Where is this all electricity use coming from?

Qyburn

My four have all been fine as well.

KxMx

I had frequent failures with Kasa plugs, since changing to Tapo I've just had the one over quite a long time, which I was eventually able to get working again with multiple resets and reinstalls. 

RavingMad

KxMx said:

I had frequent failures with Kasa plugs, since changing to Tapo I've just had the one over quite a long time, which I was eventually able to get working again with multiple resets and reinstalls. 

Is that reinstalls of the Tapo app or just the plug itself?

Bendo

Maybe I was unlucky and got a bad batch. Will have to have a look at them, they do attempt to switch but just clunk and don't go off. 

A good old thump might unstick them I suppose.

matelodave

We've got a mixture of plain and energy monitoring plugs (10) and a couple of them have packed up (wont switch, so probably the relay - they dont even clunk). In the end they really aren't all that expensive to replace but its a bit irritating.

KxMx

RavingMad said:

KxMx said:

I had frequent failures with Kasa plugs, since changing to Tapo I've just had the one over quite a long time, which I was eventually able to get working again with multiple resets and reinstalls. 

Is that reinstalls of the Tapo app or just the plug itself?

Both the plug app. 

Vitor

A constant 7 kWh/day in empty house suggests at least one significant appliance running unnoticed. The main suspects:

• Quooker left on 24/7 (try switching it off for a week and monitor change).

• Boiler “preheat” or circulation pump running constantly.

• Garage freezer older/inefficient.

• Something wired permanently live (e.g. heated floor or immersion heater).

EssexHebridean

Bendo said:

molerat said:

And for the op's benefit, it is not actually an energy monitor but is a smart plug controllable through an app or other smart devices such as Alexa, it just happens to have energy monitoring as well.  I use mine mainly on a dusk triggered light and "away" lighting.

But dont expect to rely on it as a smart plug. Of the 5 I have, 3 of them have failed and don't switch off anymore.  Just a dull clunk but the relay has obviously failed.

Shame, I'm quite fond of most tapo stuff but these are absolutely rubbish for their primary purpose. 

Interesting reading this as one of my 4 failed last night when I was trying to set it to take advantage of the low electricity pricing overnight - I suddenly realised that it simply wasn't shutting off the supply at all. Having double checked, it looks like it's pretty much exactly 3 years old.

@Alnat1 - the issue Bendo and I have had is a known problem - in some cases a factory reset and reinstall of the plug onto the app does the trick, in others it does not, and it seems to be a hardware failure. 

MattMattMattUK

I have had eight Tapo plugs in total, only one has failed in just under six years and it failed within the first three months, it was replaced free of charge. It was a slightly odd failure as it just kept switching on and off really quickly. It had only ever been used for an LED lamp so never had a power draw over 30w. 

jimjames

MattMattMattUK said:

Baseline of 7kWh when you are not home seems not totally unexpected though, even with just the below and small background usage from other things you are going to hit 7kWh. Once you throw in usage from four people at home when you are there your 20kWh does not seem unreasonable. 
Fridge Freezer A - 1kWh
Fridge Freezer B - 1kWh
Chest Freezer - 2kWh
Router - .25kWh
CCTV - 2kWh

I just checked my Tapo and the American Fridge freezer we have that's 20 years old uses between 1.6kWh and 1.8kWh per day. So multiply that up and it could explain most of the use that's been mentioned