CBI smart energy meter.

[Isetech]

Not cheap at R3162.00 (free monthly fee for the first 36 months), +/- R1800 installation and setup and commissioning cost + sundries R250.00, by the way it doesnt fit in a din DB.

Thena after 36 months you have to pay a R15 per month subscription, R180 P/A, really, why not just add another R800 and cover the cost for 10 years.

Unit installed in my workshop, now let's go see if the software is any good .

[Isetech]

Now that it is installed (not working) I have done my research, which I should have done before I outlaid the money, this unit is not designed for quick entry level, domestic applications, like the astute range if smart devices, more the big spenders.

CBI :energy, a new player in the energy management space, today launched its first solution offering at Power & Electricity Africa. The flexible, low-cost, Cloud-connected Managed Smart Metering system is aimed at the commercial real estate, office and solar energy markets.

[Isetech]

It seems that CBI has gone international, hence the crazy pricing. When they dominated the market in SA and the xchang erate was 2-1, the pricing was within our budget, with the exchange rate now, it makes sense to dump the SA market.


CBI should recommend these prices to the electrical wholesalers, or sell directly to the contractors or stick to the DIY outlets.

The :energy Managed Smart Metering solution has a recommended price of R2,078 for the single-phase connected meter, and R4440 for the three-phase, which includes three years of the managed service subscription.

[Isetech]

For the record, I installed the unit in our workshop, I have to install a wireless bridge to extend the signal, 20m out of range. There are 2 x rhino board office between the unit and the Wi-Fi router.

I have same problem with the astute units, they dont have a very good Wi-Fi range. I installed ASC's in a office to control display lights, we ended up removing the device because the office walls blocked the signal not even 20m.

Let's hope CBI addresses the weak signal issues, by maybe looking at creating a mesh network between the devices, this could also explain why others use hard wired or 3G and LTE.

IF you going play in the big boy space, maybe understand why its used.


Most smart meters today must either be hard-wired to a data network or use 3G or LTE mobile phone technologies for connectivity which add considerable operating expense and do not function in building basements and other low-signal areas.

[Isetech]

Something else, CBI are targeting large scale applications, can you connect the smart matersa rated to 80 amps to an 800 amp supply using CT's, we will find out all this information today.

[Isetech]

Thanks to the tech support at CBI energy, the unit is setup and operating.

I had left out one critical part of the setup process, filled out the data required and bingo, we are live.

A product is only as good as its tech support, I give CBI energy the thumbs up.

Now that I have a much better understanding of the CBI energy platform, what it is all about, how I can integrate it into the commercial and industrial applications.

I already have a factory which is in a large complex which buys bulk electricity and bills privately, with a 800 amp supply, a couple 400 and 250 amp sub DB's, laser cutters, compressors, a few machines and other equipment which we want to monitor individually. It will be interesting to do a cost study.