Energy Monitoring Devices: A Comprehensive Consumer Guide

The price for energy monitoring devices has dropped from being extravagant to being affordable over the course of the past decade, while the price of energy has increased, in some cases, multiplied for consumers. Energy monitoring devices improve equipment efficiency which improves employee efficiency. Every office should have energy monitoring devices on their entire computer network, as well as power surge protectors. Efficiency in energy usage and energy monitoring devices are a concern of the present era. These can be internally built in top of the line appliances, and may also be part of an external network hub of appliances. A slight change in the technology structure is necessary in order to attain a better equipment-energy infrastructure. Economizing on your appliance or equipment energy usage is the thing to do. Here are the best, most touted energy monitors for you.

The five best models

1) Centameter - this Australian company manufactures energy monitors, which are now sold worldwide. This device is built with the consumer in mind, and shows an end-user exactly how much is being spent on energy by the devices in use in the household. This device has an easy-to-read screen, the Centameter is easy to use for your average person. The Centameter has a user's manual and is buyable by way of using a link to purchase at the website.This is the best international device to use for the consumer. The best everywhere energy monitor is the Centameter.

2) Enerjar - this is an award-winning company that manufactures do it yourself energy monitoring devices. The Enerjar won the greener gadgets competition. This is the best device to use for those with some electrical engineering know-how. The best device for the Do It Yourselfer is the Enerjar.

3) The Energy Star programmable home thermometer maintains home temperature, monitors your home's temperature, and maintains the home heating oil or natural gas or electrical efficiency of your home. This is touted as the top way to save money and energy by Home Depot for consumers. Most touted device for consumers for home use.

4) Measure Logic - The Measure Logic company offers both hardware as well as software towards the goal of monitoring energy flow and usage within a home, office, or manufacturing facility. The Power Studio software is offered free of charge to all interested prospectus. The most diverse product line of energy monitors. Power monitors and energy meters are delved into in detail at Measure Logic's website, the devices are explained in detail, there are different types of devices for sale on the website. Programmable energy efficiency devices are explained as well as supported by the Measure Logic company.

A software package called Power Studio is offered, free of charge, for those who need to see what energy monitoring is about. I have looked through these types of software packages to learn the basics of what energy monitoring is about, and found the Power Studio demo to be both educational and informative. The Measure Logic company sells energy monitoring devices such as panel mount, socket replacement mount, surface mount, and DIN rail mount energy monitoring devices, as well as an energy monitoring software package designed to help integrate a Smart Home, Smart Office, or Smart Network. The most comprehensive range of energy monitor product models with the best software for concerned network administrators.

The product line, which I have not as of yet used, seems to be an excellent one, and covers a diverse line of products that may be used for both home and commercial applications. The models that looks to be the best for me for home applications are the EDMK series panel mount and socket replacement mount models. These are the easiest to understand, the least complex, and are usable by someone of average intelligence, or someone who is drastically multi-tasking with relative east. Measure Logic has the easiest to navigate website and the most comprehensive range of product.

5) Siemens - I'm finding the website to be difficult to navigate here. I think that the New Belgium Brewery uses the Siemens energy monitors, a brewery that has a decade of experience with energy monitoring devices and survivalist energy methodologies, however, have only found vague references to commercial applications for the Siemens line of energy monitoring devices. The demo for commercial application designed Siemens energy monitors was something that I was unable to view. After several attempts, I gave up. I have no definite documentation about the New Belgium Brewery photos, so cannot rate this company's line of energy monitors definitively, as of this writing.

The website does provide documentation as to the purpose of the Siemens company's product line of "Energy Monitoring and Control Devices", these include "controlling energy and building operating costs". If environmental concern has not been a factor in guiding the sales of monitoring devices, economic concerns definitely are a key selling point.

Many Companies use Energy Monitoring Devices

The New Belgium Brewery has an energy monitor. I must go back there again, the photo of the energy monitoring device was not fully documented, the system has been in place for close to a decade as of this writing. The New Belgium Brewery of Fort Collins, Colorado is a great location to go to for research about energy efficiency devices, including energy monitoring devices, which are used to help control and moderate the flow of energy throughout this 100% aeolian and photovoltaic powered plant, which has now also expanded to using thermal energy as a source of power. The New Belgium Brewery, the 10th largest manufacturer of beer in the United States, is completely independent of the national grid, operating without conventional sources of energy.

"The brewery (New Belgium Brewery) further defrayed costs by taking advantage of peak utility contribution rates and by aggressively monitoring its power system load using sophisticated in-plant controls." Green Power Leadership Awards, 2001, Environmental Protection Agency

Energy monitoring devices are not just restricted to companies such as Seventh Generation, a company that bases its business model on maintaining energy sustainability geared towards survival seven or more generations into the future. The Seventh Generation company maintains both electrical and chemical monitoring for the manufacturing and distribution of its product. Major corporations in conventional business also use energy monitoring, and have for years.

Kinko's is another company that uses energy monitoring devices at some of its local stores. "Currently, the company is pursuing green power purchasing opportunities in Texas, Nebraska, and New Jersey. It is also monitoring energy and green power supply stability and developing contingency renewable energy strategies, particularly for branches in California, Pennsylvania, and Colorado." Green Power Leadership Awards 2001, Environmental Protection Agency

Almost in the winner's circle

Phillips Electronics - Philips Electronics USA is a company that also manufactures emergency hand-crank radios as well as energy monitoring devices.

Sensicast - good product, I am trying to draw up memories of the product, while doing research. The Sensicast is a practical tool for people who are concerned with energy efficiency. However, the wireless network, one of the top ten products of Sensor magazine, is concentrating on commercial applications for the wireless mesh network device.

These energy monitor devices cost $1000 - $5000 back in 1996-1998, and were mainly used for commercial applications. During the 21st century, the price for energy monitoring devices has dropped to the point where the average homeowner can afford these after-market parts, called energy monitoring devices. Meanwhile, energy costs have increased dramatically, to where most consumers could definitely see the benefits gained by way of installing and using these energy monitoring devices.

Your average personal computer contains an energy monitoring device. Power surge protectors actually assist the energy monitoring devices to a certain extent. There is some flow chart, this smart home device a lot of it is the energy monitoring device. I used to spend hours watching my energy monitoring device on my Compaq Personal Computer, much like the software on the Power Studio software package. The Energy Star logo is on a lot of devices that work well with energy monitors. These devices already operate under present-day energy efficiency guidelines, and have been manufactured for several years, thus are procurable in new or used condition for the home or office.

Visits to PC Richard, Best Buy and Circuit City proved fruitless, as did phone calls to Standard Television and Appliance and Radio Shack. Either the stores did not stock the product, or nobody on the sales floor knew anything about the energy monitoring devices. I did not see any energy monitoring devices at these stores while working as a merchandiser at any of the locations I was at, either. Energy monitoring devices are not everywhere, yet, however, most computers already have energy monitoring devices as a part of their internal software. Thus, the powers that be are preparing to have energy monitoring devices on all appliances without the national grid, and eventually, within the national grid.

After scanning through the book Energy for Survival by Wilson Clark, I found a little bit about energy efficiency, a related topic, however, nothing about energy monitoring by energy monitors, the physical devices and the software used to create energy efficiency. Energy monitoring is a physical means of obtaining energy efficiency. Energy monitoring devices are just a control measure towards the goal of keeping a sustainable energy policy within a home or business enterprise.

Energy monitoring devices are still coming into their own for the conventional home owned and operated by the average homeowner. However, the market presence is beginning to be noted. This is a good time to plan to get one, or to begin installing an energy monitoring device system for any new construction or home remodel or renovation endeavor.

Sources:Gizmo Mag, website; Visits to New Belgium Brewery, experiences; Belkin, website; Hewlett-Packard, website; Phillips Electronics, website; Siemens, website; Energy Efficiency, Wikipedia, webpage; National Energy Association, website; Measure Logic, website; Energy for Survival, Wilson Clark, book; Department of Energy, website; Measurement Devices, website; Core 77 Greener Gadgets Competition, website; General Electric research, website; 2001 Green Power Leadership Awards, Environmental Protection Agency, ebook; Sensor Magazine, website