Monitor electricity usage

obi604 · 10-01-2021 12:12am #1

I have a 2014 Leaf and for over a year I have been charging it from a 3 pin plug. Works perfect and suits my needs.

It’s an external socket on its own 16 amp circuit from the fuse box. It is a weatherproof 2 way socket.

I have the official Nissan 3 pin charger plug and the 3 pin plug on this is rather bulky......,,which means I had to get a special external socket from the uk to allow the box to close with the bulky plug etc. (https://www.toughleads.co.uk/pages/bmw-charging-leads-overcoming-the-extra-large-13a-plug)

What I’m looking to do is to see how much electricity I consume with the charging. No other electrical items use these sockets, just the Leaf

Is there any way I could monitor the usage?

I think there are plugs that I could plug the 3 pin car charger in to that show what you use...... but then I won’t be able to close/weatherproof the external socket box.

Sheep Shagger · 10-01-2021 12:14am

You could get yourself one of these, might be cheaper on Amazon.

https://www.did.ie/tp-link-wifi-smart-plug-with-energy-monitoring-white-hs1100-hs1100-prd?gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkfdyGHRpBjL2EFW3lVBi38jvfsEK4clUZ6EYuTzRJbcQ7pTZQOokchoCZBEQAvD_BwE#fo_c=1898&fo_k=7751568589a508ff60c01d80162afc6e&fo_s=gplaie

EDIT: just re read and see you won't be able to use a plug.

obi604 · 10-01-2021 12:45am

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

You could get yourself one of these, might be cheaper on Amazon.

https://www.did.ie/tp-link-wifi-smart-plug-with-energy-monitoring-white-hs1100-hs1100-prd?gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkfdyGHRpBjL2EFW3lVBi38jvfsEK4clUZ6EYuTzRJbcQ7pTZQOokchoCZBEQAvD_BwE#fo_c=1898&fo_k=7751568589a508ff60c01d80162afc6e&fo_s=gplaie

EDIT: just re read and see you won't be able to use a plug.

Thanks. Yeah, that’s the annoying thing. Box won’t close with the plug you linked.

KCross · 10-01-2021 1:27am

A CT clamp and connected wireless monitor on the cable feeding that socket would do it.

Can you access that cable anywhere along its route or back at the consumer unit?

obi604 · 10-01-2021 1:31am

KCross wrote: »

A CT clamp and connected wireless monitor on the cable feeding that socket would do it.

Can you access that cable anywhere along its route or back at the consumer unit?

Hi

Not really. Goes directly from back of external socket to house and then a small run of 1.5 metre or so up to the fuse box in the house (the run has plastic protection over it)

innrain · 10-01-2021 8:32am

In the fuse box?
Something like these?
https://www.bellflowsystems.co.uk/flow-meters-by-type/electricity-meters/electricity-meters-din-rail-mount/

innrain · 10-01-2021 8:37am

This is from garo. Popular in Ireland so probably enough resellers http://www.garo.se/en/installation/din-rail-components/energy-meters/energymeter-1p-modbus-rs485

obi604 · 10-01-2021 9:43am

innrain wrote: »

This is from garo. Popular in Ireland so probably enough resellers http://www.garo.se/en/installation/din-rail-components/energy-meters/energymeter-1p-modbus-rs485

Thanks. Sorry for my ignorance, but how is this installed?

My fuse box looks like this: https://ibb.co/C65zf2L

So not sure where the Garo type device would install.

innrain · 10-01-2021 11:19am

obi604 wrote: »

Thanks. Sorry for my ignorance, but how is this installed?

My fuse box looks like this: https://ibb.co/C65zf2L

So not sure where the Garo type device would install.

You're not to install it anyway. You need to get your local spark for the job.
On the left side of the fuse labelled Outside socket is a blank. I guess that is the best place. Those fuses all have the same form factor and they are mounted on the so called DIN rail. The cover of the fuse box is masking their inside but they all look the same.

Here are your fuses (RCBOs i think they call them)
http://www.garo.se/en/installation/din-rail-components/rcbo

obi604 · 10-01-2021 11:31am

KCross wrote: »

A CT clamp and connected wireless monitor on the cable feeding that socket would do it.

Can you access that cable anywhere along its route or back at the consumer unit?

I actually have an owl energy monitor on the main meter box to monitor my general electricity.

Kinda hard to access the cable going to electric car. It goes from fuse box and immediately to a covered plastic thing on the wall.

Like in this pic.

https://ibb.co/51Pcwfr

Then other side of the wall is the external socket. So hard to access any part of the cable.

KCross · 10-01-2021 1:18pm

You have two choices

- Get an electrician to put in a kWh meter for you. Not cheap to call one of them out

- Get access to the cable either inside the consumer unit or that plastic cover. You can pop open the plastic covers but maybe you’re not comfortable with that. Back to choice 1 if not.

n97 mini · 10-01-2021 4:20pm

I used a D-link DSP-W215 smart plug with power monitoring for a year. It's been discontinued since, so I can't make a recommendation for a replacement, but you get the idea.

KCross · 10-01-2021 4:35pm

n97 mini wrote: »

I used a D-link DSP-W215 smart plug with power monitoring for a year. It's been discontinued since, so I can't make a recommendation for a replacement, but you get the idea.

I doubt that would be suitable for outdoor use though.

obi604 · 10-01-2021 10:16pm

innrain wrote: »

You're not to install it anyway. You need to get your local spark for the job.
On the left side of the fuse labelled Outside socket is a blank. I guess that is the best place. Those fuses all have the same form factor and they are mounted on the so called DIN rail. The cover of the fuse box is masking their inside but they all look the same.

Here are your fuses (RCBOs i think they call them)
http://www.garo.se/en/installation/din-rail-components/rcbo

Again. Pardon my ignorance.

Would this replace the current fuse? Or go alongside the current fuse. I.e. when the job was finished, would I have the current fuse as it is now and then another fuse with the readout along side it.

graememk · 10-01-2021 11:20pm

obi604 wrote: »

Again. Pardon my ignorance.

Would this replace the current fuse? Or go alongside the current fuse. I.e. when the job was finished, would I have the current fuse as it is now and then another fuse with the readout along side it.

It would go beside it,

obi604 · 10-01-2021 11:25pm

graememk wrote: »

It would go beside it,

Right. Is it like one of the wires that goes in to current fuse would be re wired to the new device.

graememk · 11-01-2021 12:14am

obi604 wrote: »

Right. Is it like one of the wires that goes in to current fuse would be re wired to the new device.

yeah it will come out of the fuse, into the meter and then out of the meter and onto your plug

obi604 · 11-01-2021 12:30am

graememk wrote: »

yeah it will come out of the fuse, into the meter and then out of the meter and onto your plug

Trying to understand this. What plug do you mean? The actual EV 3 pin plug?

graememk · 11-01-2021 12:37am

obi604 wrote: »

Trying to understand this. What plug do you mean? The actual EV 3 pin plug?

if it works like I think it works,

currently you have a fuse, and then your outdoor plug is wired into that.
This would go in your fuseboard, and then the wire that comes from the fuse would first go to the meter and then onto your outdoor plug.

Another option would be going for something like this :https://myecohub.com/product/owl-micro-electricity-energy-monitor/

But instead of putting it on your main tails beside your ESB meter, you put it on the wire that comes from the fuse to your outdoor socket. - still requires taking the cover off your fuseboard! but the sensor just clips around the wire going to your outdoor plug

KCross · 11-01-2021 1:47pm

obi604 wrote: »

Again. Pardon my ignorance.

Would this replace the current fuse? Or go alongside the current fuse. I.e. when the job was finished, would I have the current fuse as it is now and then another fuse with the readout along side it.

obi604 wrote: »

Right. Is it like one of the wires that goes in to current fuse would be re wired to the new device.

Its not a fuse. Its a kWh meter.
Your existing fuse/trip-switch stays as is but an electrician will add the kWh meter into your consumer unit and connect it to the wire that feeds your external socket. Any current flowing to that socket has to flow through the meter and will give you your consumption figures.

The fuse continues to works as is. I have one on my own charge point actually. Works fine but you will need an electrician to do it as it is a change to your consumer unit.

However, based on the pics you have shown, I still think a CT clamp is a better choice. You will need to remove some of the trunking or identify the wire in the consumer unit and clamp it there but should be possible without any changes/rewiring being made to the consumer unit and hence no need for an electrician but its down to what you are willing to do yourself.

obi604 · 11-01-2021 2:00pm

KCross wrote: »

Its not a fuse. Its a kWh meter.
Your existing fuse/trip-switch stays as is but an electrician will add the kWh meter into your consumer unit and connect it to the wire that feeds your external socket. Any current flowing to that socket has to flow through the meter and will give you your consumption figures.

The fuse continues to works as is. I have one on my own charge point actually. Works fine but you will need an electrician to do it as it is a change to your consumer unit.

However, based on the pics you have shown, I still think a CT clamp is a better choice. You will need to remove some of the trunking or identify the wire in the consumer unit and clamp it there but should be possible without any changes/rewiring being made to the consumer unit and hence no need for an electrician but its down to what you are willing to do yourself.

ok, I have you now, thanks for explaining so well.

sounds like between parts and a callout and labour, could cost over 100 euro to do this...........hardly worth it.

I have a good idea as to how much I use, but it would be a 'nice to have' to just look at a meter to tell you how much you used for sure.

yeah, may have a go at the CT clamp thing.

n97 mini · 11-01-2021 2:29pm

KCross wrote: »

I doubt that would be suitable for outdoor use though.

Naked, yes that's true. Project box, gland nuts and an inline socket and it'd be IP65, if a bit messy.

Monitor electricity usage

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