Re: Electrisave protocol / PC Interface

["b_weijenberg" <b_weijenberg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

David,

As mentioned by Mal the USB RFXCOM RF receiver can receive the=20
Electrisave and the packets can be processed by xPL.=20
http://www.xplmonkey.com/rf.html=20
The Electrisave takes snapshots and transmits the measured current=20
values, not the power values. The user has to multiply the current=20
values by 230 (line voltage) to get the approximately power used at=20
that moment. Multiply this with the time between this snapshot and=20
the previous snapshot and you have a kWh value that can be added to=20
the software usage counter. The Electrisave was not designed to=20
measure the real power usage but as a power indicator. The PC must=20
run 24*7, no RF packets must be lost and the Line Voltage must be=20
very stable otherwise you will not have the right kWh values.

A good (wireless) solution is to use the USB RFXCOM RF receiver and=20
the RFXMeter. This solution is also supported by xPL and Homeseer.=20
The VB.NET source of the RFreceiver program is available at=20
http://www.rfxcom.com/downloads.htm
and this program can be used as a=20
template to write your own software. The RFXMeter can measure up to 3=20
phases or sections up to 150A each. It is therefore possible to=20
measure the whole house electricity usage or power usage per section.=20
The kWh counters are in the RFXMeter and no additional calculations=20
have to be done. Even if the PC is off-line the RFXMeter will still=20
count the power usage. Free charting software for use in Homeseer is=20
also available at the download page.

The USB RFXCOM 433.92MHz RF receiver can receive:
=95	European X10 RF signals,
=95	Digimax,
=95	KlikOn-KlikOff,
=95	NEXA,
=95	Domia Lite,
=95	ELRO AB600,
=95	RFXSensor devices,
=95	RFXPower & RFXMeter devices,
=95	ATI Remote Wonder & ATI Remote Wonder Plus,
=95	Electrisave cent-a-meter,
=95	Oregon Scientific sensors
Add a second RFXCOM receiver to the USB interface and you are also=20
able to receive US X10 signals or Visonic BT-VP1000 security sensors=20
(http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/modules.php?
name=3DNews&file=3Darticle&sid=3D1747 )

Bert


--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "David Irwin \(Home\)"
<david@...>=20
wrote:
>
> A while ago there was a thread here about accessing the electrisave=20
wireless
> protocol and reading the data from PCs.
>=20
>=20=20
>=20
> I am becoming more conscious of my power consumption and=20
the "green" status
> of my house and would be really interested in a the ability to=20
monitor my
> power consumption but only if I can record the data on my PC.
>=20
>=20=20
>=20
> I am not hugely skilled in electronics, but am able to follow a=20
schematic
> and use a soldering iron if anyone has a design already working.
>=20
>=20=20
>=20
> I am also interested in ideas for other monitoring of household=20
energy usage
> / waste, but only if it can be wireless.
>=20
>=20=20
>=20
> Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
>=20
>=20=20
>=20
> Dave
>=20
>=20
>=20
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>