Our local library offers, to members, free usage of Kill A Watt monitor for three days. There is a waiting list but it is well worth the wait. Check your local library to see if they offer it. It was donated by the local power company.
For those not familiar with Kill A Watt, it is a device that will monitor your electrical usage for each item in your home. This can help you make changes in your usage if need be. By knowing how much power is used by an electrical item may help you save money by eliminating it or cutting back.
By it's.only.me from NE PA
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I own a "Kill a Watt." It can work well. Several suggestions. There is no battery back up! What this means when you unplug "Kill a Watt" from the wal,l all information on the meter is gone and erased. Not even several seconds to spare. You will have no information to see how much electrity you have used! Also if you have a power outage (common in Tampa Florida) you also lose the information stored.
Check your power usage daily to see that the power is increasing and not starting from zero or a lower number than you last looked at it. (it "likes" to default to voltage, so push the wattage button to see the power used) When "Kill a Watt" is used make sure the outlet you are checking the electric device with is Completely visible before unplugging it. AKA Do not (like I did) place it behind the desk (for my computer) were I could not view it daily ( so I could see if a power outage occurred - meter readings lower than the prior viewing of the meter). But a suggestion to the electric outlet not being accessible is to use a digital camera to photograph the settings on the "kill a watt." Take an image with each of the buttons pressed (separately).
I had just enough room to take a photo of the meter before unplugging it from the outlet to see my power usage. Also do not do as I did, by placing it on a power strip I used as an on/off switch! This time it was totally my fault when the power was turned off and the information lost! After several uses of this product you will be surprised at the electrical usage different appliances use. Generally speaking a kilowatt of electricity is "about" 10 cents. So if you use 2.5 kilowatts you have paid the power company about 25 cents. Check you electric power company for your charges - energy + fuel charges.
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