How do you Monitor your Electricity Usage?

After my electricity supplier provided one of the 'smart meters' and I discovered that it outputs XML over the RJ45 serial connection, I've been looking at ways to disseminate and use this data, not to mention store it. I wondered what other people are using/doing, or if people just don't bother and rely solely on their bills?

I also suspect a device like this won't be the best way to monitor electricity usage in a 3 phase warehouse setup.

Top Comments

gadget.iom over 10 years ago +2

Monitoring electricity in Gadget Towers is easy... The meter runs out of credit and I'm plunged into darkness.
dougw over 10 years ago +2

I don't monitor electricity, I actively try to save power, have switched to LED lights, design low power circuits, etc. But when I need electricity I don't begrudge the cost. Fortunately, there is a lot…
the-dubster over 9 years ago +2

Just got a VERY cheap Scottish Power device - almost identical to the pictured one. (My wife works in a charity shop, and some stuff no-one else but me will buy, that equals cheap random electronics and…

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tonyboubady over 10 years ago

We have electric meters with optical port here, some people say they do have RS232 port, but, I have the one with optical port...and the problem is that it's sealed by company...so i can't do anything about it to get connected or read data out...
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tonyboubady over 10 years ago

We have electric meters with optical port here, some people say they do have RS232 port, but, I have the one with optical port...and the problem is that it's sealed by company...so i can't do anything about it to get connected or read data out...
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cstanton over 10 years ago in reply to tonyboubady

Huh, interesting, what meter is that?

I'm thinking if it's optical, you might be able to capture it with an infrared receiver?
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tonyboubady over 10 years ago in reply to cstanton

It's some Indian company I think...

I need to learn how to retrieve data from optical, that's another story...but the problem is, it's sealed by company and government...i have to ask the officials here if i can break that...
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