A free smartpower electricity monitor is currently available to npower customers who access their energy account online and choose paperless bills, provided that you haven’t already requested one previously as the offer is limited to one per household. This a limited offer and could be withdrawn at any time. Find out more

The smartpower electricity monitor is an electronic device that provides a visual guide of the amount of electricity you are using and provides near accurate real time information on your usage both in watts and the total consumption cost. It consists of a “clamp” that is fitted around the tails of the meter and a separate wireless visual display unit that is installed in the home (powered by either mains electricity or batteries).

By displaying near accurate information on your electricity consumption, the device can help you to determine which appliances are unnecessarily costing you too much money, allowing you to make savings on your bill by turning them off or down. In fact, initial research estimates a monitor can help you to save up to 15% on your annual electricity bill. (Source: Defra CERT order 2009)

They are all different names for the same thing.

DECC state that electricity monitors are as easy to fit as a light bulb and it shouldn’t take any longer to fit then 5-10 minutes. However, you MUST ensure you’ve read the safety instructions in the user guide included in the box. Do not install if your meter or meter cables look in anyway damaged, loose or frayed, contact a qualified electrician. The portable display unit can be located wherever you like within your home; many people prefer to place it in the kitchen, to keep it easily accessible.

No, the range is too small to impede functionality of either monitor, and the monitors are designed to work on a personal range only.

Yes. You will need to adjust the unit rates on the display unit, but there is no reason why the monitor would not be compatible. Full directions on how to do this are included in the smartpower electricity monitor User Guide.

The meter diagram shows the most common fuse/meter setup. Not all properties will match the diagram. The sensor is best located on the live cable coming from the meter. If you are unsure which this is you can try a number of cables and check the display for readings each time. The display will need to be paired to the transmitter before you will see any readings

Not specifically. The monitor is designed to provide an overall picture of total electricity consumption and cost, not to target specific appliances. However, it is possible to get a good idea of the most power-hungry appliances simply by switching them off individually, and watching the impact on the display unit.

The smartpower electricity monitor consists of two elements: a sensor which fits around the tails of your meter, and a portable display unit which wirelessly communicates with the sensor. The sensor measures the electrical pulses from the meter, providing a near accurate measure of the electricity being consumed, and transfers this information to the wireless display unit. The display unit then shows the cost of energy consumption in £ and also in physical measures, e.g.: kilowatts/hour consumed.

nPower have put together some short video guides to help you understand how to get the most out of your smartpower electricity monitor. With each one you’ll also be able to view additional information that should answer any questions you may have. The guides are:

What can your electricity monitor do? Making the most of your monitor Getting the family involved How to set targets in your home

To help make life even easier, npower have created downloadable tables that you can use to track your energy consumption over time and identify the best places to save!

Watch the video’s or get the downloads at npower.com/Yourmonitorexplained.

Don’t panic – a copy of the smartpower electricity monitor instructions is available for download here.

The display unit uses less than 12 watt hours (or approximately 1.2p) a month to run – that’s less than making a single piece of toast!

The smartpower electricity monitor should show a figure that’s close to the amount you would see on your bill, but it won’t be exactly the same for a number of reasons:

Did you receive your monitor part way through your quarterly billing period? Has the correct unit rate been set up on the monitor? This is the unit rate shown on your last bill. Have the sensor or display unit been disconnected for any length of time? Have the batteries in the sensor or display unit failed for any length of time?

In addition the smartpower electricity monitor is not an electricity meter. It shows near accurate energy consumption and cost only therefore only your electricity meter will provide accurate readings which will be used by your energy supplier to determine your bill.

An electricity monitor (or home energy monitor) is a simple gadget you can install yourself that can help you keep track of your electricity usage and cut your consumption. It tells you how much you’re using in real time in units (kWh), cost or carbon emissions.

It’s not to be confused with a smart meter, which is a new type of meter that will measure your exact use and send all the information back to your energy supplier automatically, meaning no more estimated bills. The government plans to roll smart meters out to all customers over the coming years.