Are there any smart devices that measure EMI (dirty power)?

Hardware
1

I was at a friend’s house yesterday helping him roll out HA on his network along with several devices. I noticed that once in a blue moon you could see slight changes in the lighting when things like the AC kicks on, etc. He said that happens from time to time. Later in his conversation, he mentioned that he has a hard time finding LED bulbs that last longer than a year or two.

I am starting to think he may have dirty power since his house is pretty old. He could call an electrician but when I recommended it, he stubbornly said meh, everything has been just fine (I don’t think he wants to spend the money). So since many of these devices are able to measure various things like power use and whatnot, is there a smart device (like a plug) that can also monitor EMI for dirty power signs?

2

are you looking for legit devices like this? :point_down:

Description

Features:

*Energy Saving Device: The power energy saver can improve the use of electrical appliances power, avoid the waste of electricity invalid, thereby saving your money. The longer the power energy saver be used, the better the effect will be.

*Save Energy and Money: The function of the power energy saver is to stabilize the voltage, balance the current, and surge protection in order to achieve the power-saving effect. The power energy saver can also improve the use of electrical appliances’ power, avoid the waste of electricity invalid, thus extend the service life of the electrical product.

*Almost No Extra Consumption: The pro power saver device itself has almost no consumption of energy, so you can use it to save power that is consumed by an electric appliance such as a refrigerator, air-conditioner, television, and so on. Even 24 hours 365 days, all-weather running will not increase the burden of electricity.

*Super Easy to Use: Just plug the Power Saver Pro into a power socket and the green indicator light will be bright, then starts to work by keeping the device connected; it will reduce your power consumption and effectively save electricity up to 20%-35% of electrical consumption for the heavy-duty load. The power-saving effect of energy power saver will be shown in a month!

*The Range of Application: We can see the merit of this Power Saver on air conditioning, washing machines, refrigerators, water pumps, induction cookers, electric kettles, etc… and prevent electrical overheating when they operate normally with the rated load. Suitable for houses, condominiums, apartments, shop lots, restaurants, hotels, offices, and small factories.

Specifications:

*Product name: Intelligent power saver

*Payload: 30KW

*Product material: ABS

*Product color: white

*Product power: <3W

*Working voltage: 90~250V

*Product weight: 65g

Product size: 9056*33mm

*Plug:EU plug，UK plug，US plug

Package Content:

1*Electricity Saving Device

Note:

  1. The real color of the item may be slightly different from the pictures shown on website caused by many factors such as brightness of your monitor and light brightness.
  2. Please allow slight manual measurement deviation for the data.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006261193767.html

“real stuff” and “the result is the best” - what else anyone would want?

3

Do you know what his pf is? If there are many inductive loads, the pf could be low and costing him money. If his AC is causing dimming, this is indicative of high start up power and my benefit from larger capacitors (also will help pf). It could also be that the AC compressor is on its last legs. Too many things to debug for a forum.

One thing that helps with surges from the panel is to install a surge protector at the panel. I have A main panel and three subpanels and have a surge protector at each panel/subpanel. It has stopped the early death of my Z-Wave switches. I lost about 8 in the first two years before I installed the surge protectors. I have replaced 5 in the last five years, which I consider normal attrition (I have 87 z-wave devices).

Have a look at the Shelly EM. It will give you V, Instantaneous Watts, total Watts and pf. Shelly EM + 120A Clamp – Shelly USA. It’s 70 usd and you can move it around in the panel to see what circuits are the problem.

Hope this helps.

1 Like
4

This is hirarious

5

That is mostly not correct for any private individual - or you got any proof that residential power users get billed for something else than active/true/real power? :thinking:

From what it sounds @thesaint’s friend doesn’t have any problems with surges (over voltage) at all but probably the opposite (under voltage). My guess the moment the power draw is (very) high on one phase the voltage drops significantly for a certain time frame e.g. causing lights to flicker :bulb:

The real hilarious thing is that people believe sh!t and buy that trash :person_facepalming: Welcome to the post factual society :raised_hands:

1 Like
6

I’m wondering if they make a version that will plug into the cigarette lighter socket in the car so I can save on fuel?

back on topic, I’d be grabbing a shelly or an athomtech unit and checking the voltage also

7

Actually that stuff exists, but it goes into the ODB socket :person_facepalming:

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safe thing :point_down:

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Isn’t the story over already? The owner doesn’t want to do anything and any potential EMI that @thesaint brings into the game can’t cause any inflation of the bill. Same as the fail fact @AllHailJ is riding and claiming reactive energy (kVAr) is billed (kVArh) to residential customers - which is mostly not true as only active energy (kW) is billed (kWh) :warning:

8

Both home & car “savers” have been thoroughly debunked by bigclive over on YouTube.

The home one is just a large capacitor, and the car one turned out to be nothing but a resistor+led.

2 Likes
9

Common sense could actually be enough - it shouldn’t be necessary to have debunk videos on such products or things like “free energy” or what ever topic trending next on shitter or such. :put_litter_in_its_place:

More education and common sense could actually help and reducing death introduced by “outlet” or “blackout” challenges suggested by your smart speaker or favorite app :gift:

https://12ft.io/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/opinion/tiktok-blackout-challenge-anderson.html