The circuit breaker is the hub for all electrical needs in the home. If anybody wanted to monitor electrical usage it would be here. Circuit breaker boxes should be upgraded to allow for the inclusion of a computerized monitoring device. People could go and actually see real-time energy usage, also able to view historical daily, hourly, weekly usage. Why? so that they can be more energy concious? I really don't know if it would catch on so quick. But I will tell you what will:

A Black box for the circuit breaker. Just like the black boxes for airplanes that record everything that goes on in the airplane, a black box would record the history of the energy usage in the house for, maybe a week, and then continually cycle its memory. Why would this be useful? It would allow investigators to deduct what started a fire, if an electrical problem was involved. They would know exactly what circuit may have shorted and what the electrical readings were right before the fire.

This would allow for a more thorough investivation of any fire, any product malfunctions and make it possible for warnings to get out concerning faulty products as well as prompt investigations of such products.
-- twitch, Dec 24 2006

Remember that homes are wired in parallel. If you have more than one appliance on a circuit with a dead short, your black box won't be able to tell which appliance it was, or if some dummy cut through a wire with his pliers. Did you recently experience an electrical fire?
-- wittyhoosier, Dec 24 2006


No but I think I will. Something will definitely burn down.
-- twitch, Dec 24 2006



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