Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure, et

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j0dan
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:26 pm

Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure, et

Post by j0dan » Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:59 pm

There are a few things I'd like to be able to monitor for failure and status.

Fridge failure. Too low over a period = broke?, or Too high over several hours = left open?
Furnace filter needs cleaning. Wattage between two parameters for over x minutes.
Heat pump failure. Too low when furnace fan wattage is at specific level for x minutes.
Left high powered items on, etc.
Dishwasher or clothes dryer finished running. Wattage above X for 15 minutes, then below X for a certain amount of time.

What systems are available to do this? I use the ISY 994, GEM and DashBox. The DashBox sending details to the ISY is too slow for it to be reliable.
Teken
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Location: The Bad Lands

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by Teken » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:06 pm

Can you define too slow with integrating with the ISY Series Controller?


=========================

The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
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ben
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Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by ben » Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:26 am

j0dan wrote:There are a few things I'd like to be able to monitor for failure and status.

Fridge failure. Too low over a period = broke?, or Too high over several hours = left open?
Furnace filter needs cleaning. Wattage between two parameters for over x minutes.
Heat pump failure. Too low when furnace fan wattage is at specific level for x minutes.
Left high powered items on, etc.
Dishwasher or clothes dryer finished running. Wattage above X for 15 minutes, then below X for a certain amount of time.

What systems are available to do this? I use the ISY 994, GEM and DashBox. The DashBox sending details to the ISY is too slow for it to be reliable.

The DashBox can be set up to send to the ISY up to every packet.

If you set:
- the GEM packet send interval to 5 seconds
- the DashBox ISY send interval to less then that (every 4 seconds for example)

The DashBox will send packets to the ISY every time the DashBox gets a packet.

You just need to be careful not to overload the ISY, Teken has had issues with that in the past, he has a pretty big system however.
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
j0dan
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:26 pm

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by j0dan » Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:14 am

Well it looks like I should have tried it again before posting. I had given up on it 6 months ago, but now they are talking reliably. Not sure if updates were made in that time..

Before with a 20 second configured update time, it could take 20-30 minutes for it to update the ISY.

I gotta say certain things require a lot of programs to track with ISY's desire to re-evaluate with every state var change.
Teken
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by Teken » Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:30 am

j0dan wrote:Well it looks like I should have tried it again before posting. I had given up on it 6 months ago, but now they are talking reliably. Not sure if updates were made in that time..

Before with a 20 second configured update time, it could take 20-30 minutes for it to update the ISY.

I gotta say certain things require a lot of programs to track with ISY's desire to re-evaluate with every state var change.
Some bullet points regarding this sort of integration in no specific order of importance and relevance.

- The most reliable method to communicate with the ISY Series Controller is via ZigBee. Using the DB to send REST data via State Variables can offer delays and missed values.

- If you have lots of network resources connecting to and from the ISY Series Controller this can impact the system from operating consistently.

- Never have the ISY Series Controller perform *Tight Loop* processes. Meaning if you have the system doing math, counting, monitoring, at below 5-8 second intervals it will cause erratic behavior or lock up the controller.

- Do not set the DB to send to the ISY Series Controller lower than eight (8) seconds.

- The need and use for multiple programs are dictated by your use case and how you have scripted them.

- Your system(s) need to be all updated and using the latest software / firmware for the DB, GEM, and ISY Series Controller. As the latest iteration has fixed many bugs, and introduced many feature enhancements.

- If you're seeing *State Variables* literally taking 20 minutes to change you have many issues to address. The first thing is how is the DB->GEM connected together?
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
j0dan
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:26 pm

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by j0dan » Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:27 pm

So it seems like it's still not 100% reliable for me.
Teken wrote:- The most reliable method to communicate with the ISY Series Controller is via ZigBee. Using the DB to send REST data via State Variables can offer delays and missed values.
I'm using network. No ZigBee radio on either device.
Teken wrote: - If you have lots of network resources connecting to and from the ISY Series Controller this can impact the system from operating consistently.

- Never have the ISY Series Controller perform *Tight Loop* processes. Meaning if you have the system doing math, counting, monitoring, at below 5-8 second intervals it will cause erratic behavior or lock up the controller.
I don't have devices that use the network resources more than one call/hour. Very light load.

Also, very few scripts even running any-more. I moved a few years ago and haven't programmed much since.
Teken wrote: - Do not set the DB to send to the ISY Series Controller lower than eight (8) seconds.
I've been using 20 seconds. Just changed it to 30.
Teken wrote: - Your system(s) need to be all updated and using the latest software / firmware for the DB, GEM, and ISY Series Controller. As the latest iteration has fixed many bugs, and introduced many feature enhancements.
For the DashBox, I've been using the April 2016 firmware and I'm now upgrading the GEM from 4.20 to 4.32.
j0dan
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:26 pm

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by j0dan » Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:43 pm

It could be a problem with my program though, although it seems very simple. $energy.notify.furnace_filter is a state variable.

Code: Select all

Filter Needs Cleaning.test - [ID 0071][Parent 003D]

If
        $gem.furnace < 400
    And $gem.furnace > 330
 
Then
        $energy.notify.furnace_filter  = 1
 
Else
        $energy.notify.furnace_filter  = 0
 
Wattage after a filter clean is ~275

When dirty, can be as high a 380.

Code: Select all

Filter Needs Cleaning.notification - [ID 0024][Parent 003D]

If
        $energy.notify.furnace_filter is 1
 
Then
        Wait  10 minutes 
 
Else
        Send Notification to 'dan@unetworks.com'
It triggered at 4:06 and 4:15 during this timeframe:
Image
Teken
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by Teken » Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:48 pm

Your going to have to offer a little more info as I don't see how this chart reflects the filter needs to be changed?!?

What are you monitoring and how does it relate to the filter that would be a good start.


=========================

The highest calling in life is to serve ones country faithfully - Teach others what can be. Do what is right and not what is popular.
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
ben
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Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by ben » Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:03 am

The data on the DashBox is stored on the minute, therefore in terms of watts it's the average amount of Watts used over that period. The data the ISY will be getting is in real-time.

If it was after 4:06, that alert would be captured in the 4:07 average. If you can get to the DashBox when it triggers, you should be able to see where it reacted in the Live data section of that channel (Live data holds a couple of hours worth of data).
Ben
Brultech Research Inc.
E: ben(at)brultech.com
j0dan
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:26 pm

Re: Monitoring for problems using power data (Fridge failure

Post by j0dan » Mon Mar 13, 2017 12:07 pm

My program monitors these variables:

Code: Select all

If
        $gem.furnace < 400
    And $gem.furnace > 330
and waits for this to remain true for 10 minutes.

I posted the graph as I'm not sure how that logic could be possible for even 2 full minutes. So is it a problem with my program or the interface between the DashBox and ISY?
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