Power measurement of non-smart devices in Home Assistant

Expected Reading Time: 5 minutes

Welcome to this tutorial, in which you will learn how to measure the power consumption of non-smart devices. We use Home Assistant and the PowerCalc plugin for this. With a virtual sensor, you can keep an eye on your energy consumption and make it more efficient. This way, you also have non-smart devices listed in your total consumption at a glance.

I have already explained exactly what PowerCalc is and how to install it in the blog post Smart power measurement with PowerCalc in Home Assistant explained. Today, we will be looking specifically at how we can also make non-smart devices measurable and display their consumption in Home Assistant.

For detailed instructions and an explanation of all configuration options, I recommend the YouTube video linked below. In this video, every single setting is explained in detail so that you receive comprehensive instructions for the exact setup. You can find any code from the video in this article so that you can use it directly without having to type it in.

Why measure current?

Measuring electricity helps you to better understand consumption and reduce it in a targeted manner. Non-smart appliances often consume an unnecessary amount of energy. By analyzing their consumption, you can find out where there is potential for savings and thus save both money and energy.

What you need

1. Home Assistant: An open source platform for home automation.
2. PowerCalc: A plugin for Home Assistant that creates virtual energy sensors.
3. Power consumption data: You need this to accurately record the consumption of your appliances. Measure the energy consumption of your non-smart device using an electricity meter or calculate it for yourself.

Creation of a virtual energy sensor in Home Assistant

Follow this step-by-step guide to add PowerCalc as an integration in Home Assistant and create a virtual sensor:

1. Add PowerCalc integration
   • Open Home Assistant and navigate to Settings.
   • Go to Integrations.
   • Click on the button at the bottom right of your screen.
   • Choose Add integration.
2. Select PowerCalc
   • Search for PowerCalc and select it.
   • A list with various options appears.
   • Choose from this list Virtual Power (manual).
3. Configure virtual sensor
   • In the following window, enter no source entity to.
   • Simply assign a name (e.g. Blender) and a unique ID (Unique ID).
4. Determine calculation strategy
   • It is important to base the calculation strategy on Fixed to set.
   • The standby power can be left blank.
   • Make sure that Create energy sensor is switched on.
5. Enter service
   • In the next window, enter the power consumed by your device.
   • To calculate the power, take the value that your appliance consumes per day (e.g. 420 watts) and divide it by 24 hours.
   • Example: 420 watts / 24 hours = 17.5 watts.
   • Enter this value (17.5 watts).

Example

Let's assume your appliance consumes 420 watts per day:

1. Calculate the hourly output:
   420 watts / 24 hours = 17.5 watts.
2. Enter this value when setting up the virtual sensor.

A constant power of 17.5 watts is calculated so that the blender has consumed 420 watts after 24 hours. You can then add it to your energy dashboard and it will be displayed in the total consumption.

Now you have successfully set up a virtual energy sensor for your non-smart device and can monitor and optimize power consumption!

Add energy sensor in Home Assistant

Now we want to have the whole thing in the dashboard and we do this as follows in the Home Assistant web interface:

1. Open Home Assistant
   • Make sure you are logged in to your Home Assistant account.
2. Navigate to the energy dashboard
   • Click on the left side on Energy.
3. Open the settings of the energy dashboard
   • Click on the top right on the Settings-symbol (often a cogwheel symbol).
4. Configure sensors
   • In the settings menu of the energy dashboard, you will find various options such as Consumption, Production, Costs etc.
   • Select the category Consumption from.
5. Add energy consumption sensor
   • Click on Add sensor.
   • A new window opens with a list of all available energy sensors.
6. Select suitable sensor
   • In the list, search for the energy consumption sensor that you want to add (e.g. the previously created Blender-sensor).
   • Select the corresponding sensor.
7. Configure sensor
   • Depending on the sensor, there may be further configuration options. Make sure that all necessary settings have been made.
   • Confirm your selection by clicking on Save or Finished click.

YouTube video implementation

https://youtu.be/upXIWFOYyb8

Conclusion

And it's done! With these instructions, you have learned how to measure the power consumption of non-smart devices in Home Assistant. By integrating PowerCalc and creating a virtual sensor, you can keep an eye on the energy consumption of your devices and identify potential savings.

By measuring the power consumption of your appliances, you can better understand how much energy they consume. You can take targeted measures to save energy and money. Setting up a virtual energy sensor in Home Assistant was the first step. You added PowerCalc as an integration, created a virtual sensor and configured it.

With this method, you have recorded the power consumption of a non-smart appliance such as a blender and added it to your energy dashboard. Now the consumption of your blender is displayed in the total consumption so that you always have an overview of the energy consumption in your household.

You can use this guide for all your non-smart devices and thus optimize your overall energy consumption. Home Assistant offers you many ways to make your home more efficient. Use these tools to improve your energy efficiency and make more conscious use of electricity.

Have fun trying out and optimizing!

Interested, but lack time or knowledge?

No problem. Contact me and we will discuss your requirements. No matter if business or private.