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Model: TP-Link Tapo Wi-Fi Smart Plug, šš»š²šæš“š š š¼š»š¶šš¼šæš¶š»š“, Compatible with Alexa & Google Home & Samsung SmartThings, Timer, 15A/1800W Max, ETL Certified, 2.4G Wi-Fi Only, Tapo P115(4-Pack)
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A genuine question, what is the usefulness of an energy monitoring plug? Do you turn it off if it goes beyond the energy consumption you set?
Information is power as they say... and with more information about your energy usage, you can optimize it better and save $$$$... maybe you didn't know a device was using so much power? Well, get rid of it or use it less... etc....
Information is power as they say... and with more information about your energy usage, you can optimize it better and save $$$$... maybe you didn't know a device was using so much power? Well, get rid of it or use it less... etc....
I am not trying to undermine your point, but not all information translates to power. For example, do you know how many species live on Mount Everest? Even if we did, that knowledge would not make us more powerful.
I have solar power and installed a device to monitor energy usage at each circuit breaker. While I can see everything on the app, this information has not saved me any money. Let me give another example: If my fridge uses more energy than expected (setting aside how I would know that without testing another fridge), would I replace it with a $2,000 new model? Probably not, because it would take years to break even.
If someone wants to turn off an electric heater when power usage exceeds 1.5 kW (as shown in the Amazon picture), they could just use a timer on a standard plug. Again, I am not disagreeing with youāI am just curious to know if I am missing something.
I am not trying to undermine your point, but not all information translates to power.
No, obviously not.
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from bb989
:
For example, do you know how many species live on Mount Everest? Even if we did, that knowledge would not make us more powerful.
Yes but we're talking about information about your own house which affects your electric bill.
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from bb989
:
I have solar power and installed a device to monitor energy usage at each circuit breaker. While I can see everything on the app, this information has not saved me any money.
If you don't do anything with the information, then yeah, it won't save you any money.
Quote
from bb989
:
Let me give another example: If my fridge uses more energy than expected (setting aside how I would know that without testing another fridge), would I replace it with a $2,000 new model? Probably not, because it would take years to break even.
Maybe you need a new fridge anyway, and by seeing how much energy your old one is using, you decide to get one sooner rather than later.
Maybe you have a 60 watt incandescent bulb that you forgot to replace... then you see how much energy your lamp or lighting fixture is using and it shows you that you forgot to replace that damn energy-wasting bulb.
Maybe you have a plasma TV and didn't realize it uses so much power so you decide it's time to upgrade to OLED this Black Friday or Cyber Monday to save energy and improve picture quality.
I'm sure I could come up with more possibilities.
Quote
from bb989
:
If someone wants to turn off an electric heater when power usage exceeds 1.5 kW (as shown in the Amazon picture), they could just use a timer on a standard plug.
They could... but knowing how much power (wattage) the heater is using in the first place would be useful here.
Quote
from bb989
:
Again, I am not disagreeing with youāI am just curious to know if I am missing something.
It sounds like you're missing a lot of situations where knowing power usage could get someone to take action to reduce the usage. Some people also like knowing power usage information even if they decide not to act on it (i.e. out of simple curiosity).
It also sounds like these aren't for you... especially if you can already monitor circuit wattages.
Last edited by TidalWaveOne November 28, 2024 at 05:58 PM.
can the Tapo P115 be used as a trigger to shut off other devices... ie if I plug in my desktop into it , then when the desktop goes into power save (ie goes off to sleep, say consuming less then 10W) , this triggers the other Tapo P115 to shut the monitors off?
I want to use the Tapo P115 as a energy monitoring trigger?
I have this automation set up. You can, but you need Home Assistant. You need to be tech inclined to do so.
For anyone using Kasa I ended up ordering these instead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B8W2KHZ Doesn't have energy monitoring, but after some research I'm sticking with Kasa as Tapo seems to require connecting to tp-link servers but Kasa products are able to be used completely offline.
GET THESE - For power monitoring, safety, Charge Guard, easy setup: SO WELL DESIGNED
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2024
Style: Energy MonitoringSize: 4-PackVerified Purchase
It is rare that I see a TRULY well-designed product - software, and/or consumer electronics. But these are the rare gem: clearly well thought out, designed, and tested. SUPER easy setup (if you have the app installed and open, it will automatically prompt you to add when one is plugged in) - total of 75 seconds to setup, beginning to end INCLUDING a firmware update. (not including entering WiFi information - only needed for the first device)
I originally got it just to monitor how much power devices were using (WAY cheaper than those Kill-A-Watt type meters: smaller, records history, AND remote monitoring!)
But found so many more great, useful features when I started setting up the first plug:
- SCHEDULE: you can set absolute times (i.e. ON at 5:03pm, OFF at 11:17pm), or RELATIVE times to Sunrise or Sunset, WITH OFFSETS - BRILLIANT! (other plugs only give you right AT Sunrise/Sunset). My living room gets dark about an hour BEFORE sunset - so I can set the ON = SUNSET-(1 Hour), OFF = 11pm, and it will adjust automatically throughout the year! Always 1 hour before sunset. No changing it with seasons, or Daylight Savings Time!! May use for low-voltage lights and Christmas lights (i.e. a little before sunset until a little before sunrise)
- CHARGE GUARD (Beta): it will turn off whenever it detects the power dropping below a certain level (currently configurable 1-20 watts) for a certain period. GREAT to protect your battery, device, and HOUSE. I just set one up for my eBike charger: <20w for 10 minutes, and it shuts off when done charging. Safer, and better for the battery. Will be using them for charging my drones/quadcopters/RC stuff, drills, phones, cars, 3D Printer (ie when done printing), etc.
- TIMED OFF (Auto-Off Timer): it will turn off after a set period of time, *every time you turn it on* (i.e. after pressing the power button on the plug, OR by remote)
So use on things like: iron, hair curling iron, hotplate, soldering iron, EBIKE (mine is set to 10 hours), etc. This works IN ADDITION to "Charge Guard" and Power Limit.
- POWER PROTECTION (LIMIT): turns off if your wattage limit is exceeded (short? failure? fire? etc.). I set my eBike charger plug to 300 watts, as it normally draws <200w.
- AUTO FIRMWARE UPDATE: I'm tired of updating devices manually! And I have A LOT lol (time window configurable)
- NOTIFICATIONS: I've only tested the "Charge Guard", but it sends you a notification "Charge Guard turned off Device X" - I expect similar from the other modes
- Quick response: plug turns on immediately from the app (at least when I'm local) - some other devices have a few second delay
- Good sized, long-term company. TP-Link has been around for years, with lots of networking equipment - so they'll be around for a while, and maintain their app - unlike the little no-name brands. This also suggests these should be well-designed for reliability and longevity.
I feel much safer about charging my EBike with this (set to max 10 hours, 300w, and auto-off when the charging power drops below 20w for >10 minutes). A VERY low price for peace of mind!
Oh - and I can see how much power a device is using - my original goal Current/real-time, past (history), which days, cost (if you enter your $/kWh), etc. All nicely graphed out.
Additional features I haven't explored:
"Smart Actions", like geofencing (turn things on/off based on your location, like lights on/off when you're home vs away)
Device integration with things like leak detectors, contact switches (eg on doors), humidifiers/hygrometers, Smart Buttons, Group actions (when one device is turned on (or off), turn other device(s) on/off), cameras for motion detection
Thank you for sharing. I am not against smart plugsāI actually use several, including some Kasa plugs and others from different brands.
It seems the "CHARGE GUARD (Beta)" is the only unique feature among energy-monitoring plugs. The other listed functions are commonly available in most, if not all, smart plugs.
According to my Amazon order history, I bought a Kasa Smart Plug Mini with energy monitoring and a smart dimmable bulb for just $5 back in November 2021 (thanks to a $40+ promotion). I have never actually used it for energy monitoring. I'll need to check if it has the Charge Guard feature, though I doubt it, considering it was from a few years ago.
I'm sure I'll find uses for the other 3 plugs, but I'm biting on this for an easy way to see how much of my total electricity usage is just from my primary PC and perhaps make adjustments with that information. Only my refrigerator and central AC unit use more electricity (when they're actively running).
A genuine question, what is the usefulness of an energy monitoring plug? Do you turn it off if it goes beyond the energy consumption you set?
I don't know why people downvote you for asking legitimate questions.
Energy monitoring helps to understand the home power consumption. If you have time of use rates, you can shift some power hungry activities and know exactly how much you'd save.
You can establish baselines and changes in them could alert you of potential issues. I have a fridge (everyone's favorite LG) that had a problem with a stuck interior light relay. The lights stayed on even when the doors were closed. The fridge originally had incandescent bulbs and they generated heat. It melted some interior plastic and caused the compressor to run all the time to compensate. If I could monitor the energy I would notice the increase in the consumption much earlier.
A fridge or HVAC compressor on the verge of failure can use more power.
If your fridge dies while you're away, you can be alerted if it didn't consume the usual power budget.
Last edited by 3ackok November 28, 2024 at 09:10 PM.
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I don't know why people downvote you for asking legitimate questions.
Energy monitoring helps to understand the home power consumption. If you have time of use rates, you can shift some power hungry activities and know exactly how much you'd save.
You can establish baselines and changes in them could alert you of potential issues. I have a fridge (everyone's favorite LG) that had a problem with a stuck interior light relay. The lights stayed on even when the doors were closed. The fridge originally had incandescent bulbs and they generated heat. It melted some interior plastic and caused the compressor to run all the time to compensate. If I could monitor the energy I would notice the increase in the consumption much earlier.
A fridge or HVAC compressor on the verge of failure can use more power.
If your fridge dies while you're away, you can be alerted if it didn't consume the usual power budget.
Shifting power during time-of-use rates and detecting when an appliance stops working (no energy consumption) are two fascinating applications! Thank you for sharing.
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I have solar power and installed a device to monitor energy usage at each circuit breaker. While I can see everything on the app, this information has not saved me any money. Let me give another example: If my fridge uses more energy than expected (setting aside how I would know that without testing another fridge), would I replace it with a $2,000 new model? Probably not, because it would take years to break even.
If someone wants to turn off an electric heater when power usage exceeds 1.5 kW (as shown in the Amazon picture), they could just use a timer on a standard plug. Again, I am not disagreeing with youāI am just curious to know if I am missing something.
Maybe you have a 60 watt incandescent bulb that you forgot to replace... then you see how much energy your lamp or lighting fixture is using and it shows you that you forgot to replace that damn energy-wasting bulb.
Maybe you have a plasma TV and didn't realize it uses so much power so you decide it's time to upgrade to OLED this Black Friday or Cyber Monday to save energy and improve picture quality.
I'm sure I could come up with more possibilities.
It also sounds like these aren't for you... especially if you can already monitor circuit wattages.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product...a0INT
Yikes, twice the cost lol
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I want to use the Tapo P115 as a energy monitoring trigger?
https://www.amazon.com/Monitoring...ge
Doc H
5.0 out of 5 stars
GET THESE - For power monitoring, safety, Charge Guard, easy setup: SO WELL DESIGNED
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2024
Style: Energy MonitoringSize: 4-PackVerified Purchase
It is rare that I see a TRULY well-designed product - software, and/or consumer electronics. But these are the rare gem: clearly well thought out, designed, and tested. SUPER easy setup (if you have the app installed and open, it will automatically prompt you to add when one is plugged in) - total of 75 seconds to setup, beginning to end INCLUDING a firmware update. (not including entering WiFi information - only needed for the first device)
I originally got it just to monitor how much power devices were using (WAY cheaper than those Kill-A-Watt type meters: smaller, records history, AND remote monitoring!)
But found so many more great, useful features when I started setting up the first plug:
- SCHEDULE: you can set absolute times (i.e. ON at 5:03pm, OFF at 11:17pm), or RELATIVE times to Sunrise or Sunset, WITH OFFSETS - BRILLIANT! (other plugs only give you right AT Sunrise/Sunset). My living room gets dark about an hour BEFORE sunset - so I can set the ON = SUNSET-(1 Hour), OFF = 11pm, and it will adjust automatically throughout the year! Always 1 hour before sunset. No changing it with seasons, or Daylight Savings Time!! May use for low-voltage lights and Christmas lights (i.e. a little before sunset until a little before sunrise)
- CHARGE GUARD (Beta): it will turn off whenever it detects the power dropping below a certain level (currently configurable 1-20 watts) for a certain period. GREAT to protect your battery, device, and HOUSE. I just set one up for my eBike charger: <20w for 10 minutes, and it shuts off when done charging. Safer, and better for the battery. Will be using them for charging my drones/quadcopters/RC stuff, drills, phones, cars, 3D Printer (ie when done printing), etc.
- TIMED OFF (Auto-Off Timer): it will turn off after a set period of time, *every time you turn it on* (i.e. after pressing the power button on the plug, OR by remote)
So use on things like: iron, hair curling iron, hotplate, soldering iron, EBIKE (mine is set to 10 hours), etc. This works IN ADDITION to "Charge Guard" and Power Limit.
- POWER PROTECTION (LIMIT): turns off if your wattage limit is exceeded (short? failure? fire? etc.). I set my eBike charger plug to 300 watts, as it normally draws <200w.
- AUTO FIRMWARE UPDATE: I'm tired of updating devices manually! And I have A LOT lol (time window configurable)
- NOTIFICATIONS: I've only tested the "Charge Guard", but it sends you a notification "Charge Guard turned off Device X" - I expect similar from the other modes
- Quick response: plug turns on immediately from the app (at least when I'm local) - some other devices have a few second delay
- Good sized, long-term company. TP-Link has been around for years, with lots of networking equipment - so they'll be around for a while, and maintain their app - unlike the little no-name brands. This also suggests these should be well-designed for reliability and longevity.
I feel much safer about charging my EBike with this (set to max 10 hours, 300w, and auto-off when the charging power drops below 20w for >10 minutes). A VERY low price for peace of mind!
Oh - and I can see how much power a device is using - my original goal
Additional features I haven't explored:
"Smart Actions", like geofencing (turn things on/off based on your location, like lights on/off when you're home vs away)
Device integration with things like leak detectors, contact switches (eg on doors), humidifiers/hygrometers, Smart Buttons, Group actions (when one device is turned on (or off), turn other device(s) on/off), cameras for motion detection
It seems the "CHARGE GUARD (Beta)" is the only unique feature among energy-monitoring plugs. The other listed functions are commonly available in most, if not all, smart plugs.
According to my Amazon order history, I bought a Kasa Smart Plug Mini with energy monitoring and a smart dimmable bulb for just $5 back in November 2021 (thanks to a $40+ promotion). I have never actually used it for energy monitoring. I'll need to check if it has the Charge Guard feature, though I doubt it, considering it was from a few years ago.
Energy monitoring helps to understand the home power consumption. If you have time of use rates, you can shift some power hungry activities and know exactly how much you'd save.
You can establish baselines and changes in them could alert you of potential issues. I have a fridge (everyone's favorite LG) that had a problem with a stuck interior light relay. The lights stayed on even when the doors were closed. The fridge originally had incandescent bulbs and they generated heat. It melted some interior plastic and caused the compressor to run all the time to compensate. If I could monitor the energy I would notice the increase in the consumption much earlier.
A fridge or HVAC compressor on the verge of failure can use more power.
If your fridge dies while you're away, you can be alerted if it didn't consume the usual power budget.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Energy monitoring helps to understand the home power consumption. If you have time of use rates, you can shift some power hungry activities and know exactly how much you'd save.
You can establish baselines and changes in them could alert you of potential issues. I have a fridge (everyone's favorite LG) that had a problem with a stuck interior light relay. The lights stayed on even when the doors were closed. The fridge originally had incandescent bulbs and they generated heat. It melted some interior plastic and caused the compressor to run all the time to compensate. If I could monitor the energy I would notice the increase in the consumption much earlier.
A fridge or HVAC compressor on the verge of failure can use more power.
If your fridge dies while you're away, you can be alerted if it didn't consume the usual power budget.
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