New Brultech Energy Monitoring Model (ECM-1240) due in 2009

[moridin1138]

I am wondering if anyone else has got the RS232 working. In the manual the pinout seems backwards.

Either way I try it (like in the manual or how the pins are labeled) I get nothing using the ECM-1240 software. I am using a Serial-USB adapter that's known to work with other devices.

On the unit itself I can see the data light go solid when I poll it for data (read configuration) but get nothing but "Timeout errors". I also see no "received packets" (blank) on the main screen where I "open" or "close" the connection.

Ill send a note off to the support address, just wondering if I am the only one or not.

 

[Brightan]

I am wondering if anyone else has got the RS232 working. In the manual the pinout seems backwards.

Either way I try it (like in the manual or how the pins are labeled) I get nothing using the ECM-1240 software. I am using a Serial-USB adapter that's known to work with other devices.

On the unit itself I can see the data light go solid when I poll it for data (read configuration) but get nothing but "Timeout errors". I also see no "received packets" (blank) on the main screen where I "open" or "close" the connection.

Ill send a note off to the support address, just wondering if I am the only one or not.

I have the RS232 working on a "real" RS232 port with the wiring as shown in the manual but the same connection does not work through my Keyspan USB/RS232 adapter. The data is showing up on the port according to other software but for whatever reason, the ECM software doesn't like it.

Just as a side note, having this device is proving to be a real eye opener! I had no idea my house used this much power! Just sitting here watching I can see peaks of over 15,000 watts!

 

[moridin1138]

I have the RS232 working on a "real" RS232 port with the wiring as shown in the manual but the same connection does not work through my Keyspan USB/RS232 adapter. The data is showing up on the port according to other software but for whatever reason, the ECM software doesn't like it.

Thanks for the update. Since my only machines with real serial ports run Linux and OSX, this could be a problem. Ill have to hack something together...

 

[moridin1138]

Is the data light supposed to be solid when it's connected properly? Normally it flashes intermittantly. However having it connected like in the diagram, once it's plugged into the serial port it goes solid... and still doesnt work.

 

[gzub]

Is the data light supposed to be solid when it's connected properly? Normally it flashes intermittantly. However having it connected like in the diagram, once it's plugged into the serial port it goes solid... and still doesnt work.

I can't say for the serial, but I am using Zigbee to an Etherbee and it is working when the light is flashing. If the lights are solid then I cannot get it to work and receive no data...

A couple of general observations for the rest of the new Brultech owners like me out there...

Be careful with the Split 200 hinges if you are trying to squeeze them on in a tight area, they break easily...

Also make sure you read the new user guide they posted to the support site on how to pair the ECM1240 and the etherbee correctly, otherwise it will seem like you have a device that only sends and doesn't receive...

Other than that, its working great, no issues, so far have it monitoring the whole 200amp panel, one 60 amp load, and then a variety of 220 and 110 amp loads... Still haven't used up all of my MicroCTs...

Geoff

 

[hucker]

If Paul is monitoring this thread it would be a good note to engineering to have all of their devices that support 'RS232' support USB -> RS232 bridges that are more common these days than real RS232 ports. This will save them a bunch of support calls!

I'm picking my 1240 up this morning at the USPS so I'll do some tests as I have a ton of various RS232 ports.

 

[Brightan]

Is the data light supposed to be solid when it's connected properly? Normally it flashes intermittantly. However having it connected like in the diagram, once it's plugged into the serial port it goes solid... and still doesnt work.

on mine, it continues to flash once a second whether it is working on the real RS232 port or not working on the USB/RS232 adapter

 

[bpwwer]

There's two programs that work with the ECM-1240 (both windows based)

1) ECM-1240 Configuration software

2) ECM-1240 Server software

Both are now available on the BrulTech website (http://www.brultech.com/ecmsupportupdate.html)

I wrote the ECM-1240 server software so I'll be able to help with any problems with that. I don't yet have an ECM-1240 so this software has only been tested with a networked ECM-1240. Paul had a unit that was sending me data over the internet. I have a USB ECM-1220 and it's also been tested using the virtual com port the ECM-1220's USB interface provides. So it has not been tested with a RS-232 ECM-1240 and I suspect there may be bugs/issues. I don't have any info on the Zigbee wireless interface so I'm pretty sure that won't work with the current version of the server software. It's still a work-in-progress.

If you have your ECM-1240 working with the configuration software but can't get it working with the server software and can spend some time debugging it, feel free to PM me and I can send you a test version of the program.

I believe, and Paul can correct me if I'm wrong, that the ECM-1240 Configuration software is what BrulTech is using to test the ECM-1240's so it should be working with all versions.

 

[moridin1138]

Thanks for the responses.

I ran a long cable upstairs to the media PC running Windows (easier than moving the PC), and got it to work! Kind of strange, though, as it doesn't work on the laptop RS232/serial port or the Prolific USB/Serial adapter. Both are running almost identical version of XP, but the hardware is different so who knows?

EDIT: Just did a reboot of the laptop and it works with the RS232/serial port on that machine now. Looks like a reboot is a requirement of the application perhaps?

Actually, even though I say it's working, the 100A dual CT's are reporting less power than the one micro CT I have hooked up. I've obviously buggered up the setup somewhere. So now to sort that out.

I also noticed that after hooking everything up to the working media PC upstairs, I could not get data until I did a full reboot of the system. Also kind of strange for a serial port interface.

I am starting to think that the wireless option would have been easier and simpler. That just doesn't sound right though... :huh:

 

[crna1]

I still can't figure out the one thing I need to know..
I have a solar electric system, I want to monitor total home energy use, solar production, amount of electricity returned to grid...can I do that?
Also, does PC need to be on 24/7 for this or does monitor store data for download
thanks

 

[bpwwer]

I still can't figure out the one thing I need to know..
I have a solar electric system, I want to monitor total home energy use, solar production, amount of electricity returned to grid...can I do that?
Also, does PC need to be on 24/7 for this or does monitor store data for download
thanks

Yes, you can do that. I'm doing that now with an ECM-1220. I have some charts being updated in real-time at a temporary web address. http://www.bobshome.net/graph/energychart.php I don't specifically keep track of the amount returned to the grid since it's net metered, I'm mostly concerned with the daily and monthly totals but anytime green on the charts is above red, that's the amount being returned to the grid. So to kind of tie this in with some of the other posts. The ECM-1220's data is being read by the ECMServer program. Then I have another program that reads the data from ECMServer, processes it, and writes it to the various data files, one for each chart. Then PHP on the web page is used to read the files and generate the graphs. There are a couple of reasons this is fairly complicated right now.

1) ECMServer provides the same API as the ResidentServer program BrulTech has had available for some time. This API doesn't really allow for any processed data. It's mostly just the raw data from the ECM that gets output in a more user friendly manner. One of my goals for ECMServer is to expand and/or change the API to provide more processed data.

2) Both the ECM-1220 and ECM-1240 have what's called polarized counters on channels 1 & 2. Using the polarized counters, you measure the energy flow in one direction. The normal counters measure energy flow in both directions. If you are producing energy and feeding it back to the grid and you only looked at the the normal counter, you'd see the energy reading go from high -> 0 -> high as as the solar production goes from zero to max. So you need to know which way the energy is flowing and you have to look at both the normal and the polarized counters to get that. The ECM won't do any internal processing on that data.

The BrulTech monitors do have some internal memory that can hold the data collected. How long depends on the frequency it's logged. But come to think of it, I don't recall seeing any commands to extract the saved data. This is probably something Paul needs to answer.

 

[mdiehl]

I still can't figure out the one thing I need to know..
I have a solar electric system, I want to monitor total home energy use, solar production, amount of electricity returned to grid...can I do that?
Also, does PC need to be on 24/7 for this or does monitor store data for download
thanks

It had better (and I've been led to believe it does, I just ordered the "A+" (100A) Package (will probably use RS-232, but maybe the wireless Xmtr will be useful later...).

I have 1KW installed with a grid-tie inverter plus two older panel arrays feeding a couple of (paralled) OK4 (Microsine) Inverters for an additional 100-150 watts.

I'm not sure about the onboard memory, I think its there, but needs to be enabled in a future Firmware release

 

[crna1]

I still can't figure out the one thing I need to know..
I have a solar electric system, I want to monitor total home energy use, solar production, amount of electricity returned to grid...can I do that?
Also, does PC need to be on 24/7 for this or does monitor store data for download
thanks

It had better (and I've been led to believe it does, I just ordered the "A+" (100A) Package (will probably use RS-232, but maybe the wireless Xmtr will be useful later...).

I have 1KW installed with a grid-tie inverter plus two older panel arrays feeding a couple of (paralled) OK4 (Microsine) Inverters for an additional 100-150 watts.

I'm not sure about the onboard memory, I think its there, but needs to be enabled in a future Firmware release

thanks..let me know when you get it if it does all you want

 

[crna1]

I still can't figure out the one thing I need to know..
I have a solar electric system, I want to monitor total home energy use, solar production, amount of electricity returned to grid...can I do that?
Also, does PC need to be on 24/7 for this or does monitor store data for download
thanks

Yes, you can do that. I'm doing that now with an ECM-1220. I have some charts being updated in real-time at a temporary web address. http://www.bobshome.net/graph/energychart.php I don't specifically keep track of the amount returned to the grid since it's net metered, I'm mostly concerned with the daily and monthly totals but anytime green on the charts is above red, that's the amount being returned to the grid. So to kind of tie this in with some of the other posts. The ECM-1220's data is being read by the ECMServer program. Then I have another program that reads the data from ECMServer, processes it, and writes it to the various data files, one for each chart. Then PHP on the web page is used to read the files and generate the graphs. There are a couple of reasons this is fairly complicated right now.

1) ECMServer provides the same API as the ResidentServer program BrulTech has had available for some time. This API doesn't really allow for any processed data. It's mostly just the raw data from the ECM that gets output in a more user friendly manner. One of my goals for ECMServer is to expand and/or change the API to provide more processed data.

2) Both the ECM-1220 and ECM-1240 have what's called polarized counters on channels 1 & 2. Using the polarized counters, you measure the energy flow in one direction. The normal counters measure energy flow in both directions. If you are producing energy and feeding it back to the grid and you only looked at the the normal counter, you'd see the energy reading go from high -> 0 -> high as as the solar production goes from zero to max. So you need to know which way the energy is flowing and you have to look at both the normal and the polarized counters to get that. The ECM won't do any internal processing on that data.

The BrulTech monitors do have some internal memory that can hold the data collected. How long depends on the frequency it's logged. But come to think of it, I don't recall seeing any commands to extract the saved data. This is probably something Paul needs to answer.

with polarized counter, can I put 2 Ct's on a line and measure power in each direction, that way I can see what I am buying, and what I am selling?

 

[mdiehl]

Did have a question I thought I'd throw out about the wireless Xmtr (A+ Package). Will the internal (Zigbee?) Xmtr work OK with a fairly "generic" Zigbee to USB dongle, or is the arrangement for the ECM-1240 somehow hardware specific? I use Z-wave for HA, but no experience with Zigbee.