IoTaWatt Discussion

Configuration
61

So after an hour of customization, dashboard updates and creating template sensors to deal with the fact that the core integration outputs can’t be edited I’m left with this error that can not be fixed:

Logger: homeassistant.components.sensor
Source: helpers/entity_platform.py:744
integration: Sensor (documentation, issues)
First occurred: 19:13:23 (5 occurrences)
Last logged: 19:13:23

Platform iotawatt does not generate unique IDs. ID A848FAF1BD3C-input-1-WattHours already exists - ignoring sensor.grid_wh
Platform iotawatt does not generate unique IDs. ID A848FAF1BD3C-input-2-WattHours already exists - ignoring sensor.solar_energy
Platform iotawatt does not generate unique IDs. ID A848FAF1BD3C-input-5-WattHours already exists - ignoring sensor.upstairs_hp_energy
Platform iotawatt does not generate unique IDs. ID A848FAF1BD3C-input-6-WattHours already exists - ignoring sensor.downstairs_hp_energy
Platform iotawatt does not generate unique IDs. ID A848FAF1BD3C-input-7-WattHours already exists - ignoring sensor.stove_energy

Not even by editing the core entity registry.

And performing a power outage test produces this mess:

Screenshot 2024-04-16 at 19-47-12 History – Home Assistant
Screenshot 2024-04-16 at 19-47-12 History – Home Assistant1821×456 16.9 KB

.

Which can’t be fixed with templates as there is no way to tell if the sensor is resetting at midnight or glitching from a power outage.

So absolutely no advantage to using the core integration.

  1. Outputs are not associated with the device (they are in the 3rd party integration)
  2. Outputs are not editable (they are in the 3rd party integration)
  3. It produces un-fixable errors in the log (does not happen with 3rd party integration)
  4. It still messes up the energy dashboard when there is a power outage just like the 3rd party integration.

The only other thing to test is what happens at midnight, but by now I don’t really care.

The core integration is garbage. The 3rd party integration is garbage.

There is no development activity for either, other than sh00t2kill’s offer above.

I’m looking for a better option.

62

On the plus side the the core integration did reset at midnight.

Which is odd as I was under the impression that the 3rd party integration is just the core integration with unique ids for outputs.

Also the core integration does not seem to glitch when restarting HA like the manually polled 3rd party integration did.

I’ve decided to install a UPS for the iotawatt to prevent power outages messing up the energy dashboard.

This should run it for at least 24hrs (outages are rare and usually less than 15 minutes here):

63

You will still lose the reference voltage so not sure how that will affect the Iotawatt?

64

That’s tonight’s test.

Theoretically the power inputs should go to 0 and the energy integrators should stop accumulating but still put out a steady value.

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.

Yogi Berra

65

Good news (and not the Professor Farnsworth kind).

The DC UPS does prevent energy glitches during power outages.

66

sorry for delay no drop will go check other one now.

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image2244×834 40.7 KB

67

I see you discovered allready

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68

Is that an input or an output?

It appears to be only outputs that have the issue.

Screenshot 2024-04-18 at 10-59-00 History – Home Assistant
Screenshot 2024-04-18 at 10-59-00 History – Home Assistant1169×675 21.5 KB

69

Just when I think this is working:

70

I have read this whole thread. I got here by way of a Shelly thread (which won’t work in the U.S. maybe).

I am fairly new to HA and really want to monitor my energy usage at home.

I cannot tell by all the comments and suggestions in this thread if this product IoTaWatt is a valid one for HA?

I feel like at least one person has gotten it to work, but for others the same solution did not. Am I understanding that part at least?

Is this product worth the time and effort to purchase and attempt to integrate with HA?

Is there a more permanent fix on the way?

Thanks,
–g2

71

The core integration works fine.

With a couple of caveats:

  1. If you create calculated sensors in the IoTaWatt (called “outputs”) they will not show up as entities on the IoTaWatt device page. They are still available as entities in home assistant though. You can see them in Developer Tools → States or the Devices & Services Entities tab. The reason for this is that the entities do not have a unique id. This does not stop you using them in the energy dashboard or anywhere else in Home Assistant (e.g. automations). There is a 3rd part integration that does list the outputs on the IoTaWatt device page but it has other issues - like not resetting exactly at midnight which messes up the energy dashboard. I found no good way to fix this. So just use the core integration and know to find your outputs in the entities list.

  2. If you have a power outage the energy sensors will glitch and cause massive energy spikes in the Energy dashboard. You can not fix this with template sensors. The only solution is to use a small DC UPS so that the IoTaWatt is always powered. e.g. this: https://www.wagneronline.com.au/5v-9v-12v-38-5wh-dc-in-line-mini-ups/power-12vdc/power-lighting/ups5912-101087/1007502/pd/ will keep the IoTaWatt powered for more than a day without mains power. If you have a power outage longer than this you have bigger problems to worry about.

There is an ESP32 IoTaWatt in development. Good progress is being made but there is no release date information or even a guarantee this will ever become a commercial product. You can read about it here: ESP32 version 0.3 - Bob's Blog - IoTaWatt User Community

Since switching to the core integration and using the DC UPS I have been very happy with my IoTaWatt. It agrees with my billing information to better than 2%.

72

New IOTAWatt user here. Got it all configured in the IOTAWatt web application, but cant seem to get HA to find it in the new integration. Tried putting in the IOTAWatt host name and/or IP manually but get a “Failed to Connect” message in HA. Any advice on how to get the integration working? Thanks

73

It has to be the URL. So http://<ip_address>

EDIT: actually looking at the config flow it should only require <ip_address>, no http://

74

Thanks Tom for the quick reply. Unfortuntately not picking it up. router clearly sees IotaWatt, provides the IP, I place it in the URL string through the integration prompt in HA, and “Failed to Connect”. Looking into other routes like proxmox VM or LXC for EmonCMS.

75

Do you have any unusual network set up, like VLANs?

76

Nothing out of the ordinary. Standard network. No VLANs setup. All on same wireless network (HA hosted on Proxmox, device is hardwired). On the HA side I’m running HA Core 2024.7.1, Supervisor 2024.06.2, Operating System12.4.

77

Not sure if you saw my edit above but looking at the config flow you should just need to supply the ip address, with no http… in front.

78

Thanks, somehow got it working. Tried multiple times with just the IP. Reset HA. Tried again and it took. Not sure. Now to figure out the best way to display data. Thanks Tom!

1 Like
79

Hey Tom,

I’m looking into home energy monitoring and was considering iotawatt until finding the integration to HA. Would you still not recommend it vs other solutions?

Thanks!

80

Not sure how you concluded that I do not recommend it.