Courtesy of Matt Meshulam and Zach Dwiel
Power monitors are an excellent way to save on electricity. Studies have shown that simply by seeing one's energy consumption data, a person will cut their energy by about 15%. The devices are becoming more popular in stores, and can cover everything from plug load information to whole house energy monitoring. While heading to the store and buying a Kill A Watt might be quick and easy, you can also get geeky and make one yourself. That's where the EnerJar steps in.
With the EnerJar, you build your own device that accurately measures the power draw of electrical appliances, such as your laptop or computer, television, refrigerator and so on. The instructions for creating it are all online, and while they suggest ordering a partial kit, they don't have an ordering system in place. They do, however, provide a parts list so you can gather up all the pieces needed on your own
There are still a few kinks in the details for getting the jar working correctly, according to the site, which means you'll want to be a little familiar with how electronics projects like this work so you can hash out issues that come up. Additionally, you'll need to have a little skill with a soldering iron. Other than that, this is a great project for a beginner gadget geek.
