EcoRenovator  

Go Back   EcoRenovator > Improvements > Tools
Advanced Search
 


Blog 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips Recent Posts Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-03-09, 07:47 AM   #1
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default Online home energy use trackers

Ever since starting this site, I have wanted (as well as other members who have voiced their ideas) a way to track their home energy usage. Unfortunately, I am not up to snuff on creating this feature on ER, and Ben is swamped with other things to do. However, I still think its a very important thing and am trying to think of other ways we can get around this.

For a long time now, I had just been running my own thread on my home's energy usage (http://ecorenovator.org/forum/conser...-tracking.html). Its a very clunky way of doing things and doesn't really get the job done well.

Recently, I started looking at other sites that you can use to track energy usage. So far, I have found a few, but I'm not sure which one I really like. I'd love to get input from you guys on which ones you like, or if you know of other ones that are better. Let me know.

The ones I have seen/tried are:
  • Microsoft Hohm - A nice site that is pretty smart and very detailed. It gives recommendations based on all the info you provide them.
  • Fuelstart.com - It is alright, a bit clunkier than the MS option. It seems to be a bit more focus on finding cheap fuels rather than tracking energy for efficiency sake.
  • I think Home : ENERGY STAR also has a tracker of some sort. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet though.

So, if you wouldn't mind, try one or two and let me know what you think.

__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-09, 04:58 PM   #2
charlie_D
Lurking Renovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 17
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I tried out the Microsoft one. Perhaps it's because I had to use a fake zip code (US only, so I used the most northern little town in ND I could find), but I found most of the recommendations have no bearing on what you actually tell them.

For example, even though I told it I have a geothermal system and 100% CFL lights (which I do), it's recommendations still said I should replace my incandescent bulbs, and replace my furnace with a more efficient one.

For energy bill tracking, it looks decent.

I'll try out the other ones in a few hours; time to go find some more air leaks.

Charlie
charlie_D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-09, 05:15 PM   #3
NiHaoMike
Supreme EcoRenovator
 
NiHaoMike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,154
Thanks: 14
Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by charlie_D View Post
I tried out the Microsoft one. Perhaps it's because I had to use a fake zip code (US only, so I used the most northern little town in ND I could find), but I found most of the recommendations have no bearing on what you actually tell them.

For example, even though I told it I have a geothermal system and 100% CFL lights (which I do), it's recommendations still said I should replace my incandescent bulbs, and replace my furnace with a more efficient one.

For energy bill tracking, it looks decent.

I'll try out the other ones in a few hours; time to go find some more air leaks.

Charlie
That's Microsoft for you. I would recommend writing your own tracker in OpenOffice.org Calc. It's not that difficult.
__________________
To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...
NiHaoMike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-09, 07:13 AM   #4
Piwoslaw
Super Moderator
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 960
Thanks: 188
Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts
Default

I glanced at those three sites and together with what Charlie and Mike wrote, I decided not to input all of my data. It's just too much work, and I already do it in OpenOffice anyway.
I try to write down the electric meter everyday, while the gas and water get recorded every 10 days (they're in places where it's not easy to get to).
I've got 10 or 11 months of gas, 13 months of water, and 15 months of electricity. Whenever something gets going here, I'll definately post it.
Piwoslaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-09, 08:49 PM   #5
AC_Hacker
Supreme EcoRenovator
 
AC_Hacker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,004
Thanks: 303
Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts
Default Energy Use Spreadsheet...

While we're waiting for someone to write their own energy use spreadsheet, here's one that was offered by the Oregon Department of Energy.

Download Spreadsheet...

Best Regards,

-AC_Hacker

%%%%%%%%%%%%
Attached Files
File Type: xls energyuse.xls (58.0 KB, 1124 views)
AC_Hacker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-05-09, 07:48 PM   #6
cmittle
Helper EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 56
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

Chalk me up for another Open Office tracker. Initially I was thinking that it would be nice to have one on here as well, but now that I've started tracking my own the way that I like I'm not sure if I'd put my information on it. On the other hand maybe if there was a tool on here it would get some people that don't currently to start tracking their useage.
cmittle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-09, 09:42 PM   #7
charlie_D
Lurking Renovator
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 17
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Open Office tracker actually looks decent. Doubly so since my systems don't run Windows, and I don't trust MS office to behave.

My main problem is remembering to read the meter each month. I forgot to do the reading in September, and they estimated my bill at $330... this month was $100 because of the over-estimation. The previous owners bills were about 300 monthly, as I recall... and I've been attempting to halve that. Regardless, it's going to make for a strange set of data points.

Charlie
charlie_D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-12, 08:57 AM   #8
AC_Hacker
Supreme EcoRenovator
 
AC_Hacker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,004
Thanks: 303
Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox View Post
So, if you wouldn't mind, try one or two and let me know what you think.


Doesn't Google Docs offer such a capability?

-AC_Hacker

__________________
I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker...
AC_Hacker is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger
Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design