How to Monitor Your Home Energy Use

Monitor Makes for a Smart Home

This is something that is fairly new on the market for monitoring home energy usage. The purpose of an energy monitor is to facilitate energy conservation. Studies show that households that have real time energy data available save 5 to 15 % on their energy bills.

In this article, I would like to introduce you to the Agilewave Energy Monitor. This is just one power monitor that has the ability to monitor each electrical circuit, each gas appliance, the water meter, and the climate.

But, before we get to the Agilewave, I would like to make a few comments about cell phones. My son was putting his cell phone through it's paces the other evening for my enjoyment. First of all, he turned it into a guitar. Guitar strings appeared on the screen and when you ran a finger over the screen, the cell phone sounded like you were strumming a guitar. Wow, I was amazed and thought that was cool. Then he took me outside into the night, held the cell phone up to the sky, and the cell phone pointed the way to the big dipper and displayed and named the stars and the constellations as the cell phone swung across the sky. Now, that was really cool.

Now, I get to thinking, we have it backwards. Why have a smart phone and a dumb house? We expect our cell phones to take care of us when all we really need to do is make a phone call. When we go home, we take our homes just the way they are and then whine and complain when the power bill arrives. It's backwards.

Ok, now back to the Agilewaves Building Optimization System.

1. The Agilewave comes with 19 electrical sensors. More can be added as needed. A 30 amp sensor costs $60 and a 600 amp sensor costs $133.

2. The basic complete unit costs $2,400.

3. The sensor unit, ASIP ( Agilewaves Sensor Integration Panel ) is attached to each circuit in the electrical panel and monitors just that circuit. This allows you to monitor the kids stereo, the washing machine, the microwave, etc.

4. Agilewave comes with software that allows your home computer to analyze and display the information that is sent by the ASIP.

5. For a water flow sensor, the size of the water pipe is needed. Water flow sensor costs $500 to $900.

6. For a gas flow sensor, again the size of the pipe is needed as well as the pipe pressure. Gas flow sensor about $1,100.

7. Climate sensors cover more than you probably initially thought. These sensors include water temperature, room temperature, heating duct temperature, outdoor temperature, and room humidity. These sensors cost about $150 each.

8. The display on the computer screen is divided into sections, the sections include: a pie chart showing where the electricity is being used, the current month, day, and time. A peak demand indicator comparing today with yesterday, last month and the month before. Graphs showing water use in gallons, electricity in kWh, gas in therms, carbon in pounds, and cost in dollars and cents. Buttons switch the screen between reports and charts. Details by floor, room, appliance, circuit, or utility.

9. Includes a notification system that can report unusual power usage to your cell phone via text message or email.

Wow, the poor teenager doesn't have a chance.

The smart word is getting used a lot these days. Seems like everybody wants to get a piece of smart. Everything from smart meter to smart alec. We would be better off if we had a smart home instead of a smart phone. And remember, the day is just around the corner when every new home will have solar power and smart home technology built right in. For us old home people, we will just have to play catch up.

Hey folks, thanks for stopping by, I hope your a little smarter, come back soon, but I won't be leaving the light on for you... Don Ames

Don Ames is the host and author of http://www.detectenergy.com. Web site dedicated to conserving power at home. Ask me a question or sign up for my free weekly email newsletter.

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