Why doesn't this exist?

theoretica

Reading all the many posts about people trying to track down electrical use - or keep one specific cost such as electric showers or gaming PCs in check.  Surely it would be technologically possible to make a consumer unit or add on where each individual circuit had a separate meter reading and could even be set to shut down after a specific time or power draw?  Whether off overnight or shutting down after a 5 minute electric shower draw...  This might be most use on newbuilds which could be wired so the fridge and gaming PC were not on the same circuit...  Or set to a specific daily spend the user wanted to keep within. I guess it would need expensive certification, (or a bit of ingenuity to avoid needing that) and be an expensive thing to sell to people trying to save money.  But it seems it would help towards a real problem.

[Deleted User]

It does in several forms.  I'm not sure most people would want to (or afford) retrofit something which would effectively be industrial automation inside their meter cupboard.

Easier to do with plug-through devices at each socket, controlled from alexa/google hub/any of the other apps.  You could even integrate with IFTTT for exactly the functions you suggest - If power has been drawn for more than 5 minutes, then turn off the socket etc.

pochase

I am a fan of gadgets, I could afford it, and I would not buy it.

It is much to restrictive, and I know what I use for what anyway. You could avoid a few of the typical problems in a new build, but the normal three bedroom home will have 1 or 2 circuits for sockets. So do you want to do an expensive rewire or how do you want to resolve it?

I would love it if in the middle of a PS5 game a system just decides to switch off my console.

[Deleted User]

https://solution.tuya.com/projects/CMa4sdudso0x8n - an example of the things for the consumer unit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BroadLink-Version-Compatible-Required-Anywhere/dp/B08LK2M6D6/ - a plug version (many others are available, this was just the first I found - don't treat as a recommendation)

MWT

theoretica said:

Reading all the many posts about people trying to track down electrical use - or keep one specific cost such as electric showers or gaming PCs in check.  Surely it would be technologically possible to make a consumer unit or add on where each individual circuit had a separate meter reading and could even be set to shut down after a specific time or power draw? 

It exists in the USA as a replacement for the equivalent of the consumer unit...

https://www.span.io/panel

Norman_Castle

Education and personal responsibility is simpler.

theoretica

Of course such things aren't needed by the people who get on fine without them - but it seems they could be a very valuable option for those where current methods aren't working and who are really fearful their energy bill - and trying to control teenagers' use or other cases where a plug might simply be bypassed unless hardwired in.  Rather than the capabilities of a smart meter only working for the energy company, taking some of those similar capabilities and making them work for the user. Just as some people can manage a financial budget better than others, and some people value the enforcement of an account that will not let them go overdrawn.

pochase

In theory I agree with you here.

I have just one concern. To use a device like this you will need to program it. Don't you need to know exactly what you need to do to save money to do the programming?

The only people left would be the people who know exactly what they would need to do, but they need to be forced to do the saving.