Re: [tlug] Slightly offtopic: Japan power outlet with consuption meter

[Benjamin Kowarsch <trijezdci@example.com>]

On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 15:06, Travis Cardwell <travis.cardwell@example.com> wrote:

Hi Chris!

On Sun, Mar 13, 2022 at 10:34 AM Christian Horn wrote:
> KDE has started https://eco.kde.org/ to measure/improve power
> consumption.  The linked to this device with 4 outlets and an
> rj45 connector, one can conveniently query consumption via SNMP [0].

Wow, that is an interesting device!  I was intrigued by the RADIUS
support and checked out the manual.  The configuration capabilities are
more extensive than I expected!  I wonder what the device is running...
Perhaps OpenWRT...

I was able to find a price on a different site: 335,58 EUR.  That is
about 43,000 JPY at the current exchange rate.

That's overpriced.

 

> Unfortunatelly, that is for plugs in Europe..

I would advise against buying anything that plugs into an outlet, certainly if it is expensive.

There are monitoring modules that can be DIN rail mounted alongside breakers in your distribution panel. Those have RS-485 interfaces and use a standard protocol called Modbus, also Modbus 485. For my dough mixer which runs on three-phase power, I got a motor control unit for soft-start/stop which also has an RS-485 interface communicating with other devices over the same Modbus protocol. It is well established and documented.

I have been looking at monitoring briefly as I want to measure the power consumption of heavy duty electric gear in the new bakery I am currently building, but haven't had the time yet to look at the Modus protocol. Right now I am busy building a monster of a brick oven, but if it is of interest I can report back again on those rail mounted power consumption monitoring devices and Modbus when I get to that part later on.

regards

benjamin