Flutterby™! : PowerCost Monitor 2007-12-12 18:44:21.842154+01

PowerCost Monitor

2007-12-12 18:44:21.842154+01 by Dan Lyke 3 comments

A package recently arrived from Meuon containing a Blue Line Innovations PowerCost Monitor, a bottle of absinthe, and a GeekLabs shirt. I haven't really been out of the house recently, so I've been wearing T-shirts rather than button-downs, haven't sipped the absinthe yet, but I went out and installed the power cost monitor within a few hours of getting the box. Here are some preliminary notes and pictures on the Blue Line PowerCost Monitor, the one thing it's missing right now is a data download, but it's pretty cool.

I'm wondering if/hoping that my meter's got double the ticks on it of an ordinary meter, 'cause mine seems to be reading about twice what I think the right answers are. I'd worry about this more but since we'll be out of this house shortly, I haven't tried to verify yet.

I know that the simple fact of having a big number staring me in the face every time I walk by it has changed our electricity usage patterns for the better, and I wouldn't be surprised if it can pay for itself in your average household just based on that.

Using a Blue-Line optically coupled to an Echelon "Smart meter" - The meter itself says the 60 watt light bulb is reading 59 watts, the Blue Line (eventually) concurs. It takes some time for a 6o watt bulb to register in kw/hr. - I don't think I can test the mechanical meter reading with any accuracy, but I doubt it's as good just cause the "sync" is different.

I believe that 3 of these have been sold on the basis of people learning of the existence of them from me, and there'll probably be at least one more shortly.