Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Hello,

The project concern a chalet in the mountain.
The consumption of electricity is incredible as all the heating system is from the 70's and is electric.

I want to start some work about that, but first of all I would like to be able to measure clearly the consumption. I was looking for some system, but this openEnergyMonitor seems to be clearly the best.

As I have no internet connection, but 3G is working well, I would like to put a GSM module instead of the Ethernet one.

So here I am, I would like to know clearly what to buy before starting.

For me, I just need:
2 Temperature sensor (one outside, one inside)
1 current sensor
1 voltage sensor
1 EmonTx (Without RF communication)
1 GSM shield
1 Power Supply

And I already have an Arduino, bought with the arduino starter kit one year ago.

Can I connect directly the EmonTx to the Arduino, and connect also the GSM shield to it?

I would like to buy all what I need, prepare the system, and implement it for Christmas!

Sorry for the basic question, thanks for your comments

Louis

 

glyn.hudson's picture

Re: Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Hi Luis, 

Sounds like a great project. It's really cool that your taking monitoring to the mountains. I'm very much a keen climber, it's great living here in North Wales UK but out mountains are quite small. Last year Trystan and I worked from a chalet in Chamonix to enable us to go climbing and mountain biking at the same time as running the project. 

Have you experience using a GSM shield with Arduino? I have never tried but I have heard that the connection can be falky. If I was doing this myself I think I would go for a 3G router (e.g. TP-Link TL-MR3020)  / dongle for the Pi. I have seen the Huawei dongles connected stright to the Pi working well. I think other people on the forum might be able to better advice you here. 

if you are using the emonTx without RF you would probably be better going for an emonTx Shield which can sit on top of an arduino. 

Yup , the rest of your kit list looks good to me. I think the encapsulated temperature sensors would be a good choice as they are more hard wearing although I would try and make sure that the outside one does not get wet then freeze since this could cause damage. 

Best of luck, looking forward to seeing some monitoring in the mountains photos!

Ian Eagland's picture

Re: Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Hi

I have used this GSM shield with great success monitoring a remote irrigation system.

http://www.hwkitchen.com/products/gsm-playground/

It does not use any of the open energy monitor equipment so I do not know how easy it will be to set up in your case.

It works very well and I have had excellent support from HW Kitchen despite having to ask dumb questions.

Regards

Ian

 

 

loums's picture

Re: Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Thanks for your replies.

In fact GSM shield are quite expensive... I was even wondering to buy an android phone with a lot of features to connect to the arduino (like this one). But connect the arduino to android seems to be quite complicated.

But the idea to put a 3G router is good too. It can even give an internet access to computers in the chalet.

So thinking about that.

In fact I will be more confident to install the normal system, with RF communication. And to have a base station will allow some further development maybe later.
So I think I need all that, as the screenshot attached, for something like 140 Pound.

To have a fully ready to install system, what do I need more, is there cables delivered with the emonTx? Do I have to buy some resistors? Will I have to do some soldering?

Otherwise yes I am waiting to see this system working on my beautiful mountains....

Thanks

 

 

 

glyn.hudson's picture

Re: Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Yes a think 3G router is good option as you say it will give internet access to other devices. 

The emonTx currently comes in kit form and does require soldering and it does not come with cables. At the beginning of December we will be selling a pre-assembled emonTx: http://openenergymonitor.blogspot.com/2013/08/emontx-v3-progress-update.html

loums's picture

Re: Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Ouao the pre-assembled emonTx looks really great.

I think I will wait for this one. 

It is weird to see that their is nothing really good (perfect...) on the market yet, with a reasonable price, for the moment. You will help a lot of people ! 

And concerning the base, I think I will take a NanodeRF SMT - Pre Assembled, seems easier to install to make just a bridge between the emonTx and the server, just my needs.

So in fact, I will just need
- the emonTx V3 with 2 temperature sensor
- the NanodeRF SMT - Pre Assembled
- one Programmer - USB to serial UART
- one USB 5V Power adapter

It seems like I will not need added cables or soldering...?

Thanks

vadoooo's picture

Re: Mountain Chalet Energy Monitor GSM

Hello,

I am working on a project that uses the emonTx shield for measuring wires with CT sensors, and it should use GPRS based communication(provided by an other shield, which I am looking for) to transfer the data.

I see that the last comment is from 2013, so my question is: Do you guys have any experience in that since then? Could these two types of shield work together?

Thanks

 

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