In a world where energy bills are climbing and the environment is on our minds, keeping tabs on how we use energy at home has become a smart move. Every gadget we plug in impacts our wallets and the planet. That’s where home energy monitoring comes in – giving us real-time info on how we’re using energy, so we can save money and do our bit for the Earth.
This post delves into home energy monitoring, spotlighting how to track your energy consumption using the Arduino Cloud and a Tuya-compatible energy meter with Node-RED acting as a middleware.
What’s the deal with home energy monitoring?
Home energy monitoring is all about watching how much energy we’re using at home. It’s not just about paying the bills; it’s about knowing what’s eating up energy, so we can be smarter about it.
Why does it matter? Well, first off, it helps us be more aware. When we can see which devices are energy hogs (looking at you, always-on TV), we can take action. And with energy costs going up, finding ways to save money is a no-brainer. Plus, with everyone talking about being green these days, knowing where your energy goes is like a badge of honor for doing your part.
The ingredients
The key component in this setup is an energy meter designed to monitor both real-time and cumulative power consumption, along with metrics such as voltage and current. This meter is installed within your home’s electrical distribution board. Tuya-compatible devices have gained widespread popularity due to their affordability, user-friendliness, and seamless management through the SmartLife application. Moreover, these devices can also be seamlessly integrated into alternative platforms through the utilization of the Tuya API.
The Arduino Cloud stands out as a versatile and user-friendly IoT platform, supporting a wide range of hardware. It’s not only customizable and adaptable to suit different purposes and use cases, but it also streamlines the incorporation of multiple devices, facilitating smooth information exchange among them. It is a perfect tool to monitor your energy consumption, being informed when outstanding events happen and perform actions on other devices based on the energy information acquired.
While direct connection of Tuya-compatible devices to the Arduino Cloud isn’t possible, the process becomes really straightforward with the intervention of Node-RED. This intermediary acts as a bridge between the energy meter and the Arduino Cloud, ensuring seamless communication between the two. With Node-RED you can integrate almost anything with the Arduino Cloud.
The project
The following project shows how to integrate all those elements to easily build your own energy monitoring system.
Before getting started, you’ll require:
- A Tuya/Smartlife-compatible energy meter
- The SmartLife or Tuya app installed on your iOS/Android device
- The Energy Meter added to the Tuya Smart app
- An Arduino Cloud account (https://cloud.arduino.cc)
- An instance of Node-RED running locally or on a cloud machine (installation guide found here)
The process is really straightforward:
- Install the energy meter within your electric board.
- Obtain your Tuya device API key.
- Create the Device and Thing within the Arduino Cloud.
- Develop the Node-RED flow to manage data traffic.
- Fashion the Arduino Cloud Dashboard.
Build your own energy meter from the ground up
Monitoring energy consumption with Arduino Cloud doesn’t solely rely on Tuya-compatible energy meters. If you’re inclined to build your own solution from the ground up, consider exploring the Arduino IoT-based energy meter hosted on the Project Hub. There is additional detailed documentation available and a ready-to-use template to deploy your solution with one click.
By engaging with this project, you’ll not only gain insight into your energy consumption monitoring but also experience the simplicity of crafting practical projects that interface Arduino boards with external components such as the Modbus energy meter. All this will be seamlessly managed and monitored by the Arduino Cloud.
Ready to Get Started? Take Control of Your Energy!
The path to smarter energy consumption begins with your curiosity and action. Now armed with the knowledge of the Arduino Cloud’s potential, it’s time to embark on your own energy monitoring journey. Don’t wait – seize the opportunity to optimize your energy usage, save on bills, and contribute to a more sustainable planet. With the Arduino Cloud as your ally, you can monitor, manage, and make a positive impact starting from your own home. Create your account, dive in, tinker for free, and start your energy-saving adventure today. Your future of empowered energy management is just a click away!
The post Save money with a Tuya/SmartLife energy meter monitored on Arduino Cloud via Node-RED appeared first on Arduino Blog.
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