I’m looking to monitor the energy in my entire house My house has two breaker panels (Siemens 200amps each), one in the garage (i believe this is the main one) and one in the basement. Each panel has 30 circuits that I would like to monitor… so 60 circuits across two breaker panels on two separate floors.
What would be the solution for energy monitoring so many circuits. I’m sure it wont be cheap.
edit to add:
is THIS or THIS the responses I should be looking at …
i guess a follow up question would be how can two or multiple circuits be measured on one input what product would i need to purchase for the electrician to accomplish that
which of the options is the most reliable? I never thought about using headphone splitters…interesting. Although i’ve never done this before so…
I think I’d like to try and combine them versus having to purchase a whole other monitor to cover the other 14-16 circuits within the same breaker. id end up with 4 monitors on two circuits which i could do but … i can combine conductors and such!
Reliability isn’t really an issue either way. The primary considerations are cost, range and space in the panel. My recommendation is to combine multiple circuits through one CT. That optimizes all of those considerations. The other approaches are available when that’s not possible.
If you posted pictures of the panels with the covers removed to show the wiring, there may be more specific suggestions.
I’ll try to open the cover and see whats in there.
in the meantime im putting together a purchase list. i tried looking up information on clamp on vs split core for the 200A CT… i mean i can buy one of each and let the electrician figure it out but wanted a dumbed down information on which one i may need.
also is it possible, and i think it is, to monitor the second 200A breaker’s TOTAL output without getting an additional base meter if so will i use the 400A ct (go higher just in case) or the 200A ct. both breakers are stated to max at 200A
Either way im just about ready to make my purchase
I have three panels in my house— a 6-breaker main panel and two sub panels. I have three IoTaWatt’s, with only one of them full. I try to combine circuits (of the same phase) everywhere that it makes sense. What I have found for important loads in my house:
-Incoming Utility
-Each of three mini-split AC units
-Each sub-panel in aggregate
-Solar PV production
-EV Charger
-Clothes Dryer
-Refrigerators
-Dish Washer
-Network Cabinet
-Solar Hot Water circulating pump
After switching to LEDs, the lighting circuits are really inconsequential loads from an energy perspective.
The most important thing is to establish what you are trying to learn from the metering. For me, I was considering adding additional solar plus a battery, as well as maximizing self-consumption of solar. To get that level of detail, you need to add InfluxDB or some other external database to work across multiple IoTaWatt units.
But, some of the most helpful inteligence I got was that our refrigerator is using 50% more energy than it should (bad seals or condenser needs cleaning), our solar circulator pump control logic is inefficient, and the HVAC in our bedroom should be replaced.