OWL Wireless Energy Monitor - your findings? 13 January 2009 at 10:26AM in Energy 137 replies 27K views

dopester

Please share any OWL Wireless Energy Monitor info / readings you might think are relevant.

I set mine up a week or so ago.. and would like to know how my energy usage compares with others.

>>> I love this device! <<<



Quick info:

The Owl may reveal some startling information about running costs of your 24/7 appliances like fridge/freezers, pond pumps and all those smaller items powered by DC mains adaptors. By making a few small changes to your electricity useage habits you may well find that you can save hundreds of pounds.

It was easy to set up and I'm no electrician. Just put the clasp on to the cable to/out of the meter, plug the feed in to the remote sender, and then pair the devices, and read the digital display for energy usage - but full and proper instructions elsewhere on net and in the box.




It is great so far. I've unplugged two devices I seldom use, which to my surprise were drawing the equivalent of a 60W & 100W light bulb on constant.

At the moment, with a PC and monitor running, DAB radio on, SKY box switched on (but TV switched off), a couple of lights, the fridge/freezer, the Outdoor Motion Sensor Security Lights (but off as daylight and untriggered) - I've got a reading of 0.225 KW.

Occasional small surge in the reading, probably when fridge freezer draws a bit of energy to keep it's chill.

0.225 KW. I wonder how that compares with your basic appliances at home / electricity running drawage?

Then say I put a light on (non-energy saving type).. (single bulb.. 60W I think) it jumps on the OWL wireless energy display to 0.258 KW. Turn that light off.. back to 0.225 KW.

Then.. if I say switch the kettle on... the OWL monitor display jumps from 0.225 KW to a whopping 1.625 KW as it boils. Finished... back to 0.225 KW.

Turn on the electric convector heater for a moment.. jumps on the OWL monitor display from 0.225 KW to a whacking 1.240 KW. Turn off that electric convector heater and back to 0.225 KW.

I can get it lower than 0.225 KW off course... by turning off SKY+ box for example... but was just wondering if 0.225 KW sort of steady throughout the day... not including times when we have TV on, dishwasher on (which I've found doesn't draw much). or washing machine and tumble drier (which I've not yet monitored) compares with others who have the OWL Wireless Energy Monitor.

espresso

dopester wrote: »

It is great so far. I've unplugged two devices I seldom use, which to my surprise were drawing the equivalent of a 60W & 100W light bulb on constant.

So what are these two devices then that draw a constant 60W and 100W?

dopester wrote: »

Then say I put a light on (non-energy saving type).. (single bulb.. 60W I think) it jumps on the OWL wireless energy display to 0.258 KW. Turn that light off.. back to 0.225 KW.

That's rather strange isn't it, I've never seen a 33W light bulb!

dopester

espresso wrote: »

So what are these two devices then that draw a constant 60W and 100W?

That's rather strange isn't it, I've never seen a 33W light bulb!

I don't think the OWL is intended to be totally exact. In fact I only left the light on for a few seconds so maybe it would have reassessed more closely given a few more moments to calculate.

The OWL seems to be more to give an close approximate estimation as a guide to help you ascertain your energy usage - especially to help identify what might be drawing a lot of power.

Those 2 devices? If you must know.. one was the pull-cord thingy we have previously left on constant which allows the shower to be used immediately (I only gave it a quick one-time check with the OWL), and another was a secondary house-hold security system device we have.

1carminestocky

We've found ours very useful indeed...but we have kids and 5 people in our house. For singletons who know their stuff with regard to how much juice each appliance uses I suspect they won't be so useful - and indeed are viewed with unbridled scepticism by some of them. IIRC the lowest reading we ever registered was 0.9p in the early hours of the morning (we always have it showing actual cost and not kwh) we pay approx 10.5p per kwh in leccy and have LOADS of electrical gadgets in the house, including 2 fridge freezers, 2 Sky+s, 2 Freeview recorders, 3 pcs, a ridiculous amount of TVs etc etc.

filmnoir

dopester wrote: »

I don't think the OWL is intended to be totally exact.

Most of these devices are within a 20-30% accuracy. Their aim isnt to be totoally accurate or to save energy, its to draw your attention to roughly how much is going through your applainces so you cut down using them. With the introduction of smart metering, these will become obsolete, however a smart meter isnt going to save energy high level it will show you exactly what your using and ensure your supplier has actual reads.

Woby_Tide

I thought my wife was finally coming round to a money saving way the other day when she said that the Owl was one of the best gadgets I had bought in a while. Finally cracked it I thought

"I can see when the tumble dryer in the garage has finished it's cycle"

Alan_Vickers

Just received my Owl energy monitor yesterday and I am looking forward to seeing how it performs.

For its first day it recorded energy consumtion of 7.6004 kWh compared to 7.1 kWh recorded on the electricity meter. This suggests that it is reading about 7% high for this one day's usage. I read on a website that was comparing different types of energy monitors that the claimed accuracy is +/- 2%.

espresso

filmnoir wrote: »

Most of these devices are within a 20-30% accuracy..........

Well there you have it from a self proclaimed 'industry expert' who has worked in Electricity Distribution, Electricity & Gas Supply, that these devices are far from accurate!

supersaver09

espresso wrote: »

Well there you have it from a self proclaimed 'industry expert' who has worked in Electricity Distribution, Electricity & Gas Supply, that these devices are far from accurate!

Well, i'm due to receive my Owl monitor today.
I've been getting pretty high Elecric bills lately & want to know which appliances are been used too much.

Should be interesting.

Alan_Vickers

The website that I referred to doesn't semm to give the correct information. The manufacturer's instruction book says that for the greater part of its range (i.e. from 3 amps to 71 amps) the accuracy is better than 5%. This range corresponds to 690 W to 16.33 kW for a 230 volt supply.

1carminestocky

filmnoir wrote: »

Most of these devices are within a 20-30% accuracy.

Got a link to the research that concluded this? I would be very interested in reading it.

With the introduction of smart metering, these will become obsolete

With the amount of time that will have elapsed before smart metering is de rigeur, I think it's safe to say that a £35 device isn't going to prove to be a financial white elephant