Actually, Kermit, I think it is.
For quite a while, I've been concerned with reducing my energy consumption, for both economic and environmental reasons. I've actually wanted to invest in a home energy generation system, but the upfront cost of doing so is rather prohibitive at the moment.
For the time being, however, I have done what I can to reduce my energy consumption. I bought energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (insert side rant about cheaper CFLs' startup times and the still ridiculous cost of far superior LED lighting), turn off computers and other devices when they're not in use, and program my thermostats to lower the temperature in my house when I don't need it.
Several months ago, I learned of The Energy Detective, from Energy, Inc. TED is basically nothing more than a electromagnetic induction transducer, the same type of ammeter used in any number of portable power meters, or the one the utility company has on the mains coming into a building, but like the power company's meter, TED is designed to measure usage of a whole house. TED's receiver unit stores and displays long historical data, along with making estimates for future usage. Their new model, the 5000 series, is also Internet connected.
Sarah decided to get me a TED 5000-C for Christmas, though due to a recent surge in popularity and an issue with their manufacturing, I didn't actually receive it until last week. This model has three parts; the Gateway (the device that collects the data and connects to a home network), one Metering and Transmitting Unit (MTU), and one display unit (to display information without the need for a computer).
The MTU includes the clamp-on transducers that get installed inside the service panel. For more complicated power systems (like those that generate power), up to 4 MTUs may be used in a single system, but my system doesn't need that (at least not yet). Because it's not safe to put low voltage communication lines in the power service panel and a wireless transmitter wouldn't work through the grounded steel cage, the MTU sends its data using the home's power lines, in a similar manner to how many home automation systems work. The MTU installation was pretty easy, with Sarah's help.
Once installed and turned on, it was simply a matter of plugging in the receiver and I was good to go, or so I thought. Unfortunately, powerline communication systems are easily interfered with by switching power supplies, which, unfortunately, my house has many of. A temporary move to a clean circuit (fixed later with a handy noise filter I picked up online) solved that problem. All that was left to do was configure the software and it was all set.
After about a week of monitoring my power usage, I've learned a few things. First, just how much power some of the large appliances in my house consume. For example, my oven draws about 5 kilowatts (when the element is on), my range draws about 3 kilowatts _per burner_, my apparently very efficient refrigerator draws a measly 200 watts, and as I just learned while writing this, my clothes dryer uses a tremendous 5.5 kilowatts (or a little under $1 worth of electricity per hour). On the other hand, I learned that I've already taken some good steps at making my home energy efficient, and there's really not all that much I can do to improve on it.
My base load (the amount of power used all the time by devices that are effectively never off) is about 430 watts. This is a bit higher than the average home in the US, but this includes about 300 watts consumed by my 3 servers that live in my basement and all of the communication gear associated with them. The remaining 130 watts is a combination of all of my electronic devices, constantly using power in "standby" mode, the various chargers that are always plugged in, and a few other things that are always on, like the recirculating pumps on the fish tank and the cat's water bowl, etc. This figure is actually reasonably low, all things considered, and there's not really all that much I can do to reduce it.
So is the TED going to help me save power? Well, probably not. But it's still a pretty nifty gadget, and I like it. And for some reason I wrote this five days ago and am just publishing it now.
