Looking to Place 1st Order - Advice Needed

[churd60041]

Hello,
- Residential home in Kentucky with two breaker panels.
- Electric Service - 200A
(1) Main Circuit Breaker Box
(1) Sub Panel Breaker Box mounted side by side next to each other.

Let me describe what I would like to do and maybe you could advise on what I should order.
Needs:
1. Monitor main incoming feeds (double pole 200A). coming in to house. See individually and as a total.

2. Monitor Water Furnace Geothermal Breakers. Has (3) separate double pole breakers. (1st) 60A, (2nd) 60A, (3rd) 30A. Would like to monitor each individually PLUS see all three as a total.

3. Monitor Sub Panel Breaker. Double pole breaker. This breaker is 100A. Monitor as a total.

3. Monitor Hot Water Heater Breaker. Double pole breaker 30A. Monitor as a total.

4. Monitor Pool Pump/Heater/Lights Breaker. Double pole breaker 40A. Monitor as a total.

5. Monitor two (2) other breakers. Double pole breakers 30A. Monitor as a total.

6. Provide additional (10) Micro 50s and I will use them and connect as needed.

7. Temperature Sensors - I would like to measure both the air temperature and water temperature of my geothermal unit. I would need (2) sensors that can be attached to the incoming and exiting water pipes. I believe these are DS18B20. Plus, (2) more sensors that can measure incoming air and outgoing air from geothermal unit-not sure what those would be. Thoughts and advice here would be appreciated.

8. GEM + Dashbox + Seg I think? I would like Best graphics, gauges etc.

9. My home office is the preferred place to monitor all this. I am 60 feet (other side of the house) from where the electrical boxes + GEM/Dashbox will be mounted. Not possible to run hard wired cable. I will need total wireless capabilities - if yes, what is needed?

10. Do you have the capability, through LED displays, to show any of the monitored lines in real time on the GEM or next to the GEM or next to devices (i.e. Geothermal Unit)?

Sorry for the long message. After a lot of searching, I would like to move forward with BrulTech.
I look forward to your thoughts, ideas, suggestions on what I need to order.

Regards,
Don in KY

[Teken]

7. There will be no problem measuring temperature using the DS18B20 sensors. You have eight channels via the GEM so this comes down to your mounting and install. You should have some kind of method planned for (direct contact) for the geo thermo. I have used a combination of thermal paste and aluminum foil tape to ensure the most direct contact and heat absorption.

8. If you purchase the Dash Box (DB) you will have the best of both worlds. As you can then have local storage of the data with the specific graphs and charts of the DB. At the same time you can forward the information to SEG which will provide you with the other related graphs and charts.

This is the absolute best method and value for the long term as you have full control of the data on site while having the ability to have a off site data storage for the same.

9. Both the GEM / Dash Box can be purchased in a combination Ethernet / WiFi model so no issues here.

10. The GEM only has LED's which indicate its current operating status. It does have a internal web site which can show all channels for watts, current, temp, pulse in the advanced tab. This tab view is for set up and trouble shooting it is not intended for on going viewing as the system does not transmit data to the DB or SEG while in the internal web site.

[bgrubb1]

My adds YMMV
You will be thrilled with a GEM / DB combo. I have the GEM sending to SEG as well, but never look at SEG, it's just a backup data source, the DB tells me all I want to know. Great products, great service. On your temperature questions (#7 & #10) I had a similar desire, I measure inside temp, outside temp, and temp in and out from my solar pool heater panels. The inside and outside are easy, DS18B20 sensors are cheap on ebay. The issue with liquid is all of the DB18B20 sensors are metric in dimension, difficult to tie in to NPT plumbing. I found a solution from this site
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_ ... cts_id=322
It provides what you requested, both monitoring of water temp via GEM / DB and locally but not LED as you requested (see picture below).
I am not sure of the value of measuring the 100 amp sub panel feed directly. I have the same config and measure all the breakers in the second panel, that way the GEM sums them all correctly. If you would like to look at my DB to see my version of real world, send me an email or PM
...Barry

[churd60041]

Teken & Barry,
Thanks for both for the comments and information. My geothermal water pipes are copper and I would rather not do any hard plumbing at this point. If it is not broke (you know what I mean). Pictures are interesting and look good, Barry, but not for me at this point.

As for the two type of temperature sensors, I need Teken to comment:

Teken,
One sensor (DS18B20)will be attached to the copper pipe (in and out water lines) and yes I do know how to attach it. So I am ok on that sensor. I will need two each of these.
Can these be ordered with BrulTech?
What is the description I would use when ordering?
I would also need to splice them to a CAT5 cable since I will need to run them 50 feet to the GEM? So questions are how do I describe and order these and any special instructions for splicing them in to CAT5 cable?

The 2nd temperature sensor (air) will sit inside the duct work of the geothermal system. I will need two each these as well.
Do I order the same DS18B20 for sitting inside duct work - same distance to GEM so will also need to be spliced to CAT5 cable?

How do should I go about placing an order since this is somewhat customized?

Barry,
The link you sent is interesting but not sure I will go that direction. Attaching temperature sensor to the copper pipe will be fine for monitoring. I can always do a manual temperature check with a very accurate gauge and attach to the P/T port of the geothermal water lines.


Thanks,
Don

[Teken]

Teken & Barry,
Thanks for both for the comments and information. My geothermal water pipes are copper and I would rather not do any hard plumbing at this point. If it is not broke (you know what I mean). Pictures are interesting and look good, Barry, but not for me at this point.

As for the two type of temperature sensors, I need Teken to comment:

Teken,
One sensor (DS18B20)will be attached to the copper pipe (in and out water lines) and yes I do know how to attach it. So I am ok on that sensor. I will need two each of these.
Can these be ordered with BrulTech?
What is the description I would use when ordering?
I would also need to splice them to a CAT5 cable since I will need to run them 50 feet to the GEM? So questions are how do I describe and order these and any special instructions for splicing them in to CAT5 cable?

The 2nd temperature sensor (air) will sit inside the duct work of the geothermal system. I will need two each these as well.
Do I order the same DS18B20 for sitting inside duct work - same distance to GEM so will also need to be spliced to CAT5 cable?

How do should I go about placing an order since this is somewhat customized?

Barry,
The link you sent is interesting but not sure I will go that direction. Attaching temperature sensor to the copper pipe will be fine for monitoring. I can always do a manual temperature check with a very accurate gauge and attach to the P/T port of the geothermal water lines.


Thanks,
Don

Hello Don,

First Happy New Years to you and the family!

Next, the 1 wire sensors are purchased from other 3rd party vendors or via EBAY. Brultech does not sell any 1 wire sensors at the moment so you won't have to go down that road.

If you intend to use CAT Ethernet cable please spend the extra money on CAT6 as its thicker (23 gauge) vs CAT5e (24 gauge). Please also only purchase pure copper CAT6 cable and not any listed as CCA.

CCA is copper clad aluminum and is not rated for in wall or even compliant for CEC / NEC. If the wires you purchase do not specifically state its pure copper avoid this wire. If you already have CAT5e cable and want to use it that isn't a problem but suggest you double up the wires for each pair to ensure voltage drop is minimal.

When you push past 50 feet voltage drop is an issue given the power output is only 5 volts there isn't much margin of variance if consistent and accurate readings are the goal.

If you have not seen my on going projects thread which is located here: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929

It details my entire journey with lots of information, install pictures, and on going development of the various systems I have been working on. Should you have more questions please do ask them here and I am sure someone will be able to offer some insight and guidance.

[churd60041]

A few more questions - sorry!

I just want to make sure that I get the correct hardware for my communication situation. I cannot hardware and devices to my computer or internet. I live in a rural area and the only form of internet I have is ATT mini wifi hub. It is fast and works great but I have no routers etc. I connect all computers and iPads etc. via wifi to ATT mini.

I am assuming any data from the GEM will have to go to the internet via the ATT mini wifi hub. All my TV's can connect as well as all my computers with no problems. But, they all have the ability to see and recognize the mini hub so connection is fast and easy. So, that is one of my concerns for accurate movement of data between GEM and internet.

You can leave me an email and phone number if we should chat ear to ear.
Thanks,
Don

[Teken]

A few more questions - sorry!

I just want to make sure that I get the correct hardware for my communication situation. I cannot hardware and devices to my computer or internet. I live in a rural area and the only form of internet I have is ATT mini wifi hub. It is fast and works great but I have no routers etc. I connect all computers and iPads etc. via wifi to ATT mini.

I am assuming any data from the GEM will have to go to the internet via the ATT mini wifi hub. All my TV's can connect as well as all my computers with no problems. But, they all have the ability to see and recognize the mini hub so connection is fast and easy. So, that is one of my concerns for accurate movement of data between GEM and internet.

You can leave me an email and phone number if we should chat ear to ear.
Thanks,
Don

Hello Don,

Sent you a PM