How to track # of times pump runs?

[kohai]

Ok, I may have bought the wrong sensor for my goal because they were on sale.    Hopefully I can make them do what I want.

 

I bought 2 Aeon Labs Samrt Energy Switches DSC06106-ZWUS of these switches.  They support an energy meter and an on/off switch.

 

I have two sump pumps that turn themselves on when they sense water.

 

Goal: Track how often the pumps are coming on.  As a bonus, how long they run would be nice.

 

The on/off switch is of no help because it has to always be on in order for the pumps to have power to do their thing.  So, I believe my only method for tracking is to use the energy meter stats.

 

Notification: I would be happy with logging being done to a text file.  I believe this would require my adding a service to my Rpi to do the logging which is fine.  An email to myself would be an ok but less desirable second option.

 

How would you guys go about doing this?  I've never tried to track power usage before.

 

(Discussion about this switch and tweaking z-wave variables... )

[Harvvm]

Smarthome syncrolink 2423A5

[jerlands]

I don't have Z-Wave but you might look at this thread for logging variables and this from the Wiki.

 

 

 

Jon...

[kohai]

I think i have the switch triggering a notification on being switched on (watts > 0).  Thanks to mwareman's thread.

jerlands, very cool graphs.  I'm digging into that.

[randyth]

I use a SyncroLinc as Harvvm suggests above and the following simple program to track the number of minutes my pump runs (but NOT the number of distinct on/off events)...

 

If

        Status  'Crawl Space / Sump Pump SynchroLinc' is 100%

 

Then

        Repeat Every  1 minute 

           $i_SumpPumpMinutesOn += 1

 

Else

   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

 

Note that this rounds up to the nearest minute since I don't feel I need any more accuracy than that.  Another program that manages all my "daily variables" runs at midnight and stashes the $i_SumpPumpMinutesOn value and then sets it back to zero so it starts fresh every 24 hours.  If the pump ever goes a 24 hour period without running (sadly, a rare occurrence at my house), the ISY emails me to tell me to check out the pump for problems.

 

-Randy

 

[kohai]

I use a SyncroLinc as Harvvm suggests above and the following simple program to track the number of minutes my pump runs (but NOT the number of distinct on/off events)...

 

If

        Status  'Crawl Space / Sump Pump SynchroLinc' is 100%

 

Then

        Repeat Every  1 minute 

           $i_SumpPumpMinutesOn += 1

 

Else

   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

 

Note that this rounds up to the nearest minute since I don't feel I need any more accuracy than that.  Another program that manages all my "daily variables" runs at midnight and stashes the $i_SumpPumpMinutesOn value and then sets it back to zero so it starts fresh every 24 hours.  If the pump ever goes a 24 hour period without running (sadly, a rare occurrence at my house), the ISY emails me to tell me to check out the pump for problems.

 

-Randy

 

Good info, thanks.  I'm all z-wave but I think the same concept applies.  I wouldn't mind a timestamp of the "on" and then a timestamp of the "off" so I could graph it all.  I'm not sure the best way to log data or where to log it too.

 

It looks like io_guys nodelink (isylogger) can track variables and his program time stamps the log entry.  That will do what I need.

[mwester]

I use an external system (an RPi) to do the logging for me... not necessarily because that's the best way, but it was already logging HVAC stuff long before I got my ISY, and I've just never felt the need to find an "ISY" way of doing it.

 

By the way, I also watch for excessively-long pump run times -- that too will indicate a pump failure or a clogged filter or a burst drain hose...