Introducing SwitchBot with power measurement function that can measure in 0.1W increments

2023-03-15

I wanted to measure the power consumption of various home appliances,

so I bought an ELPA power meter, but it can only measure in 1W increments.

ELPA Eco Keeper Power Meter Checker 100V Large LCD Display EC-05EB

Amazon

If the power consumption is, say, 0.9W, it gets rounded down to 0W.

So, I decided to purchase a SwitchBot, which, while a simple power meter, can measure in 0.1W increments.

I tried purchasing a SwitchBot.

SwitchBot Smart Plug Plug Mini Smart Outlet SwitchBot Power Consumption Monitor Timer Outlet Power Saving Direct Plug Remote Control Voice Control Bluetooth&Wi-Fi Compatible Smart Home Alexa, Google Home, Siri, IFTTT, SmartThings Compatible

Amazon

I bought it as a power meter, but don't you think the former ELPA one seems more accurate?

In this article, I will only write about what happens when I compare the power consumption results between ELPA and SwitchBot.

For how to use SwitchBot in a SwitchBot-like way, please research it yourself.

Time to measure!

The stage for the showdown is Iris Ohyama's circulator.

No oscillation, maximum fan speed.

First, I'll measure with the ELPA power meter.

Measuring power consumption of Iris Ohyama circulator with ELPA power meter

The result was 14W.

DC motors are expensive, but they are indeed eco-friendly.

Next, when I connected it to measure with SwitchBot,

Measuring power consumption of Iris Ohyama circulator with SwitchBot

It's consuming a bit of power even though it's not on yet...?

Measuring power consumption with SwitchBot

When I unplug the fan from SwitchBot, it becomes 0.0W.

SwitchBot sends information to the device using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so does this mean it's constantly using about 0.6W?

Well, setting aside the minor details...

Turn on the circulator

Measuring power consumption of Iris Ohyama circulator with SwitchBot

The result was 15W (fluctuating around 14.8-15.2W)

Measuring power consumption with SwitchBot

The result was 1W higher than ELPA's result.

Since SwitchBot itself consumes 0.6W, the actual power consumption of the product would be about 0.6W less than SwitchBot's result. Something like that?

(Like 15.0W - 0.6W = 14.4W in this case?)

Well, whether it's ELPA or SwitchBot, it's sufficient for referencing power consumption.

Amazon

By the way, I'll also put a link to the circulator.
It's a bit expensive, but it's powerful and quiet, which is great.

[Power Saving Measures] IRIS OHYAMA Circulator 16 tatami mats Up/Down/Left/Right Oscillation Remote Control DC Motor Fan Air Circulation Energy Saving Power Saving Desktop Powerful Airflow Compact Quiet For Single Living Room Drying PCF-BD15T-W White

Amazon

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