Recommendations for Smart plug with energy monitoring

gandalf

Hi all I've got my solar PV installation booked but in the meantime before that happens I want to look and measure the energy the devices around the house are using. I'm specifically interested in my work setup (as I'll approach them if the cost is high) and what power the standby devices are using.

I've had a look at Amazon and see a plethora of smart plugs with energy monitoring, has anyone any recommendations or should I just take a punt?

THE ALM

I use a couple of Teckin and a couple of TP-LINK/Tado, have had no problems with either

DC999

+1 on TP-LINK/Tado. Get at least 1 with energy monitoring (to see what uses what amount of juice). Then get the normal smart plug of that brand (without energy monitoring) when you want to make a dumb device a smart device (to see the time when dishwasher comes on say). Am sure there are others brands but TP-LINK/Tado are perfect for me.

THE ALM

sorry should be Tapo and there is an offer on them at the minute

TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring, Works with Amazon Alexa (Echo and Echo Dot) and Google Home, Wi-Fi Smart Socket, Remote Control, Device Sharing, No Hub Required(Tapo P110) : Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

heavydawson

I bought a load of TPLink Kasa KP115s a few months ago while they were on offer in DID Electrical.

Plugs are good, but software is lacking. There's no visualization of the usage over the course of day, only:

1. Today - Current consumption + Total Consumption
2. Last 7 Days - Daily Average + Total Consumption
3. Last 30 Days - Daily Average + Total Consumption

,

so I ended up writing some code to poll the plugs over the network and write the current consumption to an InfluxDB database I have running on an Pi to track the usage over time.

I wrote a small Python wrapper around https://github.com/python-kasa/python-kasa

DC999

Hey, app /software on the TP Link Tapo (which is likely similar to the Kasas) is fine for me as plugged in 1 thing at a time. So if I turned on the dishwasher once in a day I can see what each setting on it uses (50celsuis, 65celsuis...). So can see the current usage and the total by day, week, month. Doing that device by device (for the ones that use more juice) tells you how many units you'll use per day, week, year. So that was enough for me personally.

Fair play to you on the Python wrapper. Many levels above me :)

gandalf

Cheers guys I've ordered a TP Link Tapo. At the moment I don't particularly want smart plugs, it's more to monitor and stats on the various devices around the house.

bullit_dodger

I think what you are looking for is being lost perhaps in your description. Yes, the TP Link, Meros, etc "smart plugs" are good way in monitoring the current as a smart plug. But what you actually want is (I believe) one of these,

Electricity Usage Monitor, Electricity Power Consumption Meter Energy Monitor Timer Plug Watt kwh Analyzer Plug-in with LCD Display for Home Hotel : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

DC999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119580411#Comment_119580411

Yeah, Tapo have a model for that ('energy monitoring' one) and can be used as a smart plug too. Doesn't have an LCD display so have to check the app to see usage at the time. 'The Alm' added the link above

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119580918#Comment_119580918

I have both Kasa KP115 (the one with energy monitoring), and a plug in monitor similar to what @bullit_dodger linked to above. The plug in monitor is better for getting instantaneous values (including power factor, which generally isn't available on the smart plugs), while the smart plugs are better for getting long term readings (mainly because of the convenience of just checking an app or home assistant).

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119580938#Comment_119580938

Likewise, I've both. The Meros smart plugs which I bought as a "cheep-n-cheerful" alternative to the more expensive Philips hue ones are pretty good and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it did energy monitoring (the Philips one doesn't FYI). It's neat as I've few lower power (3w) or so lamps set to turn on a (sunset + 20) and of at (sunrise -20) and you can see the power consumption wax/wane through the year as the nights get longer/shorter.

The monitor I linked above though in addition to what Jonathan saying about some useful things like frequency, voltages, power factor .... it also has a cost mode where you put in the tariffs (supports D/N) and it will compute the money being spent in real time and or over a day/week for the device plugged into it.

Loads of different makes/models on Amazon, but they all typically have the same internals. Note the 4 buttons, and LCD screen being the same across them all.