Wireless energy monitor recommendations?

[T i m]

Hi all,

The recent questions around issues with daughters pre-paid top up key (now resolved thanks) have made me think they might like / appreciate some sort of real-time energy monitor display.

I have had one years ago (but it died) so I was wondering if anyone could personally recommend a particular make or model, ideally not to expensive?

A simple / clear real-time usage display (ideally in a tangible form like kWh, not just 'None - Loads') and if it could also manage the current running 'cost', plus possibly the cumulative cost, that might be the cherry on the cake, especially if the total could also include a daily standing charge?

Failing the extra bits, something with a reasonable remote range (meter / lounge at opposite ends of the flat) and the clearest display please.

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Am I right in thinking this is one of (/only?) the 'perks' of getting a smart meter fitted, the remote display thing?

[spuorgelgoog]

I think the British Gas Minim monitors they gave away as part of a greenwash scheme a decade ago would do this, but they're known for not being terribly accurate. I don't think anything that clamps rounfd the meter tail is particularly accurate.

They and similar appear on ebay for reasonable values of peanuts.

Yes. But I don't know if they show you how much credit is remaining on a prepayment meter. It would be a bit useless if they didn't, but I've got used to things being a bit useless.

Owain

[Graham.]

[Graham.]

Prompted by this thread I've just ordered one of these.

I wonder if it comes with ready-leaked batteries?

[Andy Bennet]

I have a Geo Minim - with the LED sensor, and find it is dead accurate - ie within about 100Wh per week. We have economy 7 and all the inaccuracy can be attributed to a small difference in switching times between the two tariffs - which could be corrected if I could be arsed. Only suitable if you have a flashing LED on your meter.

I found the current clamp type to be very innacurate as they calculate the instantaneous power from an innacuratly measured current and a guestimated voltage whereas the LED sensor type relies on the meter itself for the total energy measurement so should be (and is) as accurate as the meter itself.

[T i m]

Understood. Thinking on, it doesn't need to be accurate as such, as long as it's reasonably linear (from a reasonable stating value etc).

Yes, I've been checking there and there are some Owl units for less than £20. The Minim look to use the flashing light on the meter so should be more accurate, if not so instant (particularly at low usage). I think they support 3 tariffs and a daily charge. ;-)

Just not what I'd call 'peanuts' though. ;-(

I guess if she new she had £20 on there when she reset the cumulative cost counter she would at least have an idea she was getting close before going to look at the meter physically?

And why I guess we often make something ourselves?

Cheers, T i m

[Andy Burns]

e.on used to give away the OWL energy monitors, in the days before smart meters, a clip-on current transformer/transmitter for the meter tails, powered by a D cell and a receiver/display in the house, even had an RS232 output with USB adapter that spat out XML

yes.

[Brian Gaff]

Don't smart meters offer this already? Certainly I have had demos of the new ones that even have a voice. I imagine it will say something like, unless you recharge you will be cut off in 10 9 8.... grin. Brian

[harry]

The other perks are they read your meter remotely. And can shut you off remotely. And can change the tariff remotely.

[T i m]

<snip>

I saw those.

Many of the listings for that model seem to suggest they do (or might). ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

That is impressive.

Making it even more impressive. ;-)

Both daughter and I do (as it happens).

But give you a pointer to your usage at least?

Understood.

Based on the comments here, I should have one on it's way. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Yeah, I had something similar for a while and was given another that I gave to a mate for his shop. Not sure how accurate they were in absolute terms but they at least provided pointers to the general usage.

Thought so. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

I believe they do but we don't have them (yet).

Cool, depending on how it spoke and when.

Hehe.

Cheers, T i m

[RJH]

I had one of those free from my supplier about 10 years back - failed after a couple of years with leaked batteries.

[T i m]

<snip>

I wonder if they had a batch of bad batteries then, if yours failed all those years ago?

I can see how that could happen. I was privy to a design of an electronic gadget that was going to be sold though one of the big chains. The chain wanted to sell it for £19.99 and so would only pay £5 for it. So the designer had to make something on it and get it into the country all packaged up for less than that. We were looking at alternative components that were fractions of a penny different in price in effort to get the cost manufacturing cost down.

We want the best and might assume stuff was made from the best bits available but of course, not for a long time. ;-(

Cheers, T i m