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Registered Member #1334
Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615
I've gone for the check meter as a start - I'll have it in-line for 2 weeks from 1st Feb.
The mains voltage variation we get here out in the country can be large. Just as an example, I asked the UPS under the desk what it had seen over the last 12 hours:
Not good - and that's only one phase - I've not looked at the other 2 - clip on meters are useless here - it has to be a real voltage & current monitor with PF correction, or nothing...
Registered Member #1334
Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615
Well, got a small domestic power monitor that understands PF & multiple rates depending on time of day, and have monitored everything in the house. And I mean EVERYTHING. I now know what it costs to run each kids' PCs, Xbox, printers, the LED vs. low-energy vs. halogen lighting, ovens, dishwasher, ground source heat pump, washing machine etc.
Doing an audit room-by-room really concentrates the mind. I should point out that this is a "green" and pretty carbon-neutral house - extremely well insulated & with good natural lighting. We have always grown a lot of our own food too, so we are pretty much tree-huggers - all the oak is from our own trees, the stone locally quarried & even the 22,000 tiles on the roof are hand made from local clay...
These cheap meters are confused by SMPSs such as newer mobile phone chargers, but big consumers such as fan ovens are easy. My cheapy netgear switches etc. all have a PF of about 0.6, the Sky+ box and HP printers are 0.7. Most other things are close to 1, except the low energy lights which are about 0.5. Bottom line is that real kit from proper engineering companies tend to have a PF of 1 as they take this stuff seriously - e.g. the Samsung flat screen TV, the fridge, freezer & IVT heat pump, the oven etc. etc.
Anyway, the main consumer, big time, is the 3-phase IVT Greenline heat pump, which now has a calibrated Efergy meter on it, as well as a check meter.
One awful consequence of this is that we've discovered that the utility provider has got our day & night reading the wrong way round for the past 4 years, i.e. we've actually been paying a LOT less (as in several 1000 USD less) than we should have for our power. Rats. One to fight tooth & nail! No retrospective action here!
One small bit of interest - the Sky+ box takes 20W regardless of whether its in standby or on (that's Amstrad for you!), but the Samsung LCD TV takes 220W when on, but only 2W in standby, which I feel is pretty good...
Registered Member #2463
Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546
The sophistication of the new electricity meters as well as their potential for data networking (back over the mains) is just a hint of what's to come.
Already appearing in electrical codes is a thing called closed loop power distributon. Power is supplied to a device along with a data line.
'A power distribution system jointly controlled by signalling between energy-controlling equipment and the utilization equipment.'
The device asks for power, the system will switch it on, if conditions are met. So, watching tele or enjoying a hot tub could be billed to you at the premium the provider decides.
It would be a wonderful way to get road tax for electricity used by electric cars.
Other provisions, this system's outlet connectors shall not be interchangeable with other connectors or plugs. I dont know your code designations there but is our section 82 in Canada.
There is also a pre-closed loop system. This is one that can readily converted to a closed one.
This gives a whole new meaning to 'The Crown Joules'
Registered Member #190
Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567
Nicko wrote ...
One awful consequence of this is that we've discovered that the utility provider has got our day & night reading the wrong way round for the past 4 years, i.e. we've actually been paying a LOT less (as in several 1000 USD less) than we should have for our power. Rats. One to fight tooth & nail! No retrospective action here!
As we say in medicine, "the enemy of good is better".
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Checking the accuracy of domestic electricy meter...
