurate measurements, and are not meant for whole house.

 

Ideally you'd want something simply that can 'tap' off your CU, rather than have everything run through it. A clamp around the LIVE mains incomer to measure current draw (wattage) and connected to Live+Neutral below the main breaker to measure voltage / freq (Hz) / other anomalous.

 

I'll post back if I find something that's not 22,000thb    

[Metropolitian]

9 minutes ago, RichCor said:

I'm been doing an Internet search but most of what I've found is for single-item measurement and used 'through connections' to take accurate measurements, and are not meant for whole house.

 

Ideally you'd want something simply that can 'tap' off your CU, rather than have everything run through it. A clamp around the LIVE mains incomer to measure current draw (wattage) and connected to Live+Neutral below the main breaker to measure voltage / freq (Hz) / other anomalous.

 

I'll post back if I find something that's not 22,000thb    

I knew of one, but couldn't find it online. I saw it at an expo, it has 'volt' in its branding but more than that I can't recall.

Have a brochure somewhere tucked in a drawer, and it's not in my 'drawer-to-tuck-things-away'.

[Metropolitian]

Crossy, why didn't you tell us about your revenue company https://www.crossinter.com/product/

????

They work with https://www.powermeterline.com/ and offers product to monitor the power lines and energy consumption (and generation).

Couldn't see pricing, and they seems businesses orientated but this is Thailand most B2B accept some B2C sales. (like Makro does)

They do have contact by Line app, ask your wife/hubby/friends to mediate or if ur lucky they speak English.

 

 

 

And I have seen at a show that PEA has some plans for monitoring services and other like cctv and remote switching, a project called IHAPM.

 

I'm still looking for you what that one brand was I am looking for, it's a Thai company and they had a device that measures the volt and currents and kept it logged in the device and you were then able to view it on your computer or mobile phone.  Easy installation and has a neat stylish look.

 

Function was somewhere near the one on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Detective-Pro-400-Commercial/dp/B00XTU9ZO0

 

 

[RichCor]

Missed it by 'that' much (doesn't record voltage).  Still looking...

 

https://emporiaenergy.com/how-the-vue-energy-monitor-works/

 

[RichCor]

@Mama Noodle

I believe you mentioned having a UPS at one point, does it have Event Logging? That would be one way to log your ongoing input voltage. The screenshot below is from a CyberPower UPS I monitor (in the U.S.)

 

[Crossy]

This device looks promising https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000530641386.html < $30 inc shipping (stuff from China is getting through ok).

 

I have no idea just how clever the logging App is mind.

 

[Metropolitian]

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

This device looks promising

 

I have no idea just how clever the logging App is mind.

'Arlen&Alice' have nice devices, and got mine from them too and they are on eBay too so easily paid with PP.

 

This one device has it's ESP chip flashed with Tuya firmware. Mine was with Hekr.

Both app offers realtime information but no history and you know the data from your senors is huge. ????

 

To get Hekr working with my software was done well but Tuya is hard.  It involves flashing to older firmware and older app to reveal the device ID's and I could only get the entity information working and need more programming for the Tuya package showing up on the logging screen.

 

The easiest way to have this working fine is to flash the firmware inside those devices with custom (esphome) firmwares and I am going to try that if I fails to work with the current firmware (Tuya and Hekr).

 

For the OP this is not a good solution.

 

He need something what you already has made but in a ready to use product. Check his reply in post #3

 

[Metropolitian]

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

I have no idea just how clever the logging App is mind.

It sends the bit data to the cloud and only the energy used is stored. 

Other values like voltage and PF's are only visible in realtime.

 

 

[Mama Noodle]

As a side quest, can anyone recommend a simple, accurate analog voltage meter/gauge and an enclosure for it. Just a simple 2-wire connection that I can tap into the mains incomer and mount next to the consumer unit, in a simple fashion? 

 

Im thinking Ill just use a fixed analog voltage gauge to watch and video the voltage swings for the PEA, and on top of that, install my own meter inside the house, next to the consumer unit as well, to compare consumption. 

 

Thinking something like this:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/1545a-meter-mitsubishi-mf-33e-1-2-220v-i799902253-s1612820099.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.9.6cb540cebcgI7y&search=1

 

[Yellowtail]

What's wrong with that one? 

 

Most of the big DIY centers sell meters, just put it between your PEA meter and your panel.

[Mama Noodle]

27 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

What's wrong with that one? 

 

Dunno if I follow. I dont think there is anything wrong with it, thats why I want to buy it. 

[dwagner]

I have one basic digital volt meter that is connected before the Consumer Unit - to display the volts. Where I am, we have many brown outs or just hours with sub-100 VAC. The second unit displays the volts but it main purpose is to cut off the water pump at 187 VAC. I was burning out too many pumps prior to installing this cut-off device

[Yellowtail]

1 minute ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Dunno if I follow. I dont think there is anything wrong with it, thats why I want to buy it. 

 

You asked if anyone had one to recommend, then went on to recommend what I thought was a good choice.  I don't see anything wrong with it either.

[Mama Noodle]

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

You asked if anyone had one to recommend, then went on to recommend what I thought was a good choice.  I don't see anything wrong with it either.

 

I asked for a recommendation on an analog voltage meter/guage. 

 

Then said I wanted to combine that advice with my own consumption meter (that I linked to) 

 

Two separate things. 

 

The meter I linked to measures consumption. It is not an analog voltage gauge. 

[Yellowtail]

5 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

I asked for a recommendation on an analog voltage meter/guage. 

 

Then said I wanted to combine that advice with my own consumption meter (that I linked to) 

 

Two separate things. 

 

The meter I linked to measures consumption. It is not an analog voltage gauge. 

Sorry, my bad

[Metropolitian]

2 hours ago, Mama Noodle said:

As a side quest, can anyone recommend a simple, accurate analog voltage meter/gauge and an enclosure for it. Just a simple 2-wire connection that I can tap into the mains incomer and mount next to the consumer unit, in a simple fashion? 

 

Im thinking Ill just use a fixed analog voltage gauge to watch and video the voltage swings for the PEA, and on top of that, install my own meter inside the house, next to the consumer unit as well, to compare consumption. 

 

Thinking something like this:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/1545a-meter-mitsubishi-mf-33e-1-2-220v-i799902253-s1612820099.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.9.6cb540cebcgI7y&search=1

 

That one is a nice kWh meter to have in home for if your outside meter is far away or located on the pole uncomfortable to read.

What you want is a analog meter, one with a needle and giving information about voltage.

 

Something like the one I have here on the wall.       _{(this one I use for measuring DC)}

Right?

 

Well, this one I made myself and beside panel mount (like I did).

 

What you can do is getting an analog multi-meter and hang it up on the wall with the cords connected to the grid.

Which I really not advice to have it connected to the grid for a prolonged time unless you're living alone and knowing about safety.

 

The best way is buying a panel mount analog voltage meter and DIY it in a casing mounted on the wall next to the consumer unit.

 

 

[Metropolitian]

1 hour ago, dwagner said:

Only here in Thailand I have seen frames like that around the wall plates mostly used for knife switches and setup.

Even the plastic ones has a relief frame.

????

 

It's a beauty for the aficionados, same as for analog-aficionados would like those:

 

[BritManToo]

Found this, not expensive at 1,100bht for the complete RCBO breaker box.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/nano-plus-5-rcbo-5063a-i1009834039-s2228166427.html

[Mama Noodle]

16 minutes ago, Arjen said:

I have a few from these  (Before and after AVR) and one "portable one". in a box with a wire with a plug, and a few outlets on the box.

 

I have a digital one, I was asking about an analog one (a dial with swinging needle) as the digital one doesn't measure as accurately. 

[Mama Noodle]

4 hours ago, Metropolitian said:

That one is a nice kWh meter to have in home for if your outside meter is far away or located on the pole uncomfortable to read.

What you want is a analog meter, one with a needle and giving information about voltage.

 

I know, thats what I was asking about. I was thinking of getting my own consumption meter to compare my own consumption readings with the consumption readings from PEA, and on top of that, buying an analog meter to document the voltage drops and swings. 

 

Thats why I was asking about the analog meter and an enclosure for it, easy install. 

[Mama Noodle]

Something like @Crossy has in his Frankenstein setup here:

 

[Crossy]

11 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

Something like @Crossy has in his Frankenstein setup here:

 

The meters and the boxes (now replaced) came from MegaHome ????

 

 

 

 

[Mama Noodle]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

The meters and the boxes (now replaced) came from MegaHome

 

Well I can find the meters on Lazada but the enclosures I have no idea. Were those enclosures made to fit electronics of that size, or did you cut them out to fit?

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/volt-meter-ky-96-ac-300v500v-i338748316-s656926075.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.50.10cc4280pBzjiD&search=1

[Crossy]

Just now, Mama Noodle said:

Well I can find the meters on Lazada but the enclosures I have no idea. Were those enclosures made to fit electronics of that size, or did you cut them out to fit?

 

Just standard plastic boxes on the electrical aisle, holes cut in the lids to fit the meters.

 

[Dundee2308]

This is what you looking for ?

Less then 300 THB inclusive delivery. (Can put it on a din rail)

Works great.

 

 

[Metropolitian]

1 hour ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

I know, thats what I was asking about. I was thinking of getting my own consumption meter to compare my own consumption readings with the consumption readings from PEA, and on top of that, buying an analog meter to document the voltage drops and swings. 

 

Thats why I was asking about the analog meter and an enclosure for it, easy install. 

 

I showed mine in post #19.

 

It's a analog voltage meter and I put it in a enclosure that I bought for not more than 100 baht.

 

[Metropolitian]

1 hour ago, Mama Noodle said:

his Frankenstein setup

 

Haven't you seen the setup for only his room?

 

????

 

 

 

picture from The Netherlands: Hazemeyer, later Holec and now Eaton.