How do I add an external meter for energy management in the Hub?

Updated 3 November 2026

For: Operators (CPOs) and installers who connect a meter to a node at an energy-managed location

This article lists the steps to add, check, move and remove an external meter in the Hub. A meter lets energy management account for the other load in the building. It does not explain the concepts. For what a meter does to the limits of a node, see How does energy management work in the Hub?

Where do I find the meters of a location?

  1. Go to CPO / Network → Energy management → Locations.
  2. Open the location.
  3. Select Setup, then Meters.

The table shows Meter identity, Type, Node, Last values and Last measurement. If the location has no meter, the table shows "No meters attached to this location."

How do I add a meter?

A node can hold only one meter. Nodes that already have a meter show "(has meter)" and you cannot select them.

  1. Open the location and go to Setup → Meters.
  2. Select Add meter. The top node is already selected if it has no meter yet.
  3. In Node, select the node for the meter.
  4. In Meter type, select Generic MQTT, ABB Modbus, Perific or Shelly (MQTT). Generic MQTT is the default.
  5. Enter the meter details for the type. See the next section.
  6. Select Add meter.

You can also add a meter from the topology. Go to Topology, select ⋮ on the node, and select Add meter. That node is already selected in the Add external meter dialog.

What do I enter for each meter type?

  • Generic MQTT: The Meter UUID is filled in for you. Select Copy meter UUID to copy it for your MQTT client. Select Generate new UUID to create a different one.
  • ABB Modbus: Select the EVSE in Meter identifier with Select EVSE.
  • Perific: The Meter identifier is filled in for you. Use it in the Perific app to configure your meter.
  • Shelly (MQTT): Enter the device ID of the Shelly device in Meter identifier. This is the MQTT topic prefix of the device. For example, shelly3em63g3-e4b063f30e74.

For Perific, the identifier can contain only letters, numbers and dashes.

How do I get broker credentials for a Monta MQTT or Shelly meter?

Broker credentials

Broker credentials come from Monta. Contact your Monta representative or support. The credentials are not created when you add the meter.

You need broker credentials for the Generic MQTT and Shelly (MQTT) meter types only.

How do I connect a Monta MQTT device?

  1. Add the meter with the type Generic MQTT. See How do I add a meter?
  2. Copy the meter UUID.
  3. Get your broker credentials. See How do I get broker credentials for a Monta MQTT or Shelly meter?
  4. Set your device or gateway to publish JSON messages to the Monta MQTT broker.

Use these settings:

  • Broker: ssl://mqtt.monta.app:8883
  • Topic: meter/monta/{meter UUID}

Use this JSON payload format:

{
  "meterUuid": "{meter UUID}",
  "meterValues": {
    "currentL1A": 10.5,
    "currentL2A": 11.2,
    "currentL3A": 9.8,
    "voltageL1V": 230.0,
    "voltageL2V": 231.0,
    "voltageL3V": 229.5,
    "powerL1W": 2415.0,
    "powerL2W": 2587.2,
    "powerL3W": 2249.1,
    "powerW": 7251.3
  }
}

All fields in meterValues are optional. Include at least the current or the power per phase for accurate load balancing.

The Add external meter dialog shows the same settings as the MQTT connection guide. If a Monta MQTT meter sends no data, the Hub shows the guide again on the node.

How do I set up a Shelly Pro 3EM?

  1. Add the meter with the type Shelly (MQTT). Enter the device ID of the Shelly in Meter identifier. See How do I add a meter?
  2. Get your broker credentials. See How do I get broker credentials for a Monta MQTT or Shelly meter?
  3. In the Shelly web interface or app, open Settings → MQTT.
  4. Enable MQTT. Set the server to mqtt.monta.app:8883 and enable SSL/TLS.
  5. Enter the username and password from Monta.
  6. Set the MQTT prefix of the device to the identifier you entered in the Hub.
  7. Enable RPC status notifications over MQTT. The device publishes its energy meter status only when this is on.

Monta reads the status from the topic {topic prefix}/status/em:0.

How do I check that data arrives?

  1. Go to Setup → Meters.
  2. Check Last values and Last measurement for the meter. "No data" means nothing has arrived yet.
  3. Go to Details and select the node. Check the External meter card.
  4. Go to Topology. A node with a meter shows "External meter attached".

If a Perific or Viocon meter sends no data, the card shows "Meter not receiving data". If a Monta MQTT meter sends no data, the card shows the MQTT meter — connection guide with the broker, topic and payload. For a meter that stays offline or sits on the wrong node, see How do I troubleshoot energy management in the Hub? To read the live values of a meter, see How do I monitor an energy-managed location in the Hub?

How do I move a meter to another node?

  1. Go to Setup → Meters, select ⋮ on the meter, and select Move meter. Or go to Topology, select ⋮ on the node, and select Move meter.
  2. Select the new node. You cannot select nodes that already have a meter.
  3. Select Move.

The meter keeps its settings. If every other node at the location already has a meter, the Hub tells you so and you cannot move the meter.

How do I remove a meter?

  1. Select ⋮ on the meter, or on the node in the topology.
  2. Select Remove meter.
  3. Select Remove meter to confirm.

Removing a meter detaches it from the node. You cannot undo this action.

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