Live data from Hacker News

Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

energycircle.com

1–10 of 53 posts

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#4
post #3

You actually have to install something to get this graph? In Brazil you get a graph of your consumption for the last 12 months. printed with the bill every month. http://www.eletropaulo.com.br/portal/download.cfm?pasta_id=3... (page 3, item 18)

I get a simple graph on my bill too. But this is real-time and instantaneous measurement. There's a bit of a difference.

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#5
post #3

You actually have to install something to get this graph? In Brazil you get a graph of your consumption for the last 12 months. printed with the bill every month. http://www.eletropaulo.com.br/portal/download.cfm?pasta_id=3... (page 3, item 18)

I got the same graph on my bill. It was helpful. But when I turn on a light, the graph updates in a few seconds. It's brilliant (but then, well, I have a crush on it, according to energycircle.com)

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#6
post #3

You actually have to install something to get this graph? In Brazil you get a graph of your consumption for the last 12 months. printed with the bill every month. http://www.eletropaulo.com.br/portal/download.cfm?pasta_id=3... (page 3, item 18)

> graph of your consumption for the last 12 months

Monthly graphs would be somewhat helpful. For example, you could decipher that the AC uses a lot of power if the graph spikes in summer.

Daily graphs would be way more helpful. For example, you can see how much you saved on a day where you were out and used no power.

Hourly graphs would be still more helpful. If you knew you watched TV from 8-9, you could see the cost of an hour of TV.

Real time graphs are the ultimate. Not only do you get all the benefits of the above graphs, but you can go around your house flipping switches and see exactly how much each appliance costs to run. You can spend an hour messing around and reduce your power bill significantly--a savings which you'll realize every month.

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#7
Something like http://www.currentcost.com is much cheaper, has a one time cost, includes a display, and can send statistics to several user contributed apps as well.

A new version is due soon which will _probably_ introduce wireless transfer to the pc and compatibility with google powermeter..

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#8
post #6
post #3

You actually have to install something to get this graph? In Brazil you get a graph of your consumption for the last 12 months. printed with the bill every month. http://www.eletropaulo.com.br/portal/download.cfm?pasta_id=3... (page 3, item 18)

> graph of your consumption for the last 12 months Monthly graphs would be somewhat helpful. For example, you could decipher that the AC uses a lot of power if the graph spikes in summer. Daily graphs would be way more helpful. For example, you can see how much you saved on a day where you were out and used no power. Hourly graphs would be still more helpful. If you knew you watched TV from 8-9, you could see the cos…

I don't need this device to tell me that standby devices waste power. Just install some power strips and turn it off completely.

I don't see much other use for a device like this if you've already eliminated standby devices. Sure, it can tell you that your fridge is wasting alot of electricity, but that's what the energy labels are for (A++ etc)

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#9
post #4
post #3

You actually have to install something to get this graph? In Brazil you get a graph of your consumption for the last 12 months. printed with the bill every month. http://www.eletropaulo.com.br/portal/download.cfm?pasta_id=3... (page 3, item 18)

I get a simple graph on my bill too. But this is real-time and instantaneous measurement. There's a bit of a difference.

"real-time" ish. I like the way they switch a light off, then stare at the iPhone for a few seconds to tell them it's gone dark. ;)

Joking aside, I didn't know meters had "LED ports on them(IR?) and assumed these sorts of devices would have to be complex and measure current somehow.

It's another place where I think "great, but I don't want it streaming to the cloud, can't I host it myself?". Follow up thought: I'll be much more willing to host things myself for internal use when SSDs are common enough to mean small computers can be completely silent.

Re: Tom has a new crush. It's called the WattVision Energy Monitor.

#10
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get a simple graph on my bill too. But this is real-time and instantaneous measurement. There's a bit of a difference.

"real-time" ish. I like the way they switch a light off, then stare at the iPhone for a few seconds to tell them it's gone dark. ;) Joking aside, I didn't know meters had "LED ports on them(IR?) and assumed these sorts of devices would have to be complex and measure current somehow. It's another place where I think "great, but I don't want it streaming to the cloud, can't I host it myself?". Follow up thought: I'll b…

For this particular device it would mean that they would loose their monthly subscription (as I don't think people would accept to pay a monthly fee for a clientside app). This is their business model.
Post reply on HN