diy solar

diy solar

Need some advice on how to measure current in my 240v, split phase (US), breaker panel, with a permanently mounted ammeter, or (perhaps) two?

A.Justice

Swears he didn't start that fire.
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
1,561
Location
TN
I want to measure the real time, and accumulated, power that my house uses. I have 200 amp, 240v, split phase coming in.

I really just want to use simple ammeter like I use on my battery box (pic below), just watts, volts, amps, and watt hours.

The problem I'm having is that I can't find anything for a reasonable price (under $50, I'll explain that limit in a second), that's able to measure split phase AC.

For around $100, I can buy a complete system that connects to my phone and shows me the power usage in my whole home, breaker by breaker. I really don't need any of that functionality though. I'm setting my cost at around $50, because if I go higher than that I'd rather just buy the fancy system.

Would you guys recommend a specific panel or DIN mount, 100a per leg, AC ammeter, that can measure split phase, or am I stuck with using two separate ammeters, one on each hot, and adding them together in my head?

I thought this would be a quick, 5-minute project to monitor my energy use, but I've been stuck looking around for a week trying to figure out what to buy.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Edit: I would prefer a clip-on hall effect sensor, that way I don't have to work with live service entrance wiring, but I could disconnect it if I absolutely have to.
 

Attachments

  • 20220213_183907.jpg
    20220213_183907.jpg
    418.8 KB · Views: 2
Emporia Energy offers two solutions, one, a set of CTs for $70 and a zigbee device for $30. The zigbee device only works if your local utility offers a connection to their meter via zigbee. They both use a phone app. Who is your utility?
 
Last edited:
Emporia Energy offers two solutions, one, a st of CTs for $70 and a zigbee device for $30. The zigbee device only works if your local utility offers a connection to their meter via zigbee. Who is your utility?
I have a local distributor of TVA. It appears that my meter does support ZigBee communication. I'll have to call them to make sure, but I think that little ZigBee USB device that plugs into the wall is exactly what I'm looking for.

In my old neighborhood I could use my SDR (software defined radio) to read the total consumption of most of the meters within a mile or so range. Unfortunately, I had no way to decode the data, and they only broadcast every few hours. I wonder if I could use the SDR to connect to the zigbee communication unit. ?
 
I'll have to call them to make sure, but I think that little ZigBee USB device that plugs into the wall is exactly what I'm looking for.
Good idea. You have to set up the MAC address with them so the Zigbee meter can communicate with the Emporia Zigbee device. My provider, PG&E supports these devices but not for solar customers.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top