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  3. Mains voltage current sensor?

Mains voltage current sensor?

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  • maghacM maghac

    Any advice on sensing current in mains voltage (240V) circuits?

    What I'm trying to do is to monitor the dishwasher and washing machines, so I can sense when they're done and alert someone to go empty them.

    sundberg84S Offline
    sundberg84S Offline
    sundberg84
    Hardware Contributor
    wrote on last edited by
    #2

    @maghac - I have just ordered som parts im going to play around with.
    I bought the 30A current sensor but there are also som clamps so you dont have to make any cuts into wires:
    https://www.mysensors.org/store/power

    I think im going to build a portable Swedish plug standard machine, something looking like a relay but measures current.
    https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1WHv.MpXXXXcwXFXXq6xXFXXXA/AC-230V-Digital-16A-LCD-Electric-1W-3680W-Power-Energy-Meter-Voltage-Wattage-font-b-Current.jpg

    Controller: Proxmox VM - Home Assistant
    MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - W5100 Ethernet, Gw Shield Nrf24l01+ 2,4Ghz
    MySensors GW: Arduino Uno - Gw Shield RFM69, 433mhz
    RFLink GW - Arduino Mega + RFLink Shield, 433mhz

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    • maghacM maghac

      Any advice on sensing current in mains voltage (240V) circuits?

      What I'm trying to do is to monitor the dishwasher and washing machines, so I can sense when they're done and alert someone to go empty them.

      HenryWhiteH Offline
      HenryWhiteH Offline
      HenryWhite
      wrote on last edited by
      #3

      @maghac said in Mains voltage current sensor?:

      so I can sense when they're done and alert someone to go empty them.

      If you just want to do that, you could also use a vibration sensor to determine whether the dryer/ washing machine has finished or not.

      maghacM 1 Reply Last reply
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      • HenryWhiteH HenryWhite

        @maghac said in Mains voltage current sensor?:

        so I can sense when they're done and alert someone to go empty them.

        If you just want to do that, you could also use a vibration sensor to determine whether the dryer/ washing machine has finished or not.

        maghacM Offline
        maghacM Offline
        maghac
        wrote on last edited by
        #4

        @HenryWhite That would work for the washing machine, but not for the dishwasher I guess as it doesn't move a lot :)

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        • wallyllamaW Offline
          wallyllamaW Offline
          wallyllama
          wrote on last edited by
          #5

          Www.openenergymonitor.org has a lot of info on current, voltage, and power monitoring. It isnt mysensors specific, but it is detailed and can likely be made to work.

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          • gohanG Offline
            gohanG Offline
            gohan
            Mod
            wrote on last edited by
            #6

            Sonoff pow?

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            • maghacM maghac

              Any advice on sensing current in mains voltage (240V) circuits?

              What I'm trying to do is to monitor the dishwasher and washing machines, so I can sense when they're done and alert someone to go empty them.

              zboblamontZ Offline
              zboblamontZ Offline
              zboblamont
              wrote on last edited by
              #7

              @maghac Why measure current? It will vary with the program in use, and so will water consumption. Both devices have controllers, both will signal the end of a cycle and go standby, usually triggering a bleeper, these are usually low volt DC. Tap into that?
              You must have a distant machine not to hear it, I can hear the washing machine bleep through a wall, the dishwasher is usually quiet until she finishes, then gets noisy again :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

              gohanG 1 Reply Last reply
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              • zboblamontZ zboblamont

                @maghac Why measure current? It will vary with the program in use, and so will water consumption. Both devices have controllers, both will signal the end of a cycle and go standby, usually triggering a bleeper, these are usually low volt DC. Tap into that?
                You must have a distant machine not to hear it, I can hear the washing machine bleep through a wall, the dishwasher is usually quiet until she finishes, then gets noisy again :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

                gohanG Offline
                gohanG Offline
                gohan
                Mod
                wrote on last edited by
                #8

                @zboblamont because it's easier to attach a sensor to the power plug instead of hacking the machine's controller 😀. For what is worth, I think that a normal countdown timer will be enough since washing cycles have always the same length.

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                • maghacM Offline
                  maghacM Offline
                  maghac
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #9

                  Exactly, I don't want to modify the appliances in any way :)

                  If I monitor the current drawn by the appliance I can detect both when it starts and when it finishes. With a countdown timer I need to start it myself and if I forget to start it I will not get a reminder when it's done.

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                  • maghacM Offline
                    maghacM Offline
                    maghac
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #10

                    The sonoff pow looks interesting actually. 10 USD is a really good price.

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                    • gohanG Offline
                      gohanG Offline
                      gohan
                      Mod
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #11

                      you can make a dash button that when pressed sets a timer on the controller. With sonoff pow you get energy metering and also a relay tu turn on and off your appliance

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