you can also get yourself a sonoff POW2. I got one and put a plug on one end and a janus on the other. Busy logging each of my plugs in the house for 24h. That way I can see exactly what uses what and map the problem children...

classA bosch fridge/freezer btw...  around 0.75kwh/ day in current climate...

2 hours ago, JTK said:

you can also get yourself a sonoff POW2. I got one and put a plug on one end and a janus on the other. Busy logging each of my plugs in the house for 24h. That way I can see exactly what uses what and map the problem children...

classA bosch fridge/freezer btw...  around 0.75kwh/ day in current climate...

Sonoff R3 was just released!

 

https://notenoughtech.com/featured/new-sonoff-basic-r3-sonoff-rf-r3-dont-need-tasmota/

@georgelza and @PaulF007 

SAW  ended cancelling my order with placed where my R2 was ordered from, he was suppose to ship on Monday. making it to me before today/before I left, he ended dragging his feet and only wanting to ship yesterday afternoon, thus not going to get to me in Jhb on time, so tried to change the ship to address, and he tried to double the shipping cost... FAIL.

will re-order from someone else, and Tasmoto FW Flash myself.

G

On 2019/04/11 at 10:14 PM, SilverNodashi said:

Sonoff R3 was just released!

I noticed but it is a pity that they will not support MQTT , in my world, it is the core of everything I do. One other thing that Tasmota brings to the mix is Sensor support. I have a few Sonoff with Temp sensors integrated that I working nicely. Then Again I am maxed out on Sonoff devices. Can't remember when was the last time I flashed one. 😉

... so you saying new R3 can’t be flashed? Not event Yet...

the standard Sonoff also don’t support MQTT... it’s our red lashing with Tasmoto that enables that.

G

No you can still flash with tasmota , the article hinted that with the new version you won't need to flash with tasmota. 

You know that you can build these yourself, right? It's an ESP8266 chip with a relay, already put on a single PCB. So if you really want, you can make (or have made) your own PCB with your own components / sensors, add the ESP8266 and flash the firmware.

2 minutes ago, SilverNodashi said:

You know that you can build these yourself, right? It's an ESP8266 chip with a relay, already put on a single PCB

Duh 😛 . The thing is there is no way that you will be able to build it at that price range. Also, you get a 220v integrated circuit if you want to DIY it,  you will need to get a 3.3v psu or a 5v and then reduce it to 3.3v. The Wemos boards are then much better contenders without the 220v  ( I use a couple of those as well as you get 10 IO ports to play with) 

Here is a simple circuit that I made just to get an ESP 01 going:

 

and you get a nice casing, which SWAMBO will approve, where visible in the house.

G

1 hour ago, PaulF007 said:

No you can still flash with tasmota , the article hinted that with the new version you won't need to flash with tasmota. 

maybe I should read the article...

G

1 hour ago, PaulF007 said:

Duh 😛 . The thing is there is no way that you will be able to build it at that price range. Also, you get a 220v integrated circuit if you want to DIY it,  you will need to get a 3.3v psu or a 5v and then reduce it to 3.3v. The Wemos boards are then much better contenders without the 220v  ( I use a couple of those as well as you get 10 IO ports to play with) 

Here is a simple circuit that I made just to get an ESP 01 going:

 

Sure. But you can build an improved version. With a 20A or 30A relay, for example And you get a nice 220V to 3.3V PCB mount transformer as well. Or for a bit cheaper a 220V to 5V one, then you can hook it up to the USB input which has a polyfuse as well.

 

 

3D printing cases for it isn't that tricky either.

 

5 hours ago, PaulF007 said:

Duh 😛 . The thing is there is no way that you will be able to build it at that price range

I was thinking the same thing. At a certain price point... I'll just pay someone else to build it 🙂

Yay, so my ET112 has arrived. I have downloaded the Venus OS image for the Pi, which I will load this evening.

But, where to mount it?

Does one get slim profile replacements for the EL, or the geyser isolator, thinking that replacing both those with slimmer units will create space for the ET112?

 

Alternatively, the main feed into the house only has the one main breaker in it, would it be wise to tap the ET112 in there and feed the whole DB in the attached photo?

Edited April 16, 20197 yr by Minerva10210

On 2019/04/14 at 8:54 AM, SilverNodashi said:

Sure. But you can build an improved version. With a 20A or 30A relay, for example And you get a nice 220V to 3.3V PCB mount transformer as well. Or for a bit cheaper a 220V to 5V one, then you can hook it up to the USB input which has a polyfuse as well.

 

 

3D printing cases for it isn't that tricky either.

 

I see a DB re-wire in your future, get one of those 2-3 rail steel boxes, cut part of the back out, take all this out, move it into new box and the new box goes over the old hole...

 

G

32 minutes ago, georgelza said:

I see a DB re-wire in your future, get one of those 2-3 rail steel boxes, cut part of the back out, take all this out, move it into new box and the new box goes over the old hole...

 

G

Yeah, figured that will probably need to happen when I add the grid-tie stuff later. Just need to monitor for a month or six at this stage.

52 minutes ago, Minerva10210 said:

slim profile replacements for the EL

Those are Samite breakers, while the ET112 has the narrower DIN form factor. Even if you manage to make space, you will need to fit a Samite-to-DIN adapter.

I tend to agree with @georgelza, a see a rewire in your future.

 

Just now, Minerva10210 said:

Just need to monitor for a month or six at this stage.

A DIN-mount RCD might be narrower, allowing just enough space to squeek it in. You could also temporarily consolidate (though I am hesitant to even say this) the lights onto one breaker (I have to warn you that I am not a qualified electrician, so at your own risk). Don't consolidate more than two circuits on a single breaker, more than two wires in the slot and you start running the risk that one of them isn't clamped properly.

1 hour ago, Minerva10210 said:

the geyser isolator

Apologies for the multiple answers, I keep thinking of more things. Hager has a slimline DIN isolator, single space with two poles.

Thats a very old, very large earth leakage unit, the newer CBI earth leakages will only take up 2 modules and not 4

https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/DB-Boxes-%26-Circuit-Breakers/Circuit-Breakers/CBI-QA17A63BP-Overload-With-Earth-Leakage---Black/p/000000000000631996?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhvHEjdrU4QIVzL3tCh2NgQ2QEAQYASABEgJytfD_BwE

You could also swop the double pole geyser circuit breaker to a single pole circuit breaker, (https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/DB-Boxes-%26-Circuit-Breakers/Circuit-Breakers/CBI-Circuit-Breaker-25a-3ka/p/000000000000009844) provided that the geyser has a double pole isolator switch before the cable enters the heating element (https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/Wall-Plugs-%26-Switches/Switches/Lesco-4x2-30Amp-White-Isolator/p/000000000000567322)

 

 

... I'd still say, now is as good as it's going to get, as you're wiring into your DB you need to get a new CoC done, which will cost... so do it now, get a 3 rail (12 or 18 place) DB box, cat the back out above and below the middle rail and fit it over the hole that you will have once you've removed the current DB panel.

 

I went will

Rail #1

Pre Paid meter,

Main Isolator (60Amp)

2 way switch (Grid or Generator)

Carlo Gavazzi ET112

Rail #2

2 pole Isolator (60 Amp)

Earth Leakage Unit

1 x Pool Isolator - 20 Amp

1 x Geyser Isolator - 20Amp (150L)

1 x Geyser Timer

1 x Geyser Isolator - 20 Amp (50L)

1 x Geyser Timer

1 x Oven - 40 Amp

Rail #3

2 pole Isolator (60 Amp)

Earth Leakage Unit

3 x Light Isolators - 10 Amp

5 x Light Isolators - 20 Amp

 

17 hours ago, Noobie said:

Thats a very old, very large earth leakage unit, the newer CBI earth leakages will only take up 2 modules and not 4

https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/DB-Boxes-%26-Circuit-Breakers/Circuit-Breakers/CBI-QA17A63BP-Overload-With-Earth-Leakage---Black/p/000000000000631996?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhvHEjdrU4QIVzL3tCh2NgQ2QEAQYASABEgJytfD_BwE

You could also swop the double pole geyser circuit breaker to a single pole circuit breaker, (https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/DB-Boxes-%26-Circuit-Breakers/Circuit-Breakers/CBI-Circuit-Breaker-25a-3ka/p/000000000000009844) provided that the geyser has a double pole isolator switch before the cable enters the heating element (https://www.builders.co.za/Electrical/Wall-Plugs-%26-Switches/Switches/Lesco-4x2-30Amp-White-Isolator/p/000000000000567322)

 

 

 

16 hours ago, georgelza said:

... I'd still say, now is as good as it's going to get, as you're wiring into your DB you need to get a new CoC done, which will cost... so do it now, get a 3 rail (12 or 18 place) DB box, cat the back out above and below the middle rail and fit it over the hole that you will have once you've removed the current DB panel.

 

I went will

Rail #1

Pre Paid meter,

Main Isolator (60Amp)

2 way switch (Grid or Generator)

Carlo Gavazzi ET112

Rail #2

2 pole Isolator (60 Amp)

Earth Leakage Unit

1 x Pool Isolator - 20 Amp

1 x Geyser Isolator - 20Amp (150L)

1 x Geyser Timer

1 x Geyser Isolator - 20 Amp (50L)

1 x Geyser Timer

1 x Oven - 40 Amp

Rail #3

2 pole Isolator (60 Amp)

Earth Leakage Unit

3 x Light Isolators - 10 Amp

5 x Light Isolators - 20 Amp

 

Thanks to both of you for the advice.

 

Now to find a decent sparkie. Anyone have recommendations in Centurion perhaps?

7 hours ago, Minerva10210 said:

 

Thanks to both of you for the advice.

 

Now to find a decent sparkie. Anyone have recommendations in Centurion perhaps?

Start with your installer, they will normal know good sparky's that is also up to speed with the requirements for Solar/Battery/Inverter systems.

G

46 minutes ago, georgelza said:

Start with your installer, they will normal know good sparky's that is also up to speed with the requirements for Solar/Battery/Inverter systems.

G

Heh. Nope, I have no-one Want to DIY as much as possible within reason, but understand that regs require signoff and the like.

12 hours ago, Minerva10210 said:

Now to find a decent sparkie. Anyone have recommendations in Centurion perhaps?

Not too far from you, someone I've been in contact with once...

16 hours ago, georgelza said:

Start with your installer, they will normal know good sparky's that is also up to speed with the requirements for Solar/Battery/Inverter systems.

G

Sadly many sparkies won't touch solar systems. AC and DC is completely different and most of them don't know how to work with DC systems. 

The SANS regulations are clear on how the wiring should be done though, but ends on the AC side. And then it has some regulations in terms of safety for the batteries and DC connections, but it doesn't tell them how to work on DC based equipment.