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Plugin water meter
Measures pulse-output water meters through a PCF8583 counter with live flow, history, CSV and optional SQL logging.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.2.1 |
| Category | Irrigation and water management |
| Author | Martin Pihrt |
| License | GPL-3.0 |
| OSPy |
3.0.211 or newer |
| Python |
3.8 or newer |
| Permissions |
files, i2c
|
| Hardware | platforms: raspberry_pi; interfaces: i2c; I²C: 0x50 or 0x51
|
| Dependencies | Database Connector (optional) |
| Python/OS packages |
smbus / python3-smbus (required) |
| Interfaces | provider ospy.provider.v1, Mobile API v1 |
| Source | Open the plug-in directory |
Measures pulse-output water meters through a PCF8583 counter with live flow, history, CSV and optional SQL logging.
The Water Meter plug-in measures a pulse-output water meter through a PCF8583 I2C counter. It performs uninterrupted one-second measurements and reports current flow in liters per second, the equivalent liters per minute, consumption in the current minute and hour, and total consumption.
Version 1.2.1 adds the explicit reset_total_consumption provider action. Automation Rules can use it to reset accumulated total consumption together with the current-minute and current-hour counters through OSPy's validated provider-action interface. The action accepts no parameters, targets only the main Water Meter resource and is never run unless an enabled live rule selects it while Automation Rules control actions are enabled. Version 1.2.0 implements the read-only ospy.provider.v1 contract. Automation consumers can read cached flow and accumulated volumes without causing another PCF8583 access or changing the existing measurement loop.
Addresses 0x50 and 0x51 are alternatives; the plug-in occupies only the address selected in its settings. OSPy can install and run Water Meter beside another selectable-address plug-in when each receives a different address. If the preferred address is occupied during activation, the plug-in selects the free alternative. The settings page refuses an address currently used by another enabled plug-in, keeps the preceding settings and displays the conflict in a red status bar without leaving the page.
Overview and settings are separate pages. The overview refreshes live values every second, includes activity and counter information, and shows a selectable history graph when local or SQL logging is enabled. The measurement log can be viewed and downloaded as CSV.
Local JSON logging and optional SQL logging through the Database Connector plug-in can be enabled independently. Select which source supplies the graph, measurement log and CSV download. Configure the logging interval in seconds, optionally omit samples whose flow is zero, and set the maximum number of records. A maximum of 0 keeps unlimited history; a positive limit is applied independently to the local file and SQL table.
Enable Show on Home to add a live Water flow value to the OSPy Home footer/header area. It is updated after every one-second measurement in the format 0.250 l/s (15.000 l/min) and opens the Water Meter overview when selected. The item is removed when the option is disabled or during plug-in shutdown.
- Enable Use Water Meter.
- Select I2C address
0x50or0x51; it must differ from an address already used by another enabled plug-in. - Enter the sensor calibration as pulses per liter. Decimal values accept a point or comma.
- Choose local and/or SQL logging, the display source, interval, record limit and zero-flow behavior when history is required.
The mobile API provides a status summary, live cards for l/s, l/min, current-minute, current-hour and total consumption, and bounded/downsampled flow history from the selected local or SQL source. The manifest declares SMBus and I2C requirements plus the optional Database Connector dependency and mobile API v1. The plug-in uses the shared OSPy worker lifecycle, closes the I2C handle during errors and shutdown, removes its Home value during shutdown, and reports counter availability, live flow and totals through the Diagnostics health interface.
The PCF8583 count is read explicitly from registers 0x01–0x03. If setup or a measurement fails, the plug-in closes the bus, retries initialization automatically and shows the current I2C error on the overview instead of silently remaining at zero. Saving settings requests a safe counter reinitialization in the worker thread.
The following notes are generated from the help page shipped with this plug-in. Field names are also explained directly in the OSPy settings page.
The plug-in measures pulses from a water meter through a PCF8583 counter at I2C address 0x50 or 0x51. Each uninterrupted one-second measurement produces the current flow in liters per second and liters per minute.
The two I2C addresses are alternatives. If the preferred address is occupied during activation, OSPy selects the free alternative. The settings page rejects an address already used by another enabled plug-in, preserves the previous settings and displays the conflict in a red status bar.
The overview refreshes live values every second and shows the current flow, consumption in the current minute and hour, total consumption, counter state and a flow history graph.
Local JSON logging and optional SQL logging can be enabled independently. The selected display source supplies the measurement log, CSV download and graph. The interval is specified in seconds, zero maximum records means unlimited history, and zero-flow samples can be omitted.
When enabled, the Home display shows the current liters per second followed by the equivalent liters per minute in parentheses and opens the Water Meter overview when selected.
Automation Rules can explicitly use the Water Meter provider action to reset total consumption. The action also resets the current-minute and current-hour counters and runs only when live control actions are enabled in Automation Rules.
The mobile application receives current flow and consumption cards plus bounded flow history from the selected local or SQL source.
The PCF8583 count is read explicitly from registers 0x01 to 0x03. After a setup or measurement failure the I2C bus is closed and initialization is retried automatically; the overview displays the current I2C error instead of silently showing only zero.
Visit for more information
The PCB board for Water Meter (board by pihrt.com)
Without input amplifier and comparator
With input amplifier and comparator
Wiring diagram
Check OSPy → Diagnostics first and remove passwords, tokens, private addresses and other secrets before sharing logs. Report reproducible plug-in problems in the OSPy-plugins issue tracker.