Emoncms and RPICT on the same Raspberry

This guide will show how to setup for Emoncms and the RPICT board hosted on the same Raspberry pi.

This is a stand alone solution where data are acquired and recorded on the same device.

Download and write image

First you should download the latest emonSD image from this link below.

https://github.com/openenergymonitor/emonpi/wiki/emonSD-pre-built-SD-card-Download-&-Change-Log

Flash this image onto a SD card. Before inserting the SD card on the Raspberry create and empty file called ssh inside the boot partition.

Modify Emonhub Config

Insert the SD card and connect the power supply. Once the Raspberrypi fully powered up point your web browser to http://emonpi.

Complete the registration steps.

On the left panel select Emonhub. Then click on Edit Config.

You can now modify the emonhub configuration as shown below.

Find the section below.

### This interfacer manages the RFM12Pi/RFM69Pi/emonPi module
[[RFM2Pi]]
    Type = EmonHubJeeInterfacer
    [[[init_settings]]]
        com_port = /dev/ttyAMA0
        com_baud = 38400                        # 9600 for old RFM12Pi
    [[[runtimesettings]]]
        pubchannels = ToEmonCMS,
        subchannels = ToRFM12,

        group = 210
        frequency = 433
        baseid = 5                              # emonPi / emonBase nodeID
        calibration = 230V                      # (UK/EU: 230V, US: 110V)
        quiet = true                            # Disable quite mode (default enabled) to enable RF packet debugging, show packets which fail crc
        # interval =  300                         # Interval to transmit time to emonGLCD (seconds) 

Delete this entire text and replace with this one below

  [[SerialDirect]] 
   Type = EmonHubSerialInterfacer
   [[[init_settings]]]
       com_port = /dev/ttyAMA0
       com_baud = 38400
     [[[runtimesettings]]]
      pubchannels = ToEmonCMS, 

In the same way find the section with

[[11]]
    nodename = 3phase
    [[[rx]]]
       names = powerL1, powerL2, powerL3, power4, Vrms, temp1, temp2, temp3, temp4, temp5, temp6, pulse
       datacodes = h,h,h,h,h,h,h,h,h,h,h,L
       scales = 1,1,1,1,0.01,0.01,0.01,0.01,0.01,0.01,0.01,1
       units = W,W,W,W,V,C,C,C,C,C,C,p

delete and replace with this text below.

[[11]]
    nodename = rpict8
    [[[rx]]]
       names = power1, power2, power3, power4, power5, power6, power7, power8
       scales = 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1
       units = W,W,W,W,W,W,W,W

Note that you will certainly have to adapt this last section of the configuration yourself to make it match with your RPICT hardware. Check the data output section on the specific board page.

Save once you are done with it.

Finally

Go to the Inputs section and the data from the RPICT will appear here automatically.

Prevent firmware wiped out

There is currently a potential for the emonpi software to erase the firmware of the RPICT board. To prevent this from happening connect to a terminal on the emonpi.

Then make the modification below.

Open the following file:

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

Then change line number 21 by adding a # in front to comment it like below.

#su pi -c '/opt/openenergymonitor/EmonScripts/update/firstbootupdate'

More about this here. Emonpi_auto_reflash