The DIY Kyoto Wattson is an ultra cool energy monitor that will allow you to do your bit to go green and save the planet by conserving energy; it could also reduce your electricity bill by up to 20%. The Wattson displays the amount of electricity being used in your home in real time, what makes Wattson special is that as well as giving a digital display of consumption, coloured lights on the uber-stylish unit base indicate whether your usage levels at any particular time are average for your home, less than average or higher than average, acting as a clear and instant visual reminder to switch off appliances.
Wattson comes complete with Holmes, the easy-to-use software that makes this the most sophisticated electricity monitoring system available and a must for those who want the visual aid they need to remind them to reduce their energy usage but without compromising on style.
It’s going to be a design classic...
The Wattson is an ingenious wireless based device that consists of a transmitter and sensor that you clamp around your main electricity cable in the meter cupboard and a stylish receiver you can either leave in your lounge to impress your friends, or carry around with you.
It will display a running total of the cost of the electricity being used in various currencies or the quantity of power in Watts. What’s unique though is that the Wattson also has a full colour RGB light source built into its base, so it will glow blue when electricity consumption is low and change to red when it’s high.
Wattson also allows you to attach a sensor to any micro-generation devices your may have, for example, solar panels so you can compare how much energy you are using against how much you are generating yourself.
It also has a USB interface and comes complete with software called Holmes. Data can be downloaded and analysed on your PC or Mac and can be stored for days, weeks, months and even years.
As with most electricity monitors, a sensor is clipped around the live feed from your electricity supply (no electrician usually required) and plugged into a transmitter. This signal is then received by the Wattson. The Wattson is very sensitive and will display down to a 1w resolution to detect even the smallest changes in the power consumption of your home. The signal can be picked up about 30m through walls or about 100m away in free space. The main Wattson display unit is rechargeable and will last up to three months between charges when running in low power mode. If the ambient RGB light is used for extended periods it will need recharging more often, but the Wattson will give a low power warning when the battery needs recharging.
Transmitter is powered by rechargeable batteries that last approximately six months
The Wattson receiver comes with a UK mains PSU and has an onboard rechargeable battery.
PC and Mac software included or can be downloaded
Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly views of energy use
Compatible with single and three phase system (with additional sensors)
Display: 105mm x 170mm x 55mm
Transmitter: 110mm x 84mm x 26mm
10Kw maximum per phase
1w display resolution
LED Display
433Mhz frequency usage, 100ft/30m range
32Kb internal memory
28 Days of electricity usage can be stored.
RGB LED light
User selectable 3-20 second refresh rate
User selectable currency
Powered by 4 x AA batteries
USB 1.0 and 2.0
