Suggestions for a Plug In Power / Consumption Monitor

[DIYNotIan]

Hi all

The ones I've been looking at on Amazon don't seem to get the best reviews.... Anyone got any suggestions for a decent one that doesn't cost too much?

Cheers

 

[JohnW2]

The ones I've been looking at on Amazon don't seem to get the best reviews.... Anyone got any suggestions for a decent one that doesn't cost too much?

If you just want one with a display, rather than something fancy which can interface with a computer etc., my personal experience is that the cheapest and nastiest are usually just as good as more expensive ones.

What sort of problems/dissatisfactions are the Amazon reviews talking about?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I have three, one is a cheap stand alone unit which is very good, the other two are internet linked one also switches and to be frank in the main they tell you less than the cheap one, the one way they are better is it auto works out average watts, and gives one a graph of the use, the graph shown is a freezer, I can see the motor runs for around 1/3 of the time which is as expected, but taking the readings with a stand alone would do the same.

I use the monitor switch for my AC unit, so I can not only switch it on remotely but also see it is running, I don't need to know how much it's using just that it's running.

 

[Alec_t]

I wouldn't spend too much on a meter. Once you've checked the power usage of all the appliances in your house and the novelty has worn off the meter may just gather dust on a shelf .

 

[bernardgreen]

If you are looking for a plug in monitor that will monitor consumption of the whole house then you will not find one. To monitor the consumption of the whole house will require a sensor that measures the current going through the cables. Normally this would be a clip on current sensor fitted to the Live supply cable

Only if an appliance is plugged into a socket on the monitor and the monitor is plugged into a socket can the monitor measure the current going the to appliance

 

[ToastyToes]

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/smart-plug/hs110/

 

[DIYNotIan]

Thanks for all the replies. What actually made me think about getting one was the fact I am having to run a dehumidifier a fair amount at the moment. I'm guessing they don't have constant draw (depends what stage of dehumidifying it is doing) so I'd like to keep an eye on it and what it is costing. The room(s) in question need work doing to them which will hopefully eventually sort out the humidity problems, but I am still using them in the meantime.

It would be interesting to see what things like my PC, and powered speakers are drawing, as well as fridges, freezers and the like.

@JohnW2 - I can't remember now what the complaints generally were! I'll take another look later and report back.

Cheers

 

[JohnW2]

@JohnW2 - I can't remember now what the complaints generally were! I'll take another look later and report back.

Thanks - it would be interesting to hear what problems people have reported. I suspect that at least some of the bad reviews will relate to people who had unrealistic expectation and/or didn't properly understand what the monitior was telling them.

I can but repeat what I said (and what seems to have been supported by others who have commented) - that, for your purpose, I would be inclined to just go for a very cheap one. It's pretty unlikley that, if they work at all, they will give seriously incorrect readings.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

if you just want to watch or record the usage of a single appliance, this sort of thing will do

Around a tenner on fleabay.

be sure to get one with UK square-pin plug fitting. many are imported with US or Europlugs.

I got mine from Maplins but they have gone bust now. RS don't do cheap ones and I don't know another reputable supplier that stocks them.

 

[mattylad]

I have one of those somewhere, ISTR plugging it into something to monitor the usage - that must have been 2 years ago at least, no idea where it is... lol

 

[JohnD]

Yes, that's where mine is.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Thanks - it would be interesting to hear what problems people have reported. I suspect that at least some of the bad reviews will relate to people who had unrealistic expectation and/or didn't properly understand what the monitior was telling them.

Hi John

OK, so having read through a few reviews again some of the gripes include:

- Not working on arrival
- The unit stops working after a while (and not much use).
- For a couple of purchasers, the unit almost caught on fire (apparently)
- Hard to see the display (and some say it fades over time, ranging from a year to... 2 days!!!).
- Unit not giving any readings (0 for everything)
- Unit tripping c/unit RCD
- "There is no way to zero the last reading without a total reset that zeros everything, including the cost per unit."
- Poor instructions and customer service

I stopped there but there's probably more as the list of 1/5 reviews is quite long!

Cheers

 

[JohnD]

I don't use Amazon. Show us your links please.

 

[DIYNotIan]

Sure:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-re...e=all_reviews&pageNumber=1#reviews-filter-bar

 

[JohnW2]

OK, so having read through a few reviews again some of the gripes include: ...

Thanks.

Most of those complaints obviously relate to 'faulty' products - although I have to say that, having bought a good few for myself and others over cthe years (usually about the cheapest I could find), I've never had one that didn't work satisfactorily and continue working.

'Spomtaneous' reviews are obviously always difficult to interpret, since they tend to be very 'polarised' - they tend to be from people with gripes or those who are particularly impressed with the product, but both those categories are often tiny, with the vast majority of people finding a product to 'just be OK' and therefore not bothering to write reviews.

I personally would not worry about this. If a product doesn't work or fairly rapidly fails, it will usually be possible to return it, if it has been bought 'commercially'. As for more general 'dissatisfaction' (or later failure), I would not get excited about something that probably didn't cost me more than a pint or two of beer!

Kind Regards, John