5 ms·

Something in my apartment is consuming a ton of power and I don't know what. I would love a graph with a resolution better than a day.

yread 3y ago
Check the coffee machine. Full auto espresso machines can be huge hogs
Jedd 3y ago
Do you have a conventional HWS? These are notoriously power-hungry, often poorly maintained and calibrated, and hard to monitor. You can buy a power meter plug - that sits between appliance and socket - and work your way around almost all your appliances apart from, typically, oven, air conditioner(s), and hot water systems. For those you're going to need to experiment by turning as many things off as you can, to establish a baseline, and review your switch meter periodically for short (several minute) intervals, with and without the larger appliances turned on. (You can get induction coil systems to report usage of these larger appliances, but they're typically onerously priced.)
- cricalix 3y ago
  If you can isolate the legs of the larger appliances, a CT clamp sensor is sufficient for an idea, and you can get those as handheld meters with screen - or something you plug into a microcontroller board and send the data to a local collection system.
- erhaetherth 3y ago
  What's an HWS? Hot water system...?
  - quickthrowman 3y ago
    On mechanical blueprints, HWS is the acronym I see used for hydronic heating, and DHW is what I see used for domestic hot water. I’m unsure what the OP meant.
  - Jedd 3y ago
    Yes, sorry, hot water system.
jonathanlydall 3y ago
If you're looking for something simple to try work it out, I bought a smart plug a few years back which could record usage for around 20USD, you can then move it between your devices getting a sense of each's usage. Long term tracking usage of individual device energy usage is nice, but just knowing from past measurements how much a device tends to use is already very useful.
- dns_snek 3y ago
  If you're going to go down this route and aren't afraid of a little DIY, then I'd highly recommend something that doesn't depend on the cloud. Either ESPhome- or Tasmota-based plugs are great if you want fully local control (e.g. Athom, LocalBytes), or Shelly for local-first control with an option of connecting to their cloud. Mostly everything else will lock you into the manufacturer's app & cloud. Zigbee is fully local too, but it requires additional hardware.
SoftTalker 3y ago
Need to pop the cover off the main breaker panel and use a clamp-type current meter to see which circuit(s) are using power. Or hire an electrician to do it, if you aren't totally confident in your ability to do that safely.
- erhaetherth 3y ago
  Didn't know that was possible. I think I'd be too afraid.
  - lazide 3y ago
    Electrician can do it for you. Entirely reasonable to be quite afraid of it - it’s a good way to get killed if you aren’t very experienced around somewhat high voltages (240v).

yread 3y ago

Check the coffee machine. Full auto espresso machines can be huge hogs

Jedd 3y ago

Do you have a conventional HWS? These are notoriously power-hungry, often poorly maintained and calibrated, and hard to monitor. You can buy a power meter plug - that sits between appliance and socket - and work your way around almost all your appliances apart from, typically, oven, air conditioner(s), and hot water systems. For those you're going to need to experiment by turning as many things off as you can, to establish a baseline, and review your switch meter periodically for short (several minute) intervals, with and without the larger appliances turned on. (You can get induction coil systems to report usage of these larger appliances, but they're typically onerously priced.)

cricalix 3y ago
If you can isolate the legs of the larger appliances, a CT clamp sensor is sufficient for an idea, and you can get those as handheld meters with screen - or something you plug into a microcontroller board and send the data to a local collection system.
erhaetherth 3y ago
What's an HWS? Hot water system...?
- quickthrowman 3y ago
  On mechanical blueprints, HWS is the acronym I see used for hydronic heating, and DHW is what I see used for domestic hot water. I’m unsure what the OP meant.
- Jedd 3y ago
  Yes, sorry, hot water system.

jonathanlydall 3y ago

If you're looking for something simple to try work it out, I bought a smart plug a few years back which could record usage for around 20USD, you can then move it between your devices getting a sense of each's usage. Long term tracking usage of individual device energy usage is nice, but just knowing from past measurements how much a device tends to use is already very useful.

dns_snek 3y ago
If you're going to go down this route and aren't afraid of a little DIY, then I'd highly recommend something that doesn't depend on the cloud. Either ESPhome- or Tasmota-based plugs are great if you want fully local control (e.g. Athom, LocalBytes), or Shelly for local-first control with an option of connecting to their cloud. Mostly everything else will lock you into the manufacturer's app & cloud. Zigbee is fully local too, but it requires additional hardware.

SoftTalker 3y ago

Need to pop the cover off the main breaker panel and use a clamp-type current meter to see which circuit(s) are using power. Or hire an electrician to do it, if you aren't totally confident in your ability to do that safely.

erhaetherth 3y ago
Didn't know that was possible. I think I'd be too afraid.
- lazide 3y ago
  Electrician can do it for you. Entirely reasonable to be quite afraid of it - it’s a good way to get killed if you aren’t very experienced around somewhat high voltages (240v).