ESP32_Modbus_RTU_Power_Meter/README.md

# ESP32 Modbus RTU Power Meter

## Overview

This project implements a compact **ESP32 C3 Super Mini-based Modbus RTU power meter interface** designed for monitoring electrical measurements from Modbus-compatible energy meters. The system has been developed and tested using the **Chint DDSU666 Single-Phase Power Meter**, although it is intended to work with any Modbus RTU compliant power meter after appropriate configuration.

The device continuously reads measurement values from the power meter via an RS485 interface and provides multiple methods for visualizing the data:

- Local display using a 128 × 32 OLED screen
- Integrated Wi-Fi access point with a web interface
    - Historical data visualization
    - CSV export of recorded measurements

The compact enclosure is designed to fit inside a **1TE DIN rail distribution box**, making it suitable for electrical installations where space is limited.

<img src="pictures/device_1.jpg" width="600px">

<img src="pictures/device_2.jpg" width="600px">


###  Features

- ESP32-C3 Super Mini based implementation
- Modbus RTU communication over RS485
- Compatible with the Chint DDSU666 and other Modbus RTU power meters
- Local real-time display on a 128 × 32 OLED
- Integrated Wi-Fi Access Point
- Web interface for monitoring live measurements
- Historical data visualization
- CSV export functionality
- Compact DIN rail enclosure (1TE)


### Power Meter

Developed and tested with:

- Chint DDSU666 Single-Phase Power Meter

The software should also operate with other Modbus RTU compatible power meters after adjusting the communication parameters and register definitions if necessary.

#### Modbus RTU Configuration

The following communication parameters must be configured on the power meter:

| Parameter      | Value                      |
| -------------- | -------------------------- |
| Baud Rate      | 9600 (DDSU666: **BAUD-3**) |
| Data Format    | 8N1                        |
| Device Address | 008                        |

These settings can also be modified in the source code if different communication parameters are required.

### User Interface

#### OLED Display

The OLED display continuously shows the measured electrical values and is sized to fit within the 1TE enclosure.

<img src="pictures/display.jpg" width="400px">


#### Web Interface

The ESP32 operates as a Wi-Fi Access Point with the following default configuration:

- **SSID:** `PWR_METER`
- **Password:** None (open network)
- **Web Interface:** `http://192.168.4.1`

The web interface provides:

- Real-time measurements
- Historical graphical visualization
- CSV export of measurement data

<img src="pictures/webpage.png" width="600px">


## Hardware

### Schematic

The complete wiring schematic is shown below.

<img src="hardware/RS485_OLED_Schaltplan.png" width="600px">

### Enclosure

The original enclosure design is based on the following Thingiverse project:

**D1 Mini DIN Rail Case 1TE, RS485** by Hoich - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3337686
The original design is licensed under: **Creative Commons Attribution – NonCommercial – ShareAlike**

The enclosure has been modified to accommodate the OLED display. Additionally, a second flat enclosure variant has been created for applications where the OLED display is not required.

The modified enclosure is licensed under **CC BY-NC-SA 4.0**, while the original enclosure design remains subject to its original Creative Commons license.

<img src="case/1TE_Case_cleaned.png" width="400px">

<img src="case/1TE_Case_Flat-Case.png" width="400px">

### Assembly

The design does not require a dedicated printed circuit board (PCB).

All components are interconnected using point-to-point wiring inside the 3D-printed enclosure according to the schematic shown above.

<img src="pictures/wiring_1.jpg" width="600px">

<img src="pictures/wiring_2.jpg" width="600px">


## Software

### Software Architecture

The software consists of two independent parts:

1. **Firmware**

   - Executes on the ESP32
   - Reads Modbus RTU measurements
   - Updates the OLED display
   - Hosts the web server

2. **Web Resources**

   - HTML
   - CSS
   - JavaScript
   - -> These files are stored in the ESP32 LittleFS filesystem and served by the embedded web server.

The external libraries used by the project are referenced directly in the source code.

### Programming the ESP32

Both the firmware and the web resources must be uploaded.

1. **Step 1 – Upload the LittleFS Filesystem**

    Install the LittleFS extension for Arduino IDE.

    - Download the `.vsix` extension from: https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-littlefs-upload/releases/
    - Copy the downloaded file into:
    ```
    C:\Users\<USERNAME>\.arduinoIDE\plugins
    ```
    (Create the folder if it does not already exist.)

    Upload the filesystem:

    - Press **CTRL + SHIFT + P**
    - Select:

    ```
    Upload LittleFS to Pico/ESP8266/ESP32
    ```

2. **Step 2 – Upload the Firmware**
    
    Upload the ESP32 firmware using the standard **Upload** button in the Arduino IDE.


### Software Configuration

If required, the following parameters can be modified in the source code:

- Modbus slave address
- Baud rate
- Serial communication settings
- Supported Modbus register mapping
- Wi-Fi configuration
- Display behavior


## Sources/Useful Links

- ESP32-C3 Super Mini Pinout: https://sigmdel.ca/michel/ha/esp8266/super_mini_esp32c3_en.html
- Chint DDSU666 User Manual: https://chint.it/wp-content/uploads/product-docs/iStoragE/Manuali/iStoragE%20Meter%20DDSU666%20User%20Manual%20EN.pdf

- LittleFS support: https://randomnerdtutorials.com/arduino-ide-2-install-esp32-littlefs/
- The ESP32 firmware and web interface are based on examples from:
    - https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-websocket-server-sensor/
    - https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-web-server-gauges/
    - https://github.com/ChartsCSS/charts.css