Hey everyone! I'm looking to set up a solar + battery system for my parents' house and I'm thinking about using EcoFlow's Home Battery system. But before I dive into that investment, I need to figure out our home's actual power usage. The electric meter we have is just not cutting it—it's super confusing and packed with jargon.
I want to get a clear picture of a few things:
- The maximum load of the house so I can properly size the battery and panels.
- Which appliances are the biggest power hogs.
- The daily baseline energy consumption.
Here are some options I'm considering for tracking our energy usage:
- **Smart Plugs:** Can these accurately monitor real-time wattage for larger appliances like the fridge or AC, or are they only good for smaller devices?
- **Whole Home Energy Monitors:** Do I need something like Sense or Emporia Vue that goes in the breaker box? Are they user-friendly for someone like me with little tech knowledge?
- **Outlet Monitors:** Is it really necessary to plug monitors into every outlet to track usage, or is that overkill?
I'm eager to gather real and useful data about our power draw without any invasive methods or relying on the utility company. Any tips would be greatly appreciated, especially from those who have experience building their own solar setups. Oh, and just a heads-up, I'm located in the Philippines, so keep that in mind when sharing advice!
3 Answers
You might want to check if your power company lets you access hourly data from their meter. I added a whole house meter called the Shelly Pro 3 EM; it was about €100 and my buddy helped me install it for free. It does require some electrical work, but I think it’s essential for accurately sizing your battery and solar system if you're planning a serious installation.
I got the Emporia Vue for tracking my energy usage and it’s been super helpful for understanding my average and peak consumption. It even showed me how much my aquarium costs to run—my wife still doesn't know, though!
Totally back the Emporia! I have three connected because my home has two subpanels and over eight circuits each. The app makes it a breeze to get the data you need, but I do wish it could function locally without needing the cloud.
Yeah, the cloud aspect can be a hassle! You should also consider the simple Emporia smart meter plug if your utility company offers support for it. It's a straightforward solution that could work well too.