I just had my $50 Climate Smart Home Service done and the wireless power usage monitor fitted.
Overall it was quick and simple, the wireless monitor just clips over on of the main power wires, so the guy putting it in didn't even need to turn the power off. I had 3 bulbs changed to energy savers since all the others were already energy savers. My favourite 100 watt bulb in the dunny is gone so now its dull and dark in there, these energy savers are similar to 75watt bulbs, but like all those styles, they need to be on for a while to get bright.
So far the monitor is showing I am using 6 cents an hour, that is mostly my computer I guess. So 6 cents an hour over 3 months works out to $120. Big surprise to me, I didn't think the computer cost that much to run.
I turned on the large split system for a few minutes to see it jump from 6 cents to 68 cents an hour. That was a shock also, but lucky for us we never use it unless we have those over 40 deg days.
Our usual bill ranges from 450-800 a quarter, stuff knows why it's so high, but I guess now we can find out. We changed from electric hot water to solar hot water about 8 years ago, that didn't effect the bills at all, they still stayed around the same, so we changed the electric stove to gas and that also didn't change the bills. We were sure after spending all that money that we would be saving money on power bills but it didn't happen. Few years ago I shutdown 3 large marine fishtanks that I knew used a lot of power, they had metal halide lights, water chillers, pumps and heaters, but once again the bill stayed the same.
Well at least now I can see what the big power usage devices are doing, like the kettle used 1kwh for the few minutes it was on, the slpit system used 3.8kwh for the few minutes I had it on. Now I need to look into what else in the house is drawing a constant power drain.
My only shock was when I talked to the guy about how I orginised with Energex to come test my power meters, he told me they will most likely turn the power off to the house till I get my meter box fixed, what happened there was a few years ago a teenager drove his car in to a power pole running the 33kva wires and one fell on to the 240v wires taking out multiple suburbs around the Strathpine area, our power box went up in smoke and as a quick fix a sparky replaced the main on/off switch, but being an old house the one he had to replace it didn't fit in the housing correctly, so he had to cut it open, later it was just sealed up with electrical tape. So this guy that was here today said energex wont like that and will cut the power to the house untill the box is upgraded, and that we know will cost over $2000 to have it not only upgraded but moved to a different location on the house cause of some shitty new legislation. Sucks when it's not our fault but at the same time can't make a claim against the kid that died hitting the pole.
If you have thought about getting this wireless monitor installed, do so before the government cuts it out, the cost is $50 and you get free energy saver lights, free energey effecient shower head and the fun toy the Wireless Power monitor.
The number to call is 13 20 40 or . Probably worth the money if you think it will help you save power and money in the long term.
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