Watermeter - DIEHL IZAR RC I R4 - How to do?

petsie · July 12, 2020, 6:14am

Does anyone know of a way how I can read out the data from the DIEHL IZAR RC I R4 (water meter)? I would like to evaluate and display the data in the Homeassistant application.

DIEHL IZAR RC I R4

IZAR Radio Compact Inductive R4 is designed for mobile reading and long-range fixed network remote reading of Diehl Metering water meters

IZAR RC i R4 includes an electronic circuit that collects the data coming from a Diehl Metering water meter and transmits in real time the index and other operating information every 8 seconds in R3 mode and every 15 minutes in long-range fixed network R4 mode.

Communication protocol			PRIOS
Frequency			868.95 or 434.47 MHz, 868.30, 433.42 MHz
Modulation			FSK
Transmission power			16 mW (868 MHz) \| 10 mW (434 MHz)
Transmission mode			Unidirectional
Radio range			Up to 500 m (R3) and 1.5 km (R4) depending on the environment
Standards			EN 300 220, CE, RED directive, EN 13757-3/-4
Power supply			Lithium battery 3.6 V

I am looking for a Linux application with which I can read out the data periodically.
see: https://github.com/ZeWaren/izar-prios-smart-meter-collector
But with Hardware Raspberry, ESP32 LoRa module SX1276 868 915 MHz Wifi module ??
Many thanks

Wetchicken · July 12, 2020, 10:17pm

A WiFi module will not work, follow your link and in the introduction is a link for the ST-Micro hardware they use.

petsie · July 13, 2020, 6:17am

Thanks,

Thanks, i will try wmbusmeters

Hardware

Raspberry + nano CUL 868
nano CUL 868 mit Externer Knickantenne

or
Raspberry Headless RTL-SDR
Andoer Tragbarer Mini Digitaler TV Stock USB 2.0 DVB-T + DAB + FM + RTL2832U + FC0012 Chip Unterstützung SDR

Software to turn the RTL2832U into a SDR receiver
https://osmocom.org/projects/rtl-sdr/wiki

or…
Nexmon SDR: Using the WiFi Chip on a Raspberry Pi 3B+ as a TX Capable SDR
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/nexmon-sdr-using-the-wifi-chip-on-a-raspberry-pi-3b-as-a-tx-capable-sdr/

petsie · July 16, 2020, 2:15pm

Found a solution on how I get the data. With a Rasperry + DVB-T receiver I can query the Diehl IZAR RC 868 I R4 PL and prepare the data for home assistant use.

See: https://github.com/zibous/ha-watermeter

diogomadeira · August 28, 2020, 2:33pm

I`m trying to do the same reading from a IZAR CP 434 MHz. Do you think this software will work with a 434 MHz receiver?

petsie · August 28, 2020, 2:56pm

Hi,
Do you mean 433 Mhz ?

How to use IZAR in 433 Mhz

see: https://github.com/weetmuts/wmbusmeters/issues/130

diogomadeira · August 28, 2020, 3:09pm

No. It’s 434 MHz, like the one in the link you send.

Thanks

cvester · March 20, 2021, 12:10pm

Hi @petsie , I just stumbled across your post here and wondered if I could use it to communicate with my sharky 775 (heat meter) or perhaps my multical 21 (water meter) - they both seems to be using the same frequency as your water meter . Do you have any idea ?

petsie · March 20, 2021, 5:44pm

hi @cvester

It looks like that wmbusmeters can handle the Kamstrup Multical 21 (multical21) and
sharky 775 …

see: https://github.com/weetmuts/wmbusmeters
https://github.com/weetmuts/wmbusmeters/pull/247
https://github.com/weetmuts/wmbusmeters/issues?q=my+sharky+775

Project see: https://github.com/zibous/ha-watermeter

cvester · March 21, 2021, 4:49pm

Thanks alot @petsie , I’ve now just ordered this nano cul model: https://www.smart-home-komponente.de/nano-cul/nano-cul-868-extra/

Lets see how it goes!

petsie · March 21, 2021, 5:02pm

@cvester
O.k. But be shure that you get the nano cul with the firmware for the wmbusmeters otherwise the nano cul will not work. Cross the fingers

cvester · March 21, 2021, 5:06pm

Again I must say thanks @petsie - I think you just saved me there!

cvester · March 22, 2021, 9:19am

@petsie - I just found out that my local heating company use an encryption key and they will not share it with me . So I guess I will not be able to use the nano cul anyway . Unless I manage to hack the 128 aes key and I think thats very unrealistic .

petsie · March 22, 2021, 9:37am

Try to find a way on wmbusmeters:

petsie · April 4, 2021, 4:10pm

@cvester

Hi Petsie , we wrote together a couple of weeks ago . Now I have received the NANO-CUL (mbus) 868 Mhz and I have the encryption key from my local water company , but I have just installed the HA OS - which means that installing packages and expecting them to be persistent after a reboot is a little hopeless. Do you have any suggestions for me? Should I just start all over with the installation of home assistant and then start installing a normal linux ? it has to run on a pi 4

I did my installation without Docker, which is easier. wmbusmeters reads the data from the CUL device and sends it as an MQTT message. I then evaluate the MQTT messages with the home assistant or the Python script.

persistent after a reboot: Continuous Daemon/Service
You most probably want to execute the program continuously in the background . This can be done either by using the internal daemon or cron.

Systemd service - on systemd powered systems the recommended option

sudo cp /opt/ha-watermeter/template.service /etc/systemd/system/ha-watermenter.service 
sudo systemctl daemon-reload 
sudo systemctl start ha-watermeter.service 
sudo systemctl status ha-watermeter.service 
sudo systemctl enable ha-watermeter.service

Hi again , I decided to format my pi again and install a pi os , so now I have a more … complete … os to work with . I have my CUL device flashed following this guide: …

I’ve never flashed a CUL device before.
My supplier (smart-home-komponente.de) did this for me.

cvester · April 13, 2021, 1:08pm

hi again @petsie , I’ve now tried to start wmbusmeters but I just keep receiving this message:

[2021-04-13_14:06:00] Started auto cul on /dev/ttyUSB0 listening on c1
[2021-04-13_14:06:05] (cul) setting link mode(s) c1 is not supported for this cul device!

I dont know the difference between C1, T1 and S1 mode but I have flashed the device as you recommended . any suggestions?

petsie · April 13, 2021, 1:29pm

see: wmbusmeters/README.md at master · wmbusmeters/wmbusmeters · GitHub

Same Problem was here:

github.com/wmbusmeters/wmbusmeters

Not receiving data from CUL dongle

opened 06:56PM - 01 Feb 21 UTC

closed 08:05AM - 21 Feb 21 UTC

duennwalder

Hi, I found this git while looking for the possibility to receive the reading…s from measuring unit which was installed in my flat the other day. I've installed and got this git running, but I don't see any data coming in. I'm using an usb cul made by busware. I'm quite sure that the receiver can receive the messages sent by the measuring unit, because I see them with another application, but it can't parse the incoming message. When I tail the wmbusmeters log the only content are the following lines: ``` (wmbusmeters) logging started 2021-02-01 19:42:56 using 1.0.5-6-g5c5050f Started auto cul on /dev/ttyACM0 listening on t1 ``` The exact name of the measuring unit is "Techem vario 4 Typ 4.1.2". Is there any possibility to get things running? Regards Mark

cvester · April 14, 2021, 3:16pm

hi again @petsie , have you ever received " warning: the hex string is not proper! Ignoring telegram!" like described here: (cul) warning: the hex string is not proper! Ignoring telegram! · Issue #279 · weetmuts/wmbusmeters · GitHub

As you know I’m using the nano-cul you recommend but I’m just receiving the error message above. Frederik (Wmbusmeters) suggest I use a im871a instead . But before desperatly buying one of those I wanted to hear if you know the error message .

petsie · April 14, 2021, 6:24pm

hi @cvester

Are you sure the CUL has the correct firmware? This is not delivered with the firmware for wmbusmeters, unless it is explicitly stated when ordering. Default is FHEM platform ! The CUL must be loaded with the latest wmbus code.
Try to contact smart-home-komponente.de.

I use the CUL without Docker so that I can be shure do have no problems with the Docker installation.

I am not aware of any errors in the telegram, but it can also be caused by the hardware of the water meter.

The cheaper version is the one with a DVB-T receiver, but it requires more resources and a few more libraries.
see:

github.com

zibous/ha-watermeter/blob/db2c72b2f479aedc463e795d1e2df7de6cf10ff3/docs/build-rtl-sdr.md



# RTL-SDR: Inexpensive Software Defined Radio


Turns your Realtek RTL2832 based DVB dongle into a SDR receiver

## Driver Installation Instructions

All the installation instructions below were derived from the following links:

- http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr
- https://osmocom.org/projects/rtl-sdr/wiki/Rtl-sdr
- http://www.rtlsdr.org
- https://github.com/steve-m/librtlsdr



The Osmocom RTL-SDR library must be installed before you can build rtl-wmbus. See http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr for more information.

This file has been truncated. show original

github.com

zibous/ha-watermeter/blob/db2c72b2f479aedc463e795d1e2df7de6cf10ff3/docs/wmbusmeters-nano_cul.md

# wmbusmeters with NANO-CUL (mbus) 868 Mhz

![nano CUL 868 ](nanoCUL868.png)



NANO-CUL (mbus) 868 is a lot easier to use because it only requires `wmbusmeters`. 
The resources (memory) required are also less compared to the variant with RTL-SDR and rtl-wmbus. 
#### RTL-SDR and rtl-wmbus: 32 % CPU
![nano CUL 868 ](top-rtlsdr.png)
<br>
The tests also show that the signal processing is better and thus the range for receiving the data is increased.
#### NANO-CUL (mbus) 868: 0.7 % CPU !
![nano CUL 868 ](top-nanocul.png)

`nano CUL 868 mit Externer Magnetfußantenne` , see: https://www.smart-home-komponente.de/

## Update system

The following is required before installation:

This file has been truncated. show original

Is also more complicated and only intended for testing.
I canceled the mission productively.

cvester · April 21, 2021, 6:53am

Hi again @petsie , Yes I’m sure it has the mbus firmware . I have already spoken with smart-home-komponente.de and I received the firmware from them.

Just tried to reflash the device but I keep receiving formatted hex strings from the cul device:

b7E44242370491156200C7B0F7AF8007005A8C89DBBC2D0D4CF2CB54526F95FF7B32B43D0B1E3D04FADC189259C95F403EF9DAFD77167EFC91855B5A5FF0DA6D59CB9B3813CAD128D516EB14CC6F24C0D8B3243224191333425D4E0C2BA00ED9552439469144A02FAFFD6D56430EF80EC503602DEF08A5E4240C58DA29C4DA<0D><0A>

Like Frederik said:

Remove the EOL <0D><0A> and the the prefix b (which indicates a T1 message) 

Whats left:
7E44242370491156200C7B0F7AF8007005A8C89DBBC2D0D4CF2CB54526F95FF7B32B43D0B1E3D04FADC189259C95F403EF9DAFD77167EFC91855B5A5FF0DA6D59CB9B3813CAD128D516EB14CC6F24C0D8B3243224191333425D4E0C2BA00ED9552439469144A02FAFFD6D56430EF80EC503602DEF08A5E4240C58DA29C4DA

Now count the number of characters in the string:
echo -n "7E44242370491156200C7B0F7AF8007005A8C89DBBC2D0D4CF2CB54526F95FF7B32B43D0B1E3D04FADC189259C95F403EF9DAFD77167EFC91855B5A5FF0DA6D59CB9B3813CAD128D516EB14CC6F24C0D8B3243224191333425D4E0C2BA00ED9552439469144A02FAFFD6D56430EF80EC503602DEF08A5E4240C58DA29C4DA" | wc -c

And it says 253 characters, but a proper hex string must be a multiple of 2. Two hex = one byte.

I wonder if my raspberry pi can have anything to do with it . Really hoped that I didnt have to buy the iM871A as frederik suggest - it’s pretty expensive for something that MAYBE working .