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AC Energy Logger Project

Rudolph

Feb 13, 2017
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Feb 13, 2017
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Hey guys,

I'm currently in the process of designing an Energy logger/Monitor, which measures both voltage and current. It should also save the data measured on a SD card.

After a couple of research online, I founded out the following: 1) I'll be using the ACS712 current sensor to measure current. 2) I'll use a transformer to help measure voltage. 3) I'll also need a code to help read the SD card. 4) A code for the 16X2 LCD Screen.

Now, the thing is I'm still confused on how I'm going to put everything together. Eg.: I feel like I still don't know enough about this project, I'm not really sure how it's suppose to work in the end. I'm not even sure of the circuit diagram yet.

Any help will really be appreciated.

Thanks!
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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Will you be using a microcontroller? Have you decided which one? Are you allowing for power in both directions, or just one?
 

Rudolph

Feb 13, 2017
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Will you be using a microcontroller? Have you decided which one? Are you allowing for power in both directions, or just one?

I'll Be using an arduino uno. And, I'll be allowing power in one direction.

Thanks for asking, I really hope you'll be able to help me.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Have you written simple programs to control each of the sensors an the display separately?
 

Rudolph

Feb 13, 2017
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Have you written simple programs to control each of the sensors an the display separately?

I found a sample of code for the display but I can't find any for the sensors. I'd appreciate it if you would recommend any website for learning how to program this things including the program for the SD card.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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I'd use Google.

Try searching for "Arduino acs712", etc
 

Rudolph

Feb 13, 2017
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Feb 13, 2017
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I'd use Google.

Try searching for "Arduino acs712", etc

Wow! I can't believe I found what I was looking for with just that keyword, thanks buddy. I don't mean to be lazy, but can you please give me a list of things I need to do on a daily basis in order to finish this project in two weeks.

Thanks again for your help!
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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Well, once you're able to drive all the bits by themselves, you are going to need to figure out how to use them in combination to measure power.

You have one microcontroller which has to read, calculate, display, and (presumably) store the results.

How often do you need to take readings (of voltage and current)? Do they (voltage and current readings) have to be taken at the same time? Can you take them at the same time? Can you interleave all the other activities between taking sets of readings?

If you can't interleave the activities, can you alternate between taking readings and doing the other activities?

Power readings have a time component. This is another reading you may have to take, or can you make it implicit in the way you obtain your readings?

You need to understand what you're doing. Be very careful about just grabbing coffee from the internet and cobbling it together. You might get readings, but are they sending and accurate?

How will you test your device? Will you just use resistive loads, or do you have some loads that are reactive or have a more complex power demand?

And... Do you have the required skills to do the required mains wiring and maintain isolation around the ACS712 chip (did you ever consider a current transformer)?

2 weeks is not a lot of time. You may have to aim for something short of perfection.

Presumably you also need to do some sort of write-up too. Because your design decisions and justifications will probably form a party of that, make sure you're documenting this stuff as you go along.
 

Irv

Jun 7, 2017
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Jun 7, 2017
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I agree with *steve* here, two weeks if you're starting from ground zero is not enough time.
Perhaps if you limit the project to measuring something safe, like power drawn by a 5v DC device -
an LED desk lamp, perhaps - you could do this.

Grabbing 'sketches' from the internet is an easy way to get started, but combining them not so easy, since they'll often use the same ports on the microprocessor for conflicting purposes. Not all ports are created equal. You have to learn enough about which ports can do what so that you can modify the sketches.
 
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