Plug-in energy monitor

Spoonie_Turtle

A couple of questions about these; anecdotal experiences most welcome and I'm open to any specific recommendations as well.
(Non-smart though, I just want one that provides a display and I'll make my own notes - which would be required for things like different comparing washing machine cycles anyway even for a smart one, so being able to just write down the readings is necessary.)

1.  The specs on them all have an upper limit, many of them ~2-3kW.  I have literally no idea how much energy appliances are likely to use over a week (fridge, freezer, computer, etc.)  Am I likely to run into problems wanting to monitor constant use for a week, or more, at a time?

2.  Displays seem to vary, I was looking at the Energenie Ener007 but the MkII has reviews saying the display is difficult to read.  Any recommendations for one that's easy to read even at awkward angles?

Spies

3kw would be plenty unless you have a it plugged into a fast boil kettle as they can pull 3.3kw. 

Washing machine typically uses a maximum of 2.2kw instantaneous power,  fridge and freezer can peak to over 1kw for a fraction of a second when the compressor kicks in.


Regarding being able to read it from a funny angle,  see if you can find one that stays in for a few minutes or has a memory when you unplug it,  that way you can olug it back in somewhere easier to read and write your readings down. 

sandy700

Or get a tado p110 smart socket and read your usage on a smart phone or tablet

Spies

sandy700 said:

Or get a tado p110 smart socket and read your usage on a smart phone or tablet

OP specifically said not smart. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Spies said:

3kw would be plenty unless you have a it plugged into a fast boil kettle as they can pull 3.3kw. 

Washing machine typically uses a maximum of 2.2kw instantaneous power,  fridge and freezer can peak to over 1kw for a fraction of a second when the compressor kicks in.


Regarding being able to read it from a funny angle,  see if you can find one that stays in for a few minutes or has a memory when you unplug it,  that way you can olug it back in somewhere easier to read and write your readings down. 

That's a good shout, thanks. 

I'll check what our kettle says but it doesn't seem to be especially fast.  It's not ridiculously slow either, just … average, I'd say.

sandy700 said:

Or get a tado p110 smart socket and read your usage on a smart phone or tablet

Thanks for the suggestion, it was actually the first one I looked at seeing it recommended on another thread, but non-smart would be best by far.  It needs to be readable by anyone in the family so they can see the numbers if/whenever they look at it, not sent to someone's phone and then having to be shared.

dogshome

Solved the problem of reading a Watt meter at odd angles by using a short extension lead plugged into the socket

Mstty

The Tapo app and device can be shared with any smart phone so everyone has the details to their fingertips.

xeny

I'm not sure I see the point of measuring kettles - they need to use a certain amount of energy to heat the water. You'd have to go out of your way to make an inefficient one - what could you do other than have a large metal base as an intentional heat sink.

I'm also maybe missing the benefit of the tapo and similar - For a continuous use device I plug a watt meter in, and read power, and that device is "measured". If it is an intermittent device like a freezer, then I read energy say a day or a week later depending on how intermittent it is. I then move the meter to a new victim to measure its consumption.

I'm interacting with the meter directly anyway, so I'd rather have the display on it directly, and I say this as an IT person with a stack of smart plugs, including two with monitoring and an old style plug in and read it meter.

TheGardener

Wouldn't it be nice if manufacturers gave this specific information in their product details so we didn't need tapos - something I think customers would really like to see now. I tried to work out a programme comparison on my integrated dishwasher as the plug is inaccessible and was told the 'eco' mode was based on performance, water use and energy rather than just straight power use but they couldn't/wouldn't tell me actual consumption. 

k_man

@Spoonie_Turtle
In the meantime, if you aren't already, it would be worth taking daily meter readings, to get a view of the big picture.
You may also find once everyone in the household knows you are looking at usage, it drops anyway!

xeny said:

I'm not sure I see the point of measuring kettles - they need to use a certain amount of energy to heat the water. You'd have to go out of your way to make an inefficient one - what could you do other than have a large metal base as an intentional heat sink.

I'm also maybe missing the benefit of the tapo and similar - For a continuous use device I plug a watt meter in, and read power, and that device is "measured". If it is an intermittent device like a freezer, then I read energy say a day or a week later depending on how intermittent it is. I then move the meter to a new victim to measure its consumption.

I'm interacting with the meter directly anyway, so I'd rather have the display on it directly, and I say this as an IT person with a stack of smart plugs, including two with monitoring and an old style plug in and read it meter.

The Tapo can be used in the same way, but by opening an app, rather than looking at the meter. So no obvious major downside.

But has the benefits:
Cheaper than most devices with displays

Has an app

Has graphs

Can be viewed from the sofa

Can also be used as a smart plug

Multiple members of the household can access the data, from their mobile devices, potentially gamifying* saving energy (could be good for encouraging kids)

Possible downsides

Display devices may have more options

Display devices can be seen right there, without an app (unless it's behind something)

Regarding measuring the kettle usage (assuming the monitor is suitably rated). It may encourage better behaviour/usage patterns, e.g. putting less water in, not boiling in advance, then reboiling
Or may identify the latter uses hardly any extra.

*Could inadvertently lead to gamifying turning off (or on) other family member's devices too 😮

pochase

xeny said:

I'm not sure I see the point of measuring kettles - they need to use a certain amount of energy to heat the water. You'd have to go out of your way to make an inefficient one - what could you do other than have a large metal base as an intentional heat sink.

I'm also maybe missing the benefit of the tapo and similar - For a continuous use device I plug a watt meter in, and read power, and that device is "measured". If it is an intermittent device like a freezer, then I read energy say a day or a week later depending on how intermittent it is. I then move the meter to a new victim to measure its consumption.

I'm interacting with the meter directly anyway, so I'd rather have the display on it directly, and I say this as an IT person with a stack of smart plugs, including two with monitoring and an old style plug in and read it meter.

You are missing two points here.

1. When you buy the Tapo when it is on offer (which happens regular) you pay with £10 less than with most of the other meters.
2. If the P110 is not used as meter it doubles as a smart plug, so it has a second life. The normal smart plug is £8 on offer, so you buy the smart meter functionality for something like £2 if you plan on using smart plugs in the log run.