There seems to have been much interest in Home Energy Monitoring as of late. Perhaps the most popular product in this field is the TED. At Brultech, we feel that our ECM-1220.H is a superior product in performance, options and versatility. We have been designing and manufacturing energy monitors since our ECM-200 release in 1992 and sold to power companies and co-ops across North America.
I was approached by a cocoontech member today, asking to justify such a price difference between the two systems. I responded in two ways:
1. I have compiled a list of features and functions the ECM-1220.H can do which are not available with the TED. This is not to put down the TED, this is simply to point out the advantages of the Brultech over the TED.
2. I have provided the cocoontech members with a special offer which lowers the cost of the ECM-1220.H down within $10 of the TED system with software.
Some of you may be interested in knowing that someone will soon be developing a CQC driver for the ECM-1220.H.
Below is my response to the cocoontech member's question:
I thank you very much for your honest, to the point question.
You are right in that the TED is our main competitor. We offer similar systems however the ECM-1220 does offer several advantages which I
will elaborate on shortly.
We have a "Lite" version of our software which we are currently beta testing. It will come free with our monitors very soon. In fact it will
be posted on our site(free) for any ECM-1220 owners to download and use. This software has the ability to download, display realtime,
change ECM-1220 settings and write to our web server, all in one. This free "Lite" version is intended to soften the price issue. Software is not our strength, hardware is. Many people elect to custom write their own software and that is why we make the protocol available to our customers.
I was thinking about a special offer for coccontech members. I don't want to get in trouble with any distributors over pricing, however, I
would consider this a private group.
Read the Brultech/TED comparison then look at the special offer we are now offering:
Advantages of the ECM-1220.H over the TED:
The ECM-1220 is a two channel unit which allows monitoring of two seperate loads if desired. We have a solution for connecting both phases
of a 120V/240V panel to a single channel if desired, leaving the other channel to monitor a secondary load. The TED is a single channel
unit.
The ECM-1220 does not require actual electrical connection inside the panel for the 120V supply, ours is done via wall transformer plugged
in a local outlet. The TED requires connecting to one of the circuit breakers inside the panel.
I don't know if TED offers downloading of data, but the ECM-1220 can store and download 13.080 records (non-volatile) of 1 minute interval
for download (interval is selectable with a 1 minute res. up to 255). The memory can be expanded (optionaly) to 50,000 + records.
The ECM-1220 provides robust communication via a USB cable directly to the metering device. The data for the TED has to make its way to the
USB port using PLC which is undependable. The ECM-1220.H wireless option is also robust as it is on a mesh network and its range can be
extended by adding a node. I'm sure you have heard about some of the powerline carrier (PLC ) horor stories typical of X-10 and other
devices.
The ECM-1220 CT cables are easily extended using Cat5 or shielded cable if desired, allowing the metering unit to be mounted away from the
electrical panel if desired. This is not the case with the TED.
Load changes are much more easy to analyse with the ECM-1220 since using the two channels will quickly indicate if the load is a 240V load
or if it is a 120V load and which phase it is on. This further narrows the load source. The TED is restricted to all loads represented by a
single total.
A wide selection of CTs providing increased accuracy should a low amperage panel or load be monitored is offered with the ECM-1220. As far
as I know, the TED uses 200A CTs only.
The ECM-1220 is user flash upgradable with free upgrades available on our site. I dont believe this is the case with the TED.
The ECM-1220.h now provides the capablity of "net metering" for wind and solar systems selling power back to the power company. The TED
requires two TED units to accomplish this and I'm not sure how well both units would synchronise its communication doing this.
The ECM-1220.H compiles all of the samples taken during a given second and imediately sends it out the port for an instant update of the
power used. Although the TED sends information at 1 second interval as does the ECM-1220, the TED claims a two second response time to a
change in load. Ours is immediate.
The ECM-1220 is capable of monitoring a 120V/208V panel fed from two phases of a three phase system. The TED cannot do this.
Our power resolution is in 1 Watt increments. I believe this to be 10W resolution for the TED. I don't see this spec anywhere on their site
but they do mention that it is sensitive to a 10W difference.
I would consider a special offer to cocoontech members of:
1- ECM-1220.H-PL pkg
2- Split-Core CTs of choice
1- USB cable
1- Lite software
$199.00 for Coccoontech customer. ($10 more than the price you would pay for the TED and software)
A zigbee version of the same pkg which also includes a zigbee dongle similar in function to : XA-B14-CE1R
which sell for $70 and the installed zigbee ZNET2.5 radio module which sells for $21.00 from the same site.
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigb...es2-adapter.jsp
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigb...ies2-module.jsp
We would charge an additional $99 for this option. These modules, I am told, can be flash upgraded to the new Zigbee spec, making them
compatible for communicating with all of the zigbee home devices using the new zigbee standard. We have not experimented with this and are
going by the digi.com statements.
NOTE:
Brultech Research Inc reserves the right to cancel this offer at any time.
Brultech Research Inc limits the sale of one unit per member only unless given specific permission by Brultech
The ECM-1220 may not be purchased for resale.
A dedicated Online page will be setup by Aug 22, 2008.
The comparison to the TED is from information found on their site and their User's manual. Should I have misrepresented any information here, please feel free to correct me.
Paul
I was approached by a cocoontech member today, asking to justify such a price difference between the two systems. I responded in two ways:
1. I have compiled a list of features and functions the ECM-1220.H can do which are not available with the TED. This is not to put down the TED, this is simply to point out the advantages of the Brultech over the TED.
2. I have provided the cocoontech members with a special offer which lowers the cost of the ECM-1220.H down within $10 of the TED system with software.
Some of you may be interested in knowing that someone will soon be developing a CQC driver for the ECM-1220.H.
Below is my response to the cocoontech member's question:
I thank you very much for your honest, to the point question.
You are right in that the TED is our main competitor. We offer similar systems however the ECM-1220 does offer several advantages which I
will elaborate on shortly.
We have a "Lite" version of our software which we are currently beta testing. It will come free with our monitors very soon. In fact it will
be posted on our site(free) for any ECM-1220 owners to download and use. This software has the ability to download, display realtime,
change ECM-1220 settings and write to our web server, all in one. This free "Lite" version is intended to soften the price issue. Software is not our strength, hardware is. Many people elect to custom write their own software and that is why we make the protocol available to our customers.
I was thinking about a special offer for coccontech members. I don't want to get in trouble with any distributors over pricing, however, I
would consider this a private group.
Read the Brultech/TED comparison then look at the special offer we are now offering:
Advantages of the ECM-1220.H over the TED:
The ECM-1220 is a two channel unit which allows monitoring of two seperate loads if desired. We have a solution for connecting both phases
of a 120V/240V panel to a single channel if desired, leaving the other channel to monitor a secondary load. The TED is a single channel
unit.
The ECM-1220 does not require actual electrical connection inside the panel for the 120V supply, ours is done via wall transformer plugged
in a local outlet. The TED requires connecting to one of the circuit breakers inside the panel.
I don't know if TED offers downloading of data, but the ECM-1220 can store and download 13.080 records (non-volatile) of 1 minute interval
for download (interval is selectable with a 1 minute res. up to 255). The memory can be expanded (optionaly) to 50,000 + records.
The ECM-1220 provides robust communication via a USB cable directly to the metering device. The data for the TED has to make its way to the
USB port using PLC which is undependable. The ECM-1220.H wireless option is also robust as it is on a mesh network and its range can be
extended by adding a node. I'm sure you have heard about some of the powerline carrier (PLC ) horor stories typical of X-10 and other
devices.
The ECM-1220 CT cables are easily extended using Cat5 or shielded cable if desired, allowing the metering unit to be mounted away from the
electrical panel if desired. This is not the case with the TED.
Load changes are much more easy to analyse with the ECM-1220 since using the two channels will quickly indicate if the load is a 240V load
or if it is a 120V load and which phase it is on. This further narrows the load source. The TED is restricted to all loads represented by a
single total.
A wide selection of CTs providing increased accuracy should a low amperage panel or load be monitored is offered with the ECM-1220. As far
as I know, the TED uses 200A CTs only.
The ECM-1220 is user flash upgradable with free upgrades available on our site. I dont believe this is the case with the TED.
The ECM-1220.h now provides the capablity of "net metering" for wind and solar systems selling power back to the power company. The TED
requires two TED units to accomplish this and I'm not sure how well both units would synchronise its communication doing this.
The ECM-1220.H compiles all of the samples taken during a given second and imediately sends it out the port for an instant update of the
power used. Although the TED sends information at 1 second interval as does the ECM-1220, the TED claims a two second response time to a
change in load. Ours is immediate.
The ECM-1220 is capable of monitoring a 120V/208V panel fed from two phases of a three phase system. The TED cannot do this.
Our power resolution is in 1 Watt increments. I believe this to be 10W resolution for the TED. I don't see this spec anywhere on their site
but they do mention that it is sensitive to a 10W difference.
I would consider a special offer to cocoontech members of:
1- ECM-1220.H-PL pkg
2- Split-Core CTs of choice
1- USB cable
1- Lite software
$199.00 for Coccoontech customer. ($10 more than the price you would pay for the TED and software)
A zigbee version of the same pkg which also includes a zigbee dongle similar in function to : XA-B14-CE1R
which sell for $70 and the installed zigbee ZNET2.5 radio module which sells for $21.00 from the same site.
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigb...es2-adapter.jsp
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/zigb...ies2-module.jsp
We would charge an additional $99 for this option. These modules, I am told, can be flash upgraded to the new Zigbee spec, making them
compatible for communicating with all of the zigbee home devices using the new zigbee standard. We have not experimented with this and are
going by the digi.com statements.
NOTE:
Brultech Research Inc reserves the right to cancel this offer at any time.
Brultech Research Inc limits the sale of one unit per member only unless given specific permission by Brultech
The ECM-1220 may not be purchased for resale.
A dedicated Online page will be setup by Aug 22, 2008.
The comparison to the TED is from information found on their site and their User's manual. Should I have misrepresented any information here, please feel free to correct me.
Paul