So much more than video:

One of my all-time favorite groov features is the Video Camera gadget.

The gadget is pretty interesting as it's simply an image placeholder. Just point the gadget at a URL that resolves in an image and the gadget will display it and update it.

Of course, for an IP video camera, this usually means a JPG image. The groov user's guide has a nice section down the back that will help you get your camera showing up in groov, so be sure to check it out.

If you're interested in some other uses for the gadget, then read on and let's have some fun!

Topics: Videos, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, IoT

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Nothing like a cold shower to get you moving:

Most of us never give any thought to our hot water service pilot flame. But when it goes out...cold shower first thing in the morning, anyone?

Bleh.

The first time it happened, I simply re-lit the pilot and showered with cold water. After the third cold shower, I knew it was time to be a little more proactive!

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Machine builder

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Get a mop, I spilt some electricity:

The past few blogs we have talked about visualizing water usage in groov and how it not only helped me save water, but also highlighted the fact that I was not seeing all the water use I thought I was.

Electricity is a bit different from most other things. Spill water on the floor and it's pretty obvious; spill electricity and often no one is the wiser.

Was I seeing all the power use in my house? Are there any so-called phantom loads (sometimes called vampire loads) sucking or sipping power that I did not know about?

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, IoT

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Monitoring the water mains:

As mentioned in my blog last week, it was not until I monitored my water usage that I found out I was not monitoring ALL of my water usage.

My whole house water meter was just that, the whole house. It did not show any of the garden/lawn water use.

Let's talk about how we might get that data and what it could mean for conserving water in all aspects of our lives.

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, Electronics, IoT

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The biggest user of water in our house is not human:

A web browser is installed on most of the key devices we use every day. PCs, smart phones, tablets, even our TVs now have a modern web browser installed. I can even surf the web from my Android smart watch (a Moto360).

It makes sense then, does it not, to view everyday data on an interface that we use every day?

How much water flows through our house was the subject of last week's blog... It both surprised me and pleased me to find out that the biggest user of water in our house was not a human.

Topics: Food & beverage, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater

You've probably heard about the continuing drought in California.

The U.S. Drought Monitor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln currently categorizes more than 94% of the state's total area as in "severe drought" or worse, and notes that snowpack statewide (from which we get most of our water through the year) is at only 5% of normal.

The worst-hit area is the center of the state, especially the Central Valley that produces many of the vegetables, fruits, and nuts that appear on dining tables throughout the U.S.—and the world.

Topics: groov, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, optonews, OptoNews 2015-04-15

Say you've got a dry contact switch you want to monitor so you know when it's closed. Could be a level sensor or pressure indicator, a magnetic reed switch or snap-action micro switch, or maybe a relay contact.

There are lots of ways you could do that, but often the best way is to use a SNAP-IDC5-SW digital input module. Why?

• It supplies 15 volts of power to an external dry contact switch.
• You only need 2 wires to connect the switch to the module.
• You can monitor 4 switches from 1 module.

Ben Orchard raves about this module in his recent blog post on monitoring water usage, and with good reason: it makes life easier by saving wiring time and complexity.

Topics: Remote monitoring, Tips, optonews, OptoNews 2015-04-15

Every application is different. But some things are similar:

• You have to monitor and control equipment.
• You don't have enough time in your workday.
• Your budget is seldom enough for what you have to do.

Watch the video and see how groov can help you save time and money in facility management. A groov mobile interface lets you keep moving while you monitor systems and equipment. 

Topics: Energy management, Videos, groov, Internet of Things, Aggregates & concrete, Remote monitoring, IoT, optonews, OptoNews 2015-04-01

Older wind farms still produce clean energy, but many weren't built for modern monitoring and control.

This lack of remote visibility causes problems for utility companies and other owners, who must immediately respond when regulators call for changes in production.

That's because the electrical grid has to be a Goldilocks kind of system: not too much electricity, not too little. It has to be just right.

Topics: Energy management, groov, Remote monitoring, optonews, OptoNews 2015-03-18