Smart meter reducing power bills - could this be why my power bills are so high?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Smart meter reducing power bills - could this be why my power bills are so high?

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MikeAqua

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#1220748 23-Jan-2015 13:35

I have a plug in logging power meter I bought from M10. It looks like plug in timer. It's good for figuring out how much an appliance uses over a few days.

I'm not sure how accurate it is, but as long as it's consistent it will provide comparative information.

We identified a very hungry freezer. Getting rid of this saved us heaps.

Mike

timmmay

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#1220760 23-Jan-2015 13:47

Don't suppose you're in Wellington and want to loan it out do you Mike?! Something like that would be handy.

Any kind of a power meter would be handy - I could turn everything off then run a known load, compare it with the power meter. That could be really interesting. Anyone got a good reliable model they'd loan me? I had a cheap one but it failed.

StarBlazer

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#1220837 23-Jan-2015 15:14

timmmay: Don't suppose you're in Wellington and want to loan it out do you Mike?! Something like that would be handy.

Any kind of a power meter would be handy - I could turn everything off then run a known load, compare it with the power meter. That could be really interesting. Anyone got a good reliable model they'd loan me? I had a cheap one but it failed.

Sure I have one I use from time to time, you're welcome to borrow it. PM me and I will arrange a handover. It's only a cheap DSU unit but it will give you an idea. If you are using oil column electric heaters then invest in a heatermate.

Procrastination eventually pays off.

freitasm

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#1220860 23-Jan-2015 15:34

Timmmay's got a Heatermate... I got two a couple of years ago and he grabbed one.

timmmay

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#1220873 23-Jan-2015 15:47

StarBlazer:
timmmay: Don't suppose you're in Wellington and want to loan it out do you Mike?! Something like that would be handy.

Any kind of a power meter would be handy - I could turn everything off then run a known load, compare it with the power meter. That could be really interesting. Anyone got a good reliable model they'd loan me? I had a cheap one but it failed.

Sure I have one I use from time to time, you're welcome to borrow it. PM me and I will arrange a handover. It's only a cheap DSU unit but it will give you an idea. If you are using oil column electric heaters then invest in a heatermate.

Will do - thanks :)

Niel

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#1221329 24-Jan-2015 12:28

We average around 1000 units per month in Auckland in a new house built to code (i.e. can be better). We have 2 teenagers, one of which get told off frequently for long showers (in the holidays, no time during term). Windows are always closed, heat pump maintaining temperature/humidity but not excessively. Were camping for a week, hot water turned off and aircon set to 25 degC cooling, curtains closed, one bar fridge and a large fridge/freezer running, modem/router/server running with camera monitoring software. We used 12 unit per day, which surprised me. Usually it is around 4-3, so suspect the bar fridge we got 6 months ago.

In an old house we used to do 1200 units a month in Winter, about 600-700 in Summer. Now we have a heat pump which lowers Winter usage and raises summer usage, and the teenager... she is now old enough that she does not go to holiday programmes any more so takes long showers while we are out.

Spinning disc meters do tend to under-read with age due to dirt, but you can get other failure modes as well (from a retired engineer that used to work at Enermet). The calibrated drag can break, and then brief current spikes can make it spin for longer than it should.

Household energy meters measure resistive load (or real power), supposed to ignore reactive load. An element is a resistive load. You can accurately measure the resistance of a 2kW element by using a car battery, measure the current and voltage (and remember there is a small drop across a current shunt). A 2kW 240V element is approximately 28.8 Ohm, draws just under half an Amp from a 12V battery.

If you want to measure current at mains wiring, rather use a current clamp for safety (and you are not allowed to work on a switchboard). But because the meter (is supposed to) measures real power, you need to either connect a resistive load or use a proper power meter which measures current and voltage at the same time to determine the current in phase with the voltage.

Power companies will test your meter for you using calibrated equipment, but if it is within spec then you will get charged for the call-out.

You can never have enough Volvos!

MikeAqua

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#1222393 26-Jan-2015 13:26

Mine is a cheapie to. I live in nelson, but visit Wellington CBD every week. Happy to lend it to you if I can find it. I wouldn't say it's good enough to check you meter, more to check individual appliances and identify the glutton.

timmmay: Don't suppose you're in Wellington and want to loan it out do you Mike?! Something like that would be handy.

Any kind of a power meter would be handy - I could turn everything off then run a known load, compare it with the power meter. That could be really interesting. Anyone got a good reliable model they'd loan me? I had a cheap one but it failed.

Mike

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