Eyedro product review – a fire prevention perspective from Matt, a NY firefighter.
This article is written in regards to my recent product review of the Eyedro EHWEM1 Wireless Home electricity monitor.
This is my 23rd product I have reviewed for firefighters, and I was pleasantly surprised with the simplicity and ease of use with this product.
First, the customer service team was great to work with, and very knowledgeable of their product.
Second, the design of the monitor is simple, and that’s not a negative thing – this product is designed for actual use and it excelled at that. It’s often hidden away in an electrical panel and doesn’t necessarily need to be overly beautiful.
When I received the product in the mail it was packaged nice and neat. It was super easy to install; it’s literally two clicks of the actual monitors on your incoming electrical lines and you’re basically good to go. After you install, you simply sign up online and that’s it.
This unit is so sensitive and accurate that it can literally tell you when and where your electricity may be costing you money. While monitoring my own system I noticed I had a draw of electricity whenever my refrigerator would kick on, and found out the motor was going bad in my fridge. So I immediately saved money using the Eyedro unit.
What I am most impressed by is the ability to see what appliances draw too much power, not necessarily for electricity use, but for the possibility of a potential fire. That’s a great feature for firefighters not only in the field but at their own homes too! For example, if a motor in my fridge is drawing too much power as it did, it allowed me to look into it closer and potentially avoid a fire if the motor got too hot from being overstressed.
Overall, I am impressed with the Eyedro EHWEM1 wireless monitor and will continue to use it in the future. It’s a simple product designed for the everyday person. I applaud the Eyedro Company for designing a product with the average person in mind. I would gladly recommend this product to my friends and family.
Is it time to do an audit on your home fire and safety preparedness? Here are some home fire safety tips from the U.S. Fire Administration.
Bob and Trudy originally purchased an Eyedro electricity monitor to help keep an eye on their hydro usage and costs. This was especially important since they liked to travel a lot and wanted the peace of mind of knowing how much electricity their home was consuming while away. Eyedro real-time electricity monitoring provided Bob and Trudy with home security on the go!
This past winter Bob and Trudy were wintering in Arizona. It was a typical morning for Bob, he was reading the paper and checking MyEyedro to see how much electricity his Canadian home had used the previous couple of days.
Who’s helping themselves to your hot tub while you’re away? Get an Eyedro real-time electricity monitor for home security on the go!
To Bob’s surprise he noticed that each morning at about 9AM there was a large spike in electricity usage. After a few more days of this pattern, Bob decided to phone up a neighbor and ask if they could pop by the house the next morning to see which appliances were automatically turning on.
The next day Bob’s neighbor ventured over, on a mission to discover which appliance was the culprit. The neighbor went from room to room, listening for the whirrs and hums of sump pumps, fridges and clocks but couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. Just as the neighbor was about to give up he decided to check the backyard.
Looking towards the back, the neighbor could see that Bob’s hot tub was open and someone was taking a soak. As it turns out, Bob had hired a contractor to complete some work while they were away. The contractor was using the hot tub each morning before getting on with his work.
With Eyedro, Bob and Trudy were able to keep control of what was going on in their home, even when they were miles away.
How to install Eyedro sensors is a common question. Installation of the Eyedro electricity monitor is quite simple, and it starts with the sensors. Although we always recommend an electrician install the sensors, it is quite common for a home owner to install their own. The typical residential installation of the sensors inside the electrical panel looks like this:
Electrical Panel with Eyedro Sensors Installed
Notice how there is a sensor around both of the “hot” lines entering the panel, but not the ground or neutral line. The sensors are not directional, meaning Eyedro can be used to monitor power generation just as easily as power consumption. They’re also hinged to simplify installation.
Eyedro Sensor – Shown Open
Also, be sure to confirm the rating on the sensors you’re installing are sufficient for your application. At the time of this writing, Eyedro only sells a 200A sensor (red and black).
Simply clamp the eyedro sensors around the “hot” wires that are to be monitored, and ensure the sensor “snaps” closed. Next step is to route the sensor wires through the side of the electrical panel and out to Eyedro sensor module (black box). Here is a video by Jamie Boyd at Boyd Electrical that should also help.
For additional information regarding installation of the eyedro sensors, please consult the eyedro product manual.
