Power Cost Monitor

[hugh]

I received a call recently from folks at BlueLine Innnovations for something called a PowerCost Monitor.

The monitor includes two components:

• A Sensor Unit that attaches to the utility meter outside you house. It does not affect the meter. Once fastened in place, the sensor reads the amount of electricity the household is consuming in real-time and transmits the information to the display unit.

• The Display Unit looks like a small digital clock and is programmed to decode your Sensor Unit's signal.

The monitor is $150

[hugh]

This information is displayed in large digital numbers that tell you at a glance, in real-time:

* How much electricity your home is using moment-to-moment;
* How much you are spending on electricity as you spend it;
* The time and outside temperature.


I have been sent a unit and will be reviewing it in coming weeks.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Hugh

[Vim]

Q1:
Regarding power cost - here in Ontario many households soon will receive "Smart" meters that will charge you different price for electricity depending on time of the day and week.
Can homeowner enter easily these rules into this device?

Q2: Price for electricity is around 0.05$/KWH, but if you add all deliveries, debt retirement fees, GST, etc, it comes close to 0.11$. What price do you see on this meter? Can you change it yourself?

[congo]

The company I work for makes these units for Blueline. They're made in our China facility. I don't know much about it though.

[jlet]

Vim, I downloaded the user manual and the answers are yes to both your questions.

[Zero G]

I have had one of these since early fall. Hydro One has a promo in Northern Ontario where they will give you one for the cost of shipping. My biggest complaint with the unit is that it wants to lose sync easily. I'm going to try to fine tune the pickup on the meter head when the weather gets warmer.


It's interesting to see which devices are power hogs in the house, by cycling them on and off. As it stands, my house doesn't seem to bad for consumption.

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

It seems to me that what we really need are monitors that can be attached to individual devices (using the 115v plug) and transmit the consumption to a logging device, such as a computer. I envision a basic kit with 2 monitors, a wireless receiver and logging software. Just plug the devices into the monitors, check connectivity, enter device info and costs into the software and start logging. After logging for a few days, move the monitors to different devices. After awhile, the entire house could be mapped for power consumption patterns and cost reduction solutions could be implemented. Good software might even be able to export data to spreadsheets or do "what if" calculations of its own in order to plan the best ways to save power and money.

[hugh]

Yes that would be great but this thread is about the Power Cost monitor from Blue line so please lets stay on topic!

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

Right. I don't see the Power Cost monitor from Blue line as being that useful. It will not help to monitor long term cost or power usage by intermittent large loads or permanent intermediate loads, probably the worst offenders for high power consumption.

IMHO, this device is almost useless unless you just want to just know what your gross demand is at any moment. I can tell that by looking at how fast the wheel in the meter is spinning (which is probably how it works.) As for the power demands of individual devices, I can tell that by looking at the device specs or UL/CSA tag or even better with an ammeter.

[57]

For those interested in individual draws, here's an existing thread:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=35430

I don't see that much use for the Blue Line device either. When I was on Toronto's Powershift programme, I took readings every week off the meter for consumption on peak, normal and off-peak times (still do but, unfortunately, PowerShift stopped a few years ago) and have an Excel spreadsheet for all the calculations.

I suppose it'd be an interesting gadget, but anyone who would be able to programme in all the correct power rates, times, etc, probably already knows their power consumption.

[JohnnyG]

If nothing else, it makes you conscious of power consumption, which is always a good thing.

I'm curious about the pickup...how does it attach? Does it use induction or does it physically wire into the meter somehow?

[jlet]

The sensor unit is held in place by a large Hose Clamp Ring over the utility meter glass dome. The following information extracted from the user guide manuals seems to imply the unit uses optical pickup for both types of utility meter (older electromechanical, and newer electronic): The unit is compatible with both the older electromechanical and the newer electronic utility meter. The newer electronic utility meter have an Optical Port which transmit an IR signal. In the case of the newer electronic utility meter, you place the unit Sensor Head in front of the utility meter Optical Port. In the case of the older electromechanical utility meter, you align the Sensor Head with the large black mark on the edge of the utility meter rotating disk.

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

you align the Sensor Head with the large black mark on the edge of the utility meter rotating disk.

Like I said, I can tell how much power is being used by how fast the disk in the meter is spinning.

[malam]

I just found a Canadian source for these types of monitor. They have monitors for individual plugins upto sophisticated central monitors. Its worth checking out. They are located in Calgary.
<www.powermeterstore.com>

[Vim]

I have watt meter type of device at home and found it be just partially usefull. I cannot measure power consumption for my Air conditioning, furnace blower, furnace electronic air cleaner, range, dryer, pool pumps and etc.
I would love to know actual usage in my house at any time. But, I am waiting for smart meter that I believe will be installed in my area this year. Then I'll be able to see online consumption for previous day - not the same. After that I'll decide if it is worth spending 150$.