Electricity usage monitor

**doodab** · 11 March 2010, 11:00

How many plasma TVs do you have and did you watch them a lot over the christmas period and while trapped at home in the snow?

**EternalOptimist** · 11 March 2010, 11:02

Aye CM, I am interested in getting one of these , let me know how you get on

**AtW** · 11 March 2010, 11:04

Originally posted by ChimpMaster View Post

Some of these monitors cost £10 whilst others are £30+. Anyone here have experience/advise on which one to get and whether they are of any use?

You say you paid £950 over 3 months, and you hesitate over £20 difference in a device that can save you many times over that?

I'd advise you to check if readings were estimated - utilities treat their customers as source of interest free loans by overcharging them.

**TimberWolf** · 11 March 2010, 11:18

http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...y-monitor.html

British Gas give them away free. They are simple devices with a high load and a massive heat sink. They make a big difference to your electricity bill

**ChimpMaster** · 11 March 2010, 12:20

TW - thanks for that, I have now just ordered.

ATW - it's not the £20 difference that I see, it's the 300% difference. And the question was more directed at whether the more expensive ones are worth getting over the cheaper ones.

Plasmas, PC, underfloor heating, wife/kids home all day. Does my head in

**AtW** · 11 March 2010, 12:22

Originally posted by ChimpMaster View Post

ATW - it's not the £20 difference that I see, it's the 300% difference. And the question was more directed at whether the more expensive ones are worth getting over the cheaper ones.

I bought one for £10 few years ago, it failed pretty quickly. Much cheapness, not much durabiliness

**Durbs** · 11 March 2010, 12:44

Been using our freebie British Gas one since that original post and its good.

Does make a difference, we've been switching far more stuff off and have now identified what are the more power hungry leccy items in the house and been knocking them off standby. Got the meter in the lounge so if we see its high for some reason, thats a prompt to switch the kitchen light off etc whereas before we'd just have left the thing on all the time.

**ChimpMaster** · 11 March 2010, 13:25

Originally posted by Durbs View Post

Been using our freebie British Gas one since that original post and its good.

Does make a difference, we've been switching far more stuff off and have now identified what are the more power hungry leccy items in the house and been knocking them off standby. Got the meter in the lounge so if we see its high for some reason, thats a prompt to switch the kitchen light off etc whereas before we'd just have left the thing on all the time.

Sounds like exactly what I will be doing! My wife is the lazy/stupid one but I'm guilty of leaving the plasmas on standby (they don't even have an Off switch!) and the PC on at the mains all the time.

**minestrone** · 11 March 2010, 13:29

Where you estimating for a long time before getting the meter read?

I thought I was bad with 370 for gas over xmas and I have an 8 apartment house.

Electricity usage monitor