| Power meter transmits data to Windows Mobile devices |
Aug. 05, 2008
 Energy Optimizers Ltd. announced a power meter that sends data to Windows Mobile devices via Bluetooth. Designed to be placed between an appliance and an AC outlet, the "Plogg Blu" includes remote power-switching capabilities, and 64KB of RAM for data logging, the company says.
(Click here for a larger view of the Plogg Blu)
Rather than measuring the power consumption of a whole business or residence, the Plogg Blu is a box designed to be placed between a wall outlet and the appliance that's being monitored. It is touted as combining "highly accurate kilowatt-hour (kWh) measurement with a powerful data logging capability."
According to Energy Optimizers, the Plogg Blu can operate autonomously, logging power consumption data at preselected intervals of between one minute and one month. It can also be connected via Bluetooth to a Windows Mobile device or Windows-based personal computer.
  
Plogg Mobile Manager monitors instantaneous power consumption (left), can control multiple devices (middle), and permits selecting data to be logged (right)
(Click any to enlarge)
Once the Plogg Blu is linked to an external device, it can transmit logged data in .CSV (comma separated values) format for analysis. Power consumption can also be monitored in realtime by Plogg Mobile Manager software (above), available in editions for Windows Mobile, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Energy Optimizers says Plogg Mobile Manager, shown in its Windows Mobile version, can monitor multiple Plogg Blu units simultaneously, as long as they are within typical Bluetooth range. The software provides features such as:- Measuring electrical parameters including Volts, Amps, Watts, kWh,
kVARh, and phase angle
- Downloading logged data in .CSV format
- Entering the price of energy, then monitoring an appliance's cost in realtime
- Turning off power on any Plogg Blu-controlled outlet instantaneously
- Setting timed power-on or power-off of any Plogg Blu device
Unfortunately for would-be U.S. purchasers, current versions of the Plogg Blu support only monitoring and control of Euro-style power, with a nominal voltage of 230VAC. The device is available with U.K., Schuko, French, Swiss, and Australian plugs.
Additional hardware specifications cited by Energy Optimizers Ltd. include the following:- Teridian meter system chip, with accuracy better than 0.5 percent
- Cambridge Silicon Research BlueCore BC4 Bluetooth chip
- 64KB of RAM
- Four-quadrant metering
- Accepts 40-70Hz line input frequencies
- Acceptable input voltage fluctuation -- +/- 10 percent
- 22-bit delta-sigma ADC
- Temperature sensor
- Rechargeable battery backup for RTC and data
- Maximum current through device -- 13 Amps
- Operating temperature -- 5 to 40 deg. C
Shaun Merrick, general manager of Energy Otimizers, said the "Plogg is the smart energy saving technology of the future, available today. Even at today’s prices, it can pay for itself quickly in terms of energy savings, and its cost benefits will increase as energy prices continue to rise."
Further information
In addition to the Plogg Blu described above, the power meter is also available as the PloggZgb, which has an Ember EM250-based ZigBee transceiver. The device can act as a ZigBee end device, router, or coordinator, Energy Optimizers says.
Both the Plogg Blu and PloggZgb are available now for 55 U.K. Pounds. More information may be available from the Energy Optimizers website, here.
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