Comments on: Fun With The Kill-A-Watt http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/ where things have nothing to do with beer - tutorials, tips, how-tos, thoughts, hacks, and other techy nonsense Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Which Home Electronics Use the Most Energy? | DexKnows Home Improvementhttp://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-40179 Which Home Electronics Use the Most Energy? | DexKnows Home Improvement Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:50:19 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-40179 [...] Artem Russakovskii recently had some fun with the Kill A Watt, gauging the energy use of televisions, laptop chargers, blow dryers and other electronics. What I [...] [...] Artem Russakovskii recently had some fun with the Kill A Watt, gauging the energy use of televisions, laptop chargers, blow dryers and other electronics. What I [...]

]]> By: Artem Russakovskiihttp://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-4273 Artem Russakovskii Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:46:50 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-4273 Jim, first of all, the 10W rating on the unit is max, meaning it probably uses a less power to run. Second, I don't need to keep the unit running to get the average for most things as the power consumption is quite regular and doesn't fluctuate much. I then wouldn't leave it plugged in just to have P3 do math for me, I'm quite capable of multiplying consumption by the number of hours myself. As far as production costs to the environment. Consider this: if the people employed by P3 didn't spend their time making this small unit, which is probably on the low side of environmental production costs, they'd have to find a job somewhere else, potentially producing things far more harmful to the environment. The owners could have started a nuclear power plant in the parallel universe, you see? I think the point of this gadget is awareness. One person who buys it most likely will share it with friends. A blog like this will share results with hundreds. Not all is lost, Jim, cheer up. Jim, first of all, the 10W rating on the unit is max, meaning it probably uses a less power to run.

Second, I don't need to keep the unit running to get the average for most things as the power consumption is quite regular and doesn't fluctuate much. I then wouldn't leave it plugged in just to have P3 do math for me, I'm quite capable of multiplying consumption by the number of hours myself.

As far as production costs to the environment. Consider this: if the people employed by P3 didn't spend their time making this small unit, which is probably on the low side of environmental production costs, they'd have to find a job somewhere else, potentially producing things far more harmful to the environment. The owners could have started a nuclear power plant in the parallel universe, you see?

I think the point of this gadget is awareness. One person who buys it most likely will share it with friends. A blog like this will share results with hundreds. Not all is lost, Jim, cheer up.

]]> By: Jim Fhttp://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-4272 Jim F Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:45:09 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-4272 Keep in mind that the manual for the Kill-A-Watt indicates that you should let your tests run for a "period of time" ("the longer, the better") to get a "true indication" of actual usage of an appliance, which means that such appliances that cycle on and off could take up to a month to determine an accurate power consumption rate, in order for you to see how much energy you're using in a year. So, depending on how many items you have to test in your home (and how many others you buy throughout the year and test when you bring them home), it may take you almost a year to find out how much it's costing you. Upon reading the users manual for the Kill-A-Watt EZ P4460, it indicates that it uses 10Watts, which comes to 87.6KWH per year. At a low rate of 14-cents/KWH (in my area), that comes to 12.26/year. (Reference: http://www.ccrane.com/instruction-manuals/kill-a-watt-ez-P4460.pdf - I couldn't find the power consumption info for the P4400) So, to find out that your microwave oven display clock is costing you $2/year or a 4W night-light is costing you $3/year or that your 5W desk lamp is costing you $6 year (if these were all left on 24/7), you have used more power trying to determine how much you can save, than it cost you to determine the costs of those units. When you're doing your cost analysis, don't forget to add in the $20-$40 cost of the unit... after all, those pennies add up. Has anyone asked how much energy the manufacturer is using in a year, to build these units? How much is this adding to the "greenhouse effect" on the Earth's environment. And while we're calculating the costs to the consumer... it would be interesting to find out if the company received any federal grants to design & build the device and if they get tax credits/deductions for their contribution of an energy-saving device. If so, then we would have to determine how much this is costing the average taxpayer each year. How much would we all save if we threw out our computers? Instead of sitting here reading about how much energy we could save by buying one of these units and unplugging our microwave or toaster when not in use. Of course, that would lead to more landfill rubbish and the environmental problems that would cause... and the cycle continues... we're doomed? Keep in mind that the manual for the Kill-A-Watt indicates that you should let your tests run for a "period of time" ("the longer, the better") to get a "true indication" of actual usage of an appliance, which means that such appliances that cycle on and off could take up to a month to determine an accurate power consumption rate, in order for you to see how much energy you're using in a year. So, depending on how many items you have to test in your home (and how many others you buy throughout the year and test when you bring them home), it may take you almost a year to find out how much it's costing you.

Upon reading the users manual for the Kill-A-Watt EZ P4460, it indicates that it uses 10Watts, which comes to 87.6KWH per year. At a low rate of 14-cents/KWH (in my area), that comes to 12.26/year.
(Reference: http://www.ccrane.com/instruction-manuals/kill-a-watt-ez-P4460.pdf – I couldn't find the power consumption info for the P4400)

So, to find out that your microwave oven display clock is costing you $2/year or a 4W night-light is costing you $3/year or that your 5W desk lamp is costing you $6 year (if these were all left on 24/7), you have used more power trying to determine how much you can save, than it cost you to determine the costs of those units.

When you're doing your cost analysis, don't forget to add in the $20-$40 cost of the unit… after all, those pennies add up. Has anyone asked how much energy the manufacturer is using in a year, to build these units? How much is this adding to the "greenhouse effect" on the Earth's environment.

And while we're calculating the costs to the consumer… it would be interesting to find out if the company received any federal grants to design & build the device and if they get tax credits/deductions for their contribution of an energy-saving device. If so, then we would have to determine how much this is costing the average taxpayer each year.

How much would we all save if we threw out our computers? Instead of sitting here reading about how much energy we could save by buying one of these units and unplugging our microwave or toaster when not in use. Of course, that would lead to more landfill rubbish and the environmental problems that would cause… and the cycle continues… we're doomed?

]]> By: Power Consumption — chadnorwood.comhttp://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3952 Power Consumption — chadnorwood.com Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:26:07 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3952 [...] use? I mean, how much do all your various gadgets and appliances use? I recently came across this blog on kill-a-watt, where he measures how much power various devices use, like his HDTV, lamp, blow dryer, etc.  [...] [...] use? I mean, how much do all your various gadgets and appliances use? I recently came across this blog on kill-a-watt, where he measures how much power various devices use, like his HDTV, lamp, blow dryer, etc.  [...]

]]> By: Mantarihttp://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3821 Mantari Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:51:04 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3821 For fun, do a refrigerator. (Measure the average over three days.) Then, clean the coils, and measure again. Post the results. For fun, do a refrigerator. (Measure the average over three days.) Then, clean the coils, and measure again. Post the results.

]]> By: Archon810http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3818 Archon810 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:03:26 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3818 Kevin, well, as you see above there's no consumption when nothing is plugged in, except to power the LED. It makes sense if you study physics :P Kevin, well, as you see above there's no consumption when nothing is plugged in, except to power the LED. It makes sense if you study physics :P

]]> By: Kevinhttp://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3817 Kevin Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:47:14 +0000 http://beerpla.net/2007/12/15/fun-with-the-kill-a-watt/#comment-3817 I had heard that cell phone chargers always pulled electricity, even when device was plugged in. I wonder if they do and if those other transformer wall warts pull much electricity either. I had heard that cell phone chargers always pulled electricity, even when device was plugged in. I wonder if they do and if those other transformer wall warts pull much electricity either.

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