IoT gauges

[ahanktcd]

I made my own always-on A/C monitoring system which reports the PT's to the cloud where I can go view graphs from all time.

Here is the setup from bottom up
DS18S20 temp sensor & refrigeration tape
0-5V, 0-500 psi pressure transducer, Digikey
Custom PCB
ESP8266
NodeMCU LUA code
Thingspeak.com

All A/C's should send their information to the cloud. A system like this either factory installed or service company installed would be great. We could sell monitoring for a $2/mo fee and predict when the system will need servicing. The Internet service would (on the tech's end) detect certain problems before they are major in a way that only an always-on system could: tiny leaks, TX valve sticking, partial clogs, minor compressor wear. Then reach out to the home owner and offer service as a reduced cost for them to avoid major service.

[Core_d]

Cool, got pics?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[71CHOPS]

I know a company that was developing this exact system....checked in to the home base, messaged contractor and or homeowner with problems, etc. etc. they got half through the development stage and the Money backed out. shame really, they could have made millions with it.

[Emilie Turner]

Yeah...it is very interesting to look at it...are there any pics?

[2sac]

Why reinvent the wheel?
Pelican Wireless and Honeywell LCBS and Prolon are already doing it on the commercial end with temperature and energy data going to the cloud. While they don't monitor pressures you could use a pressure switch wired in to a set of dry contacts that would trigger an alarm which then could be emailed or texted to the service company and/or homeowner. Pelican is the most user friendly of the 3

[weber]

In the 90's we had this product that would tie into your phone line, in the mid 2000's we developed one that connects to wifi. Today I have a cell based monitoring system. Pressures, temps, amps, SH & SC, flood protection, water usage, and a predictive breakdown algorithm. Along with much more.

If you're interested in learning more about the product or how to incorporate it into your business model let me know.

[johnnyutahc4l]

In the 90's we had this product that would tie into your phone line, in the mid 2000's we developed one that connects to wifi. Today I have a cell based monitoring system. Pressures, temps, amps, SH & SC, flood protection, water usage, and a predictive breakdown algorithm. Along with much more.

If you're interested in learning more about the product or how to incorporate it into your business model let me know.

Pitch away. Seems like a very cool way to go. Message me.

[Premi]

I am quite interested. Please send me more info.

[mr.charles]

Did this ever go anywhere?

[ben_john7]

I made my own always-on A/C monitoring system which reports the PT's to the cloud where I can go view graphs from all time.

Here is the setup from bottom up
DS18S20 temp sensor & refrigeration tape
0-5V, 0-500 psi pressure transducer, Digikey
Custom PCB
ESP8266
NodeMCU LUA code
Thingspeak.com

All A/C's should send their information to the cloud. A system like this either factory installed or service company installed would be great. We could sell monitoring for a $2/mo fee and predict when the system will need servicing. The Internet service would (on the tech's end) detect certain problems before they are major in a way that only an always-on system could: tiny leaks, TX valve sticking, partial clogs, minor compressor wear. Then reach out to the home owner and offer service as a reduced cost for them to avoid major service.

A very practical idea indeed! Have you been able to implement it on a production scale?

[ben_john7]

Of course, it's hard to start something new during a pandemic!

[TCreacy]

https://imanifold.com/pulse/

I havent used it, but they have rolled out a system, that is $700, and $9/mth the numbers are loaded in your dashboard for monitoring and alerts are sent to your phone/email.

[Artietech]

Sensi Predict....
https://sensi.emerson.com/en-us/products/sensi-predict

[bdserv]

I made a similar monitoring system to the original described above.

My system uses [2] ESP8266 Wemos D1 mini modules programmed using the Arduino IDE. One is located near the electrical panel and it monitors condensing unit current and outside temperature near the condensing unit. [It also monitors whole-house electrical consumption which I also like to keep records on.]

The other is located near the air handler and it monitors return duct temperature, return duct relative humidity, and supply duct temperature. These functions could have also been performed by the first module, but I didn't want to run wires from the sensors near the air handler all the way back to the electrical panel since there was no easy or clean way to do this, and these wifi modules are very inexpensive.

Both modules are connected to a wifi network so they can communicate with each other as well as the outside world.

The first module performs the following functions

- computes cooling degree days based on 30-min outside temp readings near the condensing unit

- records number of run cycles each day

- records duration of each run cycle

- records each run cycle outside temperature

- records each run cycle condensing unit current draw

- records each run cycle duct temperatures and humidity level [queries the second module via wifi for this data near the end of each running cycle]

Each day at 11:59 PM the first module sends me an email with all the above data which I can then add to a spreadsheet.

Both modules include a web server which can be accessed at any time over the wifi network using any web browser to get current and stored data for the current day in real time.

This data allows me to monitor duct delta-T vs RH for system performance, and condensing unit current vs outside temperature as well as cycle duration, frequency, and total daily running time vs degree days as basic indicators of proper refrigerant charge level and system performance.

Condensing unit refrigerant pressures and line temps could also be monitored to calculate SC and SH, but I figured the above was adequate to keep tabs on the performance and health of the system.

Let me know if anyone has questions or would like additional information, or if you have any ideas on how to improve the system.

Example of real time web server data report.