Couple of Quick Ideas

[Cooper2072]

Good Morning – I also would like additional expansion packs to monitor more circuits. I suspect most wont need beyond two maybe three expansion packs (dont see the need to add unlimited expansion. I personally would be fine with a total of two expansion packs (one more than the current available add-on). Also, is there a way to set the download to automatically download on a weekly basis for just he previous weeks data? If not that would be a great add too. Thank you for the ability to provide feedback. -Ed from OH

[Cooper2072]

One additional comment – if the expansion pack modules could be bidirectional as well – I am monitoring the solar feed and it shows load and gen as positive values. At night the solar system shows a small load – then when it generates if shows as a the same positive value. Would make the energy accounting easier if it show the point it switches from load to gen net of load (with a negative value). Thanks!

[Jim @Emporia]

Hey Ed (@Cooper2072)! Thanks for all the great feedback. As far as supporting additional Expansion Modules, our current hardware is not capable of this. There are limits to powering these devices, processing power, and digital to analog conversion that makes this problematic with the configuration we have now. That being said we’re working on new hardware that may help alleviate this need. Of course, you could always purchase additional Vue and monitor them under a single account with the Emporia app.

Regarding the automatic downloads, we’ve had this request before and we’re looking into it.

Regarding the directional Expansion sensors, we’ll submit your idea to the product team. If you use an Android device to run your Emporia app, you can try setting the multiplier to -1 on your expansion circuits. This might achieve your goal.

[Cooper2072]

Jim – thanks for the feedback. I have an iOS phone and I did get the negative in. I did this by copying a minus sign from some other text and pasting it ahead of the number value. It works but still isn’t bidirectional (there are very small loads at night that now show a gen – not a big deal – I can account for this in the math). What I have found is if you are monitoring your solar, unless you turn the expansion pack input to a negative value, it will not allow the bidirectional of the main leads to work. The excess gen shows up as just more load on the main without a negative on the expansion pack input monitoring the solar.

[Emporia Support]

Ed (@Cooper2072),
I wanted to jump in here and let you know that we are actively working on bidirectional current flow off the expansion circuits. Unfortunately our current hardware’s analog to digital converter (ADC) is not capable of this calculation at the moment. It will however be in our next hardware release!
Thank you for the excellent feedback! Please keep the suggestions coming!

~Adam

[bsespambucket]

The NEXT version of the VUE could trounce the $300 or more Sense and Eyedro competition if the Main unit had FOUR sensors, 2 for mains, 2 for solar.

 

I would probably upgrade if it had that feature.  I decided against the sense and AI and identifying loads down to device by ”signature”. I am looking for PEAK power and possibly LOAD BALANCING / LOAD SHEDDING alternatives in order to estimate EITHER a generator or battery backup.  Don’t need the granularity others offer.  If I did, I would by more Kill-a-Watt outlet monitors.

 

Or if there were a way to use the EXSTING THIRD / 3 phase input for one leg of solar (assuming both legs produce about the same amount) and a -2 multiplier ?  Then the next 8 sensors on the expansion pack could monitor as they do now and not have to re-design for bi-directional CTs

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