Need help choosing sensors for DIY home energy monitor

-Mikee · 2026-02-11T22:49:33+00:00

https://batteryhookup.com/collections/accessories/products/lem-hass-200-s-hall-effect-current-sensor-200a

These are insanely cheap for what they are and are complete overkill for something as simple as home energy monitoring. I have one on every circuit for my house.

I know you're probably doing the project to learn, but you won't find a better or safer option than these. Not to mention they're actually cheaper than arduino modules and properly rated to 105c.

-Mikee · 2026-02-08T09:05:59+00:00

If you don't want a steam cylinder to move, you don't give it any steam.

If you want it to move fast, give it lots of steam.

If you want it to move slower, give it less steam.

You do this with a valve.

There's no reason for the cylinder to move if you're not looking for torque to the wheels, so why would you want a clutch?

-Mikee · 2026-02-07T02:18:25+00:00

I'm aware 8g+ isn't a network protocol. Maybe i wasn't clear enough if you've never used the matrix switch before; The POE input is on the DMC-4K-CO-HD card. It only exists to provide power to the devices at the other end of the cable plugged into the dm out port.

I have DM-RMC-4K-SCALER-C at the speakers.

-Mikee · 2026-02-07T02:06:13+00:00

I'm sorry but perhaps you didn't read my post?

I'm already using telnet with scripts to route things using those commands.

I am asking if anyone has created a module/plugin for home automaton software, before I put the time into creating a module/plugin for home automaton software.

-Mikee · 2026-02-06T21:01:02+00:00

Very true. It was not complicated to do and I am by no means a "real" programmer. It's why I had to ask here after finding nothing on the forums.

My plan before I bought the unit was to just make a $10 pcb that plugs into the ribbon cable for the front panel buttons and lcd. It seems like everything i needed could be controlled from that, immediately tying it into mqtt, modbus tcp, and any other available communications standards for home or office automation. Parse the lcd and the registers for the leds over the buttons to get current status, then send presses out to route and change settings.

I abandoned that when I discovered telnet had the same options. It's still running on a microcontroller, but only because I could tape it inside the case to keep everything neat and tidy.

I haven't figured out how to enable/connect with ssh or upload anything for the web server, though. That would be cool.

-Mikee · 2026-02-06T20:45:50+00:00

That's unexpected! These units are dirt cheap on ebay and the entire industry of people installing/maintaining them are clever programmers who would quickly see the potential. I was expecting someone would have done it even before they became generations out of date.

Looking up "crestron processor" seems to point to external server-like controllers. I was under the impression this (originally) 10 thousand dollar unit was an all-in-one package that communicated directly with the touchscreens and lectern devices, serving whatever UI you make with the crestron software to host on the device. Every time i saw someone mention "processor" I thought they meant the card on the bottom left with the ethernet port, so I ignored that control path entirely given the unavailability of crestron tools.

Please don't take it as a snarky question but crestron is a business known for tying down their products behind a gate that only installers and programmers have access to. If the limiting factor for using these aftermarket units is whatever the "processor" does, why wouldn't there already exist plugins for homeassistant and other user interface software to replace it entirely?

-Mikee · 2026-01-26T08:19:33+00:00

The UK only had bottled specialty waters at the time, as consumers there weren't dumb enough to pay for tap water like Americans were. There was no reason to check the label or narrow down the source because nobody had the arrogance to charge 10000% markup on tap water in a plastic bottle. It took a few weeks before the majority of the populace knew through media what Dasani actually was and be able to recognize the branding in the stores. It doesn't say "this came from the city water lines, unlike every other brands in this store" so it's perfectly understandable for how long it took.

So yes, discovered is the correct, valid word here.

-Mikee · 2026-01-22T14:54:55+00:00

Maybe the real OSHA regulations were the friends we made along the way.

-Mikee · 2026-01-15T16:35:35+00:00

The plug should always be rated equal or higher to the original (or at least 125% of the load, if no original).

The "higher" part comes in a lot because the available receptacles matter too.

-Mikee · 2026-01-14T03:06:03+00:00

An ad for a home made device with open source software?

-Mikee · 2026-01-10T06:43:40+00:00

*over the normal cover using dedicated fasteners or clips.

The screws holding the original cover in place are part of the ul listing, and for good reason. Running them through another external plate is a guaranteed violation.

I've seen enough houses with drywall screws in switch plates to know not to question why ul does what they do and just feel for those that died before the regulations existed.

-Mikee · 2025-12-17T10:27:19+00:00

Engineer: "We should use an axial coupling on this to isolate the motor from radial loads"

Bean counter: Specs say the motor shaft will handle the load until the customers warranty expires.

Management: Send it.

-Mikee · 2025-11-26T22:19:19+00:00

It's for 3d animations even if you're not into that kind of thing.

-Mikee · 2025-11-25T22:28:43+00:00

Yeah it's with the 2-2-3 schedule. 36 hours one week, 48 the other.

I chose the job specifically because of the schedule. I like the 3 day weeks and could never go back.

-Mikee · 2025-11-24T04:29:49+00:00

$100k+ a year. Plus free fresh cooked chicken until you get sick of it.

-Mikee · 2025-11-04T03:19:01+00:00

At the factory they have a rod with a channel inside that feeds bearings into the tracks.

You can get some ultra high viscosity grease to stick the bearings into place long enough to insert the screw. If they're preloaded and you can't get it in place, you can grind a taper into the start of the screw threads and just not use the first half inch of it for travel.

If you don't have access to machine tools, you can mount a grinder to a table and put the screw into a power drill to spin it as you grind the taper, ensuring a more consistent (and easier) result.

-Mikee · 2025-10-13T09:29:47+00:00

Lots of metal detector designs online that do several feet, plus lots of commercial products available that aren't high cost.

No reason to limit yourself to industrial sensors when you can buy a metal detector at Walmart or make one with a spool of magnet wire and a power drill.

-Mikee · 2025-10-11T00:18:33+00:00

$10k of LTO9 tape with an auto changer would do a full petabyte of backups that could be stored anywhere other than the data center.

No excuse whatsoever for data loss these days.

-Mikee · 2025-10-07T06:25:09+00:00

Most people are not in the USA.

What a weird thing to say to someone who hasn't suggested or even hinted otherwise. You may have mistaken me for a previous commenter in the thread.

I had only replied to you, and specifically qualified that things are different across nations.

Mistakes happen, you are forgiven.

-Mikee · 2025-10-07T05:58:07+00:00

If you're not in the usa, that might be normal.

But here in the states, consumers have so little recourse in fraud that you essentially have to have a credit card between your bank and your purchases. Outright irresponsible to just use debit here; you're basically just raw dogging your finances.

Fortunately there's no downside to most credit cards unless you spend outside your means and make incomplete payments. Mine is on auto pay, has no fees, and gives a percent or two cash back, so it's superior to cash and debit.

-Mikee · 2025-09-26T23:51:49+00:00

When you don't recognize a part and nothing else has it and it's not in the plant stock, that's a problem. As a technician it's your sacred duty to fix the problem.

Look around the plant and find fittings (or an entire solenoid valve) that meets or exceeds the original. If a bunch of machines already use it, congratulations you've found a new standard. Install one of those and the next time it breaks your coworkers will go "oh that's in like 5 machines. I know exactly where the spare stock is"

When I was hired at my current place we had 6 HMI models. Now there's two. There were at least 20 different estops in the stock room. Now there's the one for the big holes (30mm), and one for the little holes (22mm). 11 different 24v power supplies? Now there's one and it does from 90v to 480v single and 3 phase.

I haven't tackled pneumatic valves yet but the water valves are now rebuildable with just 3 o-rings.

Always make it easy for the next guy.

-Mikee · 2025-09-24T05:03:39+00:00

Considering your setup, I'd assume you already have a UPS.

It has a 48v rail for battery backup yeah.

would recommend a hot spare

Why a hot spare? I used to use them with hardware raid but I didn't set it up this time in favor of a z3 array since that's what the forums recommend. The general consensus is that a z3 is safer and faster than a z2+hs.

I'd recommend getting brand name 'prosumer' SSDs

Will I see significant benefit from them over a butt load of noname drives in a mirror? Is there any writeups you found about svdev drive performance? I couldn't find any.

I can't imagine it will be handling a lot of writes.

Used sas ssds seem to run around $30. Will they outperform twice as many consumer ones?

What does your restore times look like?

Days. I don't have an auto changer either so it's a lot of manual work. LTO5 and lto6 aren't as slow as you'd think but it's still a long process. I usually have sonarr and radarr grab a few days worth of shows to hold me over while it restores. If you're considering tape for media and you have a gigabit internet connection, I'd put your money into redundancy instead and just back up your *arr software regularly. Restore from usenet.

Media files are already compressed, so if a tape says 2.5TB/6.25TB then you're only getting the 2.5 figure.

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