How to set up the Owl meter electricity monitor

The Owl Energy Monitor, or smart meter, consists of a (1) magnet sensor which fits round a wire in coming out of your main electricity meter, (2) transmitter which is attached to the magnetic sensor;
And (3) a completely separate little meter which you carry round the house and note the change in reading as you turn individual items.

(Note added in Jan 2009: These smartmeters in January 2008 have been made available for loan free at York library)

Normally the magnet sensor clips onto one of the leads coming out below your electricity meter in the fusebox cupboard.

However a friend, Arthur Lupton, has made a gadget allowing the Owl to be used on individual appliances. This useful for demonstration purposes. The gadget consists of plug, socket and two thick insulated separate wires connecting them. You can see this gadget in detail in the picture which is below the video. Watch!






Here is Mr Lupton's extra plug and socket. Note the two wires go separately from the plug to the socket.



















The sensor clips round one of the wires.














Here you see the sensor attached in my electricity meter and fuse box.
































Dave Tayler used the Owl for his house - and was amazed by the electric power shower result - especially as members of his household enjoy long sessions in the shower!

Thanks for letting me print your data, Dave!

Appliance	pence / hr	kw / hr	kg CO2 / hr
Electric shower !!	154.80	9.60	0.67
Immersion	43.80	2.72	0.19
Tumble dyer	39.70	2.46	0.17
Main oven	38.60	2.39	0.17
Washing machine	36.00	2.23	0.16
Kettle	34.20	2.12	0.15
Big cooker ring	26.20	1.62	0.11
Top oven	21.70	1.35	0.09
Microwave oven	20.00	1.24	0.09
Small cooker ring	19.00	1.18	0.08
Hair dryer	17.60	1.09	0.08
Toaster	17.30	1.07	0.08
Hoover	16.00	0.99	0.07
Central heating pump	4.80	0.30	0.02
Computer	4.10	0.25	0.02
Shower room light and fan	3.10	0.19	0.01
Garage strip light	2.40	0.15	0.01
LCD TV	2.10	0.13	0.01
Goldfish tank light	1.40	0.09	0.01
11w low energy light	1.00	0.06	0.00
Small TV	1.00	0.06	0.00

Seven updates and "Shun meat" says UN Climate chief"

Three months gap since my last posting! I have been away - Scotland, England, Ireland -and busy teaching and botanising while the flowers are out!– But - We have continued raising money. To catch up I will add seven sections over the next few days.

1) More Nature Walks.
2) The Owl Meter - Measures electricity consumption for each household item -
3) Trip to Ireland - Peat bogs
4) Addingham Friendly Hour – Visit to Settle for Tea
5) A Rocha Ghana – Individual items for which to raise money.
6) Greenbelt - pictures -
7) An opportunity to Talk to the Women’s Group at my church.

On the radio this morning there was an item "Shun meat, says UN climate chief"

I am glad that on the bbcnews website it is at this moment currently the most read article

“UN figures suggest that meat production puts more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than transport.”

“The FAO figure of 18% includes greenhouse gases released in every part of the meat production cycle - clearing forested land, making and transporting fertiliser, burning fossil fuels in farm vehicles, and the front and rear end emissions of cattle and sheep.”

“There are various possibilities for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with farming animals. They range from scientific approaches, such as genetically engineering strains of cattle that produce less methane flatus, to reducing the amount of transport involved through eating locally reared animals. “

“Methane emissions from UK farms have fallen by 13% since 1990.
But the biggest source globally of carbon dioxide from meat production is land clearance, particularly of tropical forest, which is set to continue as long as demand for meat rises.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7600005.stm