# Good deal on kilowatt meter



## begreen (Oct 2, 2006)

This is a good deal for an energy meter. Records up to a 15amp load. Costs $25, but you can use this code today (acc106) to drop it to $19. Shipping is free. 

The blurb for the product reads:
* Kill-A-Watt*

The Electricity Detector and Electricity Monitor can reduce your monthly electric bill and help you save a lot of money. Electricity bills can be murder. But now with Kill a Watt you can cut down on costs and find out what machines are actually worth keeping plugged in. Simply connect your appliances to the Kill A Watt and Kill a Watt will assess how efficient they really are.

Kill a Watt with large LCD display will count consumption by the Killawatt-hour, same as your local utility. With the help of Kill a Watt you can figure out your electrical expenses by the day, week, month or year. Kill a Watt can check the quality of your power by monitoring Voltage, Line Frequency, and Power Factor.

Now you'll know if it is time for a new refrigerator or if that old air conditioner is saving you money. Don't be another casualty. With the amazing Kill A Watt, you'll have wasteful devices pushing up daisies.

http://www.supermediastore.com/kilwateldet1.html

(I have no affiliation with SuperMedia or its employees, just passing on a good deal)


----------



## BrotherBart (Oct 2, 2006)

Thanks BG. Just ordered mine.


----------



## Sandor (Oct 2, 2006)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> Thanks BG. Just ordered mine.



Been looking at that thing for awhile. Maybe I should get off my cheap ass and buy one.... Bart, let me know how it works before I buy one!

Do you have a strategy to verify accuracy?


----------



## BrotherBart (Oct 2, 2006)

Sandor said:
			
		

> BrotherBart said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah. The thing Northern Virginia Electric Coop sends me in the mail every month. The bill. Also if it tells me a sixty watt bulbs are using sixty watts that may be a clue.

For me it is a toy. We are so electric stingy around here that the bill when the air conditioning isn't running is $80. With air around a hundred thirty. That is with the equivalent of a small data center running in the basement and one 3,000 VA UPS, one 6,000 VA UPS and a six deep discharge battery 2,000 watt lash up for backup. 

NOVEC keeps kissing our backsides since Virginia started letting you choose electric suppliers so during the coldest and hottest months they keep giving back some of that excess money they charged us over the years. In July, August and September my highest bill was $70 after the refund. Last winter the coldest months ran around $40 after the refunds since we heat exclusively with wood.


----------



## Corey (Oct 4, 2006)

Another good place to keep an eye on them...Harbor Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93519

About the same price as mentioned earlier, but if you get on the mailing list, they are always sending out coupons as well.  I lucked out and have a branch locally!

Corey


----------



## BrotherBart (Oct 4, 2006)

cozy heat for my feet said:
			
		

> Another good place to keep an eye on them...Harbor Freight:
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93519
> 
> ...



Damn! I never noticed that and I am the Forum Harbor Freight junkie.


----------



## Roospike (Oct 4, 2006)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> cozy heat for my feet said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 *Your FIRED!* We are now looking for a NEW replacement china freight forum guru.


----------



## BrotherBart (Oct 4, 2006)

Spike:

"Your FIRED! We are now looking for a NEW replacement china freight forum guru."

Am now disgraced. Must buy Harbor Freight imitation sword and fall on it. Is honorable thing to do, but gonna hurt like a groan.

Hope sword bad quality. Maybe only break off.


----------



## Roospike (Oct 4, 2006)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> Spike:
> 
> "Your FIRED! We are now looking for a NEW replacement china freight forum guru."
> 
> ...


Alright , I feel bad now ........  :sick: U can keep the damn job but just dont let it happen again. Lots of boy and girls are counting on you to save them a buck so they can keep up with the toys being posted all the time.  :cheese:


----------



## velvetfoot (Oct 5, 2006)

I ordered one as well for ~23 with shipping from somewhere else (coupon had expired).  Although somewhat like a toy, it could be useful now and again.  I am interested in the power usage of my dehumidier:  electricity usage went way up in August (no A/C).  Things like the DVR, which has a hard drive and is constantly running, also interest me.  Not that I can do much about it, similarly to getting the little woman to switch from a daily tub soak to a shower!


----------



## begreen (Oct 6, 2006)

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:


----------



## Gibbonboy (Oct 17, 2006)

I've had my meter for about a year now, I can say that it's helped me trim my elec. usage to probably half or what it was. It is a very cool toy to have, and I did learn some interesting things- my fridge, ac power adapters ("wall-warts"), and coal stoker use far less electricity than I thought. Anything with a heating coil/filament is going to eat power like crazy. I have a new energy star window a/c unit, it uses 1/3 the electricity of the unit that's the same brand and rating, but is 3 years old. The only thing I can't measure with it is the water heater, but I could always borrow my brother's clamp meter for that.


----------



## begreen (Oct 18, 2006)

AFAIK, most electric hot water heaters heat the water the same way. They're just on/off resistance heaters. It's easy to do the math and figure out their consumption, but it would be helpful to have an overtime metering system for one. The efficiency difference between models is how well they control the "loss" of heat from the water. 

You can improve the efficiency by adding an insulation blanket, turning the water temp down to about 120 degrees and making sure it's not oversized for the family's needs.


----------

