Smart Solutions To Reducing Your Electricity Costs

Smart solutions that are making it easier for any Aussie householder, to get on the path of home energy reduction. 

Ask yourself what could you be saving off your power costs?

Well we would say, far more than you are currently!

Why? Well you only have two sources of information available to you right now, in regards to electricity use and costs.

• An electricity bill every three months
• An electricity meter in the power box

MISSING is the needed realtime feedback, for instant notification of any event!

Now there is not much you can do about a huge electricity bill arriving three months after the event!! You may have a great memory, but what was that event? That event that cost you so dearly!

You can only guess as it could have been :

• An increase in usage due to householder activity?
• An unknown faulty appliance?
• An electricity billing issue?
• Misconceptions of actual appliance power ratings?
• A degrading of solar power output?
• A solar power outage?
• An electricity metering issue?

There are many reasons for unknown costly high power events, in many Aussie homes. Remember you are not alone here, with having to wonder why your electricity costs have risen! 

Others are also finding it all to hard to discover the real reason, after the event! So make it easier on yourself and get the information you need.

With the required realtime feedback for your electricity use :

You Can Easily ACT!   You Have OPTIONS!   You Will SAVE!

24/7 Aussie Home Energy Monitoring Solutions : Over the last few years we have become a major player in Home Energy Monitoring. Introducing Home Electricity Monitoring Solutions into many Aussie homes for monitoring :

• Total Power
• Solar Power 
• Appliance Power

Whilst there are many home energy monitors out there on the market, it can be confusing for the 'energy monitoring newbie' to know exactly what matters. So why not take a look at this pdf HOME ELECTRICITY MONITORING FEATURES AND BENEFITS. 

Or visit our CHOOSING YOUR HOME ELECTRICITY MONITORING page. 

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

List Of Australian Electricity Tariffs Freedom Of Choice

Did you know if your electricity tariff type does not match your home's power usage pattern, you could dramatically be paying far more for your power?

We often come across Aussie householders whom could be saving far more off electricity costs, by simply changing electricity tariff type.

For example a Time Of Use [TOU] electricity tariff, is not necessarily the best tariff for you when you are a young family or an older couple. Simply because you may use high cost power [peak] and not be in a position to use more of the cheap power [off-peak], to offset the high cost of the peak. Thus you pay more! 

Commonly the reason for this can be due to lifestyle restrictions. Affecting when the power is used based on the time of day. You know you have to feed young children or you may go to sleep quite early at night!

In these cases, the home could be better off on a flat or block / tiered electricity tariff. Now there are a few ways to check if your electricity tariff type is supplying you with the cheapest electricity costs, such as:

• ELECTRICITY METER & BILLING ANALYSIS
• ENERGY MONITORING WITH TARIFF COMPARISON
• Check Your Bill & Use The Calculator

What you need to understand first of all, is most electronic meters in Australia support ALL available electricity tariffs. If you have been forced onto a TOU tariff [commonly when solar power has been installed], then you need to discuss your options again, with your existing electricity retailer or switch. Not all electricity retailers have all the options!

Your freedom of choice Australian electricity tariffs are:

• Flat Rate : Charged the same for all your peak power [ie 24 cents] Commonly this is used alongside a controlled load tariff
• Increasing Block Rate [IBR] : Charged less for the first block / units of power kWh [ie 24 cents for 0 to 1000 kWh] then charged more for the next block [ie 27 cents 1001 to 2000 kWh]
• Decreasing Block Rate [DBR] : Charged more for the first block / units of power kWh [ie 27 cents for 0 to 1000 kWh] then charged less for the next block [ie 24 cents 1001 to 2000 kWh]
• Time Of Use [TOU] : Charged at different rates based on the time of day. [ie off-peak 22:000 to 07:00 18 cents / peak 14:00 to 20:00 48 cents / shoulder 07:00 to 14:00 & 20:00 to 22.00 34 cents / Weekends different]
• Controlled Loads : Available on all of the above tariff types. Used for the connection of hot water and other devices, such as pool pumps or large storage heaters. This controlled load rate being similar in cost to the off-peak price for a TOU.

1st Step : Understand fully what electricity tariff type your home is connected to.

2nd Step : Select a way to work out if the existing electricity tariff, truly is the best option for lowering electricity costs for your home. 

If you are short of time and experience, then working this out with a calculator and taking meter readings is not for you. 

3rd Step : You may wish to install a simple ENERGY MONITOR WITH TARIFF COMPARISON software, to supply you with the answer on auto-pilot.

Or pass the job over to the experts here at Aussie Home Energy where we will check your:

• Meter type
• Electricity tariff type
• Analyse your electricity bills
• Supply a list of cheaper electricity offers

See our ELECTRICITY METER & BILLING ANALYSIS for further information.

Note : Mechanical meters [clock face / spinning wheel do not support the TOU electricity tariff.

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

How To Size A Solar Power System

A Solar Power System on the roof of the home is a big investment for any Aussie householder. Therefore you will want to base any purchase and sizing of a solar power system, on well educated decisions. 

Decisions based on facts and figures! Not guesswork!

First of all importantly what you need is data. Without data you are really making a guess! Or using a generic figure, which may not be your home!

And to get this data you need to install a simple Smart Energy Monitoring System. This energy monitoring system supplying you with 24/7 data, so you know :

• How much power you are using when the sun is shining
• How much power you are using over 24 hours
• The size and time of day of appliance loads

Having all of the above Smart Energy Monitoring data in relation to the time of day, is going to answer most of your questions.  

Smart Energy data allowing you in theory to work out :

• What power needs to be generated to offset sunny hour imported power
• How much power is required to charge future battery banks
• How to use as much of your solar generated power

Smart Energy data importantly allowing you to maximise power and cost savings at the end of the day. Importantly when your solar power system is installed to:

• Reduce imported power
• Reduce exported power [when there is little financial return]
• Maximise your consumption of solar power
• Maximise the solar power sent to your batteries
• Maximise the use of your battery power over imported
• Install only the required number of any additional solar panels

To get all of the data, you simply need to install the required Aussie Home Energy Monitoring Solution. Thus removing all sales talk guesswork!

Now you can make that decision to install solar power on the roof of your home, with an educated mind based on smart monitoring energy data! 

Finally answering that question, 'How do I know what size solar power system to install on my roof which will show me the best financial return?'

So why not checkout HOME ENERGY POWER MONITORING and start the investigation today?

Now let us not forget here that Smart Energy Monitoring System will be easily expanded to monitor your solar and your batteries! Easy as 1,2,3!

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

PVOutput For Solar And Consumption Power Monitoring

PVOutput is a fantastic Online Energy Monitoring Dashboard and is our top recommended dashboard for you sending your energy monitoring data to. 

Packed with endless features every aspect of data analysis seems to be covered. 24/7 anywhere of any device!

Primarily we recommend PVOutput so you can easily gain a far better understanding of your :

• Total power consumption
• Solar power generation in Gross / Net environments
• Power box circuits
• 10A Socket appliances

PVOutput.org was designed for the sharing and comparing of Solar Power system data. Over the years though PVOutput has grown to offer so much more.

Importantly it is a live expanding website, with many new features and benefits being added on a frequent basis. Unlike some other offerings where there is no or little growth to reflect required changes. 

Thus PVOutput is voted by Aussie Home Energy as the No#1 Energy Monitoring Dashboard Solution! 

Our Aussie Home Energy Monitoring Solutions working with the PVOutput Energy Monitoring Dashboard to help :

Solar Power Users enjoy :

• Support for either Gross / Net metering
• Live data in 5 minute increments
• Data graphed and tabulated
• Data analysed and forecast
• Comparing solar system versus solar system locally
• Accessing data via any web browser 24/7
• Accessing data using a long list of mobile applications across all platforms
• Receiving email alerts for inverter / solar panel issue notification

Important : The ability to compare your Solar PV System with other users in close proximity allows for both short and longer term performance issues to be easily identified. 

Our Aussie Home Energy Monitoring Solutions working with the PVOutput Energy Monitoring Dashboard to help:

Energy Consumption Clients enjoy :

• Total Power Consumption display
• Live data in 5 minute increments
• Data graphed and tabulated
• Data analysed and forecast
• Monitoring power box circuits such as A/C & pumps etc
• 10A Socket appliance power data
• Flat, tiered / block and Time Of Use tariff support

PVOutput Key Features :

• Automatic uploading of live solar power / alternative energy generation, consumption, temperature, light and motion data
• Ability to upload consumption data to solar systems already on PVOutput by adding consumption transmitter monitoring, thus import / export can be calculated
• Graph and tabulate data in live [5 minute], daily, weekly, monthly and yearly intervals
• Pie charts for costs, power consumption time of day and solar generation
• Search and discover similar solar installations within a geographical area
• Compare live or daily data with another solar system, past date or postcode
• Compare electricity tariff types based on consumption
• Open API to automate data uploads and downloads
• Extended data for appliance detailed appliance monitoring
• Mobile applications for all platforms Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile
• Mobile application whilst supporting PVOutput data also support live 6 second data from the manufacturer's dashboard
• All of the above and more for ONLY a small donation once per year
• Email alerts [see below]

Email Alerts : 

• Idle System Alerts
• Low Output Alerts
• High Usage Alerts
• Performance Alerts
• Standby Cost Alerts
• High Net Alerts
• Low Net Alerts

So What Are You Waiting For? : Honestly even if you have done some homework regarding online energy monitoring dashboards, you will not find one with so many endless features and benefits as PVOutput. Importantly this is a dashboard where suggestions are taken on board and implemented when possible, within a quick time frame.

Endless Features : With constantly growing features, it is no suprise that a large increasing number of solar powered homes choose PVOutput as their primary online energy monitoring solution. 

Join A Successful Energy Monitoring Solution : PVOutput is the best end solution supplying you with all your energy monitoring needs. Let Aussie Home Energy get your consumption and/or solar power data onto PVOutput? 

Already Got Your Solar Data On PVOutput? : We can help you here by adding the missing consumption data. See our SERVICES page for more information.

Can I Auto-Upload Inverter Data To PVOutput : Yes you can see this post MISSING CONSUMPTION DATA FOR ENPHASE SOLAR EDGE SMA WEBBOX


Check out our SOLAR AND CONSUMPTION ENERGY MONITORING SOLUTIONS or call us for a quick discussion about your energy monitoring needs.

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

How To Size Your Solar Power Batteries

Solar Power Batteries are a big investment for any Aussie householder. Therefore you want to base any purchase, on well educated decisions. 

Decisions based on facts and figures! 

First of all, what you need is importantly data. Without data you are really making a guess! 

Such 24/7 data you will need to know is :

• Consumption
• Generation
• Import
• Export
• Size of appliance loads

Having all of the above data in relation to the time of day, is going to answer most of your questions. All of this information creating a suitable starting point for further investigation. 

Data allowing you in theory to shuffle generated / consumed energy between appliances and future battery banks. 

Further making sure you maximise power and cost savings, in many different ways. Importantly allowing you to:

• Reduce imported power
• Reduce exported power [when there is little financial return]
• Maximise your consumption of solar power
• Maximise the solar power sent to your batteries
• Maximise the use of your battery power over imported
• Install only the required number of any additional solar panels

To get all of the data, you simply need to install the required Aussie Home Energy Monitoring Solution. Thus removing all guesswork!

Allowing you to make the decision to install solar power batteries with an educated mind based on good data! Finally answering that question, 'How do I know if solar power batteries will work best for me and show a good financial return?'

So why not checkout our SOLAR POWER MONITORING page and start the investigation today?

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

How To Maximise Your Home Generated Solar Power

Australia leads the world with the number of homes having solar power installed. 

In fact well over 15% of homes have installed solar power. Yet a very small amount of those homes, have any form of energy monitoring installed. 

Meaning there are many homes with unknown financial losses and many whom are not aware, their solar power system has issues!

Installing energy monitoring allows you to be become one of the lucky householders, whom will easily know :

• Instantly of any solar power hardware issue
• How to maximise the use of generated power against imported power
• Reduce exported power when there is little financial return
• Reduce your overall power costs, by increasing efficiency of energy use and appliances

This is a great solution when compared to the average Aussie home. Where householders are only aware of issues when the electricity bill arrives. Every 3 months and that's if they check the bill! Now that could be a large financial loss!

Now in your home when you install energy monitoring you are easily going to see data that up to now has been missing. Energy data for :

Generation : Consumption : Import : Export

We believe there are 5 EASY STEPS to reducing your power costs with solar power installed.

1. Maximise the best use of your generated solar power
2. Minimise your imported power during the sunny hours of the day
3. Depending on your metering, reduce exported power [when paid little for your excess power]
4. Increase efficiency of any power used and appliances
5. Secure the best electricity deal you can

By adding more hardware to your Realtime Solar Power Monitoring System you could also be :

• Monitoring your 10A socket based appliances such as entertainment, freezer, tenant etc
• Monitoring more power box based circuits such as air conditioner, pool, workshop etc

With your Aussie Home Energy Monitoring System collecting data, in real-time you will soon know :

• What energy your appliances are using and the costs
• When appliances are left on by error
• The 24/7 standby power of your appliances

IMPORTANTLY by installing a tablet for your Solar Power Monitoring System in an easy to see location, you will allow everyone in the home to act on the real-time data. When everyone becomes aware of electricity usage and costs quickly, you see savings quicker!

Welcome to our world of Solar Power & Electricity Consumption Monitoring. 

Start your investigations today on monitoring your solar power and consumption by visiting our SOLAR POWER MONITORING page, or simply call us for a friendly chat.


This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

Aussie Home Energy Reduction Mobile Site

AHE Mobile Site

Our old mobile site was created back in 2010 and maybe was ahead of it's time. We cannot remember a flood of traffic back then though!

Back to the present and we have a new mobile site, for all your home electricity reduction services and products. 

The site is completely mobile friendly and linked to our home electricity saving services and products store.

Why not take our new mobile site for a test drive. Of course we would love to hear all feedback, especially where we need to make changes to suit your needs and mobile devices needs.

AHE MOBILE SITE

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

Free Energy Monitoring Dashboard

24/7 LIVE POWER DATA

Energy monitoring clients are often amazed there is NO MONTHLY subscription with our power monitoring solutions.

YES we can get your consumption and solar power, well in fact any appliance onto a free energy monitoring dashboard. 

A dashboard backed up by a fantastic selection of mobile apps. Not forgetting you can also see all the data in any browser from anywhere 24/7. 

Importantly the data is LIVE in 6 second real-time! Is this not the best solution for helping you finally save off those rising electricity costs? We think it is as feedback creates action!

FREE ENERGY MONITORING DASHBOARD

January 2018 : Current Cost home energy monitor users please note MyCurrentCost dashboard was retired 15th January. This alternative free real-time dashboard is a great alternative HOME ENERGY MONITOR dashboard solution, with auto upload support for PVOutput ie solar.

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.

Dummies Guide To Solar And Consumption Power Monitoring

Now if you want to get the best out of your Net FIT solar power system, firstly you need to monitor what is going on with your consumption, generation, import and export power.

Secondly you really NEED all current clamps to be placed in the correct position. And it is this correct position, that is catching out a few to many electricians. Especially when it comes to clamping the consumption power!

There is simply no excuse for any electrician to leave a clients home, without firstly making sure all clamps are correctly placed. 

So we have again 'fine tuned' our documentation once more to hopefully reduce ALL errors! And reduce calls to our office from our clients, for an error by someone else!

DUMMIES GUIDE TO SOLAR POWER MONITORING

We have had to create this document simply to reduce client frustration. Client frustration due to their power monitoring systems being installed incorrectly. Where the electrician has left the site and is not too interested in coming back! The client in many cases believing the electrician has done the right thing, when he has not!

The most common incorrect positioning of consumption clamps, is when the solar power feeds back through the same clamps. Resulting in the consumption being affect by the solar power generation. Easily spotted as when the sun is shining the consumption rises and falls in a similar manner. 

Investigations on PVOutput prove there are many solar monitoring systems out there, where the consumption clamps are not correct. And this error is always due to the incorrect positioning of clamps, not the hardware itself.

Incorrect positioning of clamps results in data similar to that shown below where the consumption is following the sun! Now whilst one could be trying to use up as much generated power, we know this is not the case!

Incorrect Position With Solar Feeding Into Consumption

So if your consumption and solar power monitoring data looks like the above, then you need to address that with your electrician. The solar is feeding back through the consumption clamps.

What is should look like is this.

Correct Position Where Consumption DOES NOT FOLLOW Solar

Now there simply is no excuse for any electrician to think they know where to place the clamps, as our guide clearly explains the correct position. The document is hosted on our SUPPORT page.

Remember there is only ONE WAY to monitor solar generated power and total household consumption and that is the correct way! Otherwise the data means little and is of no use!

We hope many of you whom are about to install solar power and consumption monitoring, in a NET FIT environment come across the post and understand the correct procedure, or are able to inform the electrician.

This blog post brought to you by Aussie Home Energy, a major player in the HOME ELECTRICITY SAVING SERVICE industry in Australia.