Wireless electricity usage monitor

[moustacheverte]

Hi all,

I'm looking for something like the Efergy power usage meter (http://efergy.com/ca/products/electricity-monitors/elite-classic) but I find the price tag a bit steep.

Are there cheaper alternatives? What do you all use?

I'd like to be able to review my consumption with a high resolution (a minute or less would be nice). I don't need the LCD, if it's cheaper to have one you can only read with a computer that's fine.

Thanks,

[Breck]

Followed. Looking for this as well

[MikeBear]

You can just get a Kill-a-watt meter for $20, (or get one on loan somewhere) and do each device separately. http://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Usage-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU

That's what I did, that and a pen and notepad for writing it all down. I also used a wireless thermometer to adjust the temps properly in my refrigerator (and the freezer on it) and the separate chest freezer I have in the garage. That way they go to the proper temps, and don't run excessively. That saves money.

All together, I'm using 30% less electricity just due to mapping things out for a week, and adjusting usages with a borrowed Kill-a-watt meter.

[moustacheverte]

I did the kill-a-watt thing before but most of our usage is from heating (we live in QC) and the water heater. I would also like to get a sense of how much we're wasting by not having LED lights.

These 3 things can't be measured with a kill-a-watt unfortunately.

[HipGnosis]

You don't need any kind of meter or monitor to know how much LED lights could save you.
Every site that sells LED bulbs shows each bulbs watts used and the equivalent of incandescent bulb watts (used as a pseudo brightness value).
A quick google shows an LED bulb that replaces a 60W incandescent uses 9.6 watts.
Inventory you current bulbs.  Find the LED watts for replacing your bulbs. Questimate hours on per month.  Calculate savings.

[MoustacheDArgent]

I bought the efergy and hooked it up earlier this week.    What I've learned so far is that the lights really don't burn much electricity.  In my living/dining area I have 7 recessed lights (2 led and 4 cfls) when I turn them all off I save 1 cent an hour.   This biggest thing so far I've found is the dryer - it pops up to almost $2 an hour when on and nearly that when my girlfriend uses her hair dryer.    My electric water heater causes a sharp surge every 2-3 hours but only for a few minutes.