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Energy Monitoring overview and installation

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This article discusses Home Energy Meters and Energy Monitoring: options, installation and set-up.

Overview

Energy Monitoring, accompanied by specific hardware (e.g., Home Energy Meters and Energy Monitoring Appliance Modules), allows customers to take control of their energy consumption and reduce energy bills.

Energy Monitoring shows customers their energy usage behavior by providing information on the whole home through devices or Green Button, large circuit and appliance levels. These customers also have the ability to use rules and goals to cut energy use and be able to visualize the reduction in energy use.

Supported equipment
  • Aeotec Home Energy Meter (G1, G2, G8)
  • Z-Wave Heavy Duty Smart Switch (ZW078)
  • Jasco Energy Metering Appliance Module (Z-45653WB)

For a list of additional devices compatible with Alarm.com's Energy Management solution, visit the Device Directory.

Terminology
  • HEM = Home Energy Meter
  • SES = Smart Energy Switch
  • G1, G2, etc. = Generation 1, Generation 2, etc.

Safety precautions

The circuit breaker must be accessed to install Home Energy Meters. During this process, take the following precautions:

  • Check the building code for the area before opening the circuit breaker box.
  • A licensed electrician is required to install Home Energy Meters in the user’s home.
  • The dealer should be present at all times while the electrician is working on the circuit breaker.
  • Check the power rating on energy modules to ensure safe operation of devices.

Note: Be aware of range issues when using Z-Wave devices. For example, placing the Home Energy Meter in the basement and/or inside the circuit breaker box may cause Z-Wave communication issues.

Install a Home Energy Meter

Important: Turn the main breaker off, and open the main circuit box panel.

Be advised: A home energy meter should be installed by a licensed electrician.

Connect the Home Energy Meter to the AC Main
  1. Turn the main breaker off and open the main circuit box panel.
  2. Clip clamps of the meter around the incoming electricity cables that connect to the main circuit breaker. The clamps should be installed in opposite directions. 
     
    Example: Clamp one shows L (L—K) closest to the home circuit. Clamp two should have K (K—L) closest to the home circuit.
     
  3. Connect the clamps to the meter using Clamp Connectors, if not already connected. Verify Clamp 1 is connected to port 1, and Clamp 2 is connected to port 2.
    • The following is an image of Clamp Connectors: 

      Energy clamp.png
       
  4. Affix one of the AC Power exposed wires into a neutral bus terminal and the other exposed wire into a live terminal coming from the main circuit breaker. The following image is an example of the connections: 

    Clamp connection to AC Main.png
Place the Home Energy Meter

It is now time to place the main body of the Home Energy Meter. Inside the meter is a radio antenna used for communications, and this must be taken into consideration when selecting a location for the meter. If the circuit box is made of metal, it is recommended that the main body of the meter be affixed outside the circuit box. The Home Energy Meter G2 has been weatherized to the international IP44 standard so that it is resistant to rain and snow when placed vertically with the wires protruding from the bottom of the unit.

  1. Slip open the backing plate from the back of the Home Energy Meter.
  2. Affix the plate to the selected wall space using the provided screws.
  3. Attach the meter to the backing plate.
  4. Replace the main circuit box panel.
  5. Turn the main breaker back on.
Add the Home Energy Meter to a Z-Wave network

HEMLeds.PNG

Add to a Z-Wave network
  1. The Alarm.com module should be within six feet of the Home Energy Meter before attempting to add it to the Z-Wave network. 
  2. Enter Z-Wave Add Mode on the Z-Wave controller.
  3. Press the Action Button on the Home Energy Meter. If the linking was unsuccessful, try again. Verify the smart switch is not already part of another Z-Wave network by following instructions for removing device from a Z-Wave network.
Remove from a Z-Wave network
  1. Enter Z-Wave Delete Mode on the security panel.
  2. Press the Action Button on the Home Energy Meter. If the removal was unsuccessful, try again.

Action button

Install the energy modules

To install energy modules: 
  1. Find suitable outlets to plug in the Jasco Energy Monitoring Appliance Modules.
  2. Enter Z-Wave Add Mode on the Z-Wave controller.
  3. Press the button on the front of the Jasco Energy Monitoring Appliance Module.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for additional energy modules. 

Rename at least one energy monitoring device

  1. Log in to the Alarm.com customer website. 
  2. Click Settings. 
  3. Click Devices. 
  4. In Automation Devices, enter the desired name for the Z-Wave devices. 
  5. Click Save.

Set up Energy Pricing

To find the Utility Settings functionality using the Alarm.com customer website:
  1. Log in to the Alarm.com customer website.
  2. Click Activity.
  3. Click Energy Usage.
  4. Click Settings & Bill Information.
  5. Use the customer's most recent bill to fill in the Electricity Provider form.
  6. Once the utility information has been entered, click Save. The energy usage cost will then be populated. 

Set up sub-metering (create at least one child meter)

Energy Monitoring Appliance Modules can be set up as child meters to utilize their full potential. Child meters are meters that have their energy usage accounted for in another meter (known as a parent meter).

Example:  

  • Whole Home Energy Usage - Measured using Aeon Labs Home Energy Meter (parent)
  • Refrigerator Energy Usage - Measured using Jasco Energy Monitoring Appliance Module (child)
  • Entertainment Center Energy Usage - Measured using Jasco Energy Monitoring Appliance Module (child)

Since both the Refrigerator and TV are using electricity in the home, their energy usage accounts for a subset of the Whole Home Energy Usage. As a result, in the example, Refrigerator Energy Usage and TV Energy Usage are both children of the Whole Home Energy Usage.
Energy usage example

To set up relationships between metering devices using the Alarm.com customer website:
  1. Log in to the Alarm.com customer website. 
  2. Click Activity. 
  3. Click Energy Usage. 
  4. Click Settings & Bill information. 
  5. Click Manage Energy Devices. Use this section to edit Energy Metering device names, delete selected meters, and change sub-metering settings.

Manage energy devices

Check Devices

Use Power Use Now to check that all devices have been added correctly and are reporting energy data. 

To check devices using the Alarm.com customer website: 
  1. Log in to the Alarm.com customer website. 
  2. Click Activity. 
  3. Click Energy Usage. 
  4. Click Power Use Now. 
  5. Click Get a Reading to take a current reading. 

Power use now.png

Set a goal for at least one of the meters

To set a goal using the Alarm.com customer website: 
  1. If continuing straight from Task 6, log out and log back into the Alarm.com customer website.
  2. Click Activity. 
  3. Click Energy Usage. 
  4. Click Power Use Now. 
  5. Select the whole home meter from the dropdown menu.
  6. Click to drag my goal to adjust goal as needed.

Energy goals.png

Disable remote commands

There are certain appliances in the home that users would not want to accidentally switch off but still monitor the energy usage of (e.g., a refrigerator). In this case, disable remote commands for those Energy Monitoring Appliance Modules.

To disable remote commands for devices using the Alarm.com customer website: 
  1. Log in to the Alarm.com customer website. 
  2. On the Home page, click Detailson the lights card.
  3. On the device to edit, click Configure.
  4. Click the Remote Commands Enabled toggle switch to disable Remote Commands. 

Disable remote commands for light devices.PNG