This article details the creation of a comprehensive whole-home energy monitoring system using Home Assistant. Tired of vague energy bills and lacking granular control over power consumption, the author implemented a solution combining readily available smart home technology with Home Assistant's powerful data visualization capabilities. This detailed account walks you through the hardware choices, installation process, and configuration necessary to achieve a highly accurate and insightful energy monitoring setup.The system leverages a mix of Innr Zigbee smart plugs for individual appliance monitoring and a Shelly Pro 3EM for high-power circuit tracking. The article explores the rationale behind these choices, highlighting key considerations such as safety features, current ratings, and ease of integration with Home Assistant. Finally, it showcases how the data is elegantly presented through Home Assistant's Energy Dashboard and a visually striking Sankey diagram, providing a clear understanding of energy flow throughout the home.
Pros And Cons
- Reasonably priced
- Uses Zigbee (reduces Wi-Fi congestion)
- Physically safe design for UK sockets (recessed area)
- Reliable (after firmware update)
- Required firmware update for live power output
- Required parameter tweaks during setup
- Monitors three-phase or three single-phase power supplies
- Easy to set up
- Reliable
- Automatically detected by Home Assistant
- Bulky CT clamps make reassembly difficult
Read more: AMI Meter Reading Guide: Understanding Your Smart Electricity Meter
Smart Plugs for Detailed Energy Monitoring
Integrating smart plugs into my home energy monitoring system provided granular insights into individual device power consumption. I opted for Innr Zigbee smart plugs due to their reasonable price, Zigbee compatibility (reducing Wi-Fi congestion), and UK safety features. The recessed design prevents accidental contact with live pins, a crucial safety aspect often overlooked in cheaper alternatives.
A key consideration was the maximum current rating. The Innr plugs' 13-amp rating aligns with UK socket standards, unlike some higher-rated plugs that may compromise safety. I strategically placed these plugs on various appliances, including my server rack, dishwasher, and even behind my dryer and washing machine.
Shelly Pro 3EM for High-Power Appliances
For high-power devices like my oven, smart plugs were unsuitable. Instead, I utilized a Shelly Pro 3EM, a three-phase power monitoring device, to monitor my oven, upstairs and downstairs lighting circuits. This device was professionally installed by my electrician in my consumer unit, using CT clamps around the live cables for each circuit.
The Shelly Pro 3EM's DIN-rail mounting ensures a neat installation. Connectivity options include Ethernet and Wi-Fi, offering flexibility. While installation was slightly challenging due to the bulkiness of the CT clamps, the seamless integration with Home Assistant and provision of energy data was well worth it.
Home Assistant Energy Dashboard and Sankey Diagram
The Home Assistant Energy Dashboard consolidates data from all my power meters, including the Innr plugs, Shelly Pro 3EM, and other existing sensors. This provides a comprehensive view of energy consumption across various devices and time periods. I grouped lighting sensors to create a unified view in the dashboard, simplifying the interface.
The Sankey diagram, created using the Sankey Chart card integration, visualizes power flow throughout my home. This intricate card requires detailed YAML configuration tailored to individual setups. The diagram clearly illustrates power sources (batteries, solar, grid) and their distribution to various devices, providing an intuitive representation of energy flow.
Conclusion and Overall Assessment
By combining Innr smart plugs, a Shelly Pro 3EM, and Home Assistant's robust energy monitoring features, I achieved a detailed understanding of my home's energy usage. The system's responsiveness is impressive, providing near real-time power consumption data. The Energy Dashboard and Sankey Diagram offer excellent visualization tools for analyzing energy usage over different time frames.
While the Sankey Diagram's configuration is complex, the resulting visual representation of power flow is invaluable. The Innr plugs proved reliable, and their safety features are a significant advantage. The Shelly Pro 3EM provided crucial data for high-power appliances. Overall, this comprehensive energy monitoring system significantly improved my understanding of energy consumption and facilitates targeted efficiency improvements.
