# Using binary inputs for water or electricity metering **URL:** \ **Category:** TOWER\ **Created:** [May 1, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://forum.hardwario.com/t/using-binary-inputs-for-water-or-electricity-metering/572 "2020-05-01T13:42:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![glomerata](https://forum.hardwario.com/user_avatar/forum.hardwario.com/glomerata/32/464_2.png) [@glomerata](https://forum.hardwario.com/u/glomerata)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://forum.hardwario.com/t/using-binary-inputs-for-water-or-electricity-metering/572/1 "2020-05-01T13:42:24Z")
Hello, I would like to use binary inputs at the Sensor module ([Sensor Module - HARDWARIO Shop](https://shop.hardwario.com/sensor-module/)) for monitoring devices such as water meters, electricity meters, or 🌧 rain gauge at a weather station. Could you please give a hint or publish any successful project using a sensor module for water or electricity metering (analog binary input)? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![hub.martin](https://forum.hardwario.com/user_avatar/forum.hardwario.com/hub.martin/32/631_2.png) [@hub.martin](https://forum.hardwario.com/u/hub.martin)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://forum.hardwario.com/t/using-binary-inputs-for-water-or-electricity-metering/572/2 "2020-05-04T16:05:02Z")
Hi, you can use pulse counter firmware. On channel A it is counting pulses and sending value every few minutes. Channel B acts differently - as a normal button AFAIK. > **[bigclownlabs/bcf-radio-pulse-counter](https://github.com/bigclownlabs/bcf-radio-pulse-counter)** > > Contribute to bigclownlabs/bcf-radio-pulse-counter development by creating an account on GitHub. This firmware is already in the Playground. I used and tested this firmware few days ago to test my new utility meter and works fine. You can extend the code so all three channels A, B and C (check the solder jumper in dev docs) could count pulses from any contact/S0 utility meter. ---
**Author:** ![hub.martin](https://forum.hardwario.com/user_avatar/forum.hardwario.com/hub.martin/32/631_2.png) [@hub.martin](https://forum.hardwario.com/u/hub.martin)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2020, 12:24pm UTC](https://forum.hardwario.com/t/using-binary-inputs-for-water-or-electricity-metering/572/3 "2020-05-25T12:24:07Z")
Hello to Hostětín 🙂 we have some tips in this Twitter thread so you can follow some ideas. > ---
**Author:** ![glomerata](https://forum.hardwario.com/user_avatar/forum.hardwario.com/glomerata/32/464_2.png) [@glomerata](https://forum.hardwario.com/u/glomerata)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 6:23am UTC](https://forum.hardwario.com/t/using-binary-inputs-for-water-or-electricity-metering/572/4 "2021-08-03T06:23:07Z")
Hi, I followed instructions described at [https://www.hackster.io/jakub-smejkal/hardwario-pulse-counter-15ce72](https://www.hackster.io/jakub-smejkal/hardwario-pulse-counter-15ce72) This step-by-step manual help me to set the kit, but I would appreciate more detailed information about: - how to connect cables from sensor (in my case from water meter) to Sensor module? It is written to connect in A and B channels of the module, but there is also a wire connected in the GND slot. Thus, can I ask you to draw a wiring diagram? - what are differences between pulse on channel A and channel B? What are the appropriate time periods of wire connection to register a pulse? How to publish a pulse imediatelly - same as push button behavior - and not to wait for REPORT\_INTERVAL? see [https://github.com/hardwario/twr-radio-pulse-counter/blob/master/src/application.c](https://github.com/hardwario/twr-radio-pulse-counter/blob/master/src/application.c) - is there any limit for maximum count of pulses registered within a one second? Thanx for an advice! ---
**Author:** ![smejkalJakub](https://forum.hardwario.com/user_avatar/forum.hardwario.com/smejkaljakub/32/643_2.png) [@smejkalJakub](https://forum.hardwario.com/u/smejkalJakub)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 10:47am UTC](https://forum.hardwario.com/t/using-binary-inputs-for-water-or-electricity-metering/572/5 "2021-08-06T10:47:08Z")
Hi, In this project and firmware, there are two things connected to the Sensor module. To the channel B there is a button connected, in this case a magnetic sensor, against the ground. To channel A, there is a counter connected. The firmware gets the values from the pulse counter(channel A) and sends them over the radio with a topic /pulse-counter/a/count. The button on channel B is detected and send over in case of an event. You can send pulse in the body of condition if(event == TWR\_PULSE\_COUNTER\_EVENT\_UPDATE) on line 94 in the firmware, just put twr\_scheduler\_plan\_now(0) there. But we do not advise this because in the case of for example electricity meter with 1kwh you would get like 10000 messages(pulses), for these reasons we put the REPORT\_INTERVAL there. You can probably find number of pulses, kwh, or cubic meters on the device. There is a limit in sending over the radio. Pulses should be detected without a problem. Hope this helps.