GreenSwitch

[GasSavers_DaX]

Anyone using one? I saw it on a TV show and it looks cool, but wow, $1125 for the basic installation kit?

https://www.greenswitch.tv/

[trebuchet03]

It's a good idea - I can def. see a market for it.

I too just switch things off Especially if the Kill a Watt registers a standby load

[ajohnmeyer]

Nice idea, but it's too pricey for me. Especially when I know I can get switched outlets for a lot less money.

I have to give it to them though, they really got it right from the non-conserving-spouse angle. Women....

[DracoFelis]

Originally Posted by DaX

Anyone using one? I saw it on a TV show and it looks cool, but wow, $1125 for the basic installation kit?

Out of curiosity, I checked out the web site you listed.

My personal opinion, is that it looks like just a "greener than thou" marketing for a home automation kit. Now home automation kits can be useful for a variety of reasons (convenience, energy savings, etc). So home automation kits have their uses. However, if I wanted to go to the expense and trouble of doing home automation, I could buy any of several other automation kits for a faction of the cost! i.e. there might be a market for the thing, but IMHO it is WAY OVERPRICED for what it does!

And as others have mentioned, you don't even need a "home automation" system to go around turning off devices (or putting them on timers, or...). And if you are really serious about removing "phantom loads", all you usually need is a cheap power strip. Because if you use the switch on the power strips (they are plugged into) to turn on your devices, it will totally shut the devices off (phantom loads and all), just as effectively as if you had gone around unplugging the devices!

However, if you really want to save energy, it's amazing what real time visibility of that power usage can do for your behavior. That's why I consider the money spent on my "TED" whole house electric meter ( http://www.theenergydetective.com/index.html ) money very well spent (and still a small fraction of the cost of that "green switch"). In fact, the electric savings I was able to achieve (once I could figure out how much power was being used, and where) fully paid for my TED in under 3 months time (and the TED continues to help alert to when too much power is left on in the house)!

[Erdrick]

What is the deal with that guy? Why does he have this freaked out look on his face and no pants on? I bet he is trying to cover up a boner that his hot (or at least too hot for him) wife is giving him.

I'm at work now and can't watch the video with sound... Will check it out later though.

[DracoFelis]

Originally Posted by Erdrick

What is the deal with that guy?

Ever watched "Living with Ed" (during the short time it was on TV)? FWIW I have.

And based upon what I saw on that TV program, the guy appears to be a flaky fanatic that likes going overboard (with "green" gadgets) to the point of ridiculousness. Some of the ideas he plays with have merit, but he takes them to silly extremes. And being rich like he is, I don't think he even cares about saving money using technology. To him it's all about "being green" (no matter what extremes he goes to in pursuit of that goal).

Conversely, his wife seems just as silly in the other direction. To her, she likes to avoid (or at least ridicule) virtually all of Eds environmental ideas. Somehow they (apparently) live together, but they are amazingly opposite when it comes to "green tech".

Personally I got tired of watching them very quickly (and if others were like me, that might be why their program quickly went off the air). After all, they both seemed to be extremists (just on different sides of the fence) when it comes to "green". I kept thinking to myself that Ed should learn a little bit more about making "green tech" actually nice/pleasant to use (it's not like he can't afford "green things" that are also of high quality generally). And conversely, his wife should learn to stop putting down Ed's quest to be "green", and should instead simply insist that the "green stuff" also be nice and decent looking (instead of the ugly looking "green" junk that Ed likes to buy).

i.e. they could easily compromise on a decent "green but nice" center (especially since Ed should have more than enough money to buy such gear), but for some reason both of them seem to not realize that little fact (of if they do realize that, somehow that didn't come out in their joint TV show)...

[Snax]

Seems like an X10 system would be cheaper. Certainly less obscure to add onto.

[Huckabee]

I kinda like the demand switch concept.

like this one

[GasSavers_DaX]

DracoFelis - I remember your thread about the TED - I love it and still may get one some day!

[2TonJellyBean]

So what's the standby wattage for this wireless system that's going to bring everything back to life?

Sounds like a hoax to coax green from the green to be green...