Measuring current usage

full-time-mum

I saw one of those eco-style programmes on TV a while ago, probably last year. Part of the programme was about helping a particular household become more 'green'.

They had a device which constantly monitored electricity (and possibly) gas usage so you could see at any given moment how much power was being used. At the time, I thought this was a good idea but didn't get around to doing anything about it.

I've had a quick look on amazon and there are a couple of devices that appear to do this. This one doesn't seem to get a fanastic write up, one reviewer saying it is not very sensitive.

What I really want the device for is encouraging the children (and the big kid too) to turn off lights and to stop leaving things on standby.

Does anyone own one of these devices?
Do you think they work/are sensitive enough?
Can you recommend a specific model?

malamute

This is the better of the low cost options more detail here
https://www.electricity-monitor.com/index.php
and
https://www.efergy.com

Some of the energy suppliers are giving these devices away (depends on what tariff your on) check yours!!!!!

Cardew

There have been masses of posts on these - search 'electrisave'.

The problem is they only tell you the consumprion at that instant and are no good for the majority of heavy usage items that have a thermostat/variable consumption.

As for encouraging your kids to switch items off standby, it might be counter productive. They might discover that their TV on standby costs pence a year and, with some justification, think that this whole standby issue is over hyped.

There are far more wasteful issues to address that these devices will not show.

full-time-mum

Cardew wrote: »

As for encouraging your kids to switch items off standby, it might be counter productive. They might discover that their TV on standby costs pence a year and, with some justification, think that this whole standby issue is over hyped.

I hadn't thought about it that way. I'm just sick of the lights blazing in every room and the TV being left on in one room whilst they are watching in another and have the radio on in a third. OH is worst at this with the football on the tv in the lounge, radio on in the kitchen and he is in a third room looking at the teletext!

Spamface_2

I have just installed the OWL:


Some people may be more aware of the electricity usage for all appliances, but I was surprised to find out things like my kitchen lights use up more electiricity than the TV. It may only cost 2.5 pence per hour to leave them on, but it does make you think. There is a big difference between lights with energy saving light bulbs in as well.

The main display on the OWL is the amount of KW you are using. You can also program in your unit cost per kwh, so you can see how much your current usage will cost you an hour. It doesn't produce a running total of cost, though.

I think it is also a good thing to let kids see the difference it makes leaving things on. One light may not make much difference, but if they leave all the upstairs lights on and TV, it all adds up.

I've got a Sky+ box and that automatically goes to standby at 1am if you are not watching it, but I found no difference in usage when I put it on to standby, so it looks like this may be just a gimmicky thing.

It's also useful if you often accidentally leave things on when you go out as once you know the base usage when all the things you don't have to leave on are switched off, you can easily tell if you've left anything on as the usage will be higher. If you're too lazy to go and check if the kettle's boiled, just look at the monitor and when the usage jumps back down, you know it's ready!