The next phase of testing was very similar to the first phase, except now with the appliances listed below:
• George Foreman Grill: Family sized, rated at 1000W, 60Hz, 120V
• Procter-Silex Toaster: 2 slice, rated at 900W, 60Hz, 120V
• Hampton Bay Air Conditioner: rated at 10,000 BTU, 10 AMPS, 1050W, 60Hz, 115V, 9.5EER
Per their specifications, these devices can draw some serious juice! In this phase of testing I am mostly interested in seeing how close to the published specs the real world performance comes.
The table above details the results, and shows that these devices do stick to their specifications, within a reasonable tolerance. Of interest is the higher current being drawn here... It makes it crystal clear to me that I can not plug these three devices into outlets on the same 20A breaker, and that perhaps I want separate my air conditioners (I have two of these 10,000 BTU behemoths) from being on the same 20A breaker!
The final phase of testing involved taking a closer look at the KWH and Hr features of the Power Angel, as they have so far been neglected. Using the air conditioner, I let the Power Angel run for a period that wound up being 1 hour and 49 minutes, according to the Power Angel display. Now, if the air conditioner had been set to run at full blast for the entire time, the value of W above yields a power consumption of 1.753 KWH (1:49 = 1.81666H and 965W = 0.965KW, so 1.81666H x 0.965KW = 1.753KWH). But, real world conditions differ, as the thermostat allows the air conditioner to cycle on and off and the value reported by the Power Angel was actually 0.66KWH. Much less. So, the Power Angel's ability to monitor accumulated consumption has proven to be an insightful tool. I am relieved to see that the house can be kept comfortable, while also conserving a substantial amount of energy/money.
Speaking of money, calculating cost is the interesting part to me... Knowing that I pay Jersey Central Power and Light roughly 12.33 cents/KWH, I can now accurately determine how much these devices all cost me to operate. Using the air conditioner as an example... I run two of these units about 8 hours per day, with the thermostat set as tested. So, with 2 units x 8H each x $0.1233/KWH x 0.66KW, it costs me roughly $1.30 per day, or $39.06 per month (30 days), to run my air conditioners!
Along the same lines, I run the computer described as an ATX 500W 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while running Folding@Home. So, with W=151, the equation per day looks like: 24Hrs x $0.1233KWH x 0.151KW = $0.44 per day, or $13.41 per month, or $163.10 per year. Wow... glad the utility didn't ask for that money up front!
Conclusion:
The Seasonic Power Angel strikes me as an item I am going to be glad I have for years to come. It can be an invaluable tool for anyone interested in determining operating costs, as it takes all of the guess work out. It has already proved quite informative in analyzing my computer and home appliance energy consumption, and I foresee continued use along these lines... as well as finding a roll in future reviews. It provides functions like a digital multimeter, but simplifies them for use on 110V items, making it an extremely handy tool.
The appeal of this device goes beyond being suited for sale at your local computer store. I could see it being popular at electronics stores or home improvement warehouses, where people may be interested in using it for some of the non-computer things tested.
And, speaking of selling this device... With an estimated retail price of about $30, it shouldn't be too hard to sell a few. $30 is comparable to a decent digital multimeter, so when these do become readily available for purchase, price shouldn't be a prohibitive feature.
The only two negatives I had were fairly minor, and are easily remedied. One, is that the size and shape of the device forced me to use it on an extension cord at all times. I could not plug it into a wall outlet or surge protector if the other outlets/plugs were in use, because the housing would interfere. Two, on occasion I would push certain function buttons and a different function's data would be displayed. For example... While displaying Hz, I would press V, but be presented with W. Pressing V a second time would remedy the situation, but this could lead to confusion by users that didn't notice the error.
Although the device won't appeal to everyone as a must have, it is an excellent little tool that has already proven very useful to me. Given the ease of use and informative nature of the device, I award the Seasonic Power Angel 4 out of 5 stars, "Recommended".
Final Rating (4 out of 5 stars):
Pros:
• Allows one to monitor the power consumption of just about any 110V device.
• Simple to use
• Large screen is easy to read
• Reasonably priced, about as much as a decent digital multimeter
Cons:
• Shape interferes with other plugs when used directly on a wall outlet / surge protector
• Pressing certain buttons occasionally displays different data
Special thanks to Seasonic for providing the Power Angel power monitor to BigBruin.Com for review!
