I received my Current Cost EnviR unit today!
Once I opened the panel box, it took about 15 minutes to hook up- and most of that was spent making the cables all neat (and taping a packaging bag to the front of the ‘brain’ so it is securely wedged between the panel front box front & back).
The unit is fairly neat so far- even with the absence of Google PowerMeter. I was able to find an application to upload to Pachube– which will create a graph based on the data provided to it.
It appears the both Google PowerMeter and Microsoft Hohm are throwing in the towel for home energy monitoring. :(
Home energy monitoring is a pretty cool idea- being able to monitor power usage in real time via a dedicated display or via an iPhone/Android application. Some of the systems have individual plug monitors so you can see exactly how much power your refrigerator or computer consumes in relation to your overall power usage (don’t think they have anything for 220v systems like the A/C, oven or dryer as of yet).
Some of the more advanced monitoring systems will even allow for solar or wind generated power monitoring and calculate your offset from the grid power. This would be useful as I have been looking into setting up a modular solar power option that I can expand over the next several years- but solar is still so very expensive to deploy.
The idea is that once you identify usage patterns you can make changes to reduce your energy usage- and save on utility bills.
The Energy Detective (TED) lists several alternative application providers– but most are directed for use with the TED 5000 devices. There are also several upcoming iPhone applications and one Android application listed.
I recently ordered the Current Cost CC128 from Amazon- which looks like it will be supported by MyEragy ‘soon’. No sign of appliance modules for US plugs at this time…
Brooskie's Log Book 