Now, this is interesting…
I wonder how difficult it would be to create an app so that I can monitor my homes energy usage? The price is very reasonable - just need software to go along with it.
1 Like
Well if it works anything like http://amzn.com/B007C8UC06 then we’re super duper close!
Excellent news! Can’t wait to see this working… most other home energy monitors cost several hundred dollars. This would seem like a very affordable solution for most people.
Great timing @MJ. In today’s release we just added a SmartDevice type for this exact device! All you should have to do is pair the device and start writing your app. It returns an instantaneous power attribute in Watts and a cumulative energy attribute in kilowatt-hours. You can reset the cumulative value either from your app, with the “reset” command or from the tile detail page in the mobile app.
You can use either of the following definitions in your app preferences to connect to the device:
<code>input "powermeter", "capability.powerMeter"</code>
<code>input "energyMeter", "capability.energyMeter"</code>
If you have a SmartMeter in your home, it probably has Zigbee capability (I think this is discussed at length in another Forum topic).
The capability is there for folks that opt to let their electricity supplier (e.g., PG&E) remotely control their HVAC air conditioning or other high-draw devices during power shortages due to high demand.
There are ALSO usually infrared spots on these meters which permit bi-directional communication; and there are third-party devices that relay this information via Zigbee (or maybe Z-Wave).
@tgauchat: It may use Zigbee, but I don’t think there’s going to be any way for you to get access to that Zigbee capability yourself.
And how is rigging up something using IR better than just using this device which supposedly already works?
@mariojuestel: I’m curious to hear your experiences if you get one of these. If it really provides that functionality for $90 or so, I would be interested…but I’m wary of buying something I understand so little off of ebay.
The IR device will report precisely what the SmartMeter is measuring, as opposed to what the clamp-on is sensing.
Since you are billed per the SmartMeter’s readings, this number is more important.
Well – in actuality, of course, we’d hope they match.
As to whether or not the Zigbee in these meters will use the HA protocol and be able to Join the SmartThings hub – yup, probably not, at least in the short term. However, in the long term, perhaps there will be a standard protocol encouraged between Power Companies and Home Automation, in order to synchronize reporting and control.
I’m not sure I see the point in this. Is it just to make sure you aren’t being overbilled? Otherwise your electric company is already recording these numbers for you.
@coryds: I’d rather be able to see it more frequently. My company, Pepco, currently keeps nearly live records of my usage, and allows me to access them but only through their horrible web interface.
Knowing my instantaneous power usage could be useful in all sorts of situations. Like when we went on vacation a few months ago and the power usage mysteriously went up. My theory involved the dog walker, but it was hard to tell with the crude data I had.
But next time, perhaps…
I suppose I can see that.
THis actually sparks a question I’ve had. Will SmartThings as a platform support more advanced apps for this kind of thing than the macro type ones that exist now? For example would it be possible to have an app that graphed your power usage into a navigable flowchart?
@CoryDS :
SmartThings supports outgoing IP http: (REST) API calls (“Cloud-To-Cloud”). So you could send the data points to a graphing database, viewable with a webpage or phone app…
I least that’s how I hope it will all work together.
I think, even, that these pieces are already in place for a developer to try to prototype such a system.
I would think it should be possible, if I can either access the logs or poll every, say, five or ten minutes. But this is a more involved app for a developer than just writing a SmartApp.
I forgot the obvious use case that when I’m traveling, I can let my wife know how much her A/C usage is costing us. I’m sure she’d appreciate that.
Well, I’d take that as a challenge…
If anyone starts a “Project” here on this feature (capturing and graphing SmartMeter / whole home power data), please let me know.
It will surely help to have a device with that capability, rather than a virtual one.
I am a kickstarter backer of this: http://www.wattvision.com/
I should receive the device in the next month or two. I’m looking forward to integrating this into smart things.
Scott
@av8rdude: What worried me about Wattvision is that it requires an outlet to be plugged into. Since I don’t have any on the outside of my house, I’m not sure how I would get it to work. Maybe at some point they’ll have a battery-powered version, or maybe that wouldn’t be possible…
Also I could probably justify something on the order of $100, but $250 is pretty steep. But I’m sure that’s worth it for many people. Looking forward to hearing how easy it is to integrate it with ST!
@gray: Wattvision would definitely require you to be able to run a wire from the meter to the location of the wattvision gateway. Luckily I just built a new house last year and ran 2 Coax and 3 Cat5’s to the side of my house where the power meter is. So I can hook up all kinds of stuff to the outside world 
In reading the updates on the wattvision website I stumbled on this amazing company:
Their product might be a better solution than the actual wattvision device since it would be wireless (zigbee) to your meter. Check out the Eagle Energy Gateway:
I might be tempted to buy one of these while waiting on my wattvision to show up. They have partnered with Wattvision to use the Wattvision cloud services with this device:
Cheers,
Scott
I use EKM meters with EKM Push and pvoutput.org to monitor my solar and electric usage.
This is not zigbee but the whole setup and information you get is super.
Does anyone else find it ironic that a device that hooks up to your power mains runs on batteries? Haha.
1 Like
I hope someone does make some progress on this. I have an Eyedro power meter that I would love to use with SmartThings.