Can we allow the current clamp type to be configurable for each input?

[j9brown]

In my installation, I'm using the A & B ports to monitor individual circuits instead of the mains because the current clamp can't fit around the bus bars in my electrical box. This works fine but the sensors are bulky. As it happens, I will have some leftover CT clamps after replacing a defective sensor and it would be nice to use them in the A/B/C ports.

I don't remember what the inside of the Vue looks like but it wouldn't surprise me if the A/B/C ports were electrically identical to the other ports. If so, then the only thing that would need to be modified is the conversion constant used in the firmware.

Would it be possible to add a property to specify the clamp type for each port? By default, ports A/B/C and 1-16 could be configured to assume the big and small clamps are being used but a user could overridde this to allow the clamps to be mixed and matched in any configuration.

[flaviut]

Here's someone doing pretty much the exact opposite: #130

You'll need a physical adapter & to to update the multiplier.

[j9brown]

Sounds good. The physical adapter I can manage easily enough. I can also change the multiplier but I would prefer not to fork the project. Any chance the configuration changes can be addressed in your project to facilitate such modifications?

[flaviut]

Take a look at cir5 in the example config, and how it has a multiply filter applied:

      - { phase_id: phase_a, input:  "5", power: { id:  cir5, filters: [ *pos, multiply: 2 ] } }

In this case:

      - phase_id: phase_b
        input: "B"  # Verify the CT going to this device input also matches the phase/leg
        power:
          id: phase_b_power
          filters: [*pos, multiply: 0.25] # or whatever the correct value is for your application

the ABC clamps in the example config are formatted differently, but the data and available filters are exactly the same as the 1-16 clamps.

[j9brown]

Yup, I figured I could use multiply, I just didn't like the idea of embedding a constant like 170496 / 42624... however, it turns out that that fraction reduces to just 4. So, maybe that's ok! ;)

Maybe a note in the README would be good to help other people learn what's possible without reading the source code?

Thanks!

[flaviut]

When there's an option between "do something unusual in the code" and "do something unusual, but just in @j9brown's config", I'll take the "just in @j9brown's config" 😉

I see where you're coming from about updating the readme, but I think in this case I'd rather leave it as-is, and have it focus on using the Vue in a fully-stock configuration. Folks can come to the discussion area if they're looking to modify it.

[j9brown]

chuckle. Rightly so! Thanks.

[phillipredshirt]

@j9brown , did you get this working? My panel has more than 16 breakers and I now have data from the meter using rtl_433 so I can repurpose my A,B and C ports to monitor the currently unmonitored circuits.

[j9brown]

I haven’t actually tried it out yet. I managed to rearrange my circuits a bit so as not to need the extra clamps right away.