New Smart Meter Power Data

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › New Smart Meter Power Data

1 | 2

russelo

332 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 43

#772162 1-Mar-2013 11:00

I wonder when Mercury will provide the same info to its customer.
Can you view this in real time? If not, how long before its available? after a day, a week, a month?

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#772163 1-Mar-2013 11:07

timmmay: fellaintga, why are you using so much power around midnight? Night store heater, water heater, or clothes drier?

Yeah I wondered about that zone too, the consumption during this period is way up there. It's worth pointing out that the 'benefits' a night store heater are somewhat offset if you don't actually have a day/night/rippled controlled plan. Most of us are probably on a fixed rate plan. Recently I would have thought you wouldn't need much heating either?

Smart meters won't show you what's using it, just how much when. You have to do some detective work yourself. I used one of these recently, it's around $150 retail I think. My wife looked that happy when I showed it to her too

http://www.schneider-electric.co.nz/documents/Lifespace/Ecomind-Brochure-2012-LR.pdf

I feel most people with an inkling have already picked the low hanging fruit, and are now into the laws of diminishing returns.

timmmay

20858 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#772165 1-Mar-2013 11:13

It's not so difficult in NZ. Low flow shower heads, short showers, good insulation, and moderate use of heating will get you 80% of the way there. There are lots of little things like $120 a year per home entertainment system, towel rail on timers, efficient lighting, efficient fridge/freezer, passive heating and moisture removal through a DVS on a timer, but I've done them too.

fellaintga

195 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 5

#772340 1-Mar-2013 15:37

Hot water cylinder comes on at 11Pm until 6AM.

ICT Specialist in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

www.melinjo.co.nz

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#772359 1-Mar-2013 15:52

fellaintga: Hot water cylinder comes on at 11Pm until 6AM.

There is (comparatively) very little power consumed between 3am and 6am, suggesting that it takes about 3 1/2 hours to come up to temp and then not much to keep it there. I'd be questioning the benefits of turning it off each day, or at least suggesting some trials to compare your consumption by keeping it on.

fellaintga

195 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 5

#772383 1-Mar-2013 17:07

Jaxson:
fellaintga: Hot water cylinder comes on at 11Pm until 6AM.

There is (comparatively) very little power consumed between 3am and 6am, suggesting that it takes about 3 1/2 hours to come up to temp and then not much to keep it there. I'd be questioning the benefits of turning it off each day, or at least suggesting some trials to compare your consumption by keeping it on.

Yes but even if power usage was the same the cost of power between 11 and 6 is nearly half so I doubt it would be better to keep it on. Don't forget we aren't using any hot water between 3am and 6am so it will use very little power.

ICT Specialist in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

www.melinjo.co.nz

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 32

#772486 1-Mar-2013 21:32

dolsen: If you were in Christchurch I think the off peak is from 9pm - (sometime in the morning that I can't remember), so, it's even better value.

7am

skewt: On a computer, you can log in to your Genesis account from the website and click the 'Energy Usage' button

I can't find that button. Can you please post a screenshot or further description?

I have just switched from Powershop to Genesis. I was annoyed to discover that I no longer get daily readings, because I have a Meridian Arc Innovations advanced meter, rather than a Genesis one as people in NI do.
In order to get daily readings the CSR would have to contact Arc Innovations and get them to email the data! Bizarre.
Might be why I can't find the 'Energy Usage' button.

On the plus side, Genesis are charging me the same as night rate for weekend daytime! (my meter has three registers: day, night, weekend day).

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#772493 1-Mar-2013 22:01

fellaintga:

Yes but even if power usage was the same the cost of power between 11 and 6 is nearly half so I doubt it would be better to keep it on.

That's all good if you do have a night rate / dual tariff plan. Good stuff if you do, you could use the delayed start option on dishwashers and some washing machines etc to push these operations into the low rate period.

fellaintga:
Jaxson:
it takes about 3 1/2 hours to come up to temp and then not much to keep it there.

Don't forget we aren't using any hot water between 3am and 6am so it will use very little power.

That's exactly what I meant

timmmay

20858 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1059557 5-Jun-2014 09:01

I'm considering asking Mercury for a smart meter. Do power bills tend to go up or down when a tend year old standard meter is replaced? Anyone noticed any significant difference pre/post smart meter install?

Bee

741 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 189

#1059571 5-Jun-2014 09:20

We had our meter changed last year... Didn't have a choice in the matter - Contact Energy upgraded all of their West Auckland customers... I was expecting an increase in the power usage but haven't noticed one at all...

If anything our bills have gone down by at least 10% - I suspect that's just because we now monitor what we use and when... Our oven seems to use a lot of power even if we are not using it, so that gets switched off at the wall when not in use now...

Doing your best is much more important than being the best.

graemeh

2080 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 226

#1059619 5-Jun-2014 10:09

timmmay: I'm considering asking Mercury for a smart meter. Do power bills tend to go up or down when a tend year old standard meter is replaced? Anyone noticed any significant difference pre/post smart meter install?

If your old meter was accurate there should be no change, the smart meter is still measuring your power usage it is just measuring in a much smaller interval (30 minutes instead of 1 or 2 months between readings).

It is possible Mercury will discover you were being charged the wrong price in the past, I'm not sure how they correct that situation.

Lego

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).

astrae

268 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 24

#1061904 9-Jun-2014 16:25

This is a Trustpower Commercial Graph. I think its really ugly compared to the likes of Genesis...

Niel

3267 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 80

Trusted

#1062770 10-Jun-2014 17:31

russelo: I wonder when Mercury will provide the same info to its customer.
Can you view this in real time? If not, how long before its available? after a day, a week, a month?

They have for me for 2 years, since my meter was upgraded to a smart meter. Actually all of Auckland was upgraded. It is not real time, it is 2 days behind. This is because the data is sent via a mesh network to a base station which collects the data and periodically uploads it via a cellular data connection. Here is a capture, shows lots of showers in the morning and then tumble dryer, and later cooking dinner. "Background" power usage is about 250W and includes the aircon that runs 24/7.

You can never have enough Volvos!

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#1062805 10-Jun-2014 18:32

since moving into a place for just me and the girlfriend rather than flatting with others, have very much enjoyed being able to see power usage close on daily.

as niel pointed out, its often 2 days behind, but it gives you a good indication.

i dont really bother logging into their site and checking anymore, the weekly power updates tell me all im really concerned about, be it daily charges or the average usage the past week..

anyone wanna pick the times im napping? :3

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

1 | 2