CT Clamp Compatibility

[admin]

"voltage" type CT sensor also can work.

[Stanb]

"voltage" type CT sensor also can work.

Hi,
I am back from vacation.
I will contact you via WhatsApp.

Just to recall:

1. I have YMDC SCT013 20A/1V class: 1(and 50A/1v).
   
2. I do not have problem with mini-jack plugs. I connect SCT's jack into the plug and then into the appropriate terminals of N30. I checked the connections and all works fine. This is not the problem. 
   
3. I tested the SCT on the wire of an electric kettle.
   I measured the current: 8.2A (voltage is 230V), but no readout in the logs of ESP32-generated firmware though. I measure the voltage on the terminals of N30. It swayed way beyond 1V.

Looking for help.

Stan

[admin]

3: you can download KCS v3 firmware, see MONITOR webpage to check current.

[Stanb]

I think you have sent me wrong type of sensors - current outputting ones.

Hi Kincony and everyone,

First - thank you very much to Kim at Kincony support! 

Second - CT clamps are I received and have referred to in earlier posts work. I have tested them without mini-jack, then with mini-jack (my preferred variant due to assembly convenience) - they DO work.

I have conducted ARM co-processor firmware update, and after that (and eliminating my own other mistakes introduced in meantime) i received reliable readouts of the current.

Two hints on the upgrade:
1. Software to run the upgrade, with n60 in its name works for n30 as well (maybe for all the boards actually?)
2. for mac (apple silicon) users like me: the soft is Windows exe. You need for example Broadcom’s / VMware’s Fusion with Windows VM on it. Install n60xxxx.exe, pass through USB to use usb to 485 dongle, and it will work smoothly. 

My work is still not finished, but i wanted to share thanks and reduce uncertainty for other users. 

Best regards,
Stan

[admin]

1. Yes, N60 and N30 use same ARM CPU firmware.

[Stanb]

Hi everyone,
I want to share lessons learned with the community.

1. Kincony N30 works fantastically at my home, with ESPHome firmware, feeding data into Home Assistant.
2. I bought CT sensors on Kincony shop site, getting YMDC SCT013 20A/1V and 50A/1V. They are terminated with stereo minijacks. They all work.
3. I was not cutting mini-jacks off. Instead, I bought female mini-jacks and wired them to the headers from the N30 board. For me it was easier to connect everything.
3a. I had to upload new ARM firmware to get the readings.
Note 1: The Kincony app for that works on Windows only. Mac users can still use it from within a VM created by Broadcom's Fusion (there is free download).
Note 2: The Kincony app is named after N60 board, but it actually works with N30 as well.
4. 20A/1V CT sensors work correctly by default - enabling current, power and energy readouts.
5. 50A/1V CT sensors underreport current, power and energy.
6. Using external amperometer and some experimentations, I have achieved the following calibration co-efficiencs:
- Current: 0.8613
- Energy: 0.8601
- Power: 0.8562
and learned that co-efficients are actually applied as denominators. So the original values, that were underreported are DIVIDED by the co-efficients to get them right.
7. New Co-efficients work only after: setting new value, writing coefficient to the flash memory, then warm reboot (which reboots the ARM coprocessor).

Now all that works great!