Got a TED 1001 w/foot prints

Xringer · 12-18-10, 04:28 PM

Got a TED 1001 w/foot prints as an early X-mas gift..

It's been pretty frustrating, getting it installed..

In the outlets where the display (RDU) works, the updates are intermittent,
but are consistent enough, to have fresh real-time wattage displayed every 1 to 6 seconds.

My old efergy Elite display showed a lot less instantaneous power use than the TED.
The efergy had been calibrated at 480watts. Once power increased towards 1kW,
I could see a large power difference between the two units.
So, I used my current probe and voltmeter to re-calibrate the efergy at 700w.
I changed it's voltage selection from 240v to 260v.

This means that my earlier power use numbers are in error.
Depending on amount of time Sanyo was drawing 400-500w
verses the amount of time it was using 700-1400w.

Right now, I'm guessing my daily power use numbers over the last year,
were between 20 & 30 percent too low. Depending on the weather.

So, on cold 10 kWh days, I may have really used 12.5 to 14.3 kWhs (52 to 90 cents more a day).

It's hard to say which one is the most accurate, since I have no way to
calibrate my AC current probe..

But at least now, they are
displaying similar power use near the 700w range..

I'm betting the TED is closer. When I get the time, and it's not so cold,
I'll try to tweak the TED to match the NStar meter. Preferable at around
500 watts, which seems to be the average power during winter.

On average, since the Sanyo has been installed, our whole-house power use
each month, has been less than it was during the same month on the previous year (pre-Sanyo).

~~~~

It seems like I'm not going to be able to use the Footprints software,
since my PC is in a room where the TED RDU (display) doesn't
receive data. It seems there is noise on the AC lines.

The XPF box in the center, underneath the breakers is a filter.
(I've read, it works to clean up lines for X-10 signals too).
In-Line Wired Noise Filter

It was suppose to cure the noise problem, by isolating the line
into my PC room, by blocking the noise from the breaker buss.
Not allowing it to get onto my PC room AC line.

Once installed, it actually worked a little. I was getting data packets once
every 10 or 20 seconds. Not really acceptable.

Then the sun went down and the lights came on.. NO DATA at all!
It seems, the outlets in the living room & in the PC room, that are used for lighting..
Are on my PC outlet.. TED doesn't like CFLs!!!

Stupidly, I started doing searches on TED communications problems..
Yeah they are pretty widespread. I'm not the first sucker to find out
about the CFL problem. One guy ran a long extension cord from his
breaker box to his PC room!

I'm thinking of the installing the RDU down with the MTU at the breakers.
Then, I can run a 85 foot USB cable upstairs to my PC..

Or, I can start installing filters on every single CFL in the house..

Oh yeah, I have to get rid of my good power strips that have noise filtering.
They eat up the TED signals..

TED The Energy Detective Electricity Monitor TED1001 - Amazon.com

RobertSmalls · 12-18-10, 06:00 PM

I'm sure you know there's a length limit on USB - about 5m / 200 inches. It's so short that running a USB cable from my 3rd floor apartment to the ground would have been out of spec. If TED insists on transmitting signals in the form of noise on your electrical lines, then I think an 85 foot extension cord is the way to go.

You could take your ammeter to a metrologist and get it professionally calibrated...

Anyway, I hope your TED gives you some very good data to share.

strider3700 · 12-18-10, 06:14 PM

yes the spec limits at 5m but having said that I run a 5M extender into another room and then have a 2m wire on a IR receiver for my HTPC remote. It works without issues, but it's not like you're pressing a button every second 24/7...

Xringer · 12-18-10, 06:27 PM

I see they are selling adapters now, for USB to network cables. (Cat5?)

I guess the distance depends on the USB speed and the quality of your cable..

I also understand you can link a bunch of those little USB hubs down a line
of regular short USB cables..

Maybe I'll get to drag an old junker PC (eyesore) into the living room and
take some data for a few weeks after the holidays.
And then forget about using 'FootPrints''.. $49 basically wasted.

I was just greedy, when all I really need is an accurate wattage alarm.
Having the ability to read the unit and run a voltage log would have been nice.

Xringer · 12-18-10, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider3700

yes the spec limits at 5m but having said that I run a 5M extender into another room and then have a 2m wire on a IR receiver for my HTPC remote. It works without issues, but it's not like you're pressing a button every second 24/7...

Right now, I have an old Sony Laptop(w/wifi-card) down in the basement connected to my
new TS-45 charge controller(w/RS232).. I can run the TS-45 control software remotely, using LogMeIn..
If I get the new TS-45 LCD unit (for Xmas?), maybe I can move that Sony over by the breaker box..

That way, I could connect the MTU & RDU on the same unshared breaker.. (USB to Sony).
Once a second updates!! If not, I could add the XPF (X10 filter).
Then, I could sit upstairs, and run FootPrints remotely.. Via Wifi..

I'll just have to add an Alarm-Out jack to the RDU, so I can run a Beeper
cable up to my living area..

Hopefully, I won't become entangled in wire and topple down the basement stairs!!

Xringer · 12-20-10, 09:50 PM

I was just looking at recalling history data with the TED.. There isn't any yet!
After the NStar meter is read in a few days, I might be able to see the total KWH (and cost) for the last billing cycle..

My cheap efergy Elite gives me a whole week of day-to-day kWh usage, plus 8 week-to-week kWh and two years of month-to-month kWh usage..

Right now, it's saying 10.1 kWh so far today, and the TED is showing 10.7 kWh..
I guess there was some interference on the 2 meter band today, making the efergy go brain-dead for a while...

Xringer · 12-24-10, 03:51 PM

I was thinking about using the TED with a big 230v X-10 switch, to turn off my Sanyo mini-split..

I think the TED-footprints program can be made to spit out little power-usage files every few seconds,
so all I would need is an endless-loop batch file to call a little basic program to read those TED files.

If the basic program saw the Sanyo was using over 2,500 watts,
it would loop out to another batch file to call an X-10 program
(or link to a running X-10 program).
The X-10 program would send the OFF signal to the X10 220v relay...
And start beeping..

I would just need to keep a PC running 24-7

Anyone know of a simpler way to do this?

Edit:
Just found an interesting part on Ebay.. It's called the
"Veris Industries Hawkeye 708 Current Status Sensor"
It seems like this thing could be used to turn off the Sanyo when the Amperage got too high..

Xringer · 12-29-10, 09:35 PM

We had the dinning area dimmer on while eating supper tonight.
That means the TED's updates slows down to about 1 per 90 seconds..

In the middle of our meal, the TED alarm goes off.. No problem with Sanyo over-current,
it was the high voltage alarm! It was displaying 140 VAC ! How weird is that?

celblazer · 01-18-11, 04:54 PM

This is what I use to access my TED from any computer on my network including wifi
Sorry can't post links.

Belkin Network USB Hub F5L009

en-us-support.belkin.com/app/product/detail/p/4780

It works well and my TED is in my basement next to my electrical panel along with my X10 interface and 2 hand me down photo printers. You can find them on ebay.

Xringer · 01-18-11, 06:22 PM

Thanks! That looks like a neat little gizmo.

I'll try to find one on Ebay.

Maybe I won't have to get rid of my light dimmers
and replace all my CFLs with incandescent lamps.

To connect my FIOS router to the F5L009 box, I'll just need to pull in about 98 feet of CAT5..

I could also use one for my USB backup drive & laser printer too..

12-18-10, 04:28 PM	#1
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Got a TED 1001 w/foot prints Got a TED 1001 w/foot prints as an early X-mas gift.. It's been pretty frustrating, getting it installed.. In the outlets where the display (RDU) works, the updates are intermittent, but are consistent enough, to have fresh real-time wattage displayed every 1 to 6 seconds. My old efergy Elite display showed a lot less instantaneous power use than the TED. The efergy had been calibrated at 480watts. Once power increased towards 1kW, I could see a large power difference between the two units. So, I used my current probe and voltmeter to re-calibrate the efergy at 700w. I changed it's voltage selection from 240v to 260v. This means that my earlier power use numbers are in error. Depending on amount of time Sanyo was drawing 400-500w verses the amount of time it was using 700-1400w. Right now, I'm guessing my daily power use numbers over the last year, were between 20 & 30 percent too low. Depending on the weather. So, on cold 10 kWh days, I may have really used 12.5 to 14.3 kWhs (52 to 90 cents more a day). It's hard to say which one is the most accurate, since I have no way to calibrate my AC current probe.. But at least now, they are displaying similar power use near the 700w range.. I'm betting the TED is closer. When I get the time, and it's not so cold, I'll try to tweak the TED to match the NStar meter. Preferable at around 500 watts, which seems to be the average power during winter. On average, since the Sanyo has been installed, our whole-house power use each month, has been less than it was during the same month on the previous year (pre-Sanyo). ~~~~ It seems like I'm not going to be able to use the Footprints software, since my PC is in a room where the TED RDU (display) doesn't receive data. It seems there is noise on the AC lines. The XPF box in the center, underneath the breakers is a filter. (I've read, it works to clean up lines for X-10 signals too). In-Line Wired Noise Filter It was suppose to cure the noise problem, by isolating the line into my PC room, by blocking the noise from the breaker buss. Not allowing it to get onto my PC room AC line. Once installed, it actually worked a little. I was getting data packets once every 10 or 20 seconds. Not really acceptable. Then the sun went down and the lights came on.. NO DATA at all! It seems, the outlets in the living room & in the PC room, that are used for lighting.. Are on my PC outlet.. TED doesn't like CFLs!!! Stupidly, I started doing searches on TED communications problems.. Yeah they are pretty widespread. I'm not the first sucker to find out about the CFL problem. One guy ran a long extension cord from his breaker box to his PC room! I'm thinking of the installing the RDU down with the MTU at the breakers. Then, I can run a 85 foot USB cable upstairs to my PC.. Or, I can start installing filters on every single CFL in the house.. Oh yeah, I have to get rid of my good power strips that have noise filtering. They eat up the TED signals.. TED The Energy Detective Electricity Monitor TED1001 - Amazon.com Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Daox; 02-11-14 at 03:38 PM..

12-20-10, 09:50 PM	#6
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Gadget maddness!! I was just looking at recalling history data with the TED.. There isn't any yet! After the NStar meter is read in a few days, I might be able to see the total KWH (and cost) for the last billing cycle.. My cheap efergy Elite gives me a whole week of day-to-day kWh usage, plus 8 week-to-week kWh and two years of month-to-month kWh usage.. Right now, it's saying 10.1 kWh so far today, and the TED is showing 10.7 kWh.. I guess there was some interference on the 2 meter band today, making the efergy go brain-dead for a while...

12-24-10, 03:51 PM	#7
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I was thinking about using the TED with a big 230v X-10 switch, to turn off my Sanyo mini-split.. I think the TED-footprints program can be made to spit out little power-usage files every few seconds, so all I would need is an endless-loop batch file to call a little basic program to read those TED files. If the basic program saw the Sanyo was using over 2,500 watts, it would loop out to another batch file to call an X-10 program (or link to a running X-10 program). The X-10 program would send the OFF signal to the X10 220v relay... And start beeping.. I would just need to keep a PC running 24-7 Anyone know of a simpler way to do this? Edit: Just found an interesting part on Ebay.. It's called the "Veris Industries Hawkeye 708 Current Status Sensor" It seems like this thing could be used to turn off the Sanyo when the Amperage got too high.. Last edited by Xringer; 12-24-10 at 04:01 PM.. Reason: Ebay part found..

12-18-10, 06:00 PM	#2
RobertSmalls Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 344 Thanks: 3 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	I'm sure you know there's a length limit on USB - about 5m / 200 inches. It's so short that running a USB cable from my 3rd floor apartment to the ground would have been out of spec. If TED insists on transmitting signals in the form of noise on your electrical lines, then I think an 85 foot extension cord is the way to go. You could take your ammeter to a metrologist and get it professionally calibrated... Anyway, I hope your TED gives you some very good data to share.

12-18-10, 06:14 PM	#3
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	yes the spec limits at 5m but having said that I run a 5M extender into another room and then have a 2m wire on a IR receiver for my HTPC remote. It works without issues, but it's not like you're pressing a button every second 24/7...

12-18-10, 06:27 PM	#4
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I see they are selling adapters now, for USB to network cables. (Cat5?) I guess the distance depends on the USB speed and the quality of your cable.. I also understand you can link a bunch of those little USB hubs down a line of regular short USB cables.. Maybe I'll get to drag an old junker PC (eyesore) into the living room and take some data for a few weeks after the holidays. And then forget about using 'FootPrints''.. $49 basically wasted. I was just greedy, when all I really need is an accurate wattage alarm. Having the ability to read the unit and run a voltage log would have been nice.

12-29-10, 09:35 PM	#8
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	We had the dinning area dimmer on while eating supper tonight. That means the TED's updates slows down to about 1 per 90 seconds.. In the middle of our meal, the TED alarm goes off.. No problem with Sanyo over-current, it was the high voltage alarm! It was displaying 140 VAC ! How weird is that?

01-18-11, 04:54 PM	#9
celblazer Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Jersey Posts: 57 Thanks: 42 Thanked 17 Times in 11 Posts	This is what I use to access my TED from any computer on my network including wifi Sorry can't post links. Belkin Network USB Hub F5L009 en-us-support.belkin.com/app/product/detail/p/4780 It works well and my TED is in my basement next to my electrical panel along with my X10 interface and 2 hand me down photo printers. You can find them on ebay.

01-18-11, 06:22 PM	#10
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Thanks! That looks like a neat little gizmo. I'll try to find one on Ebay. Maybe I won't have to get rid of my light dimmers and replace all my CFLs with incandescent lamps. To connect my FIOS router to the F5L009 box, I'll just need to pull in about 98 feet of CAT5.. I could also use one for my USB backup drive & laser printer too..