Cost-effective solar water heater monitoring system using the internet of things

Abstract

Monitoring of solar water heater systems can be a daunting task for residential home owners. The effective management of solar water heaters is dependent on accurate data regarding the usage and measurable parameters of the specific installed system. This research aimed to develop a non-complex and cost effective solar water heater monitoring system that is connected to the internet of things for data collection. Data collected by the system includes the power consumed by the system, the outside and inside temperatures, as well as the time of occurrence. The designed system is non-complex in the sense that it can easily be installed by the home owner without disturbing the existing electrical wiring of the residential house. Furthermore, data is collected via an internet server, called ThingSpeak, using an existing WiFi connection at the residence. The system is cost-effective regarding affordable hardware and free software that is used in the operation of the system. With data that is obtained from the system regarding warm water usage and power consumption, the home owner can make informed decisions to optimize the solar water installation.