What to Look For in a
"Whole House" Energy Consumption Monitor!
We are confident that the ECM-1220.H is
superior and more versatile than other similar products. That is why we
want you to be informed before you make your purchase.
First of all, the utility company charges you for "true" or "real"
power, therefore you want a monitor that calculates true power. Most
"Energy Monitors" currently available do provide true power, but
BEWARE, of any monitor using terms
like "amount of electricity used" or neglect to use the word "power"
or neglect to give power accuracy specifications.
A monitor using current only for their calculations will give
approximate figures only. Using this method can easily produce a 50%
error if a load with a power factor of 0.5 is monitored.
That being said, the monitors using "real" power for calculations
vary in the way they obtain the power value. The two common methods of
doing this are:
- Sampling the current and voltage signals and calculating power
based on this sampling. Typically, the higher the sampling frequency,
the more accurate the power value will be.
- The other common method is to have a device read the rotation of
the wheel of your existing utility power meter. Each revolution
corresponds to a certain amount of kWh consumed. Although this is a
cheaper and less intrusive method of obtaining power, it suffers
several downfalls:
- Since it takes several seconds to several minutes for one
revolution (depending on how much energy is being consumed), the
power update is very slow, therefore you cannot see an immediate
change in your consumption when various loads are switched on or
off.
- Improper setup, disturbed sensor, weather conditions, flaws in
the black mark of the meter wheel are some of the factors which
can influence the accuracy.
- If you are being improperly charged for electricity because of
a faulty power meter, this method will not reveal this defective
meter.
- This method requires batteries which are exposed to extreme
temperatures, and occasionally required replacement.
- The pickup unit on the meter is subject to theft, vandalism
and weather elements.
Energy Monitors vary in features, versatility and available options.
Some data is valuable and other not very useful. If your goal is to have
the monitor assist you in reducing energy consumption, in my opinion,
the following features are most useful:
- Display of current usage in Watts, Kilowatts, or $/Hr (Dollars
per Hour). This is somewhat of a speedometer indicating at what rate
you are using electricity.
- Display of energy used in Watt-Hour, kilowatt-hour or Dollars$
(or any other currency).
- The amount of time you have been monitoring.
- It is extremely important to be able to view your consumption
when you're sleeping or away. (This success
story explains why.) This is best accomplished by the ability to
download the recorded data.
- Fast real time consumption data is very useful. It allows you to
determine the wattage of various appliances or loads by switching
them ON-OFF while watching the display or computer.
How much should you pay?..... Have you ever purchased an item such as
a lawnmower, vacuum cleaner or power tool, opting for the lowest cost
available? Once you get it home and use it for a while, you realize that
you should have paid a bit more for the rear-bagger lawnmower because it
took too long to rake the grass. You purchased the cheapest vacuum
cleaner and discover that it is very loud, has a short power cord, small
bag and poor suction. In my opinion the same applies to energy monitors.
The ECM-1220.H is just a bit more expensive than other brands, however,
it will provide you with much more options and information. Furthermore,
as more options are developed for the ECM1220.H, Brultech Research Inc
makes them available to existing customers so that they may download and
"flash program" the latest version in their unit.
Studies show that with the use of energy monitors, you may reduce
your consumption by as much as 20%. If you're paying $180/month for
electricity and reduced your consumption by 20%, you would save $432.00
in one year. That's quick payback! The more of the above features you
have, the better are your chances of maximizing your savings.
Read more success stories...