Otis Singleton
Monitoring your electricity usage can help you save money and reduce your carbon footprint. There are various ways to monitor your electricity usage, from using a whole-home energy monitor, such as Sense, to tracking your usage through your electricity provider's online tools. Whole-home energy monitors are small devices that are installed in your circuit breaker panel and can provide granular insights into your energy consumption, helping you identify appliances that consume the most power. Some electricity providers, such as PG&E, offer online tools and apps that allow you to monitor and analyze your energy usage, compare rate options, and identify opportunities for improvement. Additionally, you can calculate your energy usage by comparing monthly bills and using online calculators, such as the Energy Vampire Calculator.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To monitor electricity usage and provide insights to reduce electricity bills and carbon footprint |
| Installation | Installed in the circuit breaker panel of a house or apartment |
| Functionality | Can identify individual appliances and their electricity usage |
| Data Availability | Provides data on kilowatt-hours of usage, kilowatts of demand, and cost |
| Data Frequency | Real-time or historical data with customizable time intervals |
| Notifications | Set notifications to stay informed about devices being turned on or left on |
| Cost Savings | Potential savings of up to 50% on power bills by identifying high-consumption appliances |
| User Experience | Mixed reviews, some praise accuracy while others report issues with device identification and data reliability |
| Alternatives | Smart outlets, smart plugs, smart appliances, smart electrical panels, eGauge, TP-Link smart plugs, Shelly relays, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Energy monitor devices
One popular option for energy monitoring is the Sense Home Energy Monitor. Sense installs directly into your home's electrical panel and provides insights into your energy use through its iOS and Android apps. It helps identify appliances that consume the most power, even when not in use, and can notify you if a device, such as the stove or garage door, has been left on. Sense also enables you to compare the electricity usage of different appliances, such as fans vs air conditioners, helping you make cost-effective choices.
Another option is the IoTaWatt, which offers detailed and accurate energy monitoring for each room in your house. It integrates with your smart meter and provides data on your "large appliances," such as the water heater, stove, and heat pumps.
Emporia is another popular brand offering energy monitoring solutions. Their products include smart plugs, CT sensors, and home batteries, allowing you to track and automate your electricity usage.
Other energy monitor devices mentioned in online forums include Shelly relays, Sonoff in-line power monitors, and eGauge for breakers. These devices vary in their features and compatibility, so it's essential to research which option best suits your needs and your home's electrical setup.
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Smart meters
Sense is currently partnering with electricity providers to get their technology installed on next-generation smart meters. Their first deployment will be in partnership with National Grid in Central Upstate New York.
Another example of a smart meter is Emporia's Gen 3 Vue monitor, which does not employ machine learning. Instead, it relies on smart devices and direct observations to measure how much power individual circuits are using. The Vue 3 can communicate with most smart devices and plugs, and the Vue app can adjust them manually or automatically to save energy usage and costs.
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Energy-saving devices
One popular option for energy monitoring is the Sense Home Energy Monitor. This device installs directly into your home's electrical panel and provides real-time data on your energy usage through its iOS and Android apps. Sense uses machine learning to identify individual appliances and their electricity usage, helping you understand which devices are energy guzzlers and need to be replaced or upgraded. With Sense, you can also track your overall consumption, allowing you to make behavioural changes to reduce your electricity bill.
Another option is the Emporia Vue monitor, a budget-friendly alternative to Sense. The Vue monitor does not use machine learning but relies on smart devices and direct observations to measure power usage in individual circuits. The Vue app can also adjust smart devices to save energy and costs, such as pre-cooling your home overnight to reduce air conditioning usage during the day.
Other energy-saving devices include smart plugs, which monitor individual appliances, and circuit breakers that can monitor energy usage at the breaker box. These devices can help identify "phantom loads," devices that consume electricity even when powered off, so you can make informed decisions about unplugging them to save energy.
By using energy-saving devices like the ones mentioned above, you can gain a better understanding of your energy usage, make more efficient choices, and ultimately reduce your electricity bills and carbon footprint.
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Power bills
A more modern approach is to use an energy monitoring device, which gives a real-time display of your total power consumption. These are typically installed at your main electricity meter board. Plug-in power meters can be used for any device with a standard power plug, such as a fridge, TV, or hairdryer. You simply plug the meter into an electrical outlet and then plug your appliance into it. It will show you various readings, including watts, kilowatt-hours, and cost.
For a more comprehensive view of your home's energy usage, you can install a whole-house energy monitoring system, such as the Sense Home Energy Monitor. This type of system is often installed directly in the main breaker panel of your home and may require an electrician. It provides real-time data on your home's energy use and can identify specific appliances by recognizing their unique electrical signature.
Another option is to use a smart meter, which is a replacement for traditional electricity meters. These come with an in-home display showing electricity usage and may also have an app for remote monitoring. Prepayment meters are another variation, where you top up in advance instead of paying a bill later, and these can also provide real-time monitoring through an associated app.
By using these monitoring tools, you can identify areas where electricity is being wasted, such as appliances or lights left on by mistake or those that use more energy on standby than expected. This information can help you make informed decisions to reduce your power bills, such as unplugging certain appliances or upgrading to more energy-efficient alternatives.
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Energy usage tools
Whole-home energy monitors
Whole-home energy monitors are small devices that are installed in the circuit breaker panel of a house or apartment. They provide load disaggregation by tracing, via current transformers attached to your electrical mains, which devices in your home are drawing power and how much they're drawing. They can provide more detailed information on a household's energy consumption than a typical monthly electricity bill. Some examples include Sense, SquareD, Iotawatt, Emporia, and Eyedro.
Smart meters
Smart meters are another way to monitor your energy usage. These are usually provided by your electricity provider and can help you identify choices to save electricity throughout your home.
PG&E online account tools
If you are a PG&E customer, you can access energy usage tools in your online account. The Usage Analysis tool can monitor and analyze your energy use, compare rate options, and help you understand which rate plan is best for you. You can also view your energy usage by cost, kilowatt-hours of usage, or kilowatts of demand. You can also download summary or 15-minute interval data to review.
Other tools
There are also other simple tools and methods to help you monitor your energy usage, such as the Energy Vampire Calculator from Duke Energy, which can give you an estimate of how much energy different devices are using. You can also simply compare your monthly bills to get an idea of your energy usage.
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Frequently asked questions
You can monitor your electricity usage through a whole-home energy monitor, such as Sense, IoTaWatt, Emporia, Eyedro, and SquareD. These devices are installed in the circuit breaker panel of a house and provide granular information on a household's energy consumption.
Whole-home energy monitors use current transformers attached to your electrical mains to trace which devices in your home are drawing power and how much they're drawing. Some monitors use machine learning to identify individual appliances and their electricity usage.
Aside from using a whole-home energy monitor, you can save on electricity costs by being mindful of when you use energy, how much you use, and your peak energy usage. You can also use smart plugs or smart outlets to monitor individual circuits.
