Electricity Monitors

[Bruce3055]

I am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, I'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that I can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then I frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought I saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

[kkingston57]

I am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, I'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that I can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then I frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought I saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Never heard of anything you described. Have been checking pricing of new refrigerators and it seems to me that there are very few "sale" refrigerators. Most of the time basic parts of a refrigerator last 15 years and people replace refrigerators when parts like the icemaker gol

[Bill14564]

I am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, I'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that I can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then I frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought I saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

I've seen these advertised on Amazon. The basic idea is the monitor "knows" what a refrigerator draw looks like and what a dryer draw looks like and can start to log when these types of devices run. It makes sense but I don't own one so can't talk about how well they work.

I have seen others on this board talk about using these monitors. Maybe they will reply and provide some info.

[Blackie]

Is this the item you were thinking about?

Home - Sense.com (https://sense.com/)

[retiredguy123]

Send a PM to "Toymeister". He knows everything about electricity monitors.

But, I don't think an electricity monitor will help you to detect a failing refrigerator. Why not just buy an inexpensive refrigerator for the garage? That will provide a backup if your refrigerator fails.

[EdFNJ]

I am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, I'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that I can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then I frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought I saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.


Those monitors don't monitor "potential problems" only the amount of electricity they are using and even that is basically an estimate for each individual appliance or circuit. If it dies you'll know very quickly unless you don't open it every day. I have a POWER FAILURE alarm on our garage FREEZER outlet so if power goes off in the middle of the night I will know or if I am away from home I will get an email and text and phone call... but even if I know there ain't much I can do about it other than keep it closed.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[MrChip72]

There's an inexpensive device called a "kill a watt". You can get these from Amazon or most hardware stores. You plug your appliance into it and then plug it into the wall. It measures how much energy you consume in real time or per 24 hours, etc. You can check the energy ratings on new fridges to compare how much savings you would get. For example, I recently replaced an over 15 year old bar fridge with one double the size and the energy consumption is roughly the same.

[jebartle]

Anyone use Pro Power Save, suppose to reduce electric bill by 90% by plugging into wall, cost under $50. Would like feedback. It's suppose to be legal, hmmmm?

[Toymeister]

I was an early adopter of, Sense, the whole house energy monitor. Yes this system can help you identify problems and trends in your appliances, although I have not specifically read about refrigerator other than one case where fridge energy consumption was compared one year after the coils were vacuumed. In that case he cleaned the coils and consumption dropped.
Sense can help identify HVAC compressor problems (a failing capacitor before it fails, so they claim).

I used sense in my rental, my thoughts were I could prevent problems. That need didn't arise but I could tell if the tenants had extra people in the home.

I discovered that I had a small leak in the AC ductwork in my attic.

I could tell with absolute certainty what certain appliances cost to operate. Much of the energy 'advice' that you get on this forum is rubbish. I have saved a great deal by not purchasing energy saving products, the claimed cost savings are impossible.

Kill-a-watt devices do not compare. That is similar to saying the discovery of fire is similar to Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

[Bruce3055]

I am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, I'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that I can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then I frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought I saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Update:
I would like to thank everyone who helped me on my electricity monitor issue, with a special thanks to Toymeister and Blackie who pointed me in the right direction – “Sense”

While it looks like I’m ahead of my time in what I wanted to accomplish there is still hope. As Toymeister related a refrigerator that is constantly running can be identified by Sense and an easy fix may be to clean the coils. I also think if that fix didn’t work, it would indicate for me as good time to replace the aging appliance.

And again Toymeister’s reply gave other good info on Sense.

I’ve also found several references on the Sense web page that may interest some in considering installing a Sense monitor.
Identified 2 appliances about to die! - Sense Saves (https://sensesaves.sense.com/identified-2-appliances-about-to-die/)
Sense helped identify fridge's continuous run - Sense Saves (https://sensesaves.sense.com/sense-helped-identify-fridges-continuous-run/)
Time to clean the refrigerator coils - Sense Saves (https://sensesaves.sense.com/time-to-clean-the-refrigerator-coils/)
Sense showed that my fridge was overactive - Sense Saves (https://sensesaves.sense.com/sense-showed-that-my-fridge-was-overactive/)
Garage fridges are even worse than you think - Sense Saves (https://sensesaves.sense.com/garage-fridges-are-even-worse-than-you-think/)

[Worldseries27]

i am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, i'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that i can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then i frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought i saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.
i say do your research on best available efficient fridge you probably are already aware of, treat yourself and buy it now. You've earned it at this point in your life. Cut out the middle man, anxiety

[CCollins]

You can borrow the Kill A Watt device from the library. Libraries have a lot more than books!
Check it out!

[photo1902]

Sense is hit or miss.

Keep your $300 in the bank.

[fixit6404]

I am interested in monitoring my electricity usage.

More specifically, I'm curious if monitoring my refrigerator can indicate potential problems with my refrigerator, so that I can be proactive and replace an older refrigerator with a sales price frig.

This would make me much happier than my normal process of the frig conks out and ruins everything in the frig and then I frantically try and replace it at whatever price refrigerators are currently selling for.

I also thought I saw posts on electric monitors previously but have been unsuccessful in searching for the old threads on this site.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Home depot has a device you can plug into the outlet then plug the fridge into it. It will show how much power the fridge is drawing and will show how many kilowatt hours it uses. leave it plugged in a month and it shows total kilowatt hours per month. only about $35.00