Kill-A-Watt $17 shipped

[Zap]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882715001

P3 Kill A Watt Electricity Load Meter and Monitor
$16.99 with free shipping - no coupon or rebate needed! (exp.5/11)

Every tech geek should own something like this. Find out how much power your computer really uses. Find out which equipment eats up power even when "off." Find out what's causing your high electricity bills.

 

[SAmalathion]

Lost mine awhile back. Terrific piece of equipment - was waiting for the price to drop again. In for one.

 

[VirtualLarry]

This is only the 4400 model. You really want the 4600 model.

 

[SparkyJJO]

This is only the 4400 model. You really want the 4600 model.

What's so great about the 4600 other than being able to put in your kWhr rate?

 

[classy]

This is a great deal. Very useful.

 

[twinrider1]

Thanks, in for one. I can do my own math.

I'm wondering how much juice my 20 year old fridge is using.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Picked one up last night. Thanks!

 

[VirtualLarry]

What's so great about the 4600 other than being able to put in your kWhr rate?

It has a battery, so it doesn't lose your usage data, if the power glitches while you're not looking. Otherwise, you have no way of knowing if the readings are accurate or not.

The P4400 is only good for instantaneous readings, not longer-term readings like the P4600.

This is important, if you are going to take readings from a device like a fridge, where you plug in the meter, and put the fridge back in place for a week or a month, and then pull it out again and get the reading.

 

[shrimpsiumai]

What's the best way to use these kill-a-watt devices? I'm trying to find a reason to buy one.

 

[Zap]

What's the best way to use these kill-a-watt devices? I'm trying to find a reason to buy one.

Plug KaW into surge strip. Plug computer into KaW. Push the Watts button. See how little power your computer uses and wonder why you bought a 1200W PSU for a single GTS 450 graphics card with a dual core CPU.

 

[qliveur]

^

Or, see how much power your computer uses and discover the reason why your barely-adequate PSU is so loud.


I have one of these and it's very useful, though I can see why Larry would prefer the 4600.

 

[mikeford]

Power off retention of settings is pretty nice. I built a low power HTPC system, and without spinning down drives it runs about 74 watts, and I watch it "frequently". We had a power failure and I was freaking out because the system was now using 115 watts ... I did figure out before taking the system apart and checking item by item, but barely.


It resets on power fail to voltage display instead of power usage. Regardless this would be a very useful device for anybody concerned with weeding out the excess power using items like the old fridge which will look like a pile of money on fire.

 

[Zap]

We had a power failure and I was freaking out because the system was now using 115 watts ...
It resets on power fail to voltage display instead of power usage.

Good to see your mains power is right on spec.

 

[Evadman]

Darn, I just bought one a week ago for $24.

 

[bznotins]

Plug KaW into surge strip. Plug computer into KaW. Push the Watts button. See how little power your computer uses and wonder why you bought a 1200W PSU for a single GTS 450 graphics card with a dual core CPU.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Been using a 520W Corsair for a few years now on multiple upgrades.