How to use the SparOmeter

Once the SparOmeter is connected, it measures your electricity consumption and works out the actual cost.

NB! The information below is based on the Trust’s own SparOmeter. If you have another electricity meter, some of the information may not be relevant.

Here’s how
Plug the SparOmeter into a plug socket and then plug the appliance which you want to monitor into the SparOmeter. SparOmeter measures the electricity consumption and works out the cost. The unit comes with a programmable keypad which allows you to key in the price charged by your local electricity supply company per kilowatt hour (kWh).

  • SparOmeter shows the appliance’s actual power consumption (in watts)
  • SparOmeter measures the consumption in kWh over a set time (e.g. 24 hours)
  • SparOmeter calculates the cost per year

Metering fridges and freezers
If you want to meter a fridge or freezer then it is a good idea to meter the total consumption for at least 24 hours. This is because these appliances do not use power at a constant rate but switch on and off depending on how often you open the door, and how warm it is in the room in which the fridge or freezer is located.

Metering of washing machines
For washing machines, you should meter the power consumption at different wash temperatures. Washing machines use a considerable amount of power for heating water, so the amount of electricity used varies for 40° and 60° washes.

Standby consumption
The SparOmeter takes just a few seconds to register the consumption of your appliance. For example, it can measure the impact on your annual electricity bill of the standby power used by a charger or a DVD.

It is hard to avoid standby consumption, but you can reduce it to the bare minimum by making small changes to eradicate bad habits. In many homes, standby functions can account for up to 10% of total electricity consumption. This can add up to a considerable sum over a few years.

How to install your SparOmeter

  • Press ‘TID’ (time) and ‘FUNKTION’ (function) buttons simultaneously.
  • Use the START/STOP button to increase the values and the ‘TID’ button to change the figures.
  • When the display shows the required values press ‘TID’ and ‘FUNKTION’ simultaneously until the display changes.
  • Metering for 24 hours achieves the most accurate results.

Page last updated 06.10.2008