Monitoring your house power usage.

[Mudderoy]

I just found out about this.

http://www.currentcost.net/wpimages/wp42c1da14.png

http://www.currentcost.net/wpimages/wpf635d85a.png

:link: (http://www.currentcost.net/buynowmain.html)

Now you can monitor the complete power usage of your house. You can use this to find some unknown sources. Things you don't think that suck a lot of electricity do.

[LizardRunner]

now all I need is a real house lol. That is really a cool tool for keeping your bills down.

[bigjim350]

That is pretty cool. But I could almost pay 2 months electric bills for the cost of it.

[Mudderoy]

It's been a couple of years now, but I was hitting $600 a month during the summer. :bang:

[xj4life2]

We actually have what they call smart meters here , PG&E just installed them that allows you to view real time useage from your home computer. Very interesting to actually see whats going on , found out several things that were off but still sucking power down. I try to check it once a week at least just to keep on top of it. Great find though Tony

[4.3LXJ]

It's been a couple of years now, but I was hitting $600 a month during the summer. :bang:

Good for you. One of the special things about living here in CA is being able to by our power from Texas and getting charged more for it.

[Firemanray]

Good for you. One of the special things about living here in CA is being able to by our power from Texas and getting charged more for it.

You 'gotta pay freight on the transport!!:D

I monitor my power usage, it's called electric bill. I get one every month whether I want it or not. Usually around $400 this time of year!:bang:




.

[Mudderoy]

We actually have what they call smart meters here , PG&E just installed them that allows you to view real time useage from your home computer. Very interesting to actually see whats going on , found out several things that were off but still sucking power down. I try to check it once a week at least just to keep on top of it. Great find though Tony

I have to give credit to this from "The Survival Podcast" One of the podcast shows that I listen to to/from work and at work. Very informative show.

[steph74]

interesting device.... my utility bill is $125 for a family of 5.... I guess it helps that we don;t have A/C to run ;)

[4.3LXJ]

Hey fellas, I want to share something with all you that use AC for the house. It is a very cheap way to cut your AC bill. Attic spaces get very hot in the sunlight, even if the roof is light colored. As an old HVAC tech ask me how I know. They will hit 140° easily on a hot day. Eventually that heat gets driven down through the ceiling even with good insulation. But if you use a fan to vent your attic, then the temps will be reduced to the outside temp. It is 90° here today, and my AC has been on for a total of 6 minutes, of that time the compressor only ran about one minute. I have just finished installing my fan that I salvaged from a high efficiency air conditioner. It uses as much power as a 100W light bulb, saving running the 800W system for several hours. You can buy them ready made, even at Cosco to vent the roof and run on solar. It is a very good investment that in my case has paid for itself already

[xj4life2]

Hey Steve what about those fans that just use the hot air rises theory ? do they work at all or should I invest in the electric attic fan you mentioned above.

[4.3LXJ]

Those work, but not as well as forced cross ventilation, which is also tax deductible.

[xj4life2]

So when you say cross vent , a puller fan on one side vent on the other or two pullers ?

[4.3LXJ]

So when you say cross vent , a puller fan on one side vent on the other or two pullers ?

You pull from a vent on one side to the fan on a vent on the other side.

[xj4life2]

Got it will check it out tomarrow , thanks!! I hate attics .........

[4.3LXJ]

Me too, that is why I don't fix AC anymore