Monitoring of energy consumption with RMS

After the article of a simple monitoring of a power consumption, I would like to share a further application idea for more complex energy monitoring and controlling.

For that setup I use an energy measure and control unit – in my case a NetIO PowerPDU 4C. The device can measure voltage, frequency, power factor, current, power and energy and that for each of four channels. Furthermore, it is possible to switch and to read out the status of each channel.

To communicate with this power unit I use a RMS Converter with the modbus editor function (FW 1.4.0 or higher). With this editor I can create a driver that allows a communication between the RMS and the power unit. In this article I will not describe in detail how to create such a driver. The entrance point would be the Modbus editor (open the browser and type http://ip-address-of-the-RMS-Converter, login and search for Modbus editor.) and the modbus protocol of the NetIO device (https://www.netio-products.com/files...I-Protocol.pdf)
You can also request the driver file from our support team (mailto: rms@rotronic.ch)

Here a block diagram of the setup


How to setup?

The NetIO power unit and the RMS Converter are to be connected to the ethernet.
The network settings of the power units should configured (hostname, DHCP or fix IP-address etc.). A small SW tool is necessary to detect the power unit in the network. (Please download it https://www.netio-products.com/files...ver_1-0-13.exe)

After that please type http://IP-address-of-the-NetIO-power-unit or http://mynetio into the address bar of your browser for further settings. Please login, click on the Tab M2M API Protocols and enable the Modbus/TCP protocol.
 
Setup the converter

Please type http://ip-address-of-RMS-converter, login and click on Modbus editor in the menu on the left side. Then click on the upload symbol in the line of “Modbus Devices” to add a new modbus device driver file. If the Netio 4C power unit is already listed than this step is not necessary. Finish by clicking Save.

How to integrate these measurements into the RMS?

Choose your RMS converter in the device list of the RMS setup (click on Tools -> Setup -> Devices) and click on Add/Search. A dialog windows appears. Please select the device type for the netio power unit in the dropdown menu. Also please type the IP address of the power unit. Than click on Search Device.
In the following dialog window the detailed device properties can be set (device name, interval, group, type, name and unit of every measuring point).
After click on OK, all chosen measuring points are displayed in the RMS.

To make this measurement information simple to understand and clearly arranged, I used the Layout tab in my example. I used the power unit for a complex test setup of our laboratory. In my application I used the first 230V channel for network components as router and switches. The second channel is reserved for the power supply of the RMS converter. That allows me to see the power of this single device and to switch it on/off remotely. The third and fourth channel supply all measurement devices and the PC.




How to switch/control each channel?

That is a bit tricky and only possible if the RMS Server is in the same ethernet network as the power unit and the RMS converter.
Enable the URL API of the power unit. Please type http://IP-address-of-the-NetIO-power-unit or http://mynetio into the address bar or your browser, login, click to the tab M2M API and than to URL API. Set a checkmark to Enable URL API and note the Passphrase. Save Changes.

Change to the RMS and for each channel, please

• Create a new action (Click on Tools -> Setup -> Actions -> New), set a checkmark on “Send data via TCP”; type the IP address of the power unit and type the string:” http://IP-of-power-unit/netio.cgi?pa...rase&output3=0 . Output3=0 means turn off Channel 3. Output2=1: Turn channel 2 on. Save
• Create a new alarm scheme (Click on Tools -> Setup -> Alarm scheme -> New), enable the Alarm thresholds 1 and 2; set an upper limit to 0.5 without hysteresis and define the Action created before. Save
• Integrate a simple switch (Click on Tools -> Setup -> Measuring points -> New -> Virtual button). Set Alarm to Alarm scheme and select unter Name the alarm scheme created before. Save

Now a click on the virtual button causes an alarm that triggers the action which sends a link to turn a chosen channel off or on.