Current Cost CableThis is a featured page

The port

The port on the back of the Current Cost is an RJ-45, the same as an ethernet port, but it won't simply connect to another ethernet device - you need a smarter cable.

The cable

Every six seconds the Current Cost outputs XML along a cable plugged into the RJ45 port as TTL-level serial data at 9600 baud working at 3.3 volts. Through some simple manipulations TTL data can be converted into RS232-compatible data. This means that we need an RJ-45 to serial cable. Once we have that, we can plug it into a normal serial-USB cable and use it anywhere that accepts USB. Hooray! You can order the RJ-45 to serial cable from Current Cost themselves or you can set about building one yourself. An alternative to this is to use an Arduino, which has native USB output so that you can do any data parsing you like before it even gets to your computer. If you also get an ethernet shield then you can connect it to your router and send information straight through to, say, twitter, without requiring a whole extra PC to be switch on!
(The latest CC128 unit outputs data at 57600 bps. So if working with Arduino forget about software serial.)


I think the cable pin outs on the referenced page may not be correct. I found that my unit (shipped Feb 09) has data on pin 8 and ground on pin 4. @paul_tanner
I can also vouch for this. My unit (Oct 09) has the dat on pin 8 and ground on 4, which is contrary to the pinout on the page/s linked above. @noisymime



Posted Anonymously Latest page update: made by Anonymous , Oct 20 2009, 8:50 AM EDT (about this update About This Update Posted Anonymously Edited anonymously

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Anonymous Info On Transmitter connections 0 Sep 17 2009, 7:01 PM EDT by Anonymous
 
Thread started: Sep 17 2009, 7:01 PM EDT  Watch
The pins under the batteries are, I believe, for programming, setting up and calibrating the device in the factory; they connect to the processor (a PIC16F689) amd are not user configurable.
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Anonymous Ideas \ Info On Transmitter connections 2 Aug 22 2008, 8:53 AM EDT by Anonymous
 
Thread started: Jul 28 2008, 5:31 PM EDT  Watch
The transmitter unit has two sockets, one either side of the clamp input, which I assume are for the additional meter clamps. Also under the batteries are what look like a group of pins for jumpers or and additional connector. Anyone have an idea what these are for?
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