Is there a plug-in meter?

buglawton

Now if you want a really CHEAP method, turn everything in the house off then the one single appliance on. Then measure how long in seconds the wheel on your elec meter takes to go round once. Do the the same again but this time with a 100W bulb as the only item working. Then calculate the power by dividing one time into the other.

Cardew

buglawton wrote:

Now if you want a really CHEAP method, turn everything in the house off then the one single appliance on. Then measure how long in seconds the wheel on your elec meter takes to go round once. Do the the same again but this time with a 100W bulb as the only item working. Then calculate the power by dividing one time into the other.

Given the majority of appliances have a thermostat - your method won't work.

e.g. My fridge & freezer use no electricity for hours at a time until the compressor starts. Washing machine takes 3kW when heater on, but a 90 min cycle uses 0.6 to 0.9kWh instead of the 4.5kWh your calculation would suggest.

The same principle applies to oven, hob, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, immersion heater etc etc.

ariba10

You can have a look at this http://www.!!!!!!/product_info.php?cPath=73&products_id=1194&gclid=CIanjP6_qogCFS9uMAodRi_Rew

Not cheap but it is magic if you want to keep an eye on costs.

buglawton

Cardew wrote:

...The same principle applies to oven, hob, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, immersion heater etc etc.

True, my method is only useful for steady state appliances or maybe to see what standby consumption is.

However all of the above appliances are highly variable anyway in their consumption depending on the wash cycle selected, ambient temperature, temperature of water coming in, how full the fridge is and how oftern the door opened.

-- Per the Maplin gadget spec, "The Kilo watt hours can be measured up to 9999 hours (9999/24=416 days)" --

Princess_kate

I got mine free when I bought my new oil heater, think it cost bout £25 from b&q, but free with my £45 heater, think there were much cheaper things you could get it free with & i saw they still had them yesterday!

TimBuckTeeth

Can get one at Lidl for £6.99 on Monday 13th Nov.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=298574