Description
Current Monitoring of AC power is now easier than ever when using the NCD series IoT Interface Current Monitoring controllers. Our customized dedicated on-board CPU handles all the current monitoring functions for you, all you have to do is ask the controller for the amperage reading. Using our IoT interface, plug-in your favorite IoT communication module and develop firmware to read energy anywhere in the world! The NCD IoT interface support Particle Electron for cellular current monitoring. Use the Particle Photon to monitor current over WiFi. The IoT interface also supports Bluz (Bluetooth BLE) or you can use one of our adapters to plug in Arduino Nano, Arduino Micro, USB, PyCom WyPy, directly on-board! Plug in the SI I2C adapter for interface to Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, or Arduino Uno. The NCD IoT interface standard makes it easy to connect to just about any computer or microcontroller! Based on our plug-and-play I2C interface standard, all NCD IoT devices support I2C communications using a I2C expansion port, making it easy to expand to a wide variety of sensors, relay controllers, PWM controllers, and much more!
This controller has four current monitoring channels, precision tuned to monitor the current flow through the on-board current sensor with a 3% maximum error rate. This controller is available with 10, 20, 30, 50, and 70-Amp current sensors, configured at the time of ordering. To use this device, simply run an AC power wire, up to 10mm in size, through the center of the sensors. While each sensor is rated for 70 Amps, this controller is available pre-tuned with 10, 20, 30, 50, or 70 amps. These tuning ranges provide the best possible accuracy within the specified range, though users should take care to never exceed the pre-tuned range. The on-board custom designed CPU will do the rest using I2C communications to your favorite IoT communications module. This controller includes an I2C expansion port, allowing expansion for more current monitoring inputs or other types of I2C sensors and devices. Four on-board address jumpers allow expansion of up to 16 current monitoring devices through the I2C expansion port. Mix and match current monitoring controllers of any size to meet your specific application requirements.
Software developers can take advantage of our ControlEverythingCom GitHub repository for current monitoring and programming samples. This device only requires a 12VDC power supply for operation, which may be plugged into the controller using a 2.1mm center positive barrel connector or on-board terminal block for direct wired power supplies.
What is the NCD IoT Interface?
The NCD IoT Interface provides users with a means of changing or upgrading the IoT communications technology as new technologies emerge. The NCD IoT Interface is directly compatible with Particle Photon for WiFi communications, Electron for Cellular Communications, Bluz for Bluetooth. Optionally, adapters may be installed to provide a direct interface to Arduino Nano, Micro, USB, PyCom WyPy, Onion Omega, Raspberry Pi, and much more. The NCD IoT interface allows you to re-use your hardware so it never becomes obsolete! Based on I2C communications, the NCD IoT Interface uses only 2 GPIO lines of your microcontroller, freeing the rest of your CPU for other tasks.
Unlimited I2C Expansion
Based on our plug-and-play nodeLynk I2C interface standard, all NCD IoT devices are equipped with a nodeLynk I2C expansion port, making it easy to expand to a wide variety of sensors, current monitors, relay controllers, PWM controllers, and much more! We are always designing new nodeLynk expansions for our plug-and-play nodeLynk I2C framework. We are dedicated to building a product line of interconnected devices to simplify all forms of automation. Re-use or upgrade your hardware in seconds by selecting the modules that best fit your needs, and chaining them together using the included nodeLynk I2C expansion cables!
Compatibility
This device is tuned for reading current in the 0 to 70-Amp range. Exceeding 70 Amps through the core sensor may damage the on-board CPU. For best accuracy, we highly recommend choosing a controller with the lowest possible amperage rating required for your application. This device is designed for AC current measurement only and cannot be used to monitor DC loads. This device is typically more accurate than commercially available clamp meters and nearly as accurate as most direct wired meters. This device will arrive pre-set to calibration values known to work well in our master designs for resistive loads, recalibration will be required for inductive loads. Each channel may be individually calibrated. All current monitoring controllers require half of a second to analyze and compute a current monitoring result for all channels. For best performance, we suggest communications with this device no more than once per second.
Usage Notes
All NCD current monitoring controllers with on-board current sensors are calibrated for use with resistive loads. They can be re-calibrated for inductive loads, but we do not recommend mixing the two types of loads using the same controller. A mix of resistive and inductive loads may be monitored using NCD current monitoring controllers equipped with external off-board sensors. These controllers include a wire between the main board and the sensor.
Do not attempt to pass more than a single wire through the current sensor. Doing so will cancel the signal and prevent proper operation.
IoT Interface Compatibility
NCD IoT Interface devices are designed to plug in to many popular IoT computing platforms. This allows the “brains” from other manufacturers to directly plug into our devices for easy plug-and-play operation. IoT interface devices use I²C as the underlying communications technology. The notes below will guide you into plugging 3rd party IoT technologies into our devices, we will highlight any adapters that may be required in this section. Please note that all IoT Interface Devices act as a I²C Master Device, and may be expanded by connecting to any of our Cross-Platform nodeLynk I²C Slave Devices using the nodeLynk I²C Output.
NCD IoT Interface Direct Connection
The following devices directly plug into NCD IoT Interface controllers without a adapter.
If using a Particle Photon or Particle Electron communications module, the PKFR Key Fob Receiver overlay shield may be used to add long-range wireless Key Fob remote control to the communications module.
NCD IoT Interface Adapters
Use the following adapters will adapt the IoT Interface for I2C communications with other popular computing platforms:
Convert IoT to I2C Interface Devices
- This device may be converted to an I²C slave device using the I2C to IoT Interface Adapter, ideal for use with Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone, Arduino Uno, and BridgeX5.
Arduino Interface
BeagleBone Interface
Banana Pi Interface
C.H.I.P. Interface
Raspberry Pi Interface
Windows 8/10 PC Interface
Key Fob Compatibility
NCD IoT Interface devices are also compatible with a 418MHz Key Fob receiver (Part Number: PKFR), allowing your Particle Electron, Photon, or Bluz to receive and process remote Key Fob commands up to 750 feet away. Up to 40 remote controls may be associated to the PKFR. Program your IoT communications module to receive wireless remote control commands using a Key Fob. Compatible with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8-Button MS Series Key Fobs from Linx Technologies.
Customize
We Customize Just for You!!
NCD offers many custom IoT electronic design services to help tailor our product to your exact needs. Whether you are looking for custom firmware, circuit board modifications, metal enclosures, or industrial color printing, we can help you with a wide variety of design services.
Custom IoT Electronic Design Services Process
Most of our users purchase off-the-shelf hardware for initial testing. Once everything is working, they contact us to build a custom solution which may include specialized changes to the board, firmware, connectors, etc. Custom boards have many advantages such as reduced wiring, easy installation, small size, less power consumption, and in some cases, an overall reduction in product cost. Custom IoT Electronic Design Services will have your company name and logo on the board as well as the enclosure.
Customized IoT Electronics
NCD engineers can help build a customized solution for your particular application based on the designs you see on our website. We can combine devices onto a single board, change the shape, or even some of the components to meet your exact needs. We also provide turn-key metal enclosures with powder coating and full-color printing on the top side starting at just $500 for setup! We have more than 20 years of experience in electronics design and manufacturing. All of our products are designed and manufactured in the USA, so we are here to support the products we make. We only ask that our customers prototype their needs using our existing products before we customize.
Customization Guidelines
- Custom designs should be based on our existing product because we can’t build rockets or electric cars over here!
- We do not provide customization services if it involves the introduction of a new or untested technology.
- Custom engineering fees depend on your requirements, so please contact us for a quote!
- We maintain ownership of all designs, including our customized designs as they are based on our existing Design.
- We will only ship the customized product to you or your authorized agents.
- We have an NDA available if needed.
- The turn-around time is about 2-3 weeks.
- We specialize in low-volume designs, no quantity is too small!
- We have the ability to scale to large volumes as needed.
Getting Started with Product Customization
All you have to do is contact us and we will walk you through the process from beginning to end, based on your individual needs. Some people are surprised at how fast we finish CAD design (usually a few hours), but keep in mind, we still have to build your design, which takes considerably more time. When we customize product, here are the general services we provide:
- We design the circuit board.
- We communicate with our customers throughout the customization and manufacturing process.
- We manufacture surface mount stencils and circuit boards.
- We program our pick and place machines to build your boards.
- We build a working sample and run it through our wave solder machine.
- We test your custom IoT solution.
- Once the design is finalized it won’t be possible to make changes during production (changes cost money and require us to repeat the above processes)
- Once it meets all your requirements, we will start production as needed.
- We work with our metal fabricators to design a metal enclosure if required.
- You work with our artist to print the top side of the enclosure in full color with your company logo if required.
