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

[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.

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?

Yes. If the polarized counter(s) are are set to count energy flowing from the grid, it would show how much you are buying. When the polarized counter is not counting (i.e. your not buying), then the normal counter would show how much your selling (or is it how much you're using and selling?). For some reason, this is very confusing to me. I have to really think about what each of the counters represent and then work out the calculations to get what I want.

So my set up looks like this:

2 CT's on the main lines into the house, combined feeding channel 1.
2 CT's on the solar inverter, combined feeding channel 2.

My calculations look like this:

energy produced by the solar array = channel 2 polarized counter
energy sold = channel 1 normal counter - channel 1 polarized counter
energy used = channel 1 polarized counter + (channel 2 polarized counter - sold)

I have the channel 1's polarized counter measuring energy flow in from the grid and channel 2's polarized counter measure energy flow out of solar array.

 

[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.

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?

Yes. If the polarized counter(s) are are set to count energy flowing from the grid, it would show how much you are buying. When the polarized counter is not counting (i.e. your not buying), then the normal counter would show how much your selling (or is it how much you're using and selling?). For some reason, this is very confusing to me. I have to really think about what each of the counters represent and then work out the calculations to get what I want.

So my set up looks like this:

2 CT's on the main lines into the house, combined feeding channel 1.
2 CT's on the solar inverter, combined feeding channel 2.

My calculations look like this:

energy produced by the solar array = channel 2 polarized counter
energy sold = channel 1 normal counter - channel 1 polarized counter
energy used = channel 1 polarized counter + (channel 2 polarized counter - sold)

I have the channel 1's polarized counter measuring energy flow in from the grid and channel 2's polarized counter measure energy flow out of solar array.

actually my thought was to put all CT's on main to breaker box, polarized to measure flow in opposite directions..one set measures flow in from grid (bought), one measures flow out to grid (sold)
my inverter gives me display of production

is this workable?

from your description, it seems one set of CT's can measure in both directions and report the result separately??
that would make my idea redundant

 

[bpwwer]

actually my thought was to put all CT's on main to breaker box, polarized to measure flow in opposite directions..one set measures flow in from grid (bought), one measures flow out to grid (sold)
my inverter gives me display of production

is this workable?

Yes, this should be workable.

from your description, it seems one set of CT's can measure in both directions and report the result separately??
that would make my idea redundant

Not quite. A CT can measure one direction and total. The total doesn't tell you which direction so you have to use total - polarized to get the other direction. Since I want to see produced/used data it's a bit more complex.

 

[vc1234]

Not quite. A CT can measure one direction and total. The total doesn't tell you which direction so you have to use total - polarized to get the other direction. Since I want to see produced/used data it's a bit more complex.

Actually, a CT does not lose information about current "direction". The whole current waveform including current direction, or more correctly phase, is read by the power metering chip ADC and used during power calculations.

The chip I use in my home-made meter, an ADE7753, will show negative/positive values depending on how the CT is mounted, or on the phase/"direction" of the current. So, a CT can be mounted so that when you generate power, you would see negative values, and when you consume you would see positives with a single CT.

Apparently, Brultech engineers decided to take the current absolute(unsigned) values in order to avoid confusion when mounting the CT since very few customers generate electricity

 

[electron]

I moved the most recent posts into a new topic, so this stays on topic, while still being able to discuss the DIY setup.

 

[Btech]

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.

It looks like you are getting noise. You should connect the shield (connector ground) to the gnd terminal of the ECM-1240. This is something we failed to mention in the instructions. Let me know how you make out.

 

[moridin1138]

It looks like you are getting noise. You should connect the shield (connector ground) to the gnd terminal of the ECM-1240. This is something we failed to mention in the instructions. Let me know how you make out.

Things seem to be working now. I still wonder about the DB-9 connector diagram though. On all of the connectors I have it's 1-2-3-4-5 right to left. On the diagram however it shows 5-4-3-2-1, left to right.

Once I had it connected properly (2, 3, 5) all is working.

 

[3tones]

Got my ECM-1240 today. (After 2 weeks) I got it hooked up tonight on my WinXP Pro box near the electrical panel via the serial cable. I was able to view the data with the 1240 Config software with no problems. I turned on a 1500W heater, and sure enough, it raised 1500W!

I am now on to installing the ECM Server to do some data logging. I didn't realize that it's needs the .net framework until I dug around on Bob's page. It just crashes without the .net framework. After installing the framework, the Server software runs, but I can't get it to read data. I am set to Com1 at 19,200 (i've also tried other speeds) When I click "Enable Realtime" nothing happens. I also found that clicking "Open Port" on the connections page when the port is already open makes it crash.

Can anyone offer some suggestions?

 

[Btech]

Got my ECM-1240 today. (After 2 weeks) I got it hooked up tonight on my WinXP Pro box near the electrical panel via the serial cable. I was able to view the data with the 1240 Config software with no problems. I turned on a 1500W heater, and sure enough, it raised 1500W!

I am now on to installing the ECM Server to do some data logging. I didn't realize that it's needs the .net framework until I dug around on Bob's page. It just crashes without the .net framework. After installing the framework, the Server software runs, but I can't get it to read data. I am set to Com1 at 19,200 (i've also tried other speeds) When I click "Enable Realtime" nothing happens. I also found that clicking "Open Port" on the connections page when the port is already open makes it crash.

Can anyone offer some suggestions?

Have you closed the port in the config software? If one application is using the com port, it cannot be accessed by another appl. Is COM1 the port you had used with the config application?

BTW, sorry about the delay in receiving your shipment. We have experienced some set backs with regards to staff.

 

[tenholde]

It looks like you are getting noise. You should connect the shield (connector ground) to the gnd terminal of the ECM-1240. This is something we failed to mention in the instructions. Let me know how you make out.

Things seem to be working now. I still wonder about the DB-9 connector diagram though. On all of the connectors I have it's 1-2-3-4-5 right to left. On the diagram however it shows 5-4-3-2-1, left to right.

Once I had it connected properly (2, 3, 5) all is working.

I thought the diagram was confusing as well. It is not clear which side of the DB9 you are looking at. After net browsing, was able to easily identify correct pins and complete the connection. I am up and communicating with the ECM-1240 and beginning to figure out the data formats.

tenholde

 

[tenholde]

Got my ECM-1240 today. (After 2 weeks) I got it hooked up tonight on my WinXP Pro box near the electrical panel via the serial cable. I was able to view the data with the 1240 Config software with no problems. I turned on a 1500W heater, and sure enough, it raised 1500W!

I am now on to installing the ECM Server to do some data logging. I didn't realize that it's needs the .net framework until I dug around on Bob's page. It just crashes without the .net framework. After installing the framework, the Server software runs, but I can't get it to read data. I am set to Com1 at 19,200 (i've also tried other speeds) When I click "Enable Realtime" nothing happens. I also found that clicking "Open Port" on the connections page when the port is already open makes it crash.

Can anyone offer some suggestions?

Make sure you click the USB option in the right side of the options dialog.

 

[bpwwer]

Got my ECM-1240 today. (After 2 weeks) I got it hooked up tonight on my WinXP Pro box near the electrical panel via the serial cable. I was able to view the data with the 1240 Config software with no problems. I turned on a 1500W heater, and sure enough, it raised 1500W!

I am now on to installing the ECM Server to do some data logging. I didn't realize that it's needs the .net framework until I dug around on Bob's page. It just crashes without the .net framework. After installing the framework, the Server software runs, but I can't get it to read data. I am set to Com1 at 19,200 (i've also tried other speeds) When I click "Enable Realtime" nothing happens. I also found that clicking "Open Port" on the connections page when the port is already open makes it crash.

Can anyone offer some suggestions?

There are still systems without the .NET 2.0 framework? Sorry about that. Once I get the communciation problems debugged, I'll work on adding the .NET runtime stuff to the installer.

There seems to be problems with the serial data collection side of ECMServer for the ECM-1240. All the serial code testing was done with a ECM-1220 and the network code was tested with a ECM-1240. I'm working to debug what's wrong with the serial code now. As soon as it's working it will be posted on the BrulTech web site.

 

[moridin1138]

There seems to be problems with the serial data collection side of ECMServer for the ECM-1240. All the serial code testing was done with a ECM-1220 and the network code was tested with a ECM-1240. I'm working to debug what's wrong with the serial code now. As soon as it's working it will be posted on the BrulTech web site.

Ill be honest, this is the trouble I am having with OSX/Linux side of things. I want to use Python, but my knowledge is limited. Looking at the xbee.py of the Tweet-a-watt project (http://www.ladyada.net/make/tweetawatt/software.html) it seems like it's almost exactly what I want to do. Unfortunately I don't yet have the skills to make the necessary modifications.

It's harder than I thought, so it's going to take some time...

 

[3tones]

There are still systems without the .NET 2.0 framework?

Well in the case of my WinXP box that only has Windows and SageTV on it... yes. Just a notification that you need .net or something in the readme would help.

 

[3tones]

Make sure you click the USB option in the right side of the options dialog.

Don't ask me why, but clicking USB made the serial connection work.

Is there any way to get ECM Server to run as a service?