Discontinuation of PowerTag Link, and the future of home energy monitoring

[Breina]

I am the developer of a project that integrates PowerTag Links into a big open-source home automation platform (HomeAssistant). One of my users noticed that the 'To be discontinued' label was added to PowerTag Links. 

Therefore I was wondering what's the plan here for my use case. The Panel Servers don't seem to be a good fit for the domestic market. I'd be happy to make my integration compatible, but not willing to lay down € 500+ just for the sake of extending compatibility (and I doubt many of my users will as well).

I'm also aware of Wiser Energy, but no one is going to cough up $15/month to integrate that into their home automation.

Before the PowerTag Links are discontinued, is there a new version planned for the domestic market? Perhaps with a similar API to Panel Servers.

[Thierry_Baudard · Accepted solution]

Hello Breina,

Today, PowerTagLink can be replaced by PAS600  with a limitation to 30 wireless devices (refer to PAS600  release note for more detail).

To be more competitive a new Panel Server PAS 400 is in the roadmap with a tentative to launch it next year:

   - with only ZigBee connectivity ( no Modbus connectivity) 

   - with only 1 RJ45 port ( instead 2 for PAS600 /PAS800) 

This future product will have the same dimension than PowerTagLink and the price will be lower than PAS600

Obviously as soon as this product will be available, I advise you to switch on this new one.

BR

[DK-Michael]

Hi Breina

I'm curious to why you don't think the panel server is a fit for the domestic market? The wireless network support in the Panel Server makes it much simpler than PowerTag Link to set up if you don't have access to a LAN connection in your switchboard, and besides that, they are very similar.

Br, Michael

[Breina]

Alright that's fair, thanks for the quick update!

[Breina]

@DK-Michael While the device is compatible with a whole ecosystem and that's certainly very cool, I personally think it's a bit overkill for what domestic users expect. They will have a couple of PowerTags and at most a water/gas meter. Its price is fair for what it offers though, but it seems to be a big step up compared to the legacy system.

I'm sure that the PAS400 will be more what I'm looking for, no worries. 🙂

[notsomot]

Hello team, 
Seeing if there are any updates on the PaS400 release? 

Trying to work out if the PaS600 is too much for a domestic installation, but would like to try integrate into HA. 

[Breina]

Any word on the PaS400? Would be great to have a domestic replacement before the PowerTag Link gets discontinued end of this year.

[Thierry_Baudard]

HI Breina,

PAS 400 is now launched so check with your local SE represntative to know if available in your country)

(link ofr dc in post  Post EcoStruxure-Panel-Server-new-Generation-of-Gateways-updated-Aug23 )

Main difference vs PAS600 and PAS800:

 - smaller (similar to PTL dimensions)

 - cheaper than PAS600/800

 - no downstream modbus connectivity  (no Modbus product) 

 - limited to 20 wireless devices (instead 40 for PAS600/800) 

[Breina]

Thanks Thierry!

If I get two PAS400's in the same enclosure (I have 22 PowerTags), will they interfere?

[Thierry_Baudard]

Hi,

No interference  if you select two non contiguous wireless channels on each Panel Server (example1: 11 and 13 / example2: 18 and 20)

[Romain_Polette]

Hello @Breina , 

Check the prices of the devices with your sales representative.

Maybe better to buy one PAS600 instead of 2x PAS400.

Regards,

[Breina]

Thanks for the concern 🙂

About ~ € 100 cheaper to buy two PAS400's for me. Might just get one first and flash the PAS600's firmware onto it or something. Or leave my PowerTag Link HD running in parallel with the excessive tags.

Mainly just looking into having a panel server so that I can integrate it with my FOSS project.

[Romain_Polette]

Hi @Breina ,

"Might just get one first and flash the PAS600's firmware onto it or something" => Be careful, PAS600 FW is not compatible with PAS400 FW.

If your FOSS project is working through Modbus TCP, then you can keep your current PowerTag Link HD (up to 100 PowerTag) in your architecture.

PowerTag Link and Panel Server are using the same Modbus registers for PowerTag Sensor devices. You can use both in parallel. 

Just keep in mind that the PowerTag Link is discontinued and will be no more supported in 1 or 2 years in case of issue with your product.

Regards,