Free energy saving devices for scroungers ;)

[tek-monkey]

Thought this probably warranted a post of its own. Thought I had when I first saw it, but can't find it so either I'm imagining things or just too tired from working all night.

Anway, go here and enter code EF3. You just need to receive one of the benefits listed, and enter your NI number to qualify. If you do, you can get an OWL energy monitor and a 6 way extension lead that turns shiz off when the main plug goes off. Ideal for a PC, turn off the base unit and it powers down the TFT/speakers et.

 

[wmrcomputers]

Sweet - I like free! Cheers Tek

 

[wmrcomputers]

Just to add to what Tek has already told us all, the Owl Electricity monitor is worth £35 on its own. And by benefits, child ben, tax creds, housing benefit, council tax, anything will do...even if you only get a fiver a week housing benefit

Worth a few clicks for sure!

 

[tek-monkey]

Yeah, forgot child benefits count. TBH I'm not even sure they check if you're eligible.

 

[wmrcomputers]

Yeah, forgot child benefits count. TBH I'm not even sure they check if you're eligible.

I wouldn't have thought so

 

[tek-monkey]

Maybe if I removed the scrounger bit more people would apply. Can't be a bad thing to have, and I guess it'd make you quite careful once you realise you're spending a quid an hour and not even in the house!

 

[wmrcomputers]

I'm shocked too that nobody else is jumping on this. Or more likely they are, but not making a song and dance about it in this thread

 

[Lunar Scorpion]

What exactly does the 6 way plug thingy do? I get the general gist of it but still confused as to whether it would be a useful thing or not.

 

[tek-monkey]

It lets one socket act as a switch to the others - they only get power when the main device is turned on. For example you could turn the tv off, and the sky/stereo/dvd player all go off too.

 

[wmrcomputers]

What exactly does the 6 way plug thingy do? I get the general gist of it but still confused as to whether it would be a useful thing or not.

From what I can gather, it has a main socket plus 5 others.

Now lets assume you connect a PC tower to the main socket, then your speakers to another, the power to your monitor to another etc... when the PC is shut down and the main socket detects no current drain, it cuts the power to the other 5 sockets too. Therefore the transformers inside your monitor, speakers etc are not left wasting energy in standby.

I'm sure Tek will come along and correct me if I am wrong.

The other gadget though is the best part of the deal i think. As well as moitoring real time electricity usage, it should also allow me to easily calculate things like how much electricity my christmas light show uses each night etc.

 

[wmrcomputers]

It lets one socket act as a switch to the others - they only get power when the main device is turned on. For example you could turn the tv off, and the sky/stereo/dvd player all go off too.

You beat me to it!.....

Although in the example you've given me, that would mean that my HDD freeview recorder would no longer record our favourite programmes while the TV is off. Used in place of the other 6 gang in our living room, it means that when the kids shut down their PC it would also turn off our wireless router - again no use to us.

Ahhh, just thought... if I connect it to my whole animated christmas lightshow this year, then when I (or timer) shuts down the PC which controls everything it would also disconnect the mains to the relays and everything else (is that right?)
Also, would you happen to know if it can sense the first appliance being switched on again and allow the power to the other sockets?? (IE. could I theoretically have the whole thing automatic with this special plug thingy disconnecting all currents for safety in between displays - just from the master PC being shut down?)

 

[Lunar Scorpion]

What exactly does the 6 way plug thingy do? I get the general gist of it but still confused as to whether it would be a useful thing or not.

From what I can gather, it has a main socket plus 5 others.

Now lets assume you connect a PC tower to the main socket, then your speakers to another, the power to your monitor to another etc... when the PC is shut down and the main socket detects no current drain, it cuts the power to the other 5 sockets too. Therefore the transformers inside your monitor, speakers etc are not left wasting energy in standby.

I'm sure Tek will come along and correct me if I am wrong.

The other gadget though is the best part of the deal i think. As well as moitoring real time electricity usage, it should also allow me to easily calculate things like how much electricity my christmas light show uses each night etc.

Right, I think I have something that does a similar thing with 2 additional sockets. The only additional plugs are for my monitor and printer, everything else plugs into the box so I think it's a bit much. I might get one anyway though, can always give it away!

 

[wmrcomputers]

If it's worth money you can bet your life that SOMEone you know could eventually make use of it one day. That was previously my plan but now I've thought of a use already.
SODS LAW = Give something away and you're guaranteed to find a use for it within a week because you've no longer got it!!! lol

 

[wmrcomputers]

Just to update this thread as I have since received this.

Basically the power sockets are switched off by your TV remote control (it learns the signal from your remote). Quite clever really. In addition to the socket for your TV, there are 3 sockets which switch off by remote, and 2 additional sockets whereby you get a choice. So you can leave those permanently on if you prefer for things like TV recorders which need to stay on even when the TV is off.

As for the other piece of kit, I knew within seconds of setting it up that my Plasma telly uses around 3p per hour, my washing machine around 35p per hour and my kettle around 24p per hour. It kinda makes you paranoid though and you find yourself doing silly things like shouting "HURRY UP WITH THAT FU**ING TOASTER - It costs 17p an hour you know!" lmao

 

[gdavies]

i dont have the energy monitor but have had the standby saver for a while, Which i must say does not work with my telly i tried to sync it for half an hour the infared for my telly must be different. However if kettle or toaster use that money i don't want the monitor as i have file servers, web servers, games consoles etc and so much more i must be running a huge amount per min

 

[wmrcomputers]

Have you got the infrared receiver pushed fully into it? It's quitre a tight fit and needs to be all the way in for it to work. According to the information they can learn any infrared signal throughout the entire spectrum, so unless your TV remote uses radio signals instead of infrared I can't see it not working. Mine took 20 seconds if that.
Also, did you get it with full instructions on how to do it?

 

[tek-monkey]

Glad you got it mate. If anyone uses eon for power you can get some other devices for free here.

EDIT: Bugger, no you can't, offer has finished

 

[wmrcomputers]

Cheers for the pointer in the first place though tek, me and one friend plus one family member are quite happy with our free gifts!

 

[tek-monkey]

No probs mate, happy to help

 

[dylanf]

I got mine through today. I just input a random national insurance number when they asked for a tax credit reference number.