Looking for some recommendations for reliable devices to handle energy monitoring of individual devices in Australia.
Requirements:
Local only.
Happy with either WiFi or ZigBee.
Does not need to have a relay, purely needs energy monitoring.
Must be able to sustain full 240v/10A draw (monitoring of dishwasher/washing machine).
Additional Info:
I’ve previously used the Kogan smart plugs but they all died at almost exactly the same time ~2 years after I bought them. Most recently I’ve been using the Athom plugs for about 2 years again, but the majority of them have just died after a blackout that happenend in the middle of the night about a week ago. I’m assuming that the blackout also had a surge associated with it which has killed them. Now I’m wondering if the thing that’s died in them is the relay, or the ESP chip itself - if it’s just the relay, then perhaps the relay-less Athom plugs would be the best bet?
No solutions here, but I’ve found the same. I’ve had:
Kogan
Athom
Arlec (these go offline a lot with Tuya integration but a bit more reliable with Tuya Local)
Aqara (both Zigbee and Wifi) from Aliexpress (seem no longer available or expensive)
SIXWGH (?) from Aliexpress
All have been hit-and-miss: some die after a year or two; some continue to work. I had one connected to the server (I think it was Arlec) and it started switching itself off and on every minute, which is great for computer equipment. When I tested it the next day it was switching off and on more times than I could count every second. I no longer monitor server power.
I think a lot of the problems are because they’re “first generation”. The current Arlec switches from Bunnings seem to be lasting - but they may not be 2 years old yet.
That link you posted looked interesting until I discovered two would cost $50.
Unfortunately we require electricians to install Shellys in Australia. I have one in my switchboard for my EV charger, but couldn’t install them in our sockets myself.
That’s a pretty racist lens considering it’s pretty much guaranteed that every “gadget” you use is coming out of either China or Taiwan in some form or fashion.
What I’m asking for is exactly what I outlined in the original post - a reliable energy monitoring solution that can be deployed per-device. Whether that’s some form of mains-powered smart CT clamps or a socket, I don’t care - just something that’s not going to fry itself the first time there’s a slight overvolt from the grid.
I’m not racist.
Shelly is certified product (from european manufacturer) that works out of the box with or without cloud… I’m using/trying aliexpress devices as well. But I’m aware that they don’t have any real certificates, for most “tuya devices” you can’t even find the name of manufacturer.
I use CT-clamp sensors when current to be measured is as above 16amps.
Like Shelly EM. But you still need electrician to connect it if you want it to be certified. Not my interest.