Energy Matters Forums

[karlajensen]

The ENVI does this although they are separate channels it wont give you a one minus the other NET status.
-there is more software being developed for all this kind of stuff rapidly!

I was at the conference last week and WesternPower were trialing ZIGBEE enabled meters with a display very similar (if not identical) to a TomTom 720.
and various iPad kinds of things.

Unfortunately, they could have had a stack of old mobile phones or blank PC screens as ....nothing worked
but they are actively "encouraging" software developers to get it happening.

The meters they were using could also be interrogated over the grid and via the zigbee turn things on and off.
-They are currently doing a trial where they have 500 Split system airconditioners attached and turn them off during periods of high load in a kind of organised rotating fashion. Ie mine down now for 30 mins next door down for the next 30 mins and so on.

Bring it on!

[zzsstt]

They'd presumably have to legislate and make that kind of thing compulsory, I can't see many people wanting somebody else controlling their air-con or anything else! Sorry to sound negative, but to me it sounds like another of those "make it look like we're doing something by spending lots of money and encouraging even more gadgets and gizmo's" situations.

I don't understand why we don't just cap electricity usage. If the average household usage is 15kwh, then charge 15c/kwh for the first 10kwh/day, then 25c/kwh for the next 5kwh, then 40c/kwh for the next 5, and 70c/kwh for anything above that. Nobody can say they can't afford to use what they need, and anybody who wants to use above and beyond gets charged on a punitive basis. The revenue from those who choose to use excessive amounts can be used to provide a cash pool to pay for rooftop PV installations, on the basis of a net FIT.

Once again, this solution would (in the domestic market) pay for itself at the expense of those who use too much power, and would encourage both lower consumption AND the installation of rooftop PV. Of course, it wouldn't be popular with the power retailers because it would eat in to their profits. On the other hand, "remote controlled air conditioners" allows them to supply at 100% of capacity (i.e. no additional generation or infrastructure) safe in the knowledge that they can, if required, shut some loads down to gain a bit of headroom. Profit maximisation under the guise of "eco friendly", beautiful. Brings back memories - zzsstt Sp.D. (Doctor of Spin!)

Sorry for the off-topic!!

[karlajensen]

Aside from monitoring and curbing ones usage, Energy monitors are handy for shifting your load profile to take advantage of Time Of Use metering (TOU).

Here is an example below: Note the Frightening Peak Rate of 40.14c KW/hr
this is another model intended to curb peak use and reflect the cost of generation in Perth
http://www.synergy.net.au/at_home/smartpower.xhtml

I've been looking at it very carefully and although I have thought we can migrate to this without cost impact, we didnt as last time I checked we were failing to shift our profile far enough.

Here is the schedule -see the link for the times of the day they apply.
A= Peak rate 40.14c
B=Weekday Shoulder 20.42c
C= Off peak 10.78c
D= weekend shoulder 16.92c
so in fact they should be able to tell me over the phone if I'd be better off or not as they download this ABCD and Generation data anyway

Here are my figures as of right now ( all KW/HRS and not including GST)
Total 4252 A1 tarrif = $885.69 UP 4898 Net PFIT 0.47c = $2302.06

A) 691 x 40.14 = $277.37
B)1150 x 20.42 = $234.83
C 1789 x 10.78 = $192.85
D) 620 x 16.92 = $104.91

Total Bill under Smart power = $809.95

Incidentally last time I did this we were not ahead. But I have been changing our habits towards this type of billing as it is only a matter of time.
I guess I'm switching, Made up a few signs for around the house to keep people on their toes

[Gordon-Loomberah]

That 40c/unit peak rate isn't confined to WA, it exists in NSW too, in some areas at least. Makes me happy to be off-grid, where I can match my big loads to when the sun is up, instead of sneaking around in the dark trying to avoid the peak rate monster

Karl, you really need to do something with that / key, it keeps popping up in the middle of your kWh, where it has no place!

[zzsstt]

Is the Martec remote in the photo for one of their "eco" fan/light units? I've got a bunch of those, with a low power fan and a dimmable T5 circular fluoro. I'm quite impressed except that bugs still manage to find their way in and die, slowly filling the light up with their corpses and reducing the output!!

[karlajensen]

Sure is
T5 dimming fluro -awesome, swept back blades look the biz in the strobing from the LED's in the kitchen
Pity the min setting is about 20W.

I was so impressed with them I bought another for the bedroom

Incidentally the pdf file is different to the pic, I'm hoping it doesnt cause divorce.

[zzsstt]

I thought they were fairly impressive, we've got them in the bedroom and the family room. I must admit that for my music/movie room I bought a single bladed bizarro world "Sycamore" fan that looks spectacular (people sway when they watch it!), and then for the "Victorian" guest bedroom I got a massive oil-filled ceiling fan that was alledgedly designed in about 1903. But the ones that run more frequently are all those swept balde eco fan/lights.

[karlajensen]

I bought them for Three rimary Preasons
1) I know the markup at Beacon Lighting and most of those stores is into three figures % (eg 200%)
and could buy them on ebay cheaply
2) It was actually only marginally more expensive than other ones by the time you bought the extra remote control device.
3) Requires no hard wiring to speak of other than a 240V Supply -no speed control wiring to try and get down a brick wall without making alot of work for oneself.

[zzsstt]

How do you find the behaviour of the remote? One thing we've noticed is that the light and fan can get out of sync with the remote sometimes. We have a normal switch in the circuit, and when it is used the fan always remains "off", even though the remote says it is on, whilst the light behaves like a normal light switch. That is fine, of course, but the same thing can happen in the event of a power outage - so in the middle of the night, when the power company play with the switches the light can come on "all by itself". We know what has happened because the bedside clock (which hasn't had new backup batteries for 20 years) always losses its settings at the same time!

[karlajensen]

The instructions says it will do that.

Now for some Bragging!
Readings on the meter since yesterday

4267 down a use of 15KWhr
4932 up -a feed in of 34KW/hrs -
(this is a truly awesome day for PV performance at 6.95KWhr/kw installed panels
-not unlike every other day this week )

I was a home with the kids today in perfect comfort with no AC.
High use attributible to the 6 slices of toast we had for brekkie and 4 cups of coffee
a cost of $3.15 (can be improved yet more I'm sure) gain of $15.98 has to be a KW or two in offset 0.40c
Gross profit $13.20
Thats almost $5K / year gentlemen (On track for 9.3MW, yes 9300KWhr =25.5/day or 4.92kw/kw installed)
CEC quote 4.4KWhrs/KW installed
Obviously not always this good or the total use would be less than 1/2 the total generation but we're trying!
Thankyou very much Julia