Comments on: Black and Decker Power Monitor http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/ Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:09:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David, Electrical Engineer http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-38897 David, Electrical Engineer Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:09:35 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-38897 I've tested the accuracy of this product and it is horrible. It could be off by up to a factor of 1.5 to 2 (the Power Factor/ Kh setting does not help). With this level of inaccuracy, the product is useless. To test the accuracy on your own, measure power consumption before and after turning on a room full of light of know wattage. For example, for a room with 8 recessed lights of 60 Watts each, consumption should increase by 8x60 Watts or 480 Watts or 0.48 KWatts. If your B&D power meter display does not increase by that amount, the monitor is not accurate. I've concluded that the product does not work on many of the types of electrical meters it is advertised to work on. Quite a scam if a lot people are relying on the accuracy. I’ve tested the accuracy of this product and it is horrible. It could be off by up to a factor of 1.5 to 2 (the Power Factor/ Kh setting does not help). With this level of inaccuracy, the product is useless. To test the accuracy on your own, measure power consumption before and after turning on a room full of light of know wattage. For example, for a room with 8 recessed lights of 60 Watts each, consumption should increase by 8×60 Watts or 480 Watts or 0.48 KWatts. If your B&D power meter display does not increase by that amount, the monitor is not accurate. I’ve concluded that the product does not work on many of the types of electrical meters it is advertised to work on. Quite a scam if a lot people are relying on the accuracy.

]]> By: C.M.Sanger http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-38075 C.M.Sanger Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:42:10 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-38075 This is a great product, but does have limitations. Check the manufacturer of your Hydro Meter as I have probably spent upwards of an hour outside in freezing weather wondering what I was doing wrong with the installation outside on the meter itself. It does NOT work with Landis-Gyr Meters. The name is printed on the faceplate of the meter. I was disappointed that I will not be able to use this Powermeter, I do think it's a great idea and even if not quite accurate, you should be able to get a pretty good idea what your various devices are doing, especially with their Tare function....too bad I will miss out on this one...back to the store is where it will have to go. This is a great product, but does have limitations. Check the manufacturer of your Hydro Meter as I have probably spent upwards of an hour outside in freezing weather wondering what I was doing wrong with the installation outside on the meter itself. It does NOT work with Landis-Gyr Meters. The name is printed on the faceplate of the meter.
I was disappointed that I will not be able to use this Powermeter, I do think it’s a great idea and even if not quite accurate, you should be able to get a pretty good idea what your various devices are doing, especially with their Tare function….too bad I will miss out on this one…back to the store is where it will have to go.

]]> By: Aaron Stevens http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-37853 Aaron Stevens Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:36:21 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-37853 If the power is off by a factor of 2 I would check on the meter to see what Kh value it is using. For example my meter is a 7.2Kh (typical) so if it were set to 3.6 on the monitor this would cause the reading to be off by a factor of 2. If the power is off by a factor of 2 I would check on the meter to see what Kh value it is using. For example my meter is a 7.2Kh (typical) so if it were set to 3.6 on the monitor this would cause the reading to be off by a factor of 2.

]]> By: David, Electrical Engineer http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-32712 David, Electrical Engineer Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:11:13 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-32712 Has anyone tested the accuracy of the meter? I spent a few hours doing so and found that it could be off by up to a factor of two. This is unacceptable for such a device. What this means is that the power displayed on the hand-held unit does not match what is being measured and recorded on the Power Company meter (and actually being used by the home owner). There may be a way to circumvent this problem by using an artificial Power Factor to rescale the measurement, but it would require a lot of patience determining what that artificial Power Factor. I'll spend a few more hours evaluating the accuracy, but it seems to me the device is useless if it could be off by up to factor of two. Anyone else have comments? Has anyone tested the accuracy of the meter? I spent a few hours doing so and found that it could be off by up to a factor of two. This is unacceptable for such a device. What this means is that the power displayed on the hand-held unit does not match what is being measured and recorded on the Power Company meter (and actually being used by the home owner). There may be a way to circumvent this problem by using an artificial Power Factor to rescale the measurement, but it would require a lot of patience determining what that artificial Power Factor. I’ll spend a few more hours evaluating the accuracy, but it seems to me the device is useless if it could be off by up to factor of two. Anyone else have comments?

]]> By: New Toy « Red Herrings http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-30118 New Toy « Red Herrings Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:05:25 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-30118 [...] testfreaks.com [...] [...] testfreaks.com [...]

]]> By: Gerry http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-29810 Gerry Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:42:38 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-29810 My sister has one of these on her house and her biggest complaint is that it goes through batteries pretty fast. Why doesn't it have an AC adapter? My sister has one of these on her house and her biggest complaint is that it goes through batteries
pretty fast. Why doesn’t it have an AC adapter?

]]> By: didier http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-29105 didier Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:39:30 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-29105 "is it possible to program the unit , to calculate by day the first 30kwh at one price, and the rest of kwh used at an other price(usually higher), and have the unit remake the calculation for each day?" “is it possible to program the unit , to calculate by day the first 30kwh at one price, and the rest of kwh used at an other price(usually higher), and have the unit remake the calculation for each day?”

]]> By: Wilbour in Ottawa http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-29086 Wilbour in Ottawa Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:16:26 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-29086 We have had the unit running for almost a month now and it has been quite usefull in detecting the energy hogs in our house. Our old stereo receiver was over a kilo-watt/hour...yikes! The cold snap is real hard on the batteries though, even with the recomended lithium AA's. When the batteries get low the unit constantly goes to "SLEEP". As the weather gets warmer they should last longer. We have had the unit running for almost a month now and it has been quite usefull in detecting the energy hogs in our house. Our old stereo receiver was over a kilo-watt/hour…yikes! The cold snap is real hard on the batteries though, even with the recomended lithium AA’s. When the batteries get low the unit constantly goes to “SLEEP”. As the weather gets warmer they should last longer.

]]> By: Suzanne http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-29050 Suzanne Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:09:30 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-29050 Will this unit help solve the issue we are having that our Summer homes electricity is 2 times the amount per year than our year round home that has Air Condintioning. We believe that the meter is reading incorrectly and we need to try and figure out how to determine this. I think the only way is to determine the about of Electricity each appliance is using. Will this unit help? Will this unit help solve the issue we are having that our Summer homes electricity is 2 times the amount per year than our year round home that has Air Condintioning. We believe that the meter is reading incorrectly and we need to try and figure out how to determine this. I think the only way is to determine the about of Electricity each appliance is using. Will this unit help?

]]> By: Andrew http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-29032 Andrew Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:14:22 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-29032 As with Wilbour, I DO have the unit working with my Smart Meter in Kanata and am loving it. While the accuracy may change based on rate differences with the Smart meter (which haven't been put in yet), it DOES provide a very useful link as to your appliances. I'm loving it As with Wilbour, I DO have the unit working with my Smart Meter in Kanata and am loving it. While the accuracy may change based on rate differences with the Smart meter (which haven’t been put in yet), it DOES provide a very useful link as to your appliances.

I’m loving it

]]> By: Tim - Houston http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-29028 Tim - Houston Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:44:13 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-29028 For those making comments about smart meters, this functionality will be built into the meter, most brands are using the xbee wireless standard to directly communicate with a HAN or computer. They have even started making controllers for your house that you can program so that certain appliances can turn on/off at customizable points. If you are living in an area where they are implementing smart meters skip this product and look for something like I mentioned above. For those making comments about smart meters, this functionality will be built into the meter, most brands are using the xbee wireless standard to directly communicate with a HAN or computer. They have even started making controllers for your house that you can program so that certain appliances can turn on/off at customizable points.

If you are living in an area where they are implementing smart meters skip this product and look for something like I mentioned above.

]]> By: roger http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-28765 roger Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:21:34 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-28765 found that the unit doesn,t work with the new smart meters found that the unit doesn,t work with the new smart meters

]]> By: Wilbour in Ottawa http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-28646 Wilbour in Ottawa Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:22:08 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-28646 Update - It pays to read the whole instuction manual before publishing one's review. I now understand what "Tier" billing is. We do have 2 tier billing and this monitor can accommodate this. The limitation is no knowing the exact date your utility company decides to start and stop the billing cycle. Update – It pays to read the whole instuction manual before publishing one’s review. I now understand what “Tier” billing is. We do have 2 tier billing and this monitor can accommodate this. The limitation is no knowing the exact date your utility company decides to start and stop the billing cycle.

]]> By: Wilbour in Ottawa http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-28604 Wilbour in Ottawa Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:14:45 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-28604 I installed the outdoor monitor in less than 15 minutes on the new smart meter. Our billing is quite easy since we have only one tier billing. One problem is in our region, if you use over a certain amount of energy over a set amount for the billing cycle, you pay a higher rate for that portion . This monitor will not be able to take this into account since we never know when the billing cycle begins or ends. The other limitations I see is the reading is taken in 30 second intervals so turning on or off items in the house will not instantly appear on the monitor. The smallest unit measured is 0.1 kw so turning off a light bulb may not decrease the current reading (you can use either meaning of "current" here). That said, serious energy curbing freaks out there who wish to shave every electron off their bill may not be totally satisfied with the limitations of this unit. On the other hand, the vast majority of us who have no idea how costly our dishwasher is, can learn a lot from this product. I installed the outdoor monitor in less than 15 minutes on the new smart meter. Our billing is quite easy since we have only one tier billing. One problem is in our region, if you use over a certain amount of energy over a set amount for the billing cycle, you pay a higher rate for that portion . This monitor will not be able to take this into account since we never know when the billing cycle begins or ends. The other limitations I see is the reading is taken in 30 second intervals so turning on or off items in the house will not instantly appear on the monitor. The smallest unit measured is 0.1 kw so turning off a light bulb may not decrease the current reading (you can use either meaning of “current” here). That said, serious energy curbing freaks out there who wish to shave every electron off their bill may not be totally satisfied with the limitations of this unit. On the other hand, the vast majority of us who have no idea how costly our dishwasher is, can learn a lot from this product.

]]> By: Don Broad http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-28538 Don Broad Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:43:16 +0000 http://www.testfreaks.com/blog/review/black-and-decker-power-monitor/#comment-28538 What is the range, how far can the monitor be from the meter. Also if you have more then one unit can the transmission frequencys be changed. What is the range, how far can the monitor be from the meter. Also if you have more then one unit can the transmission frequencys be changed.

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