Recommend a Monitor-only System Please

[Prodd]

Hello,

I am looking for a system which is for monitoring purposes only. Things I would like to monitor:

Total energy consumption
Energy consumption from particular devices/appliances
Solar energy production from each different source (likely to be 3 sources)
Total water usage
Water usage by particular outlets (if it were possible to have an LCD display in each shower that would be cool)
Battery level (for off grid solar/battery system)

I would like all of this to be able to be monitored in the home and if possible, online.

I'm not an experienced techie (yet) but I am willing to learn. That being said, I would like to come in on the side of ease of use if possible.

So please, give me your best recommendations.

Thanks!

[123unlock]

those are a lot of different things to monitor, and a lot of ways to accomplisch this

some examples:

Total energy consumption
- depends on your main meter type, if it's a "digital/smart" meter you can use an raspberry or arduno to monitor P1 port
- you can also use plugwise to monitor P1 port

Energy consumption from particular devices/appliances
- Can be done with plugwise plugs, or z-wave plugs both have their pro's and cons

Solar energy production from each different source (likely to be 3 sources)
- plugwise plugs, can monitor production, but if you need more info you can also check if the invertor has a serial interface to capture data

Total water usage
- depends on water meter, if you have one with pulse or reflective system you can use an RFXmeter with RFXcom to count liter
- you can also place an extra meter with pulsecounting, also with rfxmeter pulse module, or 1wire bus

Water usage by particular outlets (if it were possible to have an LCD display in each shower that would be cool)- each outlet should have an own "pulse meter (alexa) then get some displays and pulsecounters (think is not complete available so need to make your
own system for this)

Battery level (for off grid solar/battery system)
- check if your charging / inverting system has a serial port to extract data

anyway.. there is a lot of "do it yourself" stuff and things that you need to develop for your own need

to display the info.. you can use some standard domotica controller, (HS, domotiga, etc) or if you have enough knowledge build the system yourself
depening on your own needs then you can make web interfaces, or tablet display panels with info (like i did )



in case you need more info you can always ask here.. there are a lot of computer and domotica "geeks" available here but i think you can
also find a lot of info to start your "project" here on the forum already.

[Prodd]

Thank you for that very informative reply.

I feel like I should give a bit more information. I am building this "eco house" from the ground up in South East Asia. It wil be totally off grid with power coming from solar and water coming from a well. No utility company meters so I can choose whatever I want.

Also interested in any thoughts on openenergymonitor.



Thanks, all!

[Bastiaan]

Interesting because I am also busy in the North of Thailand to build a house. My Dutch house is full of domotica but it is nice to start ‘clean’.
Of course we willl also add water meters (although it comes for free from the mountain river) solar panels and solar boiler.
Curious how you are planning to store energy. We have a 3 phase connection but will try to use as less as possible.

[Prodd]

I plan to have a large battery bank for energy storage.

[AshaiRey]

Although a monitor system only is nice i can garantuee that in the future i wish that you had implemented the possibility to control also.
That said, domotica systems can be used to monitor things but have the added bonus of control when you need it without extra costs.
Don't corner your self.