We’ve recently heard from Tony Dyhouse who has been using a wattson for three years and has over 1000 continuous days of logged data. We thought this was quite an achievement and so asked Tony to send in a photo and some of his experiences. See the full interview below.
We’re also planning on making this a regular feature so if you think you can beat the number of days of data, or have an interseting wattson story to tell, we’d like to hear from you.
When did you first purchase wattson?
In January 2008.
Why did you decide to purchase wattson?
I’m a geek. I love new technology, especially anything that connects to a computer. I confess the technical side was my main interest, rather than any thoughts of reducing my electricity bill or helping the environment.
Please describe your experience of setting up wattson.
Setup was easy. It worked out of the box. I especially liked the transmitter being battery powered as otherwise I would not have been able to get a power connection o it despite it sitting next to my meter!
How did you first use it?, were there any immediate discoveries that you made of your energy use?
Initially, as it wasn’t possible to set dual rates (as I recall), I didn’t bother with the exact prices shown but used them in a relative way. That is I used comparison between days and months to see what effect I was having.
I especially loved the simple and elegant design of Wattson. The lighting feature; changing from blue to red depending on usage, is very addictive. I wasn’t happy if it glowed red and would go about turning off devices to try and make the light blue!
Where do you keep your wattson?
I use a spare bedroom as an office it sits next to my pc. It’s permanently connected to the mains supply so that I don’t have to worry about the battery running out. However I do live in an area where there are regular power cuts so the battery maintains supply.
How often did you (and do you now) check the data on wattson?
I check the light regularly – it’s always in view. I upload the data to Holmes normally every week. On occasion I forget or am away and that time may be extended. Every time I collect new data I check out the graphs to watch for any abnormality or change.
Do you think wattson has changed the way you use electricity?
Yes. I didn’t set out to change my habits. I don’t see myself as an especially environmentally concerned person. I just love technology. But it did change my behavior. I became keen to change the red light to blue and that challenge has continued.
What is your favourite thing about wattson?
You may have guessed it… the light which changed colour according to usage. It makes saving energy fun. I also love the tilt mechanism for changing the data which is displayed. Altogether great design which fits any décor. There is a design flaw though which I mention later.
Any other thoughts, experiences, stories about wattson?
In my desperation to keep the light blue I made my wife’s life a misery. I was constantly nagging her to turn off lights, limit kettle use etc. I even purchased a one-cup kettle so I could see our graphs reduce.
