Schneider electric is now offering the ‘green Sense’ with ethernet to the general public through their distributors with a MSRP of $376.34, but can be found for slightly less.
Model WISEREMZ can connect via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
You can find more information and a map of distributors here: WISEREMZ - Wiser Energy, Home Power Monitor, Circuit Control, Wifi, Ethernet | Schneider Electric USA
*** Note that Schneider has minimum quantity purchase requirements for their distributors, so many may not stock it for some time until they sell off their existing inventory. But there are a few retailers online currently offering the new model.
I’m guessing this is why HomeDepot is selling the Wi-Fi only version for $199. Which is $100 les than direct from Sense.
Model WISEREMPVZ with a MSRP of $437.79 (solar model) is being advertised by Schneider as having Zigbee capabilities. No idea why or what Zigbee would be used for. I can’t find any specifics in the documentation.
Not sure what if anything else may have been upgraded in the units to justify the additional price. @JuliaAtSense could you confirm if the new monitors have upgraded processor speeds or any other hardware improvements or features?
WISEREM was discontinued and replaced with WISEREMZ.
WISEREMPV was discontinued and replaced by WISEREMPVZ.
Only 2 models now.
WISEREMZ - Wi-Fi & Ethernet, No Zigbee
WISEREMPVZ - Wi-fi & Ethernet, Solar CT’s and Zigbee.
Both models are available to the general public.
*Sense has not yet release their version to the public.
Doing some digging it appears a LOT is happening with Sense/Wiser.
This confirms some of my suspicions and explains Zigbee.
Schneider in partnership with Sense is now making Wiser control relays QO200PWX120 (120v) and QO200PWX240 (240v). That can be used in Square D QO load panels.
They do not replace existing breakers. You connect your load to the relay and the relay to your existing breaker.
The relays integrate with Sense/Wiser using Zigbee to communicate allowing for energy monitoring of individual circuits.
The Sense/Wiser app will be able to control the relays allowing you to turn on an off individual circuits. Intended as a means to (automate) control critical loads during power outages when on backup power (battery, generator, solar).
A big focus of this is getting utilities on board allowing for utilities to shut off consumers individual loads during times of peak usage. Similar to how you can allow your utility to control your thermostat, but much more intense.
Example: Shut off your EV charger but keep your Fridge on.
This would also allow utilities to bill customers based on the type of load.
Example: Charge standard rates for your EV, or fridge but higher rates for your AC & hot tub.
Sense’s Native device detection will be playing a different role in all this. Instead of acting as the primary means of detection it will serve as a backup. A means to ensure customers are not tricking the utility and to insure your utility doesn’t turn off the wrong circuit.
Example: connecting your electric range to your fridge circuit in an attempt to get a lower rate.
Schneider is also manufacturing Din rail RCBO, MCB, SPD type breakers that will integrate with Sense/Wiser with a heavy focus on incorporating different international standards.
GE, Eaton and others are also all now making energy monitoring, controllable, smart replacement breakers and other similar products.
Most of them are strictly app based (no monitor) with more focus on integrated smart homes.
Schneiders primary focus on the grid and industrial segment of the industry (Square D being their subsidiary in the consumer market).
I can understand why Sense has become so heavily focused on the utility segment, a very lucrative market about (and nearly guaranteed by politics) to explode. With Sense’s native device detection providing huge advantage as a security feature (tampering). Similar could be said about Sense’s partnership with Landis-Gyr.
I’m sure confidentiality and disclosure agreements play a huge role as to why Sense remains so silent.
I have a QO SquareD panel (house is 18 years old) and a subpanel. How do these work? Are these relays installed inside the panel? In the event I went solar/battery in the future, I’d be able to turn on specific breakers? Would I need to replace individual breakers for this to work?
Don’t mind me.
Also, from my perspective, Sense has been dead silent for about a year. I was worried there was no innovation going on, but it looks like lots of focus is on these partnerships
Hey @obscuredtrip, the Sense-enabled Wiser Energy Monitor adds built-in Zigbee communication to facilitate communication with smart circuits, and an ethernet port that allows customers to connect their network router rather than rely on Wi-Fi. It can also be used to hardwire connections with another device, such as a solar inverter.
To answer your question though, the discount is due to Schneider Electric trying to clear out their inventory of V1 (non-Zigbee/non-Ethernet) monitors because we are exclusively producing the V2.
The difference between WISEREMZ and WISEREMPVZ is that there is another set of CTs in the EMPVZ version, which will account for the difference in price there.
Just a reminder that warranty and returns can vary, depending on where you buy a product. You can find the Sense warranty and return information below:
@obscuredtrip, thanks for broaching this interesting topic, and @JuliaAtSense, thanks for the additional clarifying information. This kind of info kind of begs for a feature matrix that highlights the differences (including warranty and return policy differences between channels). @JuliaAtSense, one other product difference that has shown up in the Sense line is that the monitor sold through the Sense Pro resellers seems to have Ethernet for hardwiring as well, but that’s not part of the D2C product from what I tell ?
As we’ve been told for years that many existing features and integration limits were due to the monitors processing and data capabilities. I really hope the new monitors have majorly upgraded processors and associated hardware to be able to handle everything Schneider will be throwing at it.
@lane03 ,
That’s a reasonable question. My guess is mainly that it’s mainly there to give you backup in case you have an ethernet issue in negotiating speed, or some other configuration thing.
06 Optional: Install and connect the ethernet knockout cable
Setting up with WiFi?
The Ethernet cable enables a wired connection to your home’s network router. If you plan to set up your monitor with WiFi instead of Ethernet, skip this step.
After you’ve installed the wireless antenna, punch out another knockout cover in the main panel. Insert the panel-mount end of the ethernet knockout cable from inside the panel to outside
the panel via the knockout.
Connect the other side of the knockout cable to the monitor. You can connect your ethemet cable to the panel-mount end of the ethernet knockout cable.
please tell me there will be manual overrides for these relays. Maybe even people shouldn’t connect that to heat pumps in residences that are occupied less than 24/7.
Some hostile nation state could do a lot of damage by (e.g.) turning off the heat pumps in homes during the winter at times when the owners aren’t there. Imagine bursting the pipes of a hundred thousand homes at about the same time. Like what happened in Texas’s blackout, but worse.
I love sense, and part of the reason I went and stay with sense over some of the more deeply integrated options is that it’s the kind of IoT that merely informs, not controls. Lord I am not looking forward to our highly connected future
@test35965 ,
Sorry to say that we’re already highly connected when it comes to infrastructure. Why would a foreign power bother with individual homes and relays when power meters and transmission grid switches can be remotely controlled ? Or traffic lights, natural gas pumping stations, etc.
