[Hampshire] Energy Monitors

Mornin', All!

I acquired a Current Cost meter at one of the Hursley LUG sessions and have
been nerdishly monitoring my electricity consumption ever since.

A short time ago, I received another energy monitor from nPower. Naturally,
I conducted some comparison tests, running each unit singly and then
together and repeating the tests at different times and with different
loads.

The results are absolutely consistent: the nPower unit gives readings about
20 per cent higher than the Current Cost. I have no way of knowing which
unit gives the more accurate reading and this prompts me to question the
value of the records I've been keeping.

Any thoughts? Can these units give more than a general indication of
consumption? Is there any point in recording the actual numbers?

Incidentally, I had a 'phone conversation this morning with a representative
of the organisation which runs this monitoring scheme on behalf of nPower.
He tells me that one factor which distorts the readings is..... using
low-energy, compact fluorescent lamps!

Chris.