Planet Arduino

Conserving energy is something every animal does, and we humans are no exception.

Especially when energy costs are high — something many of us have been uncomfortably aware of in recent years — figuring out ways to live life without burning through excess fuel (and polluting the environment) is a serious priority.

Technology has promised many solutions here, with all kinds of energy-saving products on the market claiming to cut energy bills in half while saving the planet. But how many of these gadgets actually work? And could it be better to make your own?

In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common energy-saving devices and some examples of homemade alternatives from Arduino users.

Why is energy saving important?

There are several good reasons to focus on saving energy, both for your own benefit and to help others. These include:

• It saves money. Energy costs are still high around the world, and being careful about managing your energy usage can have a significant impact on your energy bill.

• It helps save the planet. The burning of fossil fuels contributes to climate change, and wasting less energy means your personal impact on this will be lower.

• It’s healthier. Carbon emissions and other fuels can pollute the environment and negatively impact our collective health. According to one report, cutting energy consumption by 15% for one year could save six lives and save up to 20 billion US dollars in health costs.

What are energy-saving devices?

Energy-saving devices are products designed to help you cut down on your energy usage, and they can approach this task from many different angles. Here are a few of the most common examples:

• LED light bulbs that use significantly less electricity than their traditional incandescent counterparts.

• Smart energy meters that keep track of your usage, suggest adjustments when energy is being wasted, and help you make more efficient and informed choices.

• Energy-efficient appliances like washing machines and AC units, designed to use minimal energy with no waste.

Do energy-saving devices really work?

So, do these devices really work, or is it just hype and marketing?

The (perhaps unsatisfying) answer is… sometimes. Some energy-saving devices like LED bulbs and highly rated efficient appliances can have a tremendous impact on your usage and save you noticeable amounts of money.

Others — especially more complicated-sounding devices that don’t come with official accreditation — may end up being a waste of money.

The third category here is devices that can work as long as you use them correctly. This applies to tools like smart meters, which can help you make extremely useful changes to your energy usage as long as you pay attention to them and act on the insights they provide. 

3 ways to save energy with Arduino

You don’t have to buy your energy-saving devices from the store, of course. With some basic coding knowledge and a few simple components, you can put together your very own projects at home. Many Arduino users have done exactly that, with impressive results.

Let’s check some out!

Smart energy meters

One Redditor and Arduino user decided to develop their own version of a smart meter to help monitor energy usage and save costs.

The device monitors amp, watt, and unit energy and allows you to view this data from your Android phone. Even more impressively, you can also turn devices on or off from your phone, managing your home’s energy usage from wherever you are. On top of that, if your devices consume more than 500W, the tool will turn them off automatically.

This Arduino IoT-based energy meter is another great example of how to carefully track your energy usage through the Arduino Cloud.

Glasses that save power

If your eyes are closed, do you even need the lights to be on?

That’s the idea behind a pair of glasses that automatically turn off the lights in your home whenever you close your eyes, helping you save on your electricity bill. 

To add some extra spice, you can even add a TENS unit to make the glasses physically shock you into keeping your eyes closed longer. Evil, perhaps. Hilarious — definitely. Check out the video here.

Snap circuits – energy saving

The best way to build lifelong good habits around energy saving is to start young. 

EDUcentrum’s snap circuits project is designed to introduce kids to the world of circuitry and electronic prototyping, while also teaching them about energy saving.

The project teaches kids how to assemble their own snap circuits while learning about key topics like home automation and energy saving.

Share your own Earth Day projects!

Have you made any energy-saving devices or projects of your own? If so, we’d love to hear about them. Share the details in the comments below!

Psst! For a limited time, we’re offering a special opportunity to create your own sustainable smart project with the Arduino Cloud, an all-in-one IoT solution to visualize your sensor data with stunning dashboards. Follow these three steps to give it a try:

1. Visit Arduino Cloud plans and choose the Monthly Maker plan.

2. Enter code EARTHDAY during checkout, valid between April 19th and April 30th, 2024.

3. Unlock access to all advanced features, including over-the-air updates, unlimited shareable dashboards, data retention, real-time alerts and much more. 

Whether you’re passionate about conservation or simply curious about the possibilities, now is your chance to join the community and make a difference. This offer is exclusively for new users not currently on any paid plan. You will have the flexibility to cancel at any time.

Don’t miss out — embrace innovation while honoring our planet.

The post How to make energy saving really work appeared first on Arduino Blog.

The Project Hub is where Arduino users share their achievements to inspire, help others, and maybe show off a little. With thousands of projects already uploaded, in categories that run the gamut from “flying things” to “smart lighting,” we are proud to celebrate this community-boosting initiative by selecting three highlights every month for a special mention and gift card to spend on our Store. 

If you are new to the portal and think you’d never be picked, think again! All three top users from September stood out with the very first project they uploaded.

3. Keep your energy levels in check

This advanced project allows you to successfully build an Arduino-based power meter system with internal PLC, able to accurately collect and calculate data to monitor energy consumption, improve efficiency, and add value to home automation solutions. Follow the instructions to display voltage, power factor, current, power and frequency instantly, with a handful of commonly available components and a compact Arduino Nano. 

2. Start your own band, with animatronics

Syncing up different props – from different manufacturers and retailers – to create a cohesive overall installation is no easy feat! This project was specifically intended for Halloween, to get skeletal animatronics to play the same music together thanks to the UNO R3 and some ingenious wiring… but we think it would work great also with more festive characters, for a truly unforgettable holiday display. 

1. Stop manually logging in and out of Windows

A fan of Arduino since graduating with a dissertation on smart homes in 2022, kela910512 has successfully used an Arduino Micro to devise a secure tool to log in and out of Windows 10 using an RFID card. Instead of manually typing passwords, the solution leverages an Android application to send the user’s password to the Arduino via Bluetooth, with a range of additional security mechanisms. To find out more and perhaps try this yourself, head to Project Hub! 

For your chance to be selected for a $100, $300 or even $500 gift card to spend on the Arduino Store, submit your best project on Project Hub! We will be awarding three new entries every month, as detailed in the complete terms and conditions. Good luck! 

The post Three September debuts on Project Hub, three top picks! appeared first on Arduino Blog.

In a world where energy bills are climbing and the environment is on our minds, keeping tabs on how we use energy at home has become a smart move. Every gadget we plug in impacts our wallets and the planet. That’s where home energy monitoring comes in – giving us real-time info on how we’re using energy, so we can save money and do our bit for the Earth.

This post delves into home energy monitoring, spotlighting how to track your energy consumption using the Arduino Cloud and a Tuya-compatible energy meter with Node-RED acting as a middleware.

What’s the deal with home energy monitoring?

Home energy monitoring is all about watching how much energy we’re using at home. It’s not just about paying the bills; it’s about knowing what’s eating up energy, so we can be smarter about it.

Why does it matter? Well, first off, it helps us be more aware. When we can see which devices are energy hogs (looking at you, always-on TV), we can take action. And with energy costs going up, finding ways to save money is a no-brainer. Plus, with everyone talking about being green these days, knowing where your energy goes is like a badge of honor for doing your part.

The ingredients

The key component in this setup is an energy meter designed to monitor both real-time and cumulative power consumption, along with metrics such as voltage and current. This meter is installed within your home’s electrical distribution board. Tuya-compatible devices have gained widespread popularity due to their affordability, user-friendliness, and seamless management through the SmartLife application. Moreover, these devices can also be seamlessly integrated into alternative platforms through the utilization of the Tuya API.

The Arduino Cloud stands out as a versatile and user-friendly IoT platform, supporting a wide range of hardware. It’s not only customizable and adaptable to suit different purposes and use cases, but it also streamlines the incorporation of multiple devices, facilitating smooth information exchange among them. It is a perfect tool to monitor your energy consumption, being informed when outstanding events happen and perform actions on other devices based on the energy information acquired.

While direct connection of Tuya-compatible devices to the Arduino Cloud isn’t possible, the process becomes really straightforward with the intervention of Node-RED. This intermediary acts as a bridge between the energy meter and the Arduino Cloud, ensuring seamless communication between the two. With Node-RED you can integrate almost anything with the Arduino Cloud.

The project

The following project shows how to integrate all those elements to easily build your own energy monitoring system. 

Before getting started, you’ll require:

• A Tuya/Smartlife-compatible energy meter
• The SmartLife or Tuya app installed on your iOS/Android device
• The Energy Meter added to the Tuya Smart app
• An Arduino Cloud account (https://cloud.arduino.cc)
• An instance of Node-RED running locally or on a cloud machine (installation guide found here)

The process is really straightforward:

• Install the energy meter within your electric board.
• Obtain your Tuya device API key.
• Create the Device and Thing within the Arduino Cloud.
• Develop the Node-RED flow to manage data traffic.
• Fashion the Arduino Cloud Dashboard.

Build your own energy meter from the ground up

Monitoring energy consumption with Arduino Cloud doesn’t solely rely on Tuya-compatible energy meters. If you’re inclined to build your own solution from the ground up, consider exploring the Arduino IoT-based energy meter hosted on the Project Hub. There is additional detailed documentation available and a ready-to-use template to deploy your solution with one click.  

By engaging with this project, you’ll not only gain insight into your energy consumption monitoring but also experience the simplicity of crafting practical projects that interface Arduino boards with external components such as the Modbus energy meter. All this will be seamlessly managed and monitored by the Arduino Cloud.

Ready to Get Started? Take Control of Your Energy!

The path to smarter energy consumption begins with your curiosity and action. Now armed with the knowledge of the Arduino Cloud’s potential, it’s time to embark on your own energy monitoring journey. Don’t wait – seize the opportunity to optimize your energy usage, save on bills, and contribute to a more sustainable planet. With the Arduino Cloud as your ally, you can monitor, manage, and make a positive impact starting from your own home. Create your account, dive in, tinker for free, and start your energy-saving adventure today. Your future of empowered energy management is just a click away!

The post Save money with a Tuya/SmartLife energy meter monitored on Arduino Cloud via Node-RED appeared first on Arduino Blog.

The challenge

Optimizing manufacturing processes is a requirement in any industry today, with electricity consumption in particular representing a major concern due to increased costs and instability. Analyzing energy use has therefore become a widespread need – and one that can also lead to early identification of anomalies and predictive maintenance: two important activities to put in place in order to minimize unexpected downtime and repair costs. 

In particular, this approach can be applied to DC motors: used in a wide range of applications, from small household appliances to heavy industrial equipment; these motors are critical components that require regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance and longevity. Unfortunately, traditional maintenance practices based on fixed schedules or reactive repairs can be time-consuming, expensive, and unreliable. This is where energy monitoring-based anomaly detection comes in: it can provide a crucial solution for the early detection of potential issues and malfunctions before they can cause significant damage to the motor. 

This more proactive approach to maintenance continuously monitors the energy consumption of the motor and analyzes the data to identify any deviations from normal operating conditions. By tracking energy usage patterns over time, the system can detect early warning signs of potential problems, such as excessive wear and tear, imbalances or misalignments, and alert maintenance personnel to take corrective actions before the issue escalates.

Our solution

This Arduino-powered solution implements an energy monitoring-based anomaly detection system using a current sensor and machine learning models running on edge devices. By capturing the electricity flowing in and out of a machine, it can collect large amounts of data on energy usage patterns over time. This data is then used to train a machine learning model capable of identifying anomalies in energy consumption behaviors and alerting operators to potential issues. The solution offers a cost-effective and scalable method for maintaining equipment health and maximizing energy efficiency, while also reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA)

In this application, a technique called Motor Current Signature Analysis is used. MCSA involves monitoring the electrical signature of the motor’s current overtime to detect any anomalies that may indicate potential issues or faults. To acquire real-time data, a Hall effect current sensor is attached in series with the supply line of the DC motor. The data are then analyzed using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and trends that might indicate a faulty motor operation. MCSA can be used to detect a number of issues like bearings wear, rotor bar bendings or even inter-turn short circuits.

Depending on the dimensions of the motor, using a non-invasive clamp-style current sensor – also known as a Split-Core Current Transformer – is recommended if a larger current draw is expected.

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Edge ML

To monitor the current fluctuation and run the anomaly-detecting ML model, the solution uses an Arduino Opta WiFi: a micro PLC suitable for Industrial IoT, which is excellent for this project because of its real-time data classification capabilities, based on a powerful STM32H747XI dual-core Cortex^®-M7 +M4 MCU. The Arduino Opta WiFi works with both analog and digital inputs and outputs, allowing it to interact with a multitude of sensors and actuators. The Arduino Opta WiFi also features an Ethernet port, an RS485 half duplex connectivity interface and WiFi/Bluetooth^® Low Energy connectivity, which makes it ideal for industrial retrofitting applications. You can find the full datasheet here. 

To train the anomaly detection model, the project leverages the Edge Impulse platform: being integrated within the Arduino ecosystem, it makes it easy to develop, train, and deploy machine learning models on Arduino devices.

Connectivity

Once the machine learning model was successfully deployed on the Arduino Opta, the anomaly detection results were forwarded via Wi-Fi to the Arduino IoT Cloud. This enables easy monitoring and analysis of the data from multiple sensor nodes in real time.

Solving it with Arduino Pro

Let’s take a look at how we can put all of this together and what hardware and software solutions we would need for deployment. The Arduino Pro ecosystem is the most recent version of Arduino solutions, offering users the benefits of easy integration along with a range of scalable, secure, and professionally supported services.

Hardware requirements

• Arduino Opta WiFi
• DC Current Sensor
• Enclosure

Software requirements

• Arduino IDE 2.0
• Edge Impulse account
• Arduino Cloud account

The Arduino IDE 2.0 was used to program the Arduino Opta WiFi using C/C++. To train the Edge Impulse model, data was gathered from the current sensor for two classes: Normal Operation and Machine Off. The Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) technique was implemented by extracting the frequency and power characteristics of the signal through a Spectral Analysis block. Additionally, an anomaly detection block was incorporated to identify any abnormal patterns in the data.

Here is a screenshot from a dashboard created directly in the Arduino Cloud, showcasing data received from the sensor nodes:

Here is an overview of the software stack and how a minimum deployment with one of each hardware module communicates to fulfil the proposed solution:

Conclusion

Through the implementation of a predictive maintenance system on an Arduino Opta WiFi PLC, using Edge Impulse ML models and the Arduino Cloud, this solution demonstrates the powerful potential of IoT technologies in industrial applications. With the use of current sensors and AI-driven anomaly detection models, the system enables real-time monitoring and fault detection of DC motors, providing valuable insights for predictive maintenance. The flexibility and scalability of the Arduino Opta WiFi platform make it a robust and cost-effective solution for implementing predictive maintenance systems in various industrial processes. Overall, the project highlights the significant advantages that MCSA and machine learning can offer in promoting efficiency, productivity, and cost savings for industrial processes.

The post Ensure DC motor performance with anomaly detection based on energy monitoring appeared first on Arduino Blog.

 

ArdaSol is the name of a project for a solar energy monitoring system based on Arduino Mega and UNO, made by Heinz Pieren. It’s a system built to monitor energy production and consumption of a domestic photovoltaic plant:

The ArdaSol Energy Monitoring System has 3 devices:

- ArdaSol Display based on a Arduino Mega Board
The master of the system, it collects the data from the two other ArdaSol devices, shows the data on the display, stores it on a SD card and sends it to a server in the internet.

- ArdaSol Energy Monitor based on a Arduino Uno
Measures the consumption of the energy, shows energy values on local display and delivers it on request to the ArdaSol Display.

- ArdaSol Remote PVI Interface based on a Arduino Uno
The photovoltaic inverter (PVI) has a RS485 interface, this is connected to ArdaSol Remote, which interacts as a gateway to ArdaSol Display. It converts the requests, coming with a radio signal to the PVI and vice versa.