Zee and Energy database

[rmasonjr]

I notice that my Zee has a large Data/Energy/Energy.hsd file. I do have some Aeon Smart Energy Switches, but I dont remember setting anything up to log energy stats or even how to use those stats.

What exactly is written to the Energy.hsd?
Where can I decide what is/is not logged to the database?

Since there is nothing in HS3 to view the Energy stats collected, I'd rather keep the Zee running lean and turn off logging anything to that database.

[Rick Tinker]

The Z-Wave plug-in logs to the energy database automatically, CurrentCost is going to be using it too (if not already). There are energy calculators built in to HS3 and the plan was to create a graphing page. There are script commands for creating and using the calculators. Obviously it is not done yet, but you will like it!

In the meantime, set the size of the energy database to a small number to trim it down or effectively turn it off - it is there at the bottom of the first tab of the settings.

[NutsyHome]

Rick - Are we getting closer to having graph pages or other data display from the Energy log on a Zee?

(Or maybe it's already there? I'm about to buy one of the energy monitors).

[cbabkirk]

Energy Monitoring and Database

Does anything currently exist that describes what the Energy facility is designed to do and how to setup it up to take in energy data that can be charted? What exists in HELP to inform us what this is or is designed to do?

Does anything exist that indicates what types of devices or sensors will be able to interface with the Energy facility?

If I have other devices that now represent collected KWHs, Voltage, temperature, output from a solar array, etc....will these metrics be accessible to the Energy system for tracking and trending?

Cliff

[mrhappy]

Does anything currently exist that describes what the Energy facility is designed to do and how to setup it up to take in energy data that can be charted? What exists in HELP to inform us what this is or is designed to do?

Does anything exist that indicates what types of devices or sensors will be able to interface with the Energy facility?

If I have other devices that now represent collected KWHs, Voltage, temperature, output from a solar array, etc....will these metrics be accessible to the Energy system for tracking and trending?

Cliff

The help file has all of the functions listed and documented - http://homeseer.com/support/homeseer...gy_logging.htm

Only a couple of plugins and the Z-Wave plugin are logging data to it at the minute AFAIK, if you have your own plugin for a solar system then it is going to be up to you to write a script (or plugin) to interface between it and the energy API.

[cbabkirk]

HS3 Energy Database

mrhappy,
Thanks for your quick reply. This helps a lot.

Do you know which plugins currently log data to the Energy Database?

When you say the Z-Wave plugin, do you mean any HS device created from a Z-Wave device(sensor, t-stat, switch, etc) will log data to the Energy database? Do you have examples of some of the Z-Wave devices that currently get logged to the database?

What min version of the Z-Wave plugin and what min version of HS3 are required to have this work correctly?

Is the graphing/charting facility under 'Energy' in the menu working today or will that be a future capability? I cannot tell as HS3 currently does not seem to be logging from any devices (the select device pull down is empty).

Since I am not a plug-in developer (scripts only), has anyone created a script yet that logs from an unconventional source (ex. my vb script that collects data from my solar array and creates HS devices) that they would be willing to share as a good getting started example/template of how to log data into Energy?

[mrhappy]

mrhappy,
Thanks for your quick reply. This helps a lot.

Do you know which plugins currently log data to the Energy Database?

When you say the Z-Wave plugin, do you mean any HS device created from a Z-Wave device(sensor, t-stat, switch, etc) will log data to the Energy database? Do you have examples of some of the Z-Wave devices that currently get logged to the database?

What min version of the Z-Wave plugin and what min version of HS3 are required to have this work correctly?

Is the graphing/charting facility under 'Energy' in the menu working today or will that be a future capability? I cannot tell as HS3 currently does not seem to be logging from any devices (the select device pull down is empty).

Since I am not a plug-in developer (scripts only), has anyone created a script yet that logs from an unconventional source (ex. my vb script that collects data from my solar array and creates HS devices) that they would be willing to share as a good getting started example/template of how to log data into Energy?

Z-Wave really isn't my thing at the minute, my understanding is that certain devices that have certain command classes will automatically log their respective energy to the Energy Database. I can't help with examples unfortunately. The EnergyAPI has been part of HS from the outset I believe but it appears that the Energy page came alive in version .125. I am actually working on redoing a plugin I have written to correctly support the API today so it is fresh in my mind, some script examples are available here

http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=170338 and http://forums.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=170026

The page should work in HS providing you are using the latest HS version, although no data usually means you just don't have a device that is compatible with it and as such no data is going into it.

IMHO it could be much more powerful than it is at the minute and the charts could do with some ability to change how they appear but I don't know the long term intention of what HS are doing with it.

[cbabkirk]

Using The Energy Database

mrhappy,
Again, thanks for you good advice. The links look very useful to get me going. I will try to review the other threads in hope of learning which Z-Wave devices have been successfully mined for their data into the Energy Database.

I am currently using the general latest release of HS3 (no beta yet) but am using the latest beta version of Z-Wave. HS2 remains the primary system until the promised replacement plug-in for jvCaddx security panel is ported to HS3.

Along with several -Z-Wave based energy monitors , I have several TED gateways that monitor about 12 ckts in my panels that track overall and specific usage from the grid and total generation from the solar array. Both of these are mined using vb scripts. I plan to use the BLTED plug-in for HS3 which seems to be working well with my three TED gateways. I will port the Enphase Solar script to HS3 when the time comes.

It will be nice to have all the energy related metrics in one place and have the ability to review trends in one place. Hopefully more work will be put into the charting facility over time to make the charting more robust.

regards, Cliff

[NutsyHome]

Okay... so my Log started filling up with the error message "Energy database maintenance may be needed (59 >= 50)"... Note: 50 MB is the size limit for my energy database.


Which leads me to confusion - is Energy Database maintenance an automatic function, or do I actually need to check the log every day or week, then Clear the saved data when it tells me to? (Yes, I have a power monitor running).

Shouldn't old data be cleared automatically, based on the Energy Settings?

[NutsyHome]

Okay... so my Log started filling up with the error message "Energy database maintenance may be needed (59 >= 50)"... Note: 50 MB is the size limit for my energy database.

Which leads me to confusion - is Energy Database maintenance an automatic function, or do I actually need to check the log every day or week, then Clear the saved data when it tells me to? (Yes, I have a power monitor running).

Shouldn't old data be cleared automatically, based on the Energy Settings?

I now see this problem on two different Zee systems... Energy database just keeps growing, even with the latest .152 version. The "Max Size" configured in Setup has no effect (other than triggering Log error message every few minutes), and the Clear Data function also doesn't reduce the Energy database file size.

If anyone else has this issue, it's now reported as BugZilla Bug 2486.