Summary of "I cut my electric bill by $1,331/year (with Home Assistant automation)"

Summary of Technological Concepts, Product Features, Reviews, and Tutorials

Problem & Goal

The creator owns a solar-paneled home in Florida but still faces a high electric bill (~$500/month in summer). The primary goal is to use Home Assistant automation combined with power monitoring to identify and reduce power consumption without changing habits or sacrificing comfort.

Power Monitoring Setup

Purchased two Emporia V3 power monitors:
- One with 16 current transformers (CTs) for the main panel.
- One with 8 CTs for the pool panel.
Emporia monitors provide granular per-circuit monitoring via individual CT clamps, unlike the Sense Energy Monitor, which relies on device signature detection and was criticized as ineffective.
Limitations:
- 16 clamps were insufficient for the garage panel, requiring some circuits to be combined under one clamp.
- Installation in tight electrical panels can be messy but can be improved by customizing wire lengths.
Added eight Emporia smart plugs for very granular monitoring of specific devices. These plugs nest under circuits in the app and subtract their usage to avoid double counting.

Data Analysis & Findings

The biggest energy consumers identified were:

Air conditioning (AC) on the first floor, second floor, and garage mini split.
Overbuilt network and computing equipment (NAS, security cameras, three desktop PCs) consuming approximately $116/month.

Specific costs:

AC cooling costs roughly $262/month in summer.
Garage mini split alone costs $71/month.

Automation & Energy Savings

Computers

Installed HAS Agent (Home Assistant PC control software) to automate hibernation.
Hibernate triggered during bedtime routine and when leaving home, with Wake-on-LAN to wake PCs on return.
Resulted in reducing daily computer/network energy from 22.6 kWh to 14.2 kWh, saving about $146/month.

Garage Mini Split AC

Controlled via SwitchBot Hub (infrared remote control) integrated with Home Assistant.
Automated off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. to save energy without compromising comfort.
Reduced garage AC usage from 13.83 kWh to 10.1 kWh daily, saving $0.64/day.

Main Air Conditioning

Controlled by Ecobee thermostats with automated schedules.
Tried minor temperature adjustments (e.g., 82°F downstairs at night), but no measurable savings found; sometimes usage increased.
Concluded that AC savings are limited without insulation improvements or comfort compromises due to unpredictable weather and constant occupancy.

Other Devices

Lowered pool pump speed, saving 145 watts during runtime (~$0.21/day).
Turned off garage lights at night, saving approximately $0.12/day.
Noted LG OLED TV uses about 190 watts; awareness encouraged to reduce unnecessary usage.

Overall Results

Reduced daily power usage from 99.27 kWh to 77.94 kWh.
Total savings of $3.65 per day, equating to about $1,331 per year.
Initial investment of $400 in Emporia monitors, but automation could be implemented without them; however, Emporia’s detailed data and real-time feedback were motivating and valuable.
Recommended Emporia monitors for granular circuit-level monitoring, especially for single-panel homes.
Emporia integration with Home Assistant is available via cloud API and local flashing with ESPHome (though flashing disables Emporia’s Vue app).

Product Reviews & Comparisons

Emporia V3 monitors: Praised for granular data and ease of use.
Sense Energy Monitor: Criticized as the worst smart home purchase due to poor device detection and inability to differentiate major loads.
SwitchBot Hub: Used effectively for IR control of non-smart AC units.

Tutorial/Guide Elements

Step-by-step explanation of setting up Emporia monitors and smart plugs.
Using HAS Agent for PC hibernation automation.
Integrating SwitchBot IR devices with Home Assistant for AC control.
Using Emporia app’s instantaneous power chart to identify high-energy devices.
Practical advice on combining circuits when CT clamps are insufficient and installation tips.

Main Speaker/Source

The video is presented by a content creator (likely from the “Hookup” channel) who personally purchased and tested all equipment. The speaker shares first-hand experiences, reviews, and automation tutorials related to Home Assistant, Emporia power monitors, Ecobee thermostats, SwitchBot Hub, and PC power management software (HAS Agent).