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"Like many readers, I find it necessary to leave my home PC running 24/7, for things like web or FTP servers, BitTorrent, or simply to make sure I don't miss any messages on IRC or my instant messaging client. It has been about 3 years since I built my current PC, and keeping it running all the time uses a lot of juice. With my next PC, I would like to do what I can to keep the power-consumption to a minimum, without sacrificing processing power or other features. What should I look for when choosing components for my PC, and what other ways are there to keep the power consumption down?"

Here is a smart way to save up to 30% of your electrical bill : just plug in the new Mini Sun Power !
This new generation device can filter the eddies in the supply voltage while improving the efficiency and power factor of your electrical appliances. It can save up to 30% of your wasted electricity.

This Power Saver is tested by PSB (Singapore) and Sirim (Malaysia)

There are two parts to Wattson - a sensor and a display. The sensor measures how much power the whole house is using and sends this data out to the display by radio. It simply clips around one of the 2 wires running between the Electricity Meter and the Fuse Box. It can be installed safely and in seconds, with no need for any expert electrical knowledge or assistance, or even any interruption to the power supply. The only thing necessary is to be able to get to one of these wires to clip the sensor on, which is no problem in most dwellings.

The display is wireless and handheld. It can be taken anywhere in the home, so wherever appliances are they can easily be tested to see the amount of energy they use and how much they cost to run.

What is the PowerCost Monitor™?
a. What it does:
The PowerCost Monitor™ is a real-time direct feedback display device for domestic energy consumers. It will tell you at a glance how much electricity your home is currently using and your home's total electricity used in dollars and cents and in kilowatt hours.

For instance, as you turn on or off electrical appliances, you will be able to see the adjustment right away on the clock-sized display which would be located inside your home.

The PowerCost Monitor™ shows only your home's electricity usage in real-time. Ultimately, it is up to you to use this information to reduce your electric bill.

b. How it works:
The PowerCost Monitor™ consists of two components - a small display (which you can place anywhere inside your home) and a sensor unit (which you attach to your electricity meter).

The display unit, located inside the home, receives a wireless signal from the sensor unit which is attached to the outside of your electricity meter. The sensor unit can be easily installed by the homeowner. The sensor unit transmits your meter information to the in-home display unit where your electricity information is displayed in kilowatt hours and dollars and cents.

Wattson is a clever device that monitors the energy usage in your home. Turning any appliance of, off, or switching it to standby creates an immediate effect, showing how much power the appliance takes to run, and how much money it costs to keep it running. There are two parts to Wattson; a sensor that lives near the home's electricity supply, and the wireless, handheld display that can be taken anywhere in the home, so you can tell if the microwave or toaster uses more electricity. iPod-esque styling makes it easy to leave it on the coffee table or in the kitchen without causing an eyesore, and the two modes (instantaneous power consumption and overall cost per year) help equate electricity usage with spending money. To wit: a 100W light bulb left on for a year might cost $130; switching it to a 18W low-energy bulb would drop it to about $33. Connect Wattson to a computer, and you can become part of an online community, collaborating to see how individual energy savings are making a big difference as a collective. We think it's a great way to help contextualize your home's energy usage -- it really adds up.

What is an Electrisave?

picture of an electrisave

The Electrisave is a portable, easy to read electricity monitor designed for both use in the home and small office.







The electrisave will show you instantly:

* just how much electricity you are using
* how much it is costing you
* how much harmful CO2 you are contributing to the greenhouse effect.

By knowing which appliances are using a lot of electricity you can adopt new energy saving practices, which means you aren't wasting electricity and you are saving money on your electricity bills.

Kill-A-Watt Electric Usage Monitor

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

December 23, 2003

Product Requirements:
An electronic device that uses a regular US two or three (grounded) 125V pronged power cord

Pros:
Easy to use
Portable
Allows you to pin-point which electronics are sucking the most power
Allows you to figure hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly costs for running an electronic device

Cons:
None - except for the nasty surprises you might encounter as you test various electronics' and appliances' power consumption...

Reviews
What is an Electrisave? The Electrisave is a portable, easy to read electricity monitor designed for both use in the home and small office. By knowing which appliances are using a lot of electricity you can adopt new energy saving practices, which means you aren't wasting electricity and you are saving money on your electricity bills. By using the Electrisave you can make any household more energy efficient and SAVE MONEY! Did you know that... The electrisave can save you up to 25% on your current electricity bills. What's more by saving electricity, you'll also be doing your bit for the environment... The average household could save up to £200 a year by taking energy efficiency measures. This is equivalent to a saving of around 2 tonnes of Co2... Nearly £5 billion is wasted on energy in the UK every year. This is enough to give every man, women, and child £84 a year. Research on electricity usage shows that by using a device such as an electrisave provides instant feedback on energy consumption, raises awareness and plays a significant role in educating and reducing energy consumption... Imagine... how much energy could be saved in the UK alone, if every household was to use an electrisave!

Product Description
Digital Electricity Meter Measures Energy Consumption: Watts Up? is Made in the USA. Watts Up? Digital Electric Meter Instantly Displays Watts Used by Any Standard AC Device Plugged Into this Power Meter. You Instantly See the Cost in Dollars and Cents. Conserve Electricity by Replacing Power Guzzlers with Energy Efficient Appliances Or Turning Off Appliances that Use Power Silently. Use Watts Up? in home or industrial applications. Identify in.leakers in., appliances like coffee pots that consume electricity 24/7. Learn how much power your older freezer and refrigerator use. In educational settings, use the Watts Up digital power usage meter as an educational tool for elementary through college students. Main display modes show 6 values. Detail mode give additional information. Clear English wording on the LCD describes the displays. Watts Up? measures voltage and current thousands of times per second. This fast response time shows the peak surge power display of power when appliances are first turned on. The peak value display captures the surge display no matter how fast the surge occurs. The minimum voltage display shows both line quality and voltage dips. Minimum current and minimum watts displays monitor variances in appliances that run continuously. Watts Up? measures true RMS power (including power factor). Electric bills are based on true RMS power, which can differ from a simple voltage and current measurement ( in.apparent power in.). Duty cycle display shows the percent of time a load is above a preset threshold level. For instance, set this threshold to 100 watts for a refrigerator and the duty cycle display shows the percent of time that the compressor is running. A high reading may indicate a bad motor or low freon. Sixteen Values displayed: Cost, in dollars and cents Average monthly cost Power factor True RMS power Average monthly kwh Minimum voltage Maximum voltage Cumulative power (kwh) Minimum current Maximum current Time Mini

P3 International Kill-a-Watt Electricity Usage Monitor
List Price: $49.95
Price: $24.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $24.96 (50%)

Technical Details

* Electricity usage monitor connects to appliances and assesses efficiency
* Large LCD display counts consumption by the kilowatt-hour
* Calculates electricity expenses by the day, week, month, or year
* Displays volts, amps, and wattage within 0.2 percent accuracy
* Compatible with inverters; designed for use with AC 115-volt appliances

Kill A Watt Electricity Monitor

Connect your appliances into the Kill A Watt, and assess how efficient they are. A large LCD display counts consumption by the Kilowatt-hour just like utility companies. You can figure out your electrical expenses by the hour, day, week, month, even an entire year. Monitor the quality of your power by displaying Voltage, Line Frequency, and Power Factor.

Measures:

# Cumulative kWh over time (using built in timer)
# Watts (active power)
# VA (apparent power)
# Volts
# Current (amps)
# Frequency (hertz)
# Power Factor

Specifications:
# Model - P3 International P4400
# Maximum voltage - 125 VAC