I have been looking into energy monitoring devices for my home for awhile. I first started with the Kill-a-watt meter which monitors one device plugged into the monitor. Then I experimented with a upgrade to the Kill-a-watt that transfers the data via zigbee wireless to my computer in real time. Both failed to impress me with the information gathered. It worked well for a quick look at the energy the device was sucking from the grid but did not change any behavior in my home. Lights, computers, TVs continued to be left on while no one was in the room.
The TED5000 connects to your main breaker box power inputs using small clamps, the feeds go into a monitor that is connected to a dual pole breaker (my AC). This monitor send the real time data via the power lines to a gateway plugged into the wall under my worksurface in my office. The gateway looks like a wall wart transformer and is connected to my LAN via a cable to my wireless router.
Configuration is a snap once the monitor and gateway is plugged in using my PC (you need to write down the mac address of the devices) and I was able to monitor total house usage in 30 minutes. I also purchased a remote display which is located in the kitchen, it communicates via wireless zigbee to the gateway in the basement and displays the usage and cost per hour. This morning with the house quiet I was sucking 270watts from the grid (until I fired up the coffee maker). The remote display updates every 5 seconds showing you what you are sucking from the grid in real time.
Another key feature is the ability to upload the data from the gateway to google's power meter site. Once this is configured it runs automatically, sending me weekly updates on my usage as well as the ability to use a gadget with igoogle to look at my daily suckage from the grid.
Now my wife can glance at the display and enjoy the fact that leaving the kitchen halogen lights on suck 240watts from the grid while the sun is shining.
The whole deal cost about $250 for the devices from TED.
