I just started with OpenHab, and one of the item I would like to do is to send an alert when there is high electrical usage and no one is at home. This is to deal with the case of a forgot-to-turn-off oven.
I have done some research, and it looks like the best option is to use a device that clamps to the wires at the electrical box. I have seen a few options: emonPi, Smappee, and Aeotec Home Energy Meter Gen5 (ZWave).
Has anyone experienced with those devices? For my particular requirement, which one is most cost-effective and work well with Hab?
I have three be Gen 2 Aeotech and can’t recommend it. It was a refurb so that might be the problem. Whatever it is, after a few days of operation it simply don’t reporting and it takes a power cycle to get it back online.
When it does work, it is pretty darn close to what the power company’s meter says. I’m in the US but for this I don’t think there is much difference.
In terms of cost efficiency, I’m not sure, but since you are anyway in Canada (I’m in Sweden, so I had to import it over here), I’d look into Brultechs Green Eye Monitor. I have two of those in my installation, and they connect to openhab via a script (btmon) and mqtt binding.
I have an old HEM witch I dont use anymore, and also a zwave whole house meter that just attached to the installed electrical meter. I don’t use that any more either.
Thanks rikoshak & vespaman. I also stumbled on the Green Eye Monitor a few days ago while search the forum. It looks like it is the best device. But its price is hefty, not including the electrician installation cost. I will have to convince the wife
Btw, I haven’t looked into Wifi/Ethernet stack, but shouldn’t it be possible to create a regular binding to poll the GEM?
Yes, it should most definitely be possible. I have thought about doing it for a while, but I have given up due to time issues. And I now have more pressing bindings to focus on, since the btmon route works fine, albeit not so “clean”.
