Is there an idiot’s guide?
Or a how to for dummies?
I’ll attempt this in March.
Thanks
Just start at the top of this thread and read your way through it. I joined at about comment 33 and didnt have a clue. Got there in the end though.
1 Like
Hi all,
I appreciate a lot of people here have already bought a Raspberry Pi. Before I did this myself I thought I’d email Current Cost again (further to the holding email that I received from them in January, which was exactly the same as Graham’s). I received the following response today:
Dear P,
Thank you for your recent message.
We are working hard to find an alternative server. Once we find the right solution we will recall all netsmart devices for reprogramming so they will work with the new server.
I hope this helps you and please don’t hesitate to contact me further.
Kind Regards
Steve
I’m not exactly sure what to make of this, but I’ll probably wait a while longer before I buy a Raspberry Pi. There’s no urgency for me to have an online energy monitoring system up and running anytime soon. Just thought I’d share this.
Thanks
2 Likes
I spoke too soon, I’m still having to restart the grabber most days before solar output is uploaded to pvoutput.
Also, I’m getting blank gaps throughout the day where the output has not been recorded on pvoutput.
Yeah I’ve a few looks at your PVOutput daily graph and saw there were chunks missing. Are these same gaps present when you look at your pi web page?
There are no gaps in the pi web page but it looks as though that may be due to the measureit graph joining up the dots if it doesn’t receive a reading. So I’m wondering if the Envir is not receiving some generation data from the sensor due to a borderline radio communication signal. Sometimes when I look at the Envir it’s displaying dashes in the Energy now field and not showing the sensor connected symbol. I’ll try moving the sensor and Envir to improve the connection.
How are you going with your installation using the Raspberry Pi? I may be able to help out if your having trouble. Be warned I’m on a steep learning curve.
Also is the sensor due some new batteries? I would put a new set in.
Hopefully that will solve the gaps in the data during the day. I’m also thinking this will solve the issue when you go into a new day, because it was working before.
Failing that there is the Cron you could set up on the Pi to restart the grabber automatically at the start of a new day. See one of my previous posts for the line of code to use and web link to a help forum. I never used it myself because as you know ticking the multiple data box solved my issues.
I have the Raspberry Pi formatted SD card downloaded measureit image connected the cables how do I connect to the PC to adjust settings?
Any chance on a step
by step how to guide Warren?
Have you installed the image on the sd card? It’s not a case of dropping and dragging (cutting and pasting)?
Once the correctly installed image is on the sd card and everything is connected, switch on the Pi. Using a pc or tablet access the setup web interface via WiFi. Go to http://192.168.0.100
Go to setup tab
Click add sensor
Select number 0 and I called it power used
Now click on the sensor you just created, it will be in the column on the left of the page.
This will bring up a list on the right. Click on “position” on right side of screen
Click on add position
Call it what you want but I called mine power used 1
On the left now click add clamp
Select the sensor called power used or what ever you called the sensor
Select the clamp number. I used 2 because the clamp that is attached and measures my usage at the electricity meter is in the second jack socket. Not sure if that makes sense, hope so.
Now click on the left column on the clamp you just created.
On the right column click on position
Add position. I called mine power clamp 2
On the left click on system settings
Now on the right column click on pvoutput button and cut and paste your pvoutput API key into here (taken from the pvoutput website settings)
Now click save.
On the left column click restart grabber.
Note: Any changes you make always click restart grabber.
Now I have encountered a problem that happens at the start of a new day the pv I generate stops up loading. I had to click on the “restart grabber” button on the left column. To cure this I put a tick in the box “save same watt multiple data” and clicked save. What this does is casual the Pi to send data figures that are the same, ie during the night when you are producing zero watts, it will send zero watts to pv output. As soon as you start generating, obviously it will spring back into life. You may not have to check this box but thought I’d let you know about it.
Ok so that was the guide to get the power used up and running. I am not saying all these steps are necessary because this was self taught and trail and error. I got it working and I was happy at that.
For my solar I didn’t have to add a clamp because I use an optismart device to read the meter. All the previous instructions apply to get the solar working, just don’t add a clamp. If you’re using the same device in the house to send data, just a different clamp, then I’m assuming you would do the previous instructions and select a different clamp.
In short add a sensor, create a position. Add a clamp, create a position. And always restart the grabber!
So I’ve ordered a R Pi. Should arrive soon.
For some reason I haven’t been able to download the IMG file from MEGA.NZ
For now I’ll keep trying.
If anybody else had this problem and has a solution that would be great.
The file just shows as queued?
SOLVED - Download took 24 hours to start.
So I’ve hit a problem.
I suspect that the required file has been downloaded so many times that the download transfer limit for the month has been reached. (It’s only 10GB/m on a free account).
If anyone is able to share the file with me that would be great.
The file in question is:
2016-05-10-raspbian-jessie-lite-measureit-120-2gb.img.zip
Thanks Jerry
Hi, I’ve made an Arduino library to read messages from CurrentCost EnviR devices using an esp8266 as it is mounted on https://blog.nexusuk.org/2017/10/esp8266-currentcost-wifi-gateway.html.
You can find it on GitHub https://github.com/gmag11/CurrentCostLib
You can use it to read the values and send them to any platform, now that Pachube/Xively is down.
2 Likes
Hi
I’ve just received following email from Current Cost but I’m afraid that it’s not going help to upload the data to PVOutput:
Dear Juraj,
We are currently testing an alternative server:
https://www.neaeng.com/remoda_login.html
use login name - guest_steve
password - steve
You can see a gateway and a bridge in action with 2 channels working. This dashboard replaces my.currentcost.com
Temperature monitoring is not supported.
This is a temporary demonstration so please take a look at your earliest convenience.
There are still some pricing details to be discussed but we hope to have news very soon.
It will be necessary to re-program all nestsmart devices to function with the new server.
I propose to create a register of agents willing to offer the firmware reprogramming service. Agents can set their own price for updating firmware for customers in their home country/continent. I will then notify non-UK customers who require the new firmware that a local agent is available to promote your service.
Technical issues:
Please be aware that Netsmart Bridges are easy to program but Gateways require an RJ11 (6p6c) to 6pin IDC adapter cable to connect the gateway to the programmer.
I can provide you with instructions to make your own cable or I can make one for you for you for £9.00 plus postage.
If you use an AVRISPmk2 programmer you have to remove the Gateway case and short-out two jumper pins to enable programming.
If you use a USBtiny type programmer it is not necessary to remove the case. This is a lot easier than opening the case.
Here is the USBtiny programmer I use one (as an example) but there are many others.
I hope this is helpful.
Best regards
Steve Messenger
I threw mine in the bin months ago and use a Rasp pi instead.
I do like what gmag11 has done, have a look at that
did you work anything out?
also has anyone been able to set a sensor to extended data on measureit?
im thinking if i could hack the data-input.py file for generation (v4) to V7 and set that sensor to generation it would send it to v7 extended data?
i setup measureit on my pi years ago and know i had a lot of trouble doing that although finally found the right links and got the preloaded image i just had to copy to an sd card instead of installing it. now finally going to implement it to the parents house
also does anyone know the root login for terminal?
or is the pvoutput service easy enough to configure and able to do it?
I found this on the Google Group for measureit. Following the proceedure removed the required temperature information for me.
Find the file data-input.py under /measureit_system_files/python
Search for “addstatus”, I believe this is the line responsible for uploading to PVOutput. At the end of the line it adds V5, the temperature. You might simply be able to remove +’&v5=’+str(tmpr) restart the grabber and the temperature won’t be uploaded. (Not tested, and I don’t know what I’m doing anyway 
)
Well, my Current Cost Envir/RasberryPi Measureit system has worked well for about 2 years, but a few months ago it began failing to upload to PVOutput. The Pi wasn’t grabbing the latest data from the Envir, restarting the grabber seemed to kick it back into life, but then it would stop again a few hours later. After a few days/weeks restarting the grabber no longer worked, but I found that if I cycled the power to the Pi, then it would work again, but only for a few hours, or sometimes days.
I got a new SD card, installed the latest measureit image (121) and setup the Positions and Sensors. However, it only uploaded Consumption to PVOutput, not Solar.
I put the old SD car back into the Pi to check the Position and Sensor settings were the same as I had set on the new SD card, but found that the Solar wasn’t uploading with the old card in either.
The solar is showing on the Pi.
Anyone had similar experience or got any idea what the problem may be?