Open Source Low-Cost Power Monitoring System

Pearce Publications: Energy Conservation • Energy Policy • Industrial Symbiosis • Life Cycle Analysis • Materials Science • Open Source • Photovoltaic Systems • Solar Cells • Sustainable Development • Sustainability Education

Source

• 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 open access
  • bill of materials (BOM) available at https://osf.io/8keau/
  • build with Belt-Driven Open Source Circuit Mill Using Low-Cost 3-D Printer Components

Abstract

This study 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