a
"Keep
your
electrical usage in check"
|
It doesn't matter whether you live on or off-the-grid, have a mansion or weekend cabin -- The Kill A Watt is for everyone.
In the alternative energy scene, every watt counts (especially for the off-grid-ers). This tool is terrific for sniffing out energy hogs – helping you decide what appliances and electronics are worth keeping.
Most electronics have a UL label that specifies what it's
power
consumption is in watts – Why not just believe what that says? Well,
you might be
surprised to find that they're not always accurate.
I will use a
hair trimmer as an example. On the UL label it says it uses 6 watts.
Not bad, but the kill a watt says it ranges anywhere from 9 – 15 watts!
Still reasonable, but that's a far cry from what the label quoted.
Voltage
Watts (instantaneous)
Frequency (hertz)
Kilowatts hours (cumulative)
The “cleanness”(quality) of the power can be evaluated by monitoring the frequency (hertz) and voltage.
The instantaneous wattage is perfect for checking things
that don't get
left on for long periods of time, such as, vacuum cleaners, food
mixers, paper shredders, etc,. While the cumulative KWH
feature is
more suited for stuff like refrigerators and washing
machines.
Speaking of fridges... here something fun to try using the
KWH
feature. Experiment using different temperature
settings. Does it make much difference? Clean out
the dust bunnies clogging up the cooling fins. You may be
surprised by the results – big or small. But just remember a
little here, a little there, can add up big in the
end.
I'll give you a little demo of how this monitor can help you conserve power instantly. I will use my laptop as an example. Guess how much I saved by dimming the monitor all the way down? 10 watts! From 32 watts (brightest) to 21 watts (dimmest).
You can even take it to the store and compare products side-by-side. Don't feel that you need to apologize or feel embarrassed for using it. After all, It's your money that you're spending, right?! You certainly want the most efficient, power saving device you can afford. It is a little bulky to carry around in your pocket, but well worth it.
It saved my hide the very first time I tried this. The memory
is still crystal clear...
After plugging in various models I was quite surprised by the results. The power usage ranged anywhere from 11 watts to 300 watts! I never would have imagined they would vary so much. In the end, I opted for the 11 watt stereo. And guess what – it actually sounds real good. In this case the kill A Watt saved my hide big time! |
Do you own this product? Leave your review here. Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Rave for Kill-a-watt meter Not rated yetLeave a Review Of This Product
What Other Visitors Have Said
This item is an absolute must for anyone interested in knowing where all those killawatts on your monthly bill are going. A huge help in designing …