British Gas Electricity Monitor Manual

It’s easy…

Electricity monitoruser instructions

British Gas Electricity Monitor User Instructions 1

HelloYour new electricity monitor has arrived. It’s a great way to learn how to use less electricity and save money, and just one of the ways British Gas helps you look after your world. Put your electricity monitor somewhere easy to see to keep track of your electricity usage, and you’ll soon start to see how simple changes – like turning off the lights, or boiling less water in the kettle – mean less electricity is being used. Remember, using less electricity means more money saved.

We’ll still use your electricity meter to work out your bill, as your monitor is not a billing meter. To make sure your bill is accurate, don’t forget to enter your meter reading each month. We can remind you when your meter reading is required – simply login to your personal account at britishgas.co.uk to provide us with your email and mobile number.

2 British Gas Electricity Monitor User Instructions

It is important to observe some simple safety precautions when using this product. Safe operation of the electricity monitor is impaired if used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer.

The electricity monitor is easy to install, without the need for a qualified electrician. There is no need to open fuse boxes or to connect or disconnect any cabling. It is designed for internal use only, and should be used inside a suitable building or meter cabinet.

Don’t fit rechargeable batteries.

When fitting the sensor, if the cables going into your electricity meter look perished (cracked, burned, or bare copper) or are loose, or wet, or you have any doubts about their condition, do not install the sensor, contact a qualified electrician. Don’t force the sensor onto the cable if the cable diameter appears to be too big.

Keep the transmitter away from water and other liquids. Disconnect before cleaning and do not immerse in water or other liquids. Please contact British Gas if any components appear damaged or faulty. Our contact details appear at the back of this booklet.

To protect the environment, this product and batteries must be disposed of safely at the end of their life. Please take the batteries to a recycling centre for safe disposal.

RoHS compliant. This product complies with RoHS regulations, ensuring that it contains acceptable levels of hazardous chemicals for home use.

CE approved. This product has passed the appropriate quality assurance tests.

Some important things you should know


Display unitThe display unit shows your energy usage. It receives a wireless signal from the transmitter. The display is mains powered.

TransmitterThe transmitter will sit next to your existing electricity meter, and sends the readings to the display. The transmitter is powered by three C-cell batteries.

Power supplyThis is to power the display unit. Please do not use any other supply to power the display.

SensorThe sensor safely clips around the mains electricity cable that comes into your meter to measure the energy you are using, and plugs into the bottom of the transmitter. Please read the safety notice at the start of this booklet and fit the sensor according to the following instructions.

Batteries3 large C-cells for powering the transmitter.

BatteriesDisplay unit Transmitter SensorPower supply

In your box…


Plug it inPut the plug into a mains socket and insert the black power cable into your electricity monitor display unit.

Insert batteriesRemove the cover from the transmitter to insert batteries. An LED on the transmitter circuit board will flash, indicating that the batteries are working. Don’t replace the battery cover just yet.

Pair the transmitter and display unitActivate your electricity monitor display unit by linking the transmitter and display unit wirelessly. To do this, press the Up and Down buttons on the display unit at the same time until the word ‘PAIR’ appears on the screen.

6 easy steps to install


Attach the sensor Carefully secure the sensor clip around one of the four mains cables that go into your electricity meter. The faces of the sensor must meet cleanly. Plug the sensor into the base of the transmitter.

Position the transmitterPlace your transmitter in a safe, upright position near to your meter.

Establish the wireless connectionPress the Pair button on the transmitter until you see the LED light on the circuit board flash as it finds the display unit. When the display shows the full Consumption Bar, press Set (middle button) to return to the main screen and replace the battery cover.

Pair button


Start using your electricity monitor

Up

Up

Set

Set

Down

Down

Set the timeSet the time by pressing the Set (middle button), and using the Up and Down buttons to adjust the time. Press Set again when you’ve finished to return to the main screen.

Set your tariffTo help the electricity monitor do its job properly, you need to tell it how much you currently pay for your electricity or your tariff. You can find your tariff by logging into britishgas.co.uk, under ‘Manage Your Energy Usage’ section. If you only have a single tariff enter information for Tariff 1. If you have different tariffs for different times of day, e.g.

Economy 7, enter information for both Tariff 1 and Tariff 2.

To set your tariff, press and hold the Set button for three seconds until the display shows the target screen. From there, press Set again to move onto the tariff screen. Once the tariff value flashes, use the Up and Down buttons to enter your tariff value and then press Set to save. After setting the first

Tariff


Up

Set

Down

Target Mark

Set a target to save moneyYou can use your electricity monitor to set yourself an usage target for each day. The idea is that you only use up to the target but no more. If you use less, that’s even better. To help specify a realistic target for you and your family, login to britishgas.co.uk, under ‘Manage Your Energy Usage‘. Or as an alternative, use this simple average household usage guide:

• Working couple – 11kWh per day

• Single person – 8.5kWh per day

• Family with two children – 15 kWh per day

It’s easy to set your target. Press and hold the Set button for three seconds until the display shows the target screen. Use the Up

and Down buttons to find the best measuring unit for your target, and press Set to select:

• kWh – shows the amount of electricity you want to use a day

• CO2 – shows the amount of CO2 you want to keep within

• £ – shows how much you want to spend per day

Use the Up and Down buttons to adjust your target value, and press Set to save it. Your target mark will appear at the bottom of your display.

tariff, the screen will move on to the second tariff. If you don’t have a second tariff, enter 0 and then press Set. If you set a second tariff price you will need to link it to the time of day it is valid. To do this, use the Up and Down buttons to set the second tariff start time (e.g. 00:00) and press Set. Then use the Up

and Down buttons to set the end time (e.g. 07:00) and press Set.


Reading the display

The Real-time Consumption BarThe Real-time Consumption Bar shows how much electricity is being used in your home. It is updated every two seconds. It measures consumption up to 20kW, but typical households use much less than this. The Consumption Bar measures electricity consumption from left to right in increasing increments. The exact values of the segments are explained in the “Frequently Asked Questions” at the back of this booklet.

Real-time ConsumptionThe top number on the display shows real-time electricity consumption in figures. You can monitor your electricity using three different units:

• £/h The approximate cost per hour of the present electricity consumption

• kg CO2/h The equivalent amount of CO2 produced at the present electricity usage

• kW The amount of power presently being used. (0.2kW = 200 Watts, or 2 x 100 Watt light bulbs.)

Change the unit by pressing the Up button.

Cumulative ConsumptionThe bottom number on the display is your Cumulative Consumption. Your electricity monitor tracks your consumption in four ways

• Today shows consumption for the current day since midnight

• Yesterday shows consumption for the previous day (midnight to midnight)

• 7 days shows the total consumption over the last 7 complete days

• 30 days shows the total consumption over the last 30 complete days

The yesterday, 7-day, and 30-day figures will update at midnight each day. You can view different Cumulative Consumption period by pressing the Down button. If the display has not recorded a full set of data for the time period indicated, the Cumulative Consumption number will flash.

Real-time Consumption Bar

Real-time Consumption

Cumulative Consumption


The Daily Consumption Bar The Daily Consumption Bar shows the current day’s cumulative electricity consumption. If you set a target, the target will also appear as a segment positioned three-quarters of the way along the Daily Consumption Bar. This will always be in the same position, regardless of the target you set. The Tick/Cross symbol will show whether you are on track to beat the target you set, based on your average consumption profile for that day of the week. If no target is set, each segment of the Consumption Bar represents 1kWh. A flashing target indicates that target consumption has been equalled or exceeded. Your electricity monitor will learn your consumption profile by remembering your pattern of energy consumption. The electricity monitor uses the profile to predict whether your consumption for the current day will be over or under at the end of the day, and displays this as a Tick or Cross symbol.

Symbols and Indicators• If the transmitter batteries need

changing, the Battery symbol will appear and flash. The batteries should last at least two years.

• The Communications symbol will appear when the transmitter and display are paired and communicating correctly. The Communications symbol will flash if communication is lost.

Battery

Communications

Target Mark

On Target Indicator

Daily Consumption Bar


Q. Why won’t my display unit and transmitter communicate?The electricity monitor is designed to operate in a home environment over a range of 30 metres with up to two walls in between the transmitter and display. If the units are set further apart, then you may need to bring them closer together to communicate.

Other reasons for the units not communicating may be::

• Radio interference: This is unlikely in a home environment, but try moving both the transmitter and display unit away from any possible source of interference.

• Dead batteries: Does the LED light illuminate brightly when the batteries are inserted? Try using new batteries.

• Transmitter in a metal meter cabinet. The communication doesn’t work through metal.

Q. Why is the Communications symbol flashing?The Communications symbol will flash if:

• The display unit and transmitter are unable to communicate (See above).

• The display unit is receiving data from two transmitters. Try pairing the display unit with the transmitter again to eliminate the other transmitter.

Q. Why is the Battery symbol flashing?We expect the batteries to last for at least two years.Toward the end of their life the Battery symbol will flash to let you know to replace them. Please ensure you replace batteries with C-cell batteries (LR14 or R14). Do not use rechargeable batteries.

Q. Why does the display unit sometimes show a different reading to my utility bill?The electricity monitor is a good indication of your approximate electricity consumption, but it is not intended to measure consumption with 100% accuracy. The electricity meter will continue to be used for billing purposes. By providing us with your email and mobile number, we can remind you when the meter reading is required. To update your details, simply login to your personal account at britishgas.co.uk.

Q. Where do I find my tariff information?Your tariff information can be found on your electricity bill or visit ‘Manage My Energy Usage’ section of your online account.

Q. What Target Consumption should I set?The Target Consumption is best set using your recent electricity bill. Your bill will show your consumption typically over the last quarter.

Q. How should I calculate my tariff if I have a standing charge?If you pay a standing charge, please do not include this in the calculation of the tariff. Your bill will include a unit rate shown in pence per kWh, and this should be entered when setting your tariff.

Q. How do I calculate my average electricity unit rate to enter a tariff?Take the total price paid for your first units of electricity, plus the total price paid for the remainder of your units, and divide by the total units. For example, 200 units at £0.20 and 50 units at £0.10 would work out as

Frequently Asked Questions


follows; (200 x £0.20) + (50 x £0.10) is (£40 + £5) or £45 for 250 units = £0.18 per unit.

Q. Can I use more than one display?Yes, more than one display can be used with a single transmitter. Just put both display units into pairing mode at the same time, and then press the ‘Pair’ button on the transmitter.

Q. Is it possible to accidentally receive a signal from another transmitter?This is very unlikely but if you think your display is picking up another transmitter, repeat the pairing exercise to connect the display to your own transmitter.

Q. I want to move the electricity monitor to another property, how do I erase data?If you want to reset the electricity monitor and erase all consumption data, tariffs and targets, press and hold the ‘Up’ and ‘Down’ buttons whilst turning power on to the

display. This will erase all settings and stored data.

Q. I changed the target setting to a higher value, but the main screen hasn’t updated?The Target Tick and Cross symbols are only updated each hour, so check the display again in an hour’s time.

Q. The electricity monitor is on all the time, how much is it costing me?Running your electricity monitor for a whole year uses 0.25kWh, and will cost less than 1p per month. In comparison, boiling your kettle just three times uses more energy than the electricity monitor uses in a whole year.

Q. What are the values for each segment of the Real-time Consumption Bar?Each segment of the Real-time Consumption Bar will light up when the consumption exceeds the value shown in the table below.

Seg. Value

1 10W

2 50W

3 100W

4 150W

5 200W

Seg. Value

6 250W

7 350W

8 450W

9 550W

10 650W

Seg. Value

11 750W

12 950W

13 1150W

14 1350W

15 1550W

Seg. Value

16 2.0KW

17 2.5KW

18 3.0KW

19 3.5KW

20 4.0KW

Seg. Value

21 4.5KW

22 5.5KW

23 6.5KW

24 7.5KW

25 8.5KW

Seg. Value

26 10KW

27 12KW

28 14KW

29 16KW

30 18KW


If you have any questions on how to set up your electricity monitor please contact us on 0845 076 3922. For all account and other enquiries please visit britishgas.co.uk/energysmart or email us on [email protected]

If you have a faulty monitor, please return to Freepost: British Gas, NWW1657, PO Box 7, Manchester M19 2PB including your full name and address.

The British Gas Electricity Monitor is designed and manufactured by Green Energy Options Ltd.

Copyright © 2009 Green Energy Options Ltd. All rights reserved.

Green Energy Options Limited (GEO) makes no representations and gives no warranties of any kind in relation to the contents of this document and all warranties, conditions and other terms implied by statute or common law are, to the fullest extent permitted by law, hereby excluded.

In particular, GEO assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions that may appear in this document and makes no commitment to neither update nor keep current the information contained in this document.

GEO retains the right to make changes to this document (including any specifications contained herein) at any time without notice.

No part of this document may be modified, copied, reproduced, republished, published, transmitted or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of GEO. The contents of this document are to be used solely for the purpose for which they are provided by GEO and for no other purpose. All content, text, graphics and all other materials contained in this document are owned by GEO (or its licensors), and all proprietary and intellectual property rights (including copyright, design rights, trade secrets, trade names, logos and trade marks) wherever arising in relation to this document vest in GEO (or its licensors) and all such rights are reserved.

Conforming Standards: EN300 220-1 v1.3.1 Radio Device RF Performance (UK & Europe), SRD Category 2 EN301 489-3 Emissions EMC (UK & Europe) EN61010-1 Safety Requirements (UK & Europe) EN60950 Safety Requirements (UK & Europe) CE UK standards Cat III Max Voltage 264 Vac Max Current 75A

Model Monitor Display Monitor Transmitter Monitor Sensor Rated voltage 230Vac 50Hz 3 x C size 1.5V batteries N/A Input power 0.25W 0.2W N/A Operation 0 to 40°C –20 to 50°C –20 to 50°C Humidity 85% non-condensing 85% non-condensing 85% non-condensing Usage N/A N/A Cat III

Contact Information


We hope you enjoy using your electricity monitor but don’t forget, if you’ve got any questions or want any advice as to other ways you can save money on your energy bills, simply login to britishgas.co.uk.

British Gas Electricity Monitor Manual

Documents

Transcript of British Gas Electricity Monitor Manual