Home power useage monitors
Discussion
I recently acquired one of those home power usage monitor jobbies which measures watts/KWh,CO2,cost etc).
It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
The new electricity meters installed here in New Zealand show the power draw.
Lots of stuff on standby can use a fair amount of power: computers, telly, phone chargers, printers, phones, modem, microwave.
One of my meters usually only supplies a modem and analogue telephone adaptor, uses 300w a day.
Lots of stuff on standby can use a fair amount of power: computers, telly, phone chargers, printers, phones, modem, microwave.
One of my meters usually only supplies a modem and analogue telephone adaptor, uses 300w a day.
I have a current cost ENVI meter - which you can hook up to your PC.
I also bought a copy of Techtoniq Energy station which allows you in theory to work out your economy7 useage etc. Unfortunately the software has several significant bugs (Economy 7 calculation completely broken, database not saved if you dont close the software down properly). Despite many people asking for fixes the author has clearly lost interest in the software and seems happy for people to purchase software that doesn't do all that it says on the box - which is a pitty as it seemed pretty good initially.
I also bought a copy of Techtoniq Energy station which allows you in theory to work out your economy7 useage etc. Unfortunately the software has several significant bugs (Economy 7 calculation completely broken, database not saved if you dont close the software down properly). Despite many people asking for fixes the author has clearly lost interest in the software and seems happy for people to purchase software that doesn't do all that it says on the box - which is a pitty as it seemed pretty good initially.
I was surprised how much a Dyson uses!! More than a lawn mower. I used if for a week, it was interesting to see what uses what but it's now off & in the bottom of a drawer. Some people are wastefull (lights left on etc), our bills are half of what most people seem to use & someone is home all day every day.
I got the free one from British Gas, and with real effort can get the idling consumption down to about 60w when neither fridge nor freezer are kicked in. To get it lower needs us to turn stuff off that is a PITA to do on a regular basis.
One day I turned everything on and got it up to about 20 something kW, but not for long.
I expected the big power user to be an electric shower that we have in a teenager's bathroon, and it does draw a big current. The thing which consistently uses most kwh though is the tumble dryer, no question about it.
The meter allows you to set readings in kw / kwh or £.p in which case you have to programme in the rate you pay the supplier, or g/kg of CO2
we never have it set on that one. 
It allows you to see what you've used today midnight to midnight, last 7 days, last 30 days.
to be honest I'm glad I did't pay for it. Interesting going round and swiching stuff off to reduce your idling consumption, turned out we were already quite low, and interesting to determine the big power users, but you can do that by reading the label on the back of whatever it is.
But once that is done, pointless imo and would not spend my own money to get one, but then I was born in Yorkshire.
HTH
One day I turned everything on and got it up to about 20 something kW, but not for long.
I expected the big power user to be an electric shower that we have in a teenager's bathroon, and it does draw a big current. The thing which consistently uses most kwh though is the tumble dryer, no question about it.
The meter allows you to set readings in kw / kwh or £.p in which case you have to programme in the rate you pay the supplier, or g/kg of CO2
we never have it set on that one. It allows you to see what you've used today midnight to midnight, last 7 days, last 30 days.
to be honest I'm glad I did't pay for it. Interesting going round and swiching stuff off to reduce your idling consumption, turned out we were already quite low, and interesting to determine the big power users, but you can do that by reading the label on the back of whatever it is.
But once that is done, pointless imo and would not spend my own money to get one, but then I was born in Yorkshire.
HTH
eliot said:
I have a current cost ENVI meter - which you can hook up to your PC.
I also bought a copy of Techtoniq Energy station which allows you in theory to work out your economy7 useage etc. Unfortunately the software has several significant bugs (Economy 7 calculation completely broken, database not saved if you dont close the software down properly). Despite many people asking for fixes the author has clearly lost interest in the software and seems happy for people to purchase software that doesn't do all that it says on the box - which is a pitty as it seemed pretty good initially.
Doesn't the Current Cost one log the data which you can export to an Excel file?I also bought a copy of Techtoniq Energy station which allows you in theory to work out your economy7 useage etc. Unfortunately the software has several significant bugs (Economy 7 calculation completely broken, database not saved if you dont close the software down properly). Despite many people asking for fixes the author has clearly lost interest in the software and seems happy for people to purchase software that doesn't do all that it says on the box - which is a pitty as it seemed pretty good initially.
Smiler. said:
eliot said:
I have a current cost ENVI meter - which you can hook up to your PC.
I also bought a copy of Techtoniq Energy station which allows you in theory to work out your economy7 useage etc. Unfortunately the software has several significant bugs (Economy 7 calculation completely broken, database not saved if you dont close the software down properly). Despite many people asking for fixes the author has clearly lost interest in the software and seems happy for people to purchase software that doesn't do all that it says on the box - which is a pitty as it seemed pretty good initially.
Doesn't the Current Cost one log the data which you can export to an Excel file?I also bought a copy of Techtoniq Energy station which allows you in theory to work out your economy7 useage etc. Unfortunately the software has several significant bugs (Economy 7 calculation completely broken, database not saved if you dont close the software down properly). Despite many people asking for fixes the author has clearly lost interest in the software and seems happy for people to purchase software that doesn't do all that it says on the box - which is a pitty as it seemed pretty good initially.
The techtonqiq software will collect minute by minute data and put it into a database which you can export into excel. The problem is that you need to have the thing connected 24x7 to collect the minute by minute data and if the program or PC stops unexpectedly you loose all the min by min data. You can periodically close the program, which will close and write out the data - which is what I do.
I'm trying to write an excel macro to do the cost analysis function thats broken in techtoniq. As I'm trying to ensure that I consume enough overnight electricity to justify the premium you pay during the day for being on economy7. (Especially as I now have a hot-tub which chugs loads of power)
king hell, do Dyson make diesel vacuums now?!Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
I recently acquired one of those home power usage monitor jobbies which measures watts/KWh,CO2,cost etc).
It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
Just bought one. It arrived yesterday and was very easy to fit. A strap goes over the red wire from the meter (just clips on and does not penetrate the plastic shielding), this plugs into a battery powered wireless sender which pings the information to the portable meter/display.It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
The reason I got one is because we had a 3 day power cut last winter (we're a bit off the beaten track) and so I bought a 4kw petrol generator.... I need to see what we're consuming and if the generator would cope. With usual lights, TV, computer, central heating, oil Aga, fridges and freezer, we're about .5kw to 1.2kw - so we can survive!!
However, put the kettle on and it's all over. Amazed how much power that uses.
NDA said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
I recently acquired one of those home power usage monitor jobbies which measures watts/KWh,CO2,cost etc).
It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
Just bought one. It arrived yesterday and was very easy to fit. A strap goes over the red wire from the meter (just clips on and does not penetrate the plastic shielding), this plugs into a battery powered wireless sender which pings the information to the portable meter/display.It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
The reason I got one is because we had a 3 day power cut last winter (we're a bit off the beaten track) and so I bought a 4kw petrol generator.... I need to see what we're consuming and if the generator would cope. With usual lights, TV, computer, central heating, oil Aga, fridges and freezer, we're about .5kw to 1.2kw - so we can survive!!
However, put the kettle on and it's all over. Amazed how much power that uses.
Munter said:
NDA said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
I recently acquired one of those home power usage monitor jobbies which measures watts/KWh,CO2,cost etc).
It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
Just bought one. It arrived yesterday and was very easy to fit. A strap goes over the red wire from the meter (just clips on and does not penetrate the plastic shielding), this plugs into a battery powered wireless sender which pings the information to the portable meter/display.It's quite interesting to see how much power the house uses.
Typically, at night we're using around 150 watts (must find out what is using all that power when everything is apparently switched off), in the evening around 400 (lights, TV etc). When the electric oven is on it sits around 2500-3000 watts.
Anyone else got one?
The reason I got one is because we had a 3 day power cut last winter (we're a bit off the beaten track) and so I bought a 4kw petrol generator.... I need to see what we're consuming and if the generator would cope. With usual lights, TV, computer, central heating, oil Aga, fridges and freezer, we're about .5kw to 1.2kw - so we can survive!!
However, put the kettle on and it's all over. Amazed how much power that uses.
I'm a bit worried about plasma TV's, not that they use much power, but that they might need something more steady than a generator. I wouldn't want to damage them.....
We've got an Alertme system that allows remote switching on and switching off of power sockets but also monitoring of individual sockets. When we first got it, it was a real eye opener seeing what different appliances use.
As an example, I have an amplifier that I used to leave in stand by mode so it was ready for me to stream music to it at any time. Turns out that was costing me £150 per year. Similar with our LCD TV's, consoles etc on standby. The fridge, freezer, shower and kettles use a lot of power too but they're a little more essential than having a little red LED switched on all day.
One of the nice things about this particular system is that the occupants of the house both have a key fob so when everybody is out, all the non-essential stuff is automatically turned off. I reckon our electricity bills have nearly halved since we got the system. We've also got the option of hooking it all up to the heating thermostat as well but haven't quite got round to it yet.
As an example, I have an amplifier that I used to leave in stand by mode so it was ready for me to stream music to it at any time. Turns out that was costing me £150 per year. Similar with our LCD TV's, consoles etc on standby. The fridge, freezer, shower and kettles use a lot of power too but they're a little more essential than having a little red LED switched on all day.
One of the nice things about this particular system is that the occupants of the house both have a key fob so when everybody is out, all the non-essential stuff is automatically turned off. I reckon our electricity bills have nearly halved since we got the system. We've also got the option of hooking it all up to the heating thermostat as well but haven't quite got round to it yet.
NDA said:
Gad-Westy said:
As an example, I have an amplifier that I used to leave in stand by mode so it was ready for me to stream music to it at any time. Turns out that was costing me £150 per year.
A spooky 'snap'. I've just done exactly the same thing (turned off a couple of power amps).
Bit of an eye opener isn't it. I must admit I thought we save a quid or two here and there by being a little more aware of leaving stuff running but I think we could end up saving £ hundreds.NDA said:
Gad-Westy said:
As an example, I have an amplifier that I used to leave in stand by mode so it was ready for me to stream music to it at any time. Turns out that was costing me £150 per year.
A spooky 'snap'. I've just done exactly the same thing (turned off a couple of power amps).
My house pulls about 280watts in total, which inlcludes a PC and UPS running 24x7
eliot said:
NDA said:
Gad-Westy said:
As an example, I have an amplifier that I used to leave in stand by mode so it was ready for me to stream music to it at any time. Turns out that was costing me £150 per year.
A spooky 'snap'. I've just done exactly the same thing (turned off a couple of power amps).
My house pulls about 280watts in total, which inlcludes a PC and UPS running 24x7
God. I sound so green. I'm so not!
However, I've turned them off.
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