Electricity monitor

twenty8

Was thinking of buying one of those wireless electricity monitors. I see that Argos is selling one for €80.

Anyone know if they are any good or if they are worth it at all?

DublinDilbert

twenty8 wrote: »

Was thinking of buying one of those wireless electricity monitors. I see that Argos is selling one for €80.

Anyone know if they are any good or if they are worth it at all?

if its the plug in type your able to get them in maplin much cheaper than that... I think they are normally around €40 but they have them on special a good bit for around €20....

http://info.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=38343&DOY=16m4&tabs=n

From what i've heard they are quite handy...

10-10-20

I'd recommend the Maplin one.
I have it and it's great.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=38343&doy=21m4

It's on special every other week...

Here's the other one...
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=223573&doy=21m4
and another one...
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=220934&source=1&C=Maplin&U=HomeBasketFillers&T=220934&DOY=21m4

Jasus... and another one...
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=220691&doy=21m4

Oilrig

I thought that the Govt were sorting everyone with some kind of monitors, or did I misunderstand?

twenty8

No - this one goes into your esb board and tells you everything that you are using in the house. Looking to see exactly where my electricity is going. Getting big bills and also have a geothermal heating system.

http://argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500001101&productId=1500203367&Trail=C%24cip%3D1500012378.Garden%2C%2BDIY%2Band%2Bleisure%3EC%24cip%3D1500012392.DIY%2Btools%2Band%2Bequipment%3EC%24cip%3D1500012397.Leads%2Band%2Bsockets&categoryId=1500012397&clickfrom=name

Oilrig

Snake oil IMHO, monitoring your meter reading will tell you the same info as this device.

To have a device that tells you what circuit is consuming what etc would be a complicated installation.

RoundyMooney

Indeed. There's a quite accurate monitor in your meter cabinet, but the financial cost is either nil, or prohibitive, depending on how you look at it

I haven't seen these monitors, but if they gave consumption over a specific time, then they may be of help in assessing where your kilowatt hours are going.

KoNiT

saw that monitor in http://www.rte.ie/tv/wasters/index.html

http://www.theowl.com/faq.php

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500001101&productId=1500203367&Trail=C%24cip%3D1500012378.Garden%2C%2BDIY%2Band%2Bleisure%3EC%24cip%3D1500012392.DIY%2Btools%2Band%2Bequipment%3EC%24PROMOTION%3D1.Latest%2BPrice%2BCuts%2B&categoryId=1500012392&clickfrom=link

argos new price 59.99..

BigglesMcGee

twenty8 wrote: »

Getting big bills and also have a geothermal heating system.

That would be the 11KW heater that supplements your Geo

My plumber friend tells me not to get geo. Says if i dont believe hime that i should just look at someones ESB bill who has it.

I got one of those Owls. They're not 100% accurate but are good enough to let you know roughly how much electricity is going through the line at any given time. Eg switch off tv it drops by 200 watts. switch on 40W light bulb it actually goes up by 40Watts. Im glad i bought it. By process of elimination you can see what uses what and how much it costs to run.

Access

I totally agree with BigglesMcGee,

I have an electricity monitor now for the past 2 years, (its the exact same as the owl - literally! - same case design and all - but called a "Electrisave") and at the time it was €125!

But i reckon it has paid for itself, it makes you realize how much power is being wasted by leaving lights on etc. and i find myself more aware of turning lights and appliances off when not in use.

I was reported the first time the meter reader saw my transmitter for the electrisave monitor in my esb meter box and had to explain to the esb tech who called out a few days later to investigate, what the item was.

In the end, he thought it was a great idea and told me off the record that it was okay to leave transmitter clamp clamped around the live incoming.

Two months later and the same meter reader reported it again and had to explain to another esb tech again!

After all that, i have the transmitter indoors now, clamped around the live just before it enters the consumer panel.

The electrisave is still selling on the site for €115 - so the argos one is a bargain at €60 if you ask me!


Out of curiosity... has anyone got hasstle from esb meter readers about having the transmitter for the elec. monitor in their esb meter box (white outdoor panel) like this...

Qwerty?

Was considering one of these myself recently with the possible increase of 30% on electricity.

However although this costs a lot more, it's got the advantage of been able to record the readings and transferring them to computer.

http://www.pressieport.ie/products/Wattson.html €170 until the end of June

further info at
http://shop.diykyoto.com/

BigglesMcGee wrote: »

That would be the 11KW heater that supplements your Geo

These are normally 3 - 4 kw to run. They are rated 11kw or 12kw because thats how much you get from them.

Andrea B.

In the end, he thought it was a great idea and told me off the record that it was okay to leave transmitter clamp clamped around the live incoming.

Out of curiosity... has anyone got hasstle from esb meter readers about having the transmitter for the elec. monitor in their esb meter box (white outdoor panel) like this...

If you had it clamped around the "live incoming" you would technically be creating an un-metered impedance (albeit f-all) on the ESB supply.

Access

Andrea B. wrote: »

If you had it clamped around the "live incoming" you would technically be creating an un-metered impedance (albeit f-all) on the ESB supply.

Live incoming after the meter as per picture.

Stay on topic.

Andrea B.

Live incoming after the meter as per picture.

With respect to the meter cabinet as a unit, I consider "incoming live" to be that feeding the ESB meter and those out "the tails".

Of couse this might be subjective, but Powergen UK also classifies it the same way which contradicts your terminology.

Stay on topic.

More to the point, try not to be so rude in attempting to dictate the direction of a thread which you did not start, nor which you moderate.

10-10-20

Access wrote: »

Live incoming after the meter as per picture.

Stay on topic.

He must be a boards.ie general user.
Welcome to 'Home & Garden'!

Access

Andrea B. wrote: »

With respect to the meter cabinet as a unit, I consider "incoming live" to be that feeding the ESB meter and those out "the tails".

Of couse this might be subjective, but Powergen UK also classifies it the same way which contradicts your terminology.



More to the point, try not to be so rude in attempting to dictate the direction of a thread which you did not start, nor which you moderate.

Im trying to be helpful here and help the OP with their query on electricty monitors of which i have previous experience and unfortunately, it seems that the topic has gone off on a tangent regarding "un-metered impedance" and "Powergen UK terminologies"

This is why i ask of you, in all fairness, to stay on topic and not be nit-picking or fiddly regarding my terminology of the installation of the electricity monitor unit.

Twenty8, i would recommend getting one of these units as it does make you consider and curtail any excess electricity usage in the home and therefore hopefully saving a few quid on your ESB bills.

good luck and hope this helps.

Andrea B.

This is why i ask of you, in all fairness, to stay on topic and not be nit-picking or fiddly regarding my terminology of the installation of the electricity monitor unit.

In all "fairness"........you didn't ask. You told.

Secondly, you were the one who asked if anybody had got inquiries from ESB, which is as much "off tangent" as my highlighting that your "incoming" was ESB property and un-metered.

Pictures aside, you mis-informed readers by saying it was ok to use incoming in meter cabinet. Do you now see where I was politely coming from?

Access

Andrea B. wrote: »

Do you now see where I was politely coming from?

Ah... no.

But, good luck in making the world a better place - one correction at a time!

Andrea B.

I'm glad you've actually changed your profile to read;

Access
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Andrea B.'s No.1 Fan!
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It'll allow other posters see how you handle mature forum discussion.

Priceless

Access

I am proud to be your no.1 fan!

- Correct me if im wrong!

byte

Back on topic, I got an Efergy monitor on eBay for £38 delivered from this seller, which was quite good. It's a good enough device, in a similar vein to the Owl, though records usage for a month for looking back over if you so wish.

Access

byte wrote: »

Back on topic, I got an Efergy monitor on eBay for £38 delivered from this seller, which was quite good. It's a good enough device, in a similar vein to the Owl, though records usage for a month for looking back over if you so wish.

I have also bought a few items from the ecohamster in the past and they are very good including all the wind-up power gadgets... but i have to say that £38 delivered is a very good bargain.

I feel robbed now after paying €125!

KoNiT

Just got mine from him.. he's very prompt with delivery. I ordered it late last week !