Brultech - Decimal Point For Wattage

[Thanatar]

Would it be possible to add the ability to have the wattage to one decimal point. (ex 1.2 watts)

 

When my washer is done running it hovers around 3.5 watts for awhile. But goes down to 4 watts when running. After a while it turns off and goes below 3 watts triggering my alert program. Not critical, but delays my wife getting the alerts.

 

Thanks

[larryllix]

Why can't you just set your power level sensing higher?

 

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[Thanatar]

When the washer is running it fluctuates the wattage as it runs. During one cycle it lowers to around 4 watts. Then goes back up as it spins. Once it is done and the buzzer sounds it goes to about 3.2 watts. After the washer turns off completely it goes under 1 watt. But it takes a while for that to happen. I used to have a Z wave module that did wattage to the decimal. It worked but I replaced it when I put the GEM in.

[larryllix]

You are probably detecting the timer motor. It may not be important with the right setting and timer.

 

I don't use one on my washing machine as it always beats my dryer, anyway, that rings my back doorbell twice and eventually text messages my wife if she doesn't enter the room within 10-15 minutes.

[Thanatar]

Electronic washer. It's always the same power usage when I watch it. I use a RPI to play audio files for alerts. We actually have the Jetson's Doorbell for our front doorbell. The wife likes that.    I would use the z wave monitor, but it was putting noise on the lines and causing a few leds to blink. It may just come down to her waiting for the washer to shut off for the first load. After that it's like yours. The dryer always finishes first.

[io_guy]

I set watts as whole numbers to reduce the amount of traffic going to the ISY.

 

I find it surprising the GEM can be accurate and repeatable enough to measure a low state 0.5W delta on a 120V circuit.  That's a change of 0.004A.

I'm also surprised your washer, in a running state, only consumes 4W.

[larryllix]

Does the Brultech actually measure power levels, or does it just multiply the voltage times the current making power level approximations?

[Thanatar]

The GEM is surprisingly very accurate. I can see when my daughter plugs in her phone charger. The washer uses a lot more watts when running. Between cycles it'll drop to ~4 watts as it prepares for the next cycle to begin. That's when I see the problem. I used to use one of the plug-in Z wave modules until I got the GEM. It was able to report to one decimal. So I just copied my programming over. It works now, but only if i put a delay in to wait for the washer to turn off.