Brultech ECM-1240 Home Energy Monitor Driver (Development)

[beelzerob]

Driver for the Brultech ECM 1240 Energy Monitor Device.

Currently supported fields:
CurrentCh1 - Float, Read
CurrentCh2 - Float, Read
Voltage - Float, Read
WattsCh1 - Float, Read
WattsCh2 - Float, Read
WattsAux1 - Float, Read
WattsAux2 - Float, Read
WattsAux3 - Float, Read
WattsAux4 - Float, Read
WattsAux5 - Float, Read
kWattHourCh1 - Float, Read
kWattHourCh2 - Float, Read
kWattHourAux1 - Float, Read
kWattHourAux2 - Float, Read
kWattHourAux3 - Float, Read
kWattHourAux4 - Float, Read
kWattHourAux5 - Float, Read

There are now 2 versions of the driver...a normal serial interface, and an IP interface. The serial interface is for use to connect directly to the ECM. The IP interface can be used to connect to the device directly, *or* to connect to the data forwarding capability of the Brultech Dashboard software. From the ECM Engine screen, go under Forward Data, Home Automation Plugin, and on the CQC tab, put in the desired port (or leave it at the default 5000). Make sure the "Enable Forward Data..." box is checked, and the data format is Binary. Then click the Listen button, which should change to Listening. Then, when installing the driver, put in the port number selected and the IP address of the PC the engine software is running on.

[beelzerob]

Well, I got a connection! Seems that for some reason, it didn't want to connect through my Moxa card. I swear I've been having more and more problems with that thing lately....maybe I will have to get a digi etherlite after all....

So I've been thinking about this upcoming driver. Getting power values to display and update in realtime is the easy part. The hard and very complicated and messy part was always the $$$ calculations. So here's what I'm considering.

I'm thinking of pulling out those calcs and moving them into java, and letting them run external to CQC. The actual values would still be within the CQC driver, but they'd come in via Fonc's field generator, or some other means.

Basically, the data would go out from the 1240 driver over TCP to the java service which would do the necessary calculations, and then those values would be sent back to the driver again via TCP, to populate the correct fields.

It seems a bit cumbersome, but here's some of the reasons for it:

1) I'm much more adept at Java...or at least, Java I think is a little more conducive to the amount of calculating needed to figure out billing costs.
2) There's quite a bit of calculating that goes on, which is part of the reason that I only update costs for the 1220 every minute, not "instantaneously". I have no idea how much of a drag it is on CQC to do those calculations...but if I move them outside CML, then it would be running at its own pace and wouldn't burden CQC down at all.
3) There is a growing amount of neat software available for 1240 owners, as seen in this cocoontech thread (http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13060&hl=), and moreso in this thread (http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12187&st=330&start=330), and with the java being external to CQC, it could become part of the "library" of 1240 software available to others. That's always a good thing.
4) It also separates out the realtime power reporting from the realtime $$$ reporting, in case there are those out there who don't want both, but just one of the other.

There are some downsides to it, of course.
1) It moves some of the driver functionality outside of CQC/CML, into a "3rd party" app...something I'm usually pretty opposed to. It means that it becomes harder to maintain over time. It will of course be open source/freeware, but it's still not the same as having everything all in CML.
2) It would require some additional configuring on the PC, as you'd have to run a java service in the background. For most people, this probably wouldn't be a big deal, and you're probably already doing that.

I'm interested in any other thoughts or comments on this. Either way, as I write the 1240 driver, I'm going to go through the 1220 driver and do some housekeeping, because that sucker got seriously bloated during the course of development, and I don't like it in its current state.

[Zanthic]

I took a different approach in that I am reading the 1240 data into a separate VB6 program that saves to a database and also generates jpg pictures of the different graphs I want. Next step is to create simple html pages that load the jpg graphs and then view them in a browser window in CQC. The database is nice because even if the software is down for a while I don't lose all the historical data.

[Fonceur]

I'd tend to agree with Zanthic, just dump everything of significance that you read from the ECM-1240 to a database and add a time stamp so you can resynchronize in case of power loss. CML should be powerful enough to do the required math...

[beelzerob]

Dumping to a database isn't a bad idea. Just as a means of storage, or to make it available to other things, or what? Just to have the time-synch readings available to the driver should it come up later?

In most cases, should the power be interrupted, the 1240 will obviously come up long before the cqc driver does. So the driver will have to do some digging back to get the stored data before outputting it all to the database...not a big deal really, since Paul has now included the power-interruption marker in the data.

I guess I'm not seeing how dumping the data to the database makes my code any cleaner or efficient. And ya, CML can definitely do the math...I guess it's more a question of if its a drag on the driver polling efficiency to do those calculations.

[Bodshal]

The real issue is that different power companies do different things - such as stepped rates and whatnot. I'm not sure there's going to be an easy way to do a one-system-fits-all without serious effort (read: config files showing how to add stuff up). Unless I'm wrong, of course, which is possible. :)

I just ordered the "ECM-1240 Package C/200" bundle which should be jolly good fun. I've not worked out how I'll talk to it - I suspect I'll have something unixy log the data to an SQL DB and present a slightly cooked set of data to CQC for display, probably with some PHP and some graphics delivered over HTTP.

[beelzerob]

The real issue is that different power companies do different things - such as stepped rates and whatnot. I'm not sure there's going to be an easy way to do a one-system-fits-all without serious effort (read: config files showing how to add stuff up). Unless I'm wrong, of course, which is possible. :)

Yes, it DID take serious effort. ;-) I already do that for the 1220 driver. It handles straight rates, tiered, and time-of-usage rates (and ya, it uses a config file). I've not gotten any feedback from anyone on if it meets their needs or works for them, but it seems to do ok for me.

So, I can simply transfer that CML code to the 1240 driver...but I'm not overall pleased with it. It just feels bulky and straining at the seams of CML, so I'd rather move it to something more welcoming of complex interactions and such...such as java.

[beelzerob]

Ok, first cut at driver posted. For now, it only offers ch1 current and system voltage reading. I'm just glad to be talking to the thing...that's most of the battle. I was able to reuse a lot of the 1220 code to get it this far, but also cut out a lot of the "fat" from the CML. It's already looking better, I think.

[beelzerob]

Added more fields, but I haven't had a chance to test that they work fully yet. I only have channel 1 hooked up, so hopefully tomorrow I can hook up some other channels and auxs to get actual values.

But give 'er a shot, anyway.

[Bodshal]

Are you programming for RS232 only, or will you also do an IP variant (the EtherBee option, which is what I am getting).

I have no idea what the difference is, yet, but am led to believe it should be transparent - though it also says you can monitor multiple units from a single ethernet bridge so I'm not quite sure how that can be, yet :)

Chris.

[beelzerob]

Yes, adding in the code to support IP connections is pretty trivial. It really only takes a manifest file change. Just lemme know when you get yours.

[bjkiller]

I have 3 phases 380-420Volts at home 60Ampers max per phase. do this devices support such configuration?

[beelzerob]

You'd have to contact brultech to find out. There's a couple threads on cocoontech that the btechrep often responds to, you might try there.

[beelzerob]

Has anyone had a chance to test this out fully? I'm delayed getting my other CT's installed, as I chickened out on pulling the conductor out of my circuit breakers. Another electrician visit in my future....but it's taking a backseat to other issues right now, so I don't know when I'll be able to do a little more thorough testing. Hopefully only a week or so...

[Bodshal]

Sorry, no. I have mine setup but logging to a DB via a unixy flavor of things. A key issue with using the EtherBee is that it originates the TCP connection which on last reading of the Socket class will be an issue - it has no Listen or Accept operations.

My gizmo has a bit of PHP at the moment to produce graphs a bit like this:
http://baud.flirble.org/~chrisy/ecm/20090527.png
But I've not had time to do anything more cleverer than this. The wife loves it though.

(The 'other' entry is just "total - sum(everything_else)")

And yes, I have a bunch of stuff in the basement under the heading 'servers'. My CQC server is included in the A/V entry. ;)

Chris.

[wdill]

I picked up the "C" model with the EtherBee option and have all the ct's connected. Being an electrician by trade makes this the easy part for me. it's the computer/ network stuff that I struggle with and I haven't had the time to figure out the network connection part. I might just run a serial cable to get it going unless you think it would be better using ethernet. One thing I'm not sure of is the pin configuration on the serial connections.

Wayne

[sic0048]

Has anyone had a chance to test this out fully? I'm delayed getting my other CT's installed, as I chickened out on pulling the conductor out of my circuit breakers. Another electrician visit in my future....but it's taking a backseat to other issues right now, so I don't know when I'll be able to do a little more thorough testing. Hopefully only a week or so...

I'm not going to try to talk you into doing something that you are not comfortable with, but this should be a very easy job. The breakers literally pop out. You usually pull the inside edge up and they will lift out. Once the breaker is detached from the buss bar, the circuit is dead and you can unscrew the wire from the breaker to install the CT without any problems. Once the CT is installed and the wire reattached to the breaker, just snap the breaker back into place (usually with the outer edge getting seated first and then pushing the inner edge down to snap it in). It should be a 2 minute job per breaker.

EDIT - be sure to turn the main power off before working in the box. I'd also suggest covering the main leads into the box with cardboard to prevent accidental contact (see my post below).

[klindy]

I'm not going to try to talk you into doing something that you are not comfortable with, but this should be a very easy job. The breakers literally pop out. You usually pull the inside edge up and they will lift out. Once the breaker is detached from the buss bar, the circuit is dead and you can unscrew the wire from the breaker to install the CT without any problems. Once the CT is installed and the wire reattached to the breaker, just snap the breaker back into place (usually with the outer edge getting seated first and then pushing the inner edge down to snap it in). It should be a 2 minute job per breaker.

I'd suggest it's a higher risk of something bad happening if you remove the breaker from the buss. Once the breaker is turned "off" there is no power at the wires and the breaker is securely mounted in the box. With it hanging free it requires you to hold the breaker and the screwdriver.

Turn it off, unscrew the wire, mount the CT and reattach the wire. If I recall, the larger CT's are split so they can be attached without removing the wire.

Basically, if it's bare metal don't touch it. That includes the shaft of the screwdriver!

[sic0048]

I just figured that someone who is nervous about sticking a screw driver into the panel might feel more comfortable taking the breaker out so they can unscrew the wire without having to work inside the box itself. The breakers themselves are not hard to take out or reinstall - ie there isn't much to mess up. If the breaker is flush with all the other breakers when you finish, it is installed correctly.

I should have mentioned the fact that you'll obviously want to turn the main breaker off. My father was taught basic electrical work from his uncle who was an electrician. The biggest thing he always did while working in the electrical box was to wedge a piece of cardboard in the box covering the main supplys. Even with the main breaker off, the main supplies will still be hot. So covering them with cardboard will lessen the chance of accidental contact. That was the way my father was taught and he passed that down to me.

[beelzerob]

Hehe...I appreciate the inspiration. After I paid this guy to install the 200A CT's, I was pretty confident I could do the next ones when the 1240 came out. But there's those notes in the install manual that mentions the wires in the circuit breaker are supposed to be torqued to a specific amount...and I sure don't know what that is. And even though this guy coming out is going to simply hand tighten it with a screw driver...I'm guessing his wrist knows the correct value more than mine.

Most of these CT's to be installed are the non-split kind, so that's going to be a lot of wires disconnected.

Bottom line, for $45, I can avoid sticking anything I care about into that area. That's money well spent, in my book!

[beelzerob]

One thing I'm not sure of is the pin configuration on the serial connections.

Wayne

It's in the install instructions (mine, at least).

From the DB-9:
Pin2 -> TX
Pin3 -> RX
Pin5 -> GND

I'll try to get a chance by this weekend to produce an IP-based version of this driver, so you can try that too.

[wdill]

It's in the install instructions (mine, at least).

From the DB-9:
Pin2 -> TX
Pin3 -> RX
Pin5 -> GND

I'll try to get a chance by this weekend to produce an IP-based version of this driver, so you can try that too.


Instructions? you guys use instructions?:oops:
Thanks, I did remember seeing it somewhere and I was looking all through the web site trying to find it again. IP version would be great if you have the time but if not it's a short easy run for the serial install.

[beelzerob]

Well then, do the serial for now if you can, because that way you can test the driver is actually working right, and so when I give you the IP version, if it doesn't work then we'll know it's the IP part of the driver, not the core code itself.

[wdill]

found time to hook up the unit via serial and was able to get readings for both ch1 & 2, and all 5 aux points. I had ch1 for the mains and ch2 for the hot tub then realized that the system adds the two loads together to provide the total load so i had to do a bit of rewiring. other than I guess configuring for 120v or 240v loads everything seems to be working great.

[beelzerob]

Well, hold on there with the re-wiring.... :oops:


The "total" fields are all done on the driver side, not by the 1240. For the 1220, the total was needed because both channels were needed to measure the mains.

So right now, I *think* I have the total fields set to simply be the sum of Ch1 and Ch2. I guess with the 1240, it's a bit of a tossup if the total fields are even needed.

Mr. Electrician came by this morning and I'm now CT laden, so I'll be hooking it up tonight and giving it a run for real.

[beelzerob]

Well, hooked up the CT's, and at least SOME of them are working. Well, I should say that so far they appear to be doing fine...but the 200a CT's that were installed with my 1220 do not appear to be accurately reflecting what's going on in the entire house. So I have a feeling one of them is backwards. I'll flip a wire tonight and see if that helps the situation.

By the way...this next driver release will require you to be using version 2.4.48 or later. Otherwise you'll get a compilation error when you try to use the driver.

And don't get too attached to the field names. The next release will also let you set your own names for Ch1, Aux1, etc. So instead of Ch1_Current, you'll have WaterHeater_Current, etc. Or you can just leave them as-is.

[beelzerob]

Ok, the field renaming is working well.

So here's some questions for you all:

1) Do you think it's reasonable to assume that 1 of the channels will always be devoted to the entire panel? If so, then there really won't be a need for a "_Total" field, right? Because that 1 channel will be the total for the whole panel. An alternative that I have worked up is that I can let you decide which channels make up the _Total field. So, you can select Ch1, Aux3 and Aux4 to be the values that get added together to make a _Total. But I'm not sure the advantage of that. The _Total field is a holdover from the 1220 because you had to sum both of the individual CT's...so it's not really as applicable on the 1240, where 1 channel already sums the CT's.

2) One thing that I thought might be useful was to calculate what percentage of the "total" kWHour each channel is. So that would give you a running amount, at a glance, of how much of the resulting bill each individually measured item is (assuming normal rate structures, of course). That would mean, as above, that there would of course have to be 1 channel that represents ALL of the power being used. So, since I have Ch1 hooked up to the main panel feeds, that would be my "total". Would this be a useful thing? Kind of like above, do you think it's reasonable to assume that everyone will have 1 of the channels devote to whole-panel measuring?

[wdill]

I'd be happy working with whatever i'm given but I think to utilize the full features unless one was to have a CT on every circuit there would be no way to know what the total panel load would be without one of the channels set up as the total load. And probably CH1 would work best as the panel total as that seems to be the standard setup with other Brultech software programs(from what I've seen anyway). The percentage reading might be kinda' cool for a quick glance at where the power sucking is happening kind of thing.

[beelzerob]

Well, having now played with this a bit, I'm more convinced than ever that even more userful than the power costs fields, is the ability to plot this electrical usage, along with history, and add/subtract the different elements. I played around with some of the software available for the 1240 posted over on cocoontech, and just being able to see this usage made a much bigger difference than seeing a text description of how much I've used.

sooo....I'd like to focus the next development effort on the best way to get that kind of charting going for this. The software over on cocoontech was great, but it was its own app, so would not have integrated with CQC very well. I'm guessing some kind of web page is going to be our method.

I'll talk with jrlewis, as I know he was working on something along those lines.

[Fonceur]

I'll talk with jrlewis, as I know he was working on something along those lines.
Well, I also did create a charting application for a MainLobby customer (TChart (http://talluscorp.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=TChart_Application)), which in principle could be used through FielfGenerator (just a question of adding a few lines here and there) to do that... But since I've realized that most CQC'ers seem to have an issue with paying for third party applications/drivers, I haven't bothered mentioning it before... ;)

[beelzerob]

Heh..well, it's good to have options, but I'd also like to find a free solution. The ecm charts app on cocoontech is free...it's just not a web page though.

[personalt]

I graph some stuff using jpgragh.. http://www.aditus.nu/jpgraph/

It is is a simple graphing module that runs on a php webserver real simple learning curve.. of course though you need a webserver on site to run it.

[beelzerob]

Well, couldn't the cqc server act/be-used-as the web server?

If this thing can run on the cqc server, produces web-page charts, can be interactive/real-time, and is free...well then, what are we waiting for?? ;-)

[potts.mike]

I don't think that the cqc webserver supports php but it Is pretty easy to install a stand alone webserver as well. Couldnt you just log the power info into a db and then use that db and the previous software to graph it?

[beelzerob]

Couldnt you just log the power info into a db and then use that db and the previous software to graph it?

*shrug* Don't ask me, man, I just work here. :tounge

I think logging the info into a db is probably the way to go, either way. there's been a lot of request for that, and certainly adds to its usefulness.

I'm just hoping to find a way to graph the data that I can support, without me having to basically invent it (or have to learn it from scratch). Setting up webservers and such is already beginning to exceed my capabilities, unless there's a how-to on it somewhere. Same with setting up databases, really, but I think the dblogdriver has a good tutorial on how to do it.

I know jrlewis was working on something along those lines a while ago, but I haven't heard back from him on how it's going, so... :confused:

[beelzerob]

Ok, I uploaded 0.4.

What that let's you do is, upon install, you can choose specific names for the 2 channels and 5 aux's. So you can give them names for what they specifically measure. (make sure the names are "field legal"...so, no spaces or weird characters).

You can also choose which channels are represented by the "total" fields. for instance, my hvac is being measured by channel 2, aux 1 and aux2. So I selected those 3 during the install, and then named the total fields "HVACSystem". So now I have 1 field to represent the total of those 3 channels.

Give 'er a try! Obviously, you'll have to remove your current driver and go through the install process again to take advantage of the new changes.

[beelzerob]

I got a chance to finally install the datalogdb driver, and start logging values. Woot! That's a first step to charting power usage (and I also started looking into various charting options).

Dean, is it particularly more efficient one way or the other if I handle the logging to db myself for the 1240 in my driver, or if I just use the datalobdb for that instead? Data comes every second.

[Dean Roddey]

Well, it's kind of 6 of these, half dozen of the other. It would be simpler for users of this driver who don't want to use the datalog driver also, since they don't have to figure that one out. OTOH, if folks are logging data from this guy, they may want to log data from other drivers, which means they'd be using the datalog driver anyway, so this would just be more complexity for them.

[beelzerob]

I was more concerned about the system efficiency than in what is a burden to users or not. ;-)

I figure since I know nothing about db's and how they work, then I can just direct people to follow the datalogdb how-to. Really, most of the work is outside of CQC anyway, as far as setup goes. So since I'd basically be just copy-pasting the how-to for that, I might as well just direct people there to set it up.

At least this way there will only be 1 driver storing data in the db, not potentially 2.

I guess the only potential downfall I see is if my driver wants to access the data in the db somehow. I'd have to do a query to the datalogdb driver and probably get a backdoor function added to it, or somehow do the query myself.

[wdill]

Beelzerob does this latest version connect any differently than .03? I upgraded to .04 and it just says waiting to connect. unloaded and went back to .03 and it connects right away? all my settings look the same but I'm thinking I must be doing something wrong.

[beelzerob]

Hmm...well, it does do different stuff, but not during connect. It'd be more likely in initialization, which means you'd never get past waiting for comm.

Please try 0.4 again, set verbose to medium, and give it a few minutes to try and connect. Then dump the log and email it to me. I'll PM you with my email address.

[jrunde]

I noticed that on Brultech's website there are a couple of screenshots (http://www.brultech.com/HomeEnergy/HomeEnergy.html)for MainLobby and Homeseer's plugins. Maybe somebody that is currently using one should send over some CQC screenshots.

[Dean Roddey]

It seems like this would be a good way to use some nice progress bars, right? I could come up with some new progress bar images if it would help. There are only two so far that ship with the product.

[beelzerob]

I think it's a great idea....for someone to do... :roll: I suck at many things, but interface design ranks high among them. Having something worthy of putting on their site (so as to APPEAL to customers, not repulse them) will most likely not come from my efforts, no matter how snazzy the progress bars.

I'm currently directing my effort towards graphing anyhow. I just think that's going to be overall much more useful than the instantaneous progress bar shows.

[Bodshal]

I do my graphing outside of CQC. My Brultech logs directly into an SQL database, and some PHP using the JPgraph library produces my graphs. I've not had CQC display the graphs yet, partly because of time, partly because the web widget seems so flaky now.

TBH I've not spent much time with the brultech beyond what I posted months ago - except to note that the zigbee-ethernet based thing occasionally drops out, sometimes for hours, for no apparent reason. At some point I'll run some RS232 from it.

Chris.

[SamVimes2]

I installed and connected my ECM-1240 to CQC today using this driver and it seems to be working great.

Next step is logging then some kind of useful display of the data...was any more progress made on that field? I'll start reading up on the datalogdb driver, but what's the next step after that?

[beelzerob]

Well, I was investigating various graphing utilities when Dean let it slip that he'd already gotten a graph widget working. I kind of lost all ambition after that.

So, next for this driver would be the ability to pull stored data from the device to populate the graph widget data structure.

[jrunde]

I installed the ECM-1240, and am not receiving any data. It does say connected in the Admin Interface. Attached is what is showing in the log.

Before I did the install, I used the ECM-1240 Interface Application, and it was showing data coming across.

[jrunde]

nevermind, I found out it was when I turned off real time data in the interface application

[beelzerob]

Heh...good, glad you were able to work it out. My CQC system is complete shambles at the moment, and I've been "entertaining" people at the house off and on (mostly on) for the past several weeks, so now that they last bunch is leaving today, I can finally attempt to re-assemble a working CQC system. Then I'll be able to start looking into the 1220 problems.

[jrunde]

I am having an issue with the some of the values reported from the ECM-1240 logged using the Datalog DB driver. I think this is most likely an issue with the ECM-1240 or the serial cable/length, as it's about 75' long piece of cat5 connected to the 2 foot piece of serial cable that Brultech supplied.

Most of the values for my total watts field look correct, but every few hours I start receiving 0s for a few minutes followed by several values that are in the trillions (621,186,151,617,163.12) repeated for a couple of minutes. Then correct values start coming again. I've also received "-1.#I" as a value as well.

Has anyone else seen this before? I have ordered one of the Quatech serial servers that will be here later in the week to see if that helps any.

[SamVimes2]

I have seen the same issue with a similar setup (long piece of cat5 soldered to a cut off serial end). I don't log the data yet, but I can see it happen on my IV.

I have an etherport (their RS232 --> ethernet converter) in the box waiting to install.

[beelzerob]

Actually, I seem to remember this issue too when I started logging the data. I think it only came up when the driver was connecting. But you're seeing this while the driver stays online?

[jrunde]

Yes, am seeing it days after it comes online. It's been up for about a week so far, at least before I just rebooted the server.

If it's still doing it after I get the serial server installed, I'll contact Paul @ Brultech to see what he has to say.

[jrunde]

I have the serial server installed, and it's still doing the 0.00 followed by a very large number. I decided to give the ECM Engine a try, since it can save to a Sqlite database. I imported a days worth of data into SQL server, and I am not seeing anything less than 1,100 watts show up, or anything over 10,000 watts for the Total Watt field. I used to see both every few hours when using the Datalog DB driver. Any way to find out whether the issue is with the ECM-1240 driver or Datalog DB Driver?

I tried a trigger to log a message when the total watts equaled 0, but never seen anything in the logs, but that could be that the total watts never equaled 0. If there was a way to Filter using less than or greater than in the Event Filters instead of only equals, then I could see if it was triggering correctly.

[beelzerob]

Oh, I'm almost certain the issue is with the driver, not the datalog db.

My cqc server is in shambles right now, and I've only got a few hours every night to try and reinstall it, so that's why I've not made any progress on anything. Work is a bitch right now, but I'm hoping I'll have some breathing room after this weekend.

I've tried to play around with the brultech software too, but haven't had time to mess with it, and initial tries were unsuccessful. You realize, though, that you wouldn't be able to use the brultech software and cqc driver at the same time, since they both use the serial port. I haven't throught of a good solution to this yet...there may not be.

[sic0048]

You realize, though, that you wouldn't be able to use the brultech software and cqc driver at the same time, since they both use the serial port. I haven't throught of a good solution to this yet...there may not be.

I suspect if you hook the Brultech up using one of your Qualcomm serial devices you can get each software looking at the "networked" serial plug. If it doesn't work on the same machine, surely you could have the two software packages installed on two different machines because each machine can see the networked serial plug.

I'm not suggesting that as a long term solution, but it might be workable if it is something you want to play around with.

[beelzerob]

I assume you mean the quatech?

I had thought that might be a possibility also, but I tried the other day to access a device from 2 PC's, and the 2nd PC said the port wasn't available. So I think even though many PC's can see the ports, the device itself knows when a port has been taken hold of, and then wont let other PCs get it. At least, so far as Ive seen.

[jrunde]

I can only open the serial port from 1 PC as well. I thought I would give it a shot.

[jrunde]

Oh, I'm almost certain the issue is with the driver, not the datalog db.

My cqc server is in shambles right now, and I've only got a few hours every night to try and reinstall it, so that's why I've not made any progress on anything. Work is a bitch right now, but I'm hoping I'll have some breathing room after this weekend.

I've tried to play around with the brultech software too, but haven't had time to mess with it, and initial tries were unsuccessful. You realize, though, that you wouldn't be able to use the brultech software and cqc driver at the same time, since they both use the serial port. I haven't throught of a good solution to this yet...there may not be.

Yeah, I know I can't use both at the same time. I'm just trying to get accurate data into MS SQL server without having to open up a program to gather the data. Take your time on working on the driver, I have a temporary solution that I can get the data I want in the mean time. I just have a couple of problems with Brultech ECM Engine.

The problems I have is that the engine has has to be opened to start the data gathering and it writes to a SQLite database. If I reboot the server, I have to remember to log in and start the engine. I figured out how to import the data into SQL Server, but it does all the data for each import. Now I have to figure out how to only import data since it was last imported or remove the data from the SQLite database that has been imported into SQL Server.

[sic0048]

I assume you mean the quatech?

I had thought that might be a possibility also, but I tried the other day to access a device from 2 PC's, and the 2nd PC said the port wasn't available. So I think even though many PC's can see the ports, the device itself knows when a port has been taken hold of, and then wont let other PCs get it. At least, so far as Ive seen.

Yeah I meant quatech. I knew that the serial port would show up on two different machines, but I guess I hadn't actually needed to access the port on two machines at the same time. To bad that doesn't work.

[wuench]

That's why it's called serial and not parallel....:-)

[jrunde]

The problems I have is that the engine has has to be opened to start the data gathering and it writes to a SQLite database. If I reboot the server, I have to remember to log in and start the engine.

It appears with the latest ECM engine that was released yesterday, there are check boxes to automatically open ta serial port on startup. So now all I have to do is to have it automatically log into the server and put the engine in startup.

[beelzerob]

Ok, I'm finally experiencing something close to stability as far as CQC goes again...and I got my 1240 showing values. And I've seen the "6 billion watt" problem flash by a couple times, so it should be pretty easy to track down.

[jrunde]

If you eliminate the large numbers and 0s let me know, and I'll give it a try again. I've been using the ECM engine and a vb program I wrote that runs every 15 minutes to import the data into MS SQL server.

[Dean Roddey]

What's a few billion watts between friends?

[beelzerob]

Dean, any new hints to drop since the last time you mentioned playing with a graphing widget??

[Dean Roddey]

To do it right kind of depended on the logic server, which can have a graphing type field that will accumulate the points (as apposed to one purely in the viewer which would have to start over every time the template was loaded.) So that first (huge) hurdle has been gotten over of getting a logic server in place. Once we get past 3.1 I can look into adding some more field types of the logic server.

[beelzerob]

That would be fantastic.

[royalj7]

So is there a how-to or detailed post on the graphing options out there? Is there an all-CQC solution using different drivers (1240, dblogger, field generator, etc)? I'd like to get the Brultech but have been a bit disapointed in some of my equipment intergration with CQC (Music port, Sage HD200, UPB speed, etc). Other than graphing, are there any limitations to the driver?

Thanks,
--Jamie

[royalj7]

No one knows of any limitations or gotchas for the driver? How about any infomation on a graphing solution using CQC that is avaliable today?

Thanks,
--Jamie

[beelzerob]

Well, there's known bugs in the driver currently, as per the previous dozen posts, and I know I've seen something flaky in the values being reported. My CQC situation has finally returned to normal (though I've now got some serious issues with my Ocelot, and as that monitors all the doors....). With winter coming on finally, and my system settling down, it will very soon be time for me to invest back into this driver and the 1220 driver to get them both a bit more respectable.

As for graphing...did you find that thread I started that summarized all the free graphing options out there currently? The summary is that there appear to be quite a few different ways to do it, many of them rely on a database to be holding the values you want to graph, and none of them that I could find would do anything close to "realtime". Most of them required running a command line program to create the new graph, and since there's no way to do that from CQC, and scheduling a task to run every second didn't seem feasible, I just kind of lost interest in pursuing that route and instead now I just try to bug Dean about it every chance I get, as he's promised that a graphing widget will be in the next version after 3.1. :roll:

[Ron Haley]

I'm looking at the 1240. I've got a 200 amp panel and two 100 amp subpanels. Will the driver support a an ecm-1240 and two expansion packages? Wireless, ethernet or rs232?
Thanks,
Ron

[beelzerob]

What are the expansion packages? Is that just enough CT's to use all the inputs of the 1240? If so, then yes, the driver supports Ch1 & 2, and Aux 1 - 5.

The current driver is RS232, but it'd be trivial to support a network connection as well.

[Ron Haley]

http://www.brultech.com/price2ecm1240.html

Expansion packages are separate units (above - pkg e1 and e1+). Trying to find out from brultech how they connect, if at all. They may just be discounted ecm-1240's. The E1+ says "Based on each unit communicating with a single coordinator which may be a Wireless Dongle or an EtherBee gateway."

[beelzerob]

Hmm...well, if they really are separate 1240's, then you could always install a separate instance of the driver for each. But that assumes they are all communicating independantly. If they are all talking through the same connection...then I don't know how that would work, as there's no allowance for that in the protocol that I'm aware of. See if you can find out how they are all supposed to communicate. I'm certain it's workable, as Paul has been very helpful in accomodating the device's integration into CQC.

[sic0048]

Actually the "expansion" module is really just a 2nd unit with just the micro CTs instead of the larger spit CTs. See about 1/3 down page (http://www.brultech.com/price2ecm1240.html) for more options.

Brultech says that they are creating new software to allow a user to read both units (and perhaps more) through a single serial connection. Perhaps the driver can be modified at that time.

But in the mean time, and in case the driver isn't updated, you will just need to connect each unit separately and use two instanances of the CQC Driver to monitor everything. The total whole house usage will still be correctly reported by the unit with the larger split CTs on the main feeds. The second unit only provides more channels to read more individual breakers.

PS- darn it - everyone's already beaten me to the post ;-)

[Ron Haley]

Actually the "expansion" module is really just a 2nd unit with just the micro CTs instead of the larger spit CTs. See about 1/3 down page (http://www.brultech.com/price2ecm1240.html) for more options.

Brultech says that they are creating new software to allow a user to read both units (and perhaps more) through a single serial connection. Perhaps the driver can be modified at that time.

But in the mean time, and in case the driver isn't updated, you will just need to connect each unit separately and use two instanances of the CQC Driver to monitor everything. The total whole house usage will still be correctly reported by the unit with the larger split CTs on the main feeds. The second unit only provides more channels to read more individual breakers.

PS- darn it - everyone's already beaten me to the post ;-)

Thanks - so that means separate serial connections, and rules out the xbee connection? And data logging? Two separate databases?

[SamVimes2]

The current driver is RS232, but it'd be trivial to support a network connection as well.

I've got one of their serial --> ethernet gizmos in a box waiting to install - would love to see the driver support that kind of connection.

[sic0048]

Thanks - so that means separate serial connections, and rules out the xbee connection? And data logging? Two separate databases?

They also make a wireless/etherbee optional extension. For those units the web site says:
Based on each unit communicating with a single coordinator which may be a Wireless Dongle or an EtherBee gateway.

You should also be able to capture all the data in one database and graph all the data on one chart if you wanted. I use the Datalogger Driver with MS SQL and capture data in one database from multiple CQC drivers. I also chart using the Graphmatic program and have graphs that show info from multiple drivers (like a HVAC chart that shows HVAC usage, indoor, and outdoor temps - from different drivers).

So other than having two different CQC drivers, the rest should all be the same whether it is one connection or two.

[Ron Haley]

"Based on each unit communicating with a single coordinator which may be a Wireless Dongle or an EtherBee gateway. "

I'm not sure what this means. Do these look like one unit? Do these look like RS232 devices to CQC?
I like your idea re the dababase driver. I'll have to come to grips with that. There is a los of stuff I'd like to keep track.

[Sendero]

I've got one of their serial --> ethernet gizmos in a box waiting to install - would love to see the driver support that kind of connection.

Doesn't that just show up to the OS as another serial port? Or is this a unit specific to the Brultech? The Digi PortServer line just show up as another COM port, the machine doesn't know that they're remote.

[Ron Haley]

http://www.brultech.com/com%20example2.htm

The above link points to the Brultech suggested comm method. What's required in the driver to support this method?
Thanks,

[beelzerob]

I emailed Paul to ask him, we'll see what he says.

And I'm expecting to be able to spend a week tweaking/fixing this driver very soon. Just so you guys know I haven't forgotten it.

[personalt]

Can you give some insight as to what the CQC Brultech driver connects to when reading/logging data. Is it live data, data from the brultech internal memory(which may in turn be real-time or near real time) or some combination?

I had the 'original' unit a while back but sold it in anticipation for the 'new' 1240 unit. I am just getting around to buying the new one. If I recall correct I think the unit records per minute usage to some stored memory location in the unit. I was just looking to some more details on how the driver accesses that.

What I am trying to do is to be able to pull up some real time and basic aggregated data in CQC but to be able to do some more advanced number crunching in either Brultechs new tools or in my own mysql database. My concern is allowing two devices to share the data.


1. Does your driver you read from that memory or from realtime updates or from both? I think you read from both as I seem to remember in the old version you could reboot the PC and not lose monthly usage. Can you confirm the logic here? What I am most interested in is what happens on PC reboots? Sadly my server does need reboots more times then I would like.

2. I see Brultech is coming up with some nice monitoring software of its own. I am assuming to use that I need to free up the COM port so that some Brultech piece of software can connect to it? Is there any way to get around that and get data to both CQC and the brultech logger? I see some talk of this on the earlier pages of the thread but I didn't seem to see any solutions. Since this is a serial port I am not sure there is a good answer to pipe the data directly to both pieces of software but I wanted to make sure there was no magic fix I was missing.

3.Does any of the above have different answers if you I use the etherbee or other TCP/IP version?

4.I am assuming I would either need to get bring the data into CQC and then port it from CQC to a SQL database or bring it into some other software and then port it back out in a format that CQC can read. I have a feeling CQC first make the most sense. I am more then willing to write my own graphs and feed them with a mysql type database. I already graph data that comes out of a MYSQL database for some projects at work so I am familiar with some graphing tools that are out there and how to get MYSQL data into them. This is assuming I can get the real time data into a database. I see someone mentions above a CQC data-logger driver writing to a MS SQL database. This sounds like it could cover all basis but I am wondering how that might work on a reboot. Would I lose data into the data-logger in that case? I was thinking if CQC reads from Brultech memory and has a pointer to track where it last read from it might be possible to get data lost on reboots etc into the mysql database. Is that true?

[beelzerob]

Is it live data, data from the brultech internal memory(which may in turn be real-time or near real time) or some combination?


The 1220 driver connected directly to the 1220, read any data stored in memory, and then started showing/processing the realtime data. Currently, the 1240 driver just connects and displays the realtime data. It does not read the stored data, mainly as I've not decided what to do with that stored data if it did. I've been trying to find a good graphing solution, as that would seem to be the best use of the stored data, but nothing has emerged as a viable solution to that.

The reason the 1220 driver read the old data was just for the cost calculations....something the 1240 driver doesn't currently provide. (and I've been wondering if I even should....I *never* got any feedback from anyone that the cost calculations were useful or used, and they were a major pain in the butt...so if no one uses them, then I don't see doing that for the 1240 either.) If not cost calculations, though, the 1240 certainly can read the old data just for weekly/monthly kWh statistics and such.


2. I see Brultech is coming up with some nice monitoring software of its own. I am assuming to use that I need to free up the COM port so that some Brultech piece of software can connect to it? Is there any way to get around that and get data to both CQC and the brultech logger?

3.Does any of the above have different answers if you I use the etherbee or other TCP/IP version?


That's a question that has not been answered yet. I'll email Paul and ask him what he thinks. There's a greater chance, I think, of being able to "share" the data through a TCP/IP connection than a serial one.


4.I am assuming I would either need to get bring the data into CQC and then port it from CQC to a SQL database or bring it into some other software and then port it back out in a format that CQC can read. I was thinking if CQC reads from Brultech memory and has a pointer to track where it last read from it might be possible to get data lost on reboots etc into the mysql database. Is that true?

Taking data from the CQC fields and populating the database would give you the most usefulness, I think. I don't plan on adding database writing capability to the driver, as it seems better suited to externally.

Reading data from the device and populating the database would be tricky, I think...I'm not sure how you'd do that and not over-populate the database wtih repeat data should there be 2 reboots in a short period...maybe the database just rejects repeats like that? I can see adding a back-door driver call to return stringlist of data, should you want the "archived" data. Otherwise, I don't know how you'd get the older data into the database.

It seems like overall, the brultech software coming out takes care of all of that, and very very well. About the only thing left for the CQC driver to do would be realtime value updates. That's my impression, anyway. I'm loath to try and do anything that the brultech software already does, because it does it so much easier and is obviously integrated well.

[personalt]

I did use the old cost calcs but never had any issues with them so didnt bug you.

Just some thoughts..... The brultech ECM Engine software seems to have a lot of promise. If that ECM Engine could do the logging and you could still get real time data I think you would have the best of both worlds.

I see you have some posts in that thread on cocoontech for it.
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14692&st=45&gopid=128739&#entry128739

http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=2758

If appears the ECM Engine requires some .net libaries. I would wonder if they could support a connection there for you to read in the real time values? Or if this there is some other way for you to still get real time values from the unit while the ECM engine does the core of the data logging. It would be nice to display the real time usage on my regular CQC touchpanel page, I would like to avoid losing that feature if I use the ECM engine. I also want CQC to be able to tell me over the speakers if I am cranking out power over certain channels for long periods of time.

If you couldnt connect using the .net libraries could you connect to the SQLite DB? If the DB only stores usage once a minute that would be non-optimal It would be good enough for warnings and alarms but would not be that great for real time display.

I guess reading from that DB might even be better served by a CQC database driver assuming it will work with SQLite.

These are just my opinions but I think if the data has a way of getting into a SQL database you are not going to be able to beat the analysis that can be done off the database. But it is of the most value to have CQC still be able to get access to the real time fields and if possible be able to get access to some of the analysis data that is stored in or calculated against the database.





The 1220 driver connected directly to the 1220, read any data stored in memory, and then started showing/processing the realtime data. Currently, the 1240 driver just connects and displays the realtime data. It does not read the stored data, mainly as I've not decided what to do with that stored data if it did. I've been trying to find a good graphing solution, as that would seem to be the best use of the stored data, but nothing has emerged as a viable solution to that.

The reason the 1220 driver read the old data was just for the cost calculations....something the 1240 driver doesn't currently provide. (and I've been wondering if I even should....I *never* got any feedback from anyone that the cost calculations were useful or used, and they were a major pain in the butt...so if no one uses them, then I don't see doing that for the 1240 either.) If not cost calculations, though, the 1240 certainly can read the old data just for weekly/monthly kWh statistics and such.



That's a question that has not been answered yet. I'll email Paul and ask him what he thinks. There's a greater chance, I think, of being able to "share" the data through a TCP/IP connection than a serial one.



Taking data from the CQC fields and populating the database would give you the most usefulness, I think. I don't plan on adding database writing capability to the driver, as it seems better suited to externally.

Reading data from the device and populating the database would be tricky, I think...I'm not sure how you'd do that and not over-populate the database wtih repeat data should there be 2 reboots in a short period...maybe the database just rejects repeats like that? I can see adding a back-door driver call to return stringlist of data, should you want the "archived" data. Otherwise, I don't know how you'd get the older data into the database.

It seems like overall, the brultech software coming out takes care of all of that, and very very well. About the only thing left for the CQC driver to do would be realtime value updates. That's my impression, anyway. I'm loath to try and do anything that the brultech software already does, because it does it so much easier and is obviously integrated well.

[personalt]

Another thought.. what about using this guys software as a piece of middle-ware

http://www.tenholder.net/tenWare2/tenEcmServer/tenEcmDbLogger.aspx

[beelzerob]

I've emailed Paul about it...that's the best place to start. Ya, something that can take the realtime data and broadcast it would probably suit most purposes...but then there is still the issue of controlling the device, as there are many settings available through the protocol, including requesting stored data. But the "middleman" could handle those requests too if it was sufficiently sophisticated. We'll see what Paul says.

[personalt]

I ordered one with the expansion unit(basically a second unit with just the smaller CTs at a cheaper price). please keep us posted with Pauls response.

I really want the Nuvo to be able to yell at my wife is she is using too much juice but would like to see the Nuvo ECM engine do the graphing.


Thanks for all your help on the driver.

[beelzerob]

As expected, Paul is very interested in helping it work. It would appear at this time that multiple units through the same interface won't be a problem. He's now working at allowing his software to be connected to the unit, and at the same time my CQC driver will have essentially realtime data available to it. That will take some playing with.

[personalt]

good to hear.. would you be connecting to the comm port or some API that he is provides? I have a order with the expansion unit in transit.. Cant wait to see where all that power is going.

[beelzerob]

Basically, from what I've gathered, his until will connect to the comm port and then I'll get the realtime data updates via either TCP or UDP. (Dean, if you're skulking here...is there a preference of which to use? I really don't know enough about either of those to choose one. I'm assuming on the CML side, it doesn't make a diff?)

some questions this raises, however, is whether the CQC driver would still be used for "historical" data purposes. That's a question because I wouldn't be able to query the device directly for the stored data...I'd have to query his software, which would then query the device, etc. So I guess the question is....if you're going to use the brultech software and all its graphs and bells and whistles and such, do you expect you'll only use the CQC driver for "realtime" data?

[Dean Roddey]

TCP/IP is more robust, unless there's some sort of 'keep alive' type thing that he has to send out every so many seconds, else you'll never know if he goes away. Or maybe he has to send data no matter what every so many seconds, so you'll know he went away if you don't see it for longer than that.

[beelzerob]

Ya, it will end up sending data just about every second....or I think he changed it so it's only as the values change, which when you're talking power, it's pretty rare for it NOT to change every second. But I'd say if I went 10 seconds without a message, something is probably wrong.

Ok, I'll tell him TCP is the way to go.

[Dean Roddey]

Have him add a ping thing you send to it periodically as a 'make sure it's still alive' type of query if you don't hear anything for a while. Either that or have him send out a keep alive type dummy packet if he doesn't have anything else to send within some reasonable period.

[Ron Haley]

Basically, from what I've gathered, his until will connect to the comm port and then I'll get the realtime data updates via either TCP or UDP. (Dean, if you're skulking here...is there a preference of which to use? I really don't know enough about either of those to choose one. I'm assuming on the CML side, it doesn't make a diff?)

some questions this raises, however, is whether the CQC driver would still be used for "historical" data purposes. That's a question because I wouldn't be able to query the device directly for the stored data...I'd have to query his software, which would then query the device, etc. So I guess the question is....if you're going to use the brultech software and all its graphs and bells and whistles and such, do you expect you'll only use the CQC driver for "realtime" data?
Does his software fit inside a web page that we can display inside CQC templates? Will it send alarms to CQC/Elk ?

[beelzerob]

The brultech software won't send any alarms out....depending on what you're looking for, that would probably be best served by the cqc driver, as it gets the realtime data from the software.

I'm not sure offhand if the brultech software generates graphs that fit in a web page. I haven't tried yet, but I hope to this weekend.

[Ron Haley]

How's the Driver coming along? Any response from Paul. I want to get a main plus 2 addon units, and want to know what's the best way to go with CQC.
Thanks

[beelzerob]

Paul and I have been working together on getting something that works well. I've been using his ECM engine and dashboard software, and I am a firm believer in it. It's fantastic!

What we're working on is where the dashboard will connect to and control the unit, and it will feed CQC the realtime data. So, the dashboard will take care of your graphing (and logging) needs, and CQC will mainly be used for any realtime analysis you want to do.

[personalt]

Beelzerob - I dont want to put you this driver out of business but I think CQC can hook into the SQLite DB using the generic database driver and get near real time stats. There may be enough info int the DB that you dont even need to update the driver.

I was fooling around with the generic database driver in CQC and using it to hit the SQL lite database and getting real good results.

I have my brultech writing to the sqlite DB every 5 seconds. I had CQC using the generic database driver reading 8 fields (7 power fields plus time). CQC looked like it was was only a few seconds behind the DB writes and CPU usage was at 1%-2% tops.

Like you said, his ECM software is sweet. there seems to be a few little issues(like the fact that there doesnt seem to mark one (or two) channels as the main. without this it seems my power is double counted on many of the graphs. But I am sure he will fix that.

I will write up what I did tomorrow if anyone is interested. You do need to run one command against the sql lite DB to add an index on time (so that it can find the last record fast) but mostly it is really straight foward.

[beelzerob]

Yes, please demonstrate what you did! but start a new thread for it, please, I don't want it to get lost in this one.

I have no problems at all if a better means of doing this is formed....when I started this driver, the dashboard software didn't exist, so my driver was the only way to get any info out of it. A lot has changed, and quickly. If nothing else, if I can work out with Paul to get the realtime data from his software, then it would still be an option for those who don't want to use the data logging (though it's hard to see why you wouldn't, since that's what the graphing comes from).

[Ron Haley]

Yes, please demonstrate what you did! but start a new thread for it, please, I don't want it to get lost in this one.

I have no problems at all if a better means of doing this is formed....when I started this driver, the dashboard software didn't exist, so my driver was the only way to get any info out of it. A lot has changed, and quickly. If nothing else, if I can work out with Paul to get the realtime data from his software, then it would still be an option for those who don't want to use the data logging (though it's hard to see why you wouldn't, since that's what the graphing comes from).
So what configuration do you plan to support? I want to order and have it work with CQC.
Thanks again,

[beelzerob]

Well, I know I can guarantee two possible scenarios of using CQC with the Brultech. It all boils down to who controls the serial port the 1240 is connected to:

1) CQC controls the port, and the 1240 realtime power info is displayed in CQC fields.

2) The dashboard controls the port, and the 1240 realtime power info is displayed in CQC fields.

As you can see, the minimum "guaranteed" capability is realtime info (wattage, kwh for all ch/aux....and amps for ch1 & 2) in CQC. I can guarantee that since the driver does that already! However, for #2 to become true, it will require some additional support from Paul @ Brultech, which I have every confidence it will come about. He is very active in helping CQC (and others) talk to the devices.

As for making available other info inside the device, such as historical data (the device buffers up readings for a certain amount of time)....that remains to be seen. I'm not certain yet how best to use that info, or if the dashboard software will also make use of it and perhaps in a better way. So that remains to be seen.

That's where I see it going at this point.

[Ron Haley]

Thanks - does that mean support for multiple devices, and support via the xbee or etherbee in scenario 1, or just hardwired serial connected devices?

[beelzerob]

Yes, I've already talked to Paul about support for multiple devices through a single port, and that does not seem to be a problem to support. I can't remember if there's more Paul has to do on his end or not for that to work yet.

As long as the ethernet and xbee variants use the same protocol and can be connected to (by serial port or TCP port), then yes, it should all work. I'll have to create another .manifest file for the ethernet ones, but that's trivial to do.

[personalt]

I started a new thread for how to use the Generic Database driver to populate CQC fields by connecting to the Brultech sqlite DB. If you are interested in another way to go after this data it might be worth checking out. I ask that others please dont stomp on this thread here with questions about using the database driver. If that interests you check out this thread.

http://www.charmedquark.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=8915

Beelzerob's work on the driver here is what got me to buy the original Brultech unit and his early support of the 1240 is what got me to latest and greatest models. I had good success with his driver, my reason for looking for another method was the Brultech limitation of how the unit can only send data to one comm port and process at a time. Paul's new datalogger looked cool but I knew I had to pick one. I am also a sql guru and was thinking I would like to do some custom data mining on my usage data.



Yes, please demonstrate what you did! but start a new thread for it, please, I don't want it to get lost in this one.

I have no problems at all if a better means of doing this is formed....when I started this driver, the dashboard software didn't exist, so my driver was the only way to get any info out of it. A lot has changed, and quickly. If nothing else, if I can work out with Paul to get the realtime data from his software, then it would still be an option for those who don't want to use the data logging (though it's hard to see why you wouldn't, since that's what the graphing comes from).

[Ira]

Can we get an update on this driver?

Also, does anyone know if the Brultech software can support more than three ECM-1240's? I've got one ECM's using the wireless EtherBee connection. I'm also using the lastest software, and except for a few minor bugs, it seems to work well. However, now I'm wondering if the Brultech software will support the configuration I want to get to...three ECM's wirelessly connected via the same EtherBee device AND one (or maybe two) additional ECM's connected via serial port to the EtherPort TCP/IP wired connection. Does anyone know if this configuration is possible? The "ECM-1240 Parsing Engine" seems to limit you to three ECM's (A, B, and C), only two of which can be communicating via TCP/IP (TCP/IP A and TCP/IP B). Am I misunderstanding the capabilities?

Thanks,
Ira

[Ira]

Regarding my configuration questions...

I talked to Paul at Brultech today. He said that the current software supports a maximum of three ECM's. I didn't ask about the different variations of three ECM's (i.e., means of communication) that were supported, because he also told me that a new version of the software will be released soon that will support up to six ECM's. Again, I didn't ask about the specific variations that will be supported, but he did say that my "maximum" configuration (three ECM's via one EtherBee device and two ECM's via wired TCP/IP) will be supported.

He also said he can send out beta copies of the new software, but they don't have the documentation for it yet. Since it will be a little while before I exceed the current limits, I did not take him up on the beta version.

[beelzerob]

Sounds like it's time for me to give him a pester again then. Last place we were at, he was incorporating the ability to stream the data from the devices out a TCP port, which my driver could then intercept. That would allow his software to talk to the device over RS232, but for the cqc driver to still get data.

[Ira]

Sounds like it's time for me to give him a pester again then. Last place we were at, he was incorporating the ability to stream the data from the devices out a TCP port, which my driver could then intercept. That would allow his software to talk to the device over RS232, but for the cqc driver to still get data.

What if his server software is talking to the ECM's via TCP/IP (that's how all of mine will be connected)? He won't be able to support streaming to your CQC driver thru a different TCP/IP port from the one he using to communicate with the ECM's?

Ira

[beelzerob]

Sure. He'd connect to the ECM's on one port, and I'd connect to his software on another port.

[Ira]

Sure. He'd connect to the ECM's on one port, and I'd connect to his software on another port.

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't clear on your previous comment.

Ira

[trouble]

G'day

Just wanted to point out there is software out there that will share 1 com port with 2 programs, ie realy port 1 becomes virtual port 2 and 3, and you can set port 2 and 3 to be read/write, or just read.

Also Paul gave me the latest version of the engine software this morning, but its not connecting, so he is re-looking at it. I can say that allows you to create up to 3 virtual channels. I need this as we have 3 phase power, and i have 3 ECM-1240s. With the virtual channels it will then join the 3 channel 1's to become main power. The other 2 virtual channels are for our HVAC which is also 3 phase, so channel 2 on all 3 units will become the virtual channel for our first HVAC, while the AUX1 on all 3 will become the the virtual channel for the second HVAC.

Ohh and also it also lets you connect to Google PowerMeter.

Paul

[beelzerob]

Excellent! and good info. I'm a little tied up right now trying to make my WHS/CQC machine stop freezing up randomly. But as soon as I've fixed that (a full reinstall is the next step), then I'll get the latest version from Paul again and see if the TCP re-transmittal thing is working.

[trouble]

G'day

I have tested it, and we are getting somewhere. I have got ECM working, and Paul thinks he knows the issue with getting the other 2. The new engine does support up to 6 ECMs, and i have got data from my 1 ECM up on to google powermeter, which is really cool. Also cant remember if i mentioned it, the new engine lets you create virtual channels across multiple ECMs.

Paul

[Ira]

G'day

I have tested it, and we are getting somewhere. I have got ECM working, and Paul thinks he knows the issue with getting the other 2. The new engine does support up to 6 ECMs, and i have got data from my 1 ECM up on to google powermeter, which is really cool. Also cant remember if i mentioned it, the new engine lets you create virtual channels across multiple ECMs.

Paul

That's good to hear. I heard Brultech wanted to support Google PowerMeter, but I hadn't heard anything lately. Will they be announcing that support when the beta release goes GA?

If you haven't done so already, can you tell us what your configuration is (or will be)? Number of ECM's. Communication method for each one (EtherBee, EtherPort, USB, direct RS232, etc.). Any other specifics.

Do you know how things will "look" in a multi-ECM setup? Will it be one big logical ECM? Will a three ECM setup show up on the channels 1 thru 21 on the dashboard?

Please keep us informed on your progress. I ordered three expansion ECM's yesterday that I hope to start hooking up late next week.

[trouble]

G'day

Have no idea when they will annonce the google interface, i was suprised when i found the option, whent through and set it up and it just worked.
I have 3 ECMs all RS232 on sperate ports. We have 240v 3 phase (I live in Australia).
Channel 1 on ECM1 goes to 1st main phase
Channel 1 on ECM2 goes to 2nd main phase
Channel 1 on ECM3 goes to 3rd main phase

Channel 2 on ECM1 goes to 1st phase of our 1st HVAC
Channel 2 on ECM2 goes to 2nd phase of our 1st HVAC
Channel 2 on ECM3 goes to 3rd phase of our 1st HVAC

AUX1 on ECM1 goes to 1st phase of our 2nd HVAC
AUX1 on ECM2 goes to 2nd phase of our 2nd HVAC
AUX1 on ECM3 goes to 3rd phase of our 2nd HVAC

Both our HVACs are 3 phase.

AUX 2, 3, 4 and 5 on ECM1, AUX 2, 3 on ECM2 and AUX 2, 3, 4 and 5 are all going to our 11 single phase circuits.

In the new engine, you still treat all 3 units sperately, but you have a virtual device tab. In there you specify which ports (up to 3 ports from any of the
ECMs) make up the virtual channel. And you can create up to 3 virtual channels, as well as creating a net metering channel as well, which is the sum of any of the channels that make you your main power feed.

In the communication tabe, you can select up to 3 serial ports, and 2 TCP ports.

If you have any further questions, just ask.


Paul

[Ira]

Since you guys talk to Paul more than I do...if you get a chance, suggest a couple of simple enhancements.

1. On the ECM engine software screen, if I click the "X" in the upper right corner, have it require a confirmation to close it. Too often I've clicked on the "X" instead of minimize, and I don't realize it until much later when I try to bring it back from the system tray. In the meantime, I've lost the data while it was down (unless there's some way I don't know about to get it back).

2. TED (a competitor's product) allowed the user to specify the utility company's meter read date. It would then give you the amount of energy used since the last meter read date, and the amount it estimated would be used for the month. Not sure how it projected the amount for the month, but it was probably a relatively simple formula. By the middle of a meter read cycle, it was usually pretty close on its forcast. Of course this would be quite a bit more work to do than the above enhancement.

Ira

[trouble]

G'day

I now have the 3 units working, they found the issue with the com ports, and have created the virtual channels. You can make 3 virtual channels as well as a virtual NET channel, i originally thought it was 2 + 1. You cant upload the virtual channels to google yet, but Paul should have this sorted in the next few days.

Quite impressive.

[trouble]

Spoke too soon, i can now upload all of my 27 channels up to google powermeter, only issue is that on the drop down to select the channle (on google powermeter), it only shows you the first 18 channels, although if you move the cursor down with your keyboard you can work out that the other channels are there, you just cant select or see them. So will now report that issue to google.

Paul

[trouble]

Just wanted to add the new version also now has a CQC option tab.

Not sure how to use it, it hasan option Listen or Disconnect and the default port is 5000. Also has a "Enable Forward Data via TCP/IP Server" tick box.

Anyone know how this is to be used?

Paul

[beelzerob]

I do. ;-)

That's what will allow you to have a CQC driver monitoring channel values, while also having the brultech software connected to the device.

Once I get it working with this driver, of course.

[trouble]

That would be great.... So, not the obvious question, when do you expect to have that working?

Paul

[beelzerob]

Well, I expect to *try* it this weekend, hopefully today. As to when it gets working... Well, hopefully that will happen this weekend too. I don't expect it to be difficult, and Paul is very helpful and active in working out things that don't do as you expect.

[Sendero]

How does one get access to the beta versions with Google Powermeter and the CQC features? :)

[beelzerob]

I don't know if the beta versions of the brultech software are publically available or not.

[trouble]

No, they arent available yet. Paul has been very quick in getting fixes done to issues I have been finding, but the last update I received yesterday didnt write data to the db but still transfered data to google.
Just trying to work out which channel on the engine relates to the channels on google powermeter - there is an issue with google if you have more then 10 channels that channel 5 on the dashboard doenst relate to channel 5 on google.

Will the CQC driver see the virtual channels as well?

Paul

[beelzerob]

He did mention virtual channels, but nothing specific. The CQC driver will be able to handle whatever Paul wants to send across the port. Paul @ Brultech has been very proactive and supportive of the CQC driver and community, and I'll certainly be that to Brultech.

[Ira]

He did mention virtual channels, but nothing specific. The CQC driver will be able to handle whatever Paul wants to send across the port. Paul @ Brultech has been very proactive and supportive of the CQC driver and community, and I'll certainly be that to Brultech.

Can you make a few brief comments on what data the ECM server is streaming? Is it raw data similar to what the ECM itself is sending so that you have data on each channel that can be further manipulated? Is it basically the same as what is being written out to the database? Does the ECM server wait for you to request the next available data or does it "push" it out and the client has to be capable of handling whatever the server throws at it?

Ira

[beelzerob]

What's going to be sent out is still a work in progress. I won't mind sharing the info once it is decided, and assuming Paul doesn't mind.

[trouble]

G'day
Thought I would share what the CQC data feed looks like. On the latest ECM engine, you can now set the data to be in ascii or binary, i have set it to ascii and this is what i saw when I connected for about 5 seconds

CH1Pb=53&CH2Pb=2&Paux1b=0Paux2b=6&Paux3b=0Paux4b=0&Paux5b=0KWhCH1b=66.025&KWhCH2b=301.318KWhAux1b=4.91&KWhAux2b=1.128KWhAux3b=1.723&KWhAux4b=1194.006KWhAux5b=4.806&Timeb=11:10:44CH1Pc=168&CH2Pc=5&Paux1c=0Paux2c=0&Paux3c=81Paux4c=0&Paux5c=0KWhCH1c=21.895&KWhCH2c=131.561KWhAux1c=2.66&KWhAux2c=0.181KWhAux3c=2.318&KWhAux4c=1.219KWhAux5c=0.021&Timec=11:10:46CH1Pd=832&CH2Pd=5&Paux1d=0Paux2d=25&Paux3d=79Paux4d=139&Paux5d=174KWhCH1d=127.402&KWhCH2d=140.679KWhAux1d=2.76&KWhAux2d=5.981KWhAux3d=13.071&KWhAux4d=14.188KWhAux5d=18.931&Timed=11:10:47CH1Pb=52&CH2Pb=2&Paux1b=0Paux2b=6&Paux3b=0Paux4b=0&Paux5b=0KWhCH1b=66.025&KWhCH2b=301.318KWhAux1b=4.91&KWhAux2b=1.128KWhAux3b=1.723&KWhAux4b=1194.006KWhAux5b=4.806&Timeb=11:10:49CH1Pc=164&CH2Pc=6&Paux1c=0Paux2c=0&Paux3c=79Paux4c=0&Paux5c=0KWhCH1c=21.895&KWhCH2c=131.561KWhAux1c=2.66&KWhAux2c=0.181KWhAux3c=2.318&KWhAux4c=1.219KWhAux5c=0.021&Timec=11:10:51CH1Pd=831&CH2Pd=4&Paux1d=0Paux2d=25&Paux3d=79Paux4d=139&Paux5d=174KWhCH1d=127.403&KWhCH2d=140.679KWhAux1d=2.76&KWhAux2d=5.981KWhAux3d=13.071&KWhAux4d=14.188KWhAux5d=18.931&Timed=11:10:52CH1Pb=52&CH2Pb=2&Paux1b=0Paux2b=6&Paux3b=0Paux4b=0&Paux5b=0KWhCH1b=66.025&KWhCH2b=301.318KWhAux1b=4.91&KWhAux2b=1.128KWhAux3b=1.723&KWhAux4b=1194.006KWhAux5b=4.806&Timeb=11:10:54CH1Pc=170&CH2Pc=6&Paux1c=0Paux2c=0&Paux3c=81Paux4c=0&Paux5c=0KWhCH1c=21.895&KWhCH2c=131.561KWhAux1c=2.66&KWhAux2c=0.181KWhAux3c=2.318&KWhAux4c=1.219KWhAux5c=0.021&Timec=11:10:56CH1Pd=832&CH2Pd=5&Paux1d=0Paux2d=25&Paux3d=79Paux4d=139&Paux5d=174KWhCH1d=127.404&KWhCH2d=140.679KWhAux1d=2.76&KWhAux2d=5.981KWhAux3d=13.071&KWhAux4d=14.188KWhAux5d=18.932&Timed=11:10:57CH1Pb=52&CH2Pb=2&Paux1b=0Paux2b=6&Paux3b=0Paux4b=0&Paux5b=0KWhCH1b=66.025&KWhCH2b=301.318KWhAux1b=4.91&KWhAux2b=1.128KWhAux3b=1.723&KWhAux4b=1194.006KWhAux5b=4.806&Timeb=11:10:59CH1Pc=164&CH2Pc=6&Paux1c=0Paux2c=0&Paux3c=80Paux4c=0&Paux5c=0KWhCH1c=21.895&KWhCH2c=131.561KWhAux1c=2.66&KWhAux2c=0.181KWhAux3c=2.318&KWhAux4c=1.219KWhAux5c=0.021&Timec=11:11:01

[beelzerob]

Ya, that format is still a work in progress, but it's a simple ASCII forwarding of all pertinent data. The binary stream is basically just the same stuff you get if you connect to the ECM directly. That's very handy, as that *should* mean I can handle that dataflow very easily with the code I already have.

[beelzerob]

I'm going to make a stab at this tonight, since because the binary is the same as the regular connection, this should be as easy as just adding a TCP/IP manifest file and code, as (it turns out) I've been doing for several other drivers recently....

[beelzerob]

Well, Paul does some good stuff. It works! I uploaded a new version of the driver which will connect via IP, and thus let you get data updates even though the brultech engine software is using the comm port the device is on. quite nifty!

I expect there to be issues, so please let me know what they are.

[SamVimes2]

Is the version of the ECM engine that works with the new plugin generally available?

[beelzerob]

I'm not certain. I get all my updates from Paul directly, so I'm not sure what's making it to the public....*yet*.

[personalt]

That is great news... Should there any difference in the data in CQC if we user the driver that connects to the dashboard software or the driver that connects to ECM directly? It sounds like the software is just re-echoing the stream it gets from the ECM so I assume the output should be the same but just wondering.

Is he passing you the KWH data or just the real time watts/amp data? Correct me if I am wrong but it seems like the ECM1240 monitors/echos the KWH for each channel for the device since the last reset.

The KWH data in the unit itself seems to be zero'd against the last reset. The KWH data from different periods such as 1 day, 7 days, 30 days, last bill cycle from each channel could be found in the sqlite db so there are ways to get/calculate usage over time but I was wondering/hoping he might pass some of that information to you directly. Any chance?

[beelzerob]

It sounds like the software is just re-echoing the stream it gets from the ECM so I assume the output should be the same but just wondering.

correct. I did not have to make any changes to how I parse the data, so it is exactly the same.


Is he passing you the KWH data or just the real time watts/amp data? Correct me if I am wrong but it seems like the ECM1240 monitors/echos the KWH for each channel for the device since the last reset.


well, the realtime data includes kwh, watts, and amps for ch1 and 2, and kwh and watts for the 5 aux channels. And yes, kwh is always since last reset.

I was wondering/hoping he might pass some of that information to you directly. Any chance?

What I ultimately hope to get is any of the values that he calculates directly. For instance, he's already implemented the "straight rate" costs calculations, so I would hope he could pass that on to me. But I wouldn't want him to pass to me data that is just sitting in the database and he would have to query for...that seems needlessly redundant. So, I'd expect the cqc driver to still be pretty much just "realtime" data. I *do* want costs analysis available in there too, though, and I really don't want to try it again on my own, because it SUCKED for the 1220 and I was never really satisified with it. So I'll work with Paul to get his calculations over to CQC.

[jrunde]

Is the version of the ECM engine that works with the new plugin generally available?
I don't think it is right now, as the website still shows the 11/15 version on it. I emailed Paul @ Brultech, and he sent me a link where I could download the latest Engine. He did mention this in the email:
There are still some issues with logging hourly data to the database and if you have valuable data, it will probably corrupt it at this time.

[Ira]

Couple of questions...

My ECM's are in a can about 30' from my load center. I have mulitple cat5e runs between the load center and the can to extend the CT wires. If I want to combine several circuits on a single channel, can I combine them in the load center with one pair of cat5e conductors instead of using a pair for each circuit to be combined and combining at the ECM?

The Installation Guide says I can use MicroCT's on Ch1 and Ch2 if a resistor is used. I don't see any details about the resistor in the Guide, except where it talks about using Ch5 as a "regular" channel. Is the same resistor and setup used for having a MicroCT on Ch1 and/or Ch2?

Thanks,
Ira

[beelzerob]

Definitely a Paul question. I have no idea. There are, however, several good info threads over at cocoontech on this stuff..you'll probably get better info there than from this somewhat minority of CQC users.

[personalt]

Good to see that Brultech made the changes to allow your driver and the ECM Engine to play nice together. Listening to the datastream like you are doing is certainly the best way to do the real time data.

If he can monitor you costs/aggregate usage data that will be great. But if not, that is something that could be picked up by the datalogdb driver. a SQL view for the users pricing method can be dropped into the database with a one line command. CQC can ping that sql view every so often. The views that would be required are the same ones that he uses for the dashboard but they dont appear to be that complicated.






correct. I did not have to make any changes to how I parse the data, so it is exactly the same.

well, the realtime data includes kwh, watts, and amps for ch1 and 2, and kwh and watts for the 5 aux channels. And yes, kwh is always since last reset.

What I ultimately hope to get is any of the values that he calculates directly. For instance, he's already implemented the "straight rate" costs calculations, so I would hope he could pass that on to me. But I wouldn't want him to pass to me data that is just sitting in the database and he would have to query for...that seems needlessly redundant. So, I'd expect the cqc driver to still be pretty much just "realtime" data. I *do* want costs analysis available in there too, though, and I really don't want to try it again on my own, because it SUCKED for the 1220 and I was never really satisified with it. So I'll work with Paul to get his calculations over to CQC.

[jrunde]

Couple of questions...

My ECM's are in a can about 30' from my load center. I have mulitple cat5e runs between the load center and the can to extend the CT wires. If I want to combine several circuits on a single channel, can I combine them in the load center with one pair of cat5e conductors instead of using a pair for each circuit to be combined and combining at the ECM?

The Installation Guide says I can use MicroCT's on Ch1 and Ch2 if a resistor is used. I don't see any details about the resistor in the Guide, except where it talks about using Ch5 as a "regular" channel. Is the same resistor and setup used for having a MicroCT on Ch1 and/or Ch2?

Thanks,
Ira

yes, you can combine several circuits to a single channel. Make sure you have the CTs pointing the correct direction depending on which phase it is monitoring.

If you check here (http://www.brultech.com/ecmsupportupdate.html), there is a CT Setting calculator used to determine what resistor you need for using Micro-CTs on channels 1/2.

[trouble]

G'day

I have enabled CQC on my engine (1.49), and set it to ASCII and ticked the box to forward data via TCP/IP on port 5000, and installed the new TCP driver, but I am not seeing any data in the field browser. I know CQC is connecting because the CQC port field in the engine goes green when it connects.

Also how do i get to see the channels for all 3 of my ECMs?

Thanks

[trouble]

Is anyone that is running version 1.44 or newer of the new engine having the issue that no data other then the "historical data" showing up on the dashboard, or is it only mine? On the 3 last versions of the engine I have not been able to see any live data which is a pain.

[beelzerob]

Well, the cqc integration with the engine is a work in progress...so multiple devices won't *yet* show up. I'll work that out.

Otherwise, the format needs to be "binary", not "ASCII". Do that, and you might see some data after all, but with 3 ECM's spewing that data across, I'm not sure which one you'll see.

[trouble]

G'day
Changing it to binary allowed me to connect. And it is showing me data for my 3rd ECM.

Paul

[beelzerob]

Well, that's a start! I'm talking to Paul now about how multiple units will get sent across this data forwarding interface.

While we're discussing this...I'm thinking of scrapping the custom field naming options you have to click through when installing the driver, especially because it becomes impractical very quickly when you have 3 or so units. Its just too much to have to click through.

I'm leaning towards more standard and normal names, such as Ch1, Aux1, and then something like UnitA_Ch1, UnitA_Ch2, UnitB_Aux1.... Not as pretty as custom names, but it will be consistent and flexible enough to handle whatever anyone out there has.

And there is at least some hope that with the new Uber driver Dean is developing, you would be able to apply some kind of name on top of that to make it more identifiable.

[WayneW]

A new beta has been posted.
http://www.brultech.com/dashboard.html

[personalt]

fyi - For those looking to do cost calculations, I put some cost calculations for the straightline (flat rate billing) in my dataloger driver thread

http://www.charmedquark.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=8915

Any questions about that please keep in my thread.

Right now I have a running 7/30 day cost calculations but sometime later this weekend I will add more info on how you can add the last bill date so the calculation of cost since the last bill can be added.

[beelzerob]

Rich, thanks for taking on that challenge of extracting cost from the db. That's fantastic! I hope to take advantage of that myself as soon as I have the time. db's scare me, for some reason....

I'm working now on a "unified" driver for the brultech devices that will be able to handle the 1220, 1240, standalone, multi-devices, and data forwarding from the engine.

As such, the previous means of being able to name your channels and aux's is going to have to go away. It's impossible to do the same thing given that there could be 5 1240's in a single connection. That's 35 custom names. Ick.

So instead, here's my plans. It will go to the standard Ch1, Ch2, Aux1, Aux2, etc naming, and the device ID will be prepended to the field name. It may not be pretty, but it's the only way I can think of to let you distinguish which fields are which, and will operate perfectly no matter how the devices are hooked up.

I'm still working on this, but that's my plan anyway. I'm certainly open to suggestions on a better way.

[Sendero]

Any ETA on the new driver? I've got 3 ECM-1240s setup and working great through the dashboard, just woud love to have the data in CQC screens.

[beelzerob]

It's in progress. It's essentially a completely new driver, but borrows sections of code from the previous ones. I'll be starting a new thread when it's ready for posting...today, depending on how busy the wife makes me.
:roll:

[DaveB]

With Sunday being the 14th...my guess is that it is all over for the weekend! :-)

[beelzerob]

In between admonitions of love, I managed to find time to post the new driver (http://www.charmedquark.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=9042). It works for me with a 1220 and 1240 via Data forwarding on the engine, so give it a try.