Open Source Low-Cost Power Monitoring System

The most up to date information can be found on this project's Appropedia page

Source

For step by step instructions - please on how to build this and all of the validation steps please read:

Oberloier, S. and Pearce, J.M. Open Source Low-Cost Power Monitoring System, HardwareX" 4(2018) e00044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2018.e00044 (this is an open access peer-reviewed hardware paper)

• Clickable bill of materials (BOM), Gerbers, and 3D printing files available at https://osf.io/8keau/
• Build with Belt-Driven Open Source Circuit Mill Using Low-Cost 3-D Printer Components or order from SEEED or similar OS electronics manufacturer

Summary

This project presents an entirely open-source, low-cost power monitoring system capable of many types of measurements including both loads and supplies such as solar photovoltaic systems. In addition, the system can be fabricated using only open source software and hardware. The design revolves around the Digital Universal Energy Logger (DUEL) Node, which is responsible for reading and properly scaling the voltage and current of a particular load, and then serializing it via an on-board ATTiny85 chip. The configuration of the DUEL node allows for custom sensitivity ranges, and can handle up to 50 A and 300V. Up to 127 DUEL nodes communicate via Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) on a bus, which can be monitored and logged through an Arduino UNO, or other compatible microcontroller. Using accessible equipment, the DUEL node can be calibrated to a desirable accuracy with low error. The DUEL nodes are also completely customizable, making them fit for any input range, where all commercially-available products are fixed range. The open source solution out performs commercial solutions as the price per measurement ($18.25) is significantly smaller, while the number of serviceable channels (127) is significantly higher.

Keywords

open source hardware;open hardware; RepRap; OpenSCAD; customization; open science hardware; OScH; free and open-source hardware; FOSH; free and open-source software; custom designs; distributed manufacturing; P2P; P2P manufacturing; open design; scientific equipment; open scientific hardware; 3-D printing; circuit milling; circuit design; distributed manufacturing; electronics; electronics prototyping; System monitoring; Data logger; Power monitoring; Photovoltaic; Systems monitoring; Power; Current; Voltage; Building monitoring; Building energy; Green building; Building systems; Home energy monitor; Renewable energy; Energy; Electrical engineering; Engineering

See Also

• General Design Procedure for Free and Open-Source Hardware for Scientific Equipment
• Open Source Lab
• Building research equipment with free, open-source hardware
• Open source science
• Open-source hardware
• Belt-Driven Open Source Circuit Mill Using Low-Cost 3-D Printer Components
• Open Source Ecology