Saving electricity with an OWL

1carminestocky

http://www.theowl.com/

AdrianHi

espresso wrote: »

What is the VA rating in this charger?

It's not shown, but because I know Power in watts = volts x amps (VA) I can multiply 180mA or 0.18A x 240V = 43.2W or 43.2VA
or if you want to use 230V as the OWL instructions say and is set to it's 41.4W

markbloke

DGJsaver wrote: »

Whats the `official` name for this product ?

The generic name for this and similar products (efergy, wattson etc.) is a "smart meter". Allegedly the industry is to be forced by legislation into providing these to customers free at some unspecified future date. They're putting up a bit of resistance to this, which is understandable I suppose. It's rather like asking chip-shops to give away bathroom scales.

espresso

markbloke wrote: »

The generic name for this and similar products (efergy, wattson etc.) is a "smart meter". Allegedly the industry is to be forced by legislation into providing these to customers free at some unspecified future date. They're putting up a bit of resistance to this, which is understandable I suppose. It's rather like asking chip-shops to give away bathroom scales.

Sorry but you are wrong about that.

Smart meters are the next generation of electricity and gas meters.
They will bring about the end of estimated bills and meter readings, and provide customers and energy suppliers with accurate information on the amount of electricity and gas being used.

Smart meters will empower customers to make choices on how much energy they use. Suppliers will install two-way communication systems that display accurate real-time information on energy use in the home to the consumer and back to the energy supplier.

see here for more info. The OWL, Efergy units are much simpler, less accurate energy monitors for obsessive penny pinching display watchers.

:rolleyes:

markbloke

The efergy et al (et owl?) are frequently described as "smart meters" even if that might not be the original definition of the term. I do apologise though, I'm probably too busy obsessively watching my display to be an utter pedant.

brightonman123

or, you could just SWITCH OFF things when not in use.

1carminestocky

brightonman123 wrote: »

or, you could just SWITCH OFF things when not in use.

Of course you could! But it is of course never quite that simple in the real world. A 'user' review of this product on Amazon (again by someone who hasn't used one) agreed with you, but I thought the reply it got was very valid. I reproduce below the exchange:

Is it really necessary for people to invest in such an expensive piece of kit in order to take control of their electricity consumption? Instead of looking at an Owl meter why not just wander around your house and room by room just switch of any lights and appliances that you are not using?

This is not really a review of the device at all. Do you actually own one of these and hence are you in a position to review it? Anyway, it's not quite as simple as going around switching off unused devices. Firstly, there are devices which are not readily accessible to switch off, such as your doorbell transformer, shaver socket transformer, wired smoke alarms, boiler, house alarm, etc, and this device will show you how much electricity your house is still using even after you think you've switched everything off and allow you to trace the culprits. Secondly, there are some devices that consume a surprising amount of electricity which you might not normally consider switching off. A good example of this was my kettle which has a single blue light in it. Even when not boiling it uses 60W of power (the same as a non-energy saving light-bulb), and some people would not normally consider switching off their kettle at the wall after use as to them when it's not heating water it's off. Thirdly there are devices that you would usually keep switched on for convenience for various reasons, such as your microwave so you don't have to reset the clock, or your broadband router so you can use the internet whenever you want, and this device gives you information to better judge if the cost is actually worth the convenience or not. Fourthly, there are devices you would probably leave switched on all of the time, such as your freezer, fish tank pump, cordless phone base stations, etc, and this device will make you much more aware of the electrical cost of these things allowing you to make better purchasing decisions in the future. Finally, the device displays the data in a variety of formats which are much more helpful and meaningful to some people. For some people knowing the number of Amps or Watts your house is consuming doesn't mean much, but this device also displays information such as the actual cost in pence per hour (i.e. real personal financial losses), or the amount of carbon you're producing (real environmental impact).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3FG9M1OWEBLWW/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000XT1RM8&nodeID=560798#wasThisHelpful

PS The lowest reading I have ever seen on my Owl was 1.7p per hour (I've set my kw per hour figure at 12.5p, a little higher than I actually pay (at the moment, of course!). We have 2 fridge freezers, and 2 Sky+s which may account for a lot of that.

[Deleted User]

I too have noticed how some posters have been shouted down by a couple of `know it alls`. The op has given a very clear breakdown of usage and how to use an invaluable money-saving device.

I use a simple plug-in meter and have input my local cost at 12.72p/kwh. It has made a very big difference ref my use of various appliances. I was pretty good previously but I have been able to fine tune lots of things. By the way these meters are accurate. I am well able to work out costings myself but the meter takes varying wattages into account while eg cooking a meal

spiro

markbloke wrote: »

The generic name for this and similar products (efergy, wattson etc.) is a "smart meter". Allegedly the industry is to be forced by legislation into providing these to customers free at some unspecified future date. They're putting up a bit of resistance to this, which is understandable I suppose. It's rather like asking chip-shops to give away bathroom scales.

These are nothing like the smart meters the government want to try and get installed in every house in the UK (gas & elec) like they have for elec in Italy. Some of the things these smart meters will do if and when they are introduced are: (a) automatic meter reading (no more man in a van), (b) be able to be remotely changed from credit ro prepayment operation, (c) remotely disconnected (power/gas cut off). In addition to the smart meter the government is also looking at 'comsumer display units' being provide which means you be able to see things like how much power us are using with having to crawl under the stairs to see the meter. Hope that clarifes the difference.

markbloke

If the government has changed its mind, or even made its mind up then they haven't made it very clear. That's par for the course though.

26th October 2007: "The government was today accused of hindering the widespread adoption of smart meters and imposing unnecessary costs upon energy companies through its plans for the rollout of simpler clip-on electricity monitors."

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2202128/government-urged-scrap-clip

The Owl, Efergy and other systems are more accurately a "real time display" component of a complete "Smart meter" system but language has a way of evolving. The lack of true smart meters has resulted in people buying these partial solutions and they are rapidly becoming known as "smart meters" themselves. Most retailers refer to them as smart meters so I'm afraid real smart meters will have to be called "Full smart meters" or something when and if they eventually turn up. Hopefully that will clarify the difference.