11 Troubleshooting. 38-How Electricity is Measured. Technical Specifications / Warranty.42-44

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01 BEFORE YOU BEGIN Verify the contents of the box.
Verify that your package contains all of the components shown below. If any item is missing, please call 1-800-544-6986.
01 BEFORE YOU BEGIN Digital Display Stand

Keyhole Hanger

The Digital Display can be mounted to a wall using the keyhole hanger in the back, or it can stand alone using the plastic stand. To attach the stand to the Digital Display, insert the plastic tabs into the square recesses on the lower back of the Digital Display as shown. Once all four tabs are in the recesses, push up on the stand to lock it in place.

1 Rubber Shim

1 Clear Alignment Template
3 Instruction Manuals (English, Spanish and French)
Install Digital Display Batteries
Remove the battery compartment cover on the back of the Digital Display, insert two AA batteries (not included) in the proper orientation, and replace the battery compartment cover.

Digital Display Stand

Digital Display
Meter Sensor (with clamping strap)
Install Meter Sensor Batteries
Using a large Flat Head Screwdriver, loosen the slotted screw and open the Meter Sensor battery compartment cover. Insert two AA batteries (not included) in the orientation indicated, then close the battery compartment cover and tighten the screw until snug. Status

You will also need:

Four (4) AA batteries (not included) Do not use rechargeable batteries Use lithium batteries in the sensor for best performance in freezing temperatures (below 32F, 0C)
Copy of your Electricity Bill
1 large Flat Head Screwdriver (not included)
About 10 seconds after installing the batteries, the status indicator will light up solid red, and the sensor will look for a signal from a meter. If the sensor is not installed on a meter within 20 minutes, the status light will blink rapidly. This is normal, and you can press the RESET button to restart the search if your installation is interrupted. Make sure that the battery closest to the Sensor Arm goes in with its positive end (+) facing inward. Refer to (+) and (-) markings on the circuit board. 5

A clean damp cloth (not included)

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02 UNDERSTANDING YOUR POWER MONITOR Knowing the Meter Sensor
Clamping Strap Sensor Arm (extended) Sensor Head Sensor LEDs Wire Wire Cavity Sensor Arm Latch Cover Battery Compartment Latch Battery Compartment Cover
03 INSTALLING YOUR METER SENSOR Go to your electric meter and take the following items with you:
This Manual Meter Sensor Digital Display Rubber Shim A clean damp cloth 1 large Flat Head screwdriver Clear Alignment Template (if you have a Type 3 meter) A pen or pencil
Determine your electric meter type
In order to configure your Meter Sensor and program your Digital Display properly, you must first determine what type of electric meter you have. There are three types of electric meters:

TYPE 1Electromechanical

This type of meter has dials and a spinning disk. Note If your meter has dials, but the spinning disk is not visible from the front of the meter, call the Black & Decker Help Line at 1-800-544-6986. If this is your meter ty p e, proceed to the next page. Optical Port
Knowing the Digital Display
TYPE 2Electronic with optical port on the face
prog/sync Button Screen tare Button Increase Button Decrease Button clr Button Display Stand
The optical port looks like an LED, and may appear anywhere on the face. Some meters have two ports.
If this is your meter ty p e, proceed to page 10. Optical Port
TYPE 3Electronic with optical port on the top
The optical port looks like a clear plastic cylinder that protrudes from the top of the electric meter.
If this is your meter ty p e, proceed to page 13. 6 7

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03 INSTALLING YOUR METER SENSOR
TYPE 1ELECTROMECHANICAL A. Record Your Meters Power Factor
Find your meters Power Factor on the face of the meter. Look for a number preceded by the letters Kh. This number is usually 7.2 for an electromechanical meter. Write this number in the box below. You will need it later (in section 06) when you program your Digital Display. Power Factor = (usually 7 Kh).2
TYPE 1ELECTROMECHANICAL C. Install Your Meter Sensor
1. 2. Wipe the meter dome clean with the damp cloth. Fit the Meter Sensor over your utility meter as shown, so that the Sensor Head sits as close as possible to the front of the glass dome. Tighten the clamping strap until the Meter Sensor is snug, but can move just enough to allow for slight adjustments. Position the Sensor A rm as shown to the right. Note: The Sensor A rm must be in line with the disc (use the line of the Sensor Arm as a reference) and the Sensor LEDs must be centered from side-to-side.

Power Factor

B. Prepare Your Meter Sensor
Make sure the batteries are installed in the Meter Sensor (and the STATUS Indicator is flashing). 1. 2. Open the Sensor Arm Latch Cover by pulling upward. Extend the Sensor Arm to its full length by pulling on it gently, but firmly. If you accidentally pull it out completely, push it back into the casing. Close the Sensor Arm Latch Cover.

Press the RESET button. Within 10 seconds, the STATUS indicator will light solid red while the Meter Sensor looks for a signal from the meter. When you have positioned the sensor a rm correctly, the red STATUS indicator will flash whenever the black stripe on the meter wheel passes by. You may need to wait for several revolutions before seeing the indicator flash.
NOTE: To maximize batte ry life, the indicator stops flashing after about two minutes. 7 Tighten the clamp just enough so that. the Meter Sensor cannot move. Reset Button
Installation is complete! Go to page 16 Section 4.

Status Indicator

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TYPE 2ELECTRONIC WITH OPTICAL PORT ON FACE A. Record Your Meters Power Factor
Find and record your mete rs Power Factor. On the face of the meter, look for a number preceded by the letters Kh, Ks, or Kt. This number is usually 1.0 for an electronic meter. If your meter lists more than one of these numbers, look for the smallest number. Wri te this number in the box below. You will need it later (in section 06) when you program your Digita l Display. Power Factor = (usually 1.0 Kh)
TYPE 2ELECTRONIC WITH OPTICAL PORT ON FACE B. Prepare Your Meter Sensor
Make sure the batteries are installed in the Meter Sensor. 1. 2. 3. 4. Pull the Sensor A rm Latch Cover upward to open it. Ve rify that the Sensor A rm is pushed in as far as it will go into the body of the Meter Sensor. Close the Sensor Arm Latch Cover. Ve rify that the Sensor A rm is fully pushed in.
Optical Port Power Factor

Optical Port

Note: If the optical port is closer than 1.5 inches to the edge of the glass housing, you will need to add a ru bber shim to the Sensor. If the port is farther than 1.5 inches from the edge, you can skip steps 5-7. 5. 6. 7. Peel off the adhesive backing from the shim. Position the shim on the underside of the Meter Sensor with the adhesive side down. Press the shim in place onto the underside of the Meter Sensor body.
Optical Port Ruler Power Factor Power Factor
Optical Port (left port) 10 11

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TYPE 2ELECTRONIC WITH OPTICAL PORT ON FACE C. Install Your Meter Sensor

Sensor LEDs

TYPE 3ELECTRONIC WITH OPTICAL PORT ON TOP C. Install Your Meter Sensor
The objective of this step is to align the Sensor LEDs directly over the optical port on the meter. 1. Stand directly in front of your electric meter, at a height where you can see the optical port. The optical port itself looks like a small pro t ruding pipe in the center of the top portion of the electric meter. Carefully wipe the meter dome clean with the damp cloth. Peel the adhesive backing off of the template. Hold the template with the protruding tab facing you and the arrow pointing away from you. Stick the template onto the meter with the arrow pointing at, but not cove ring the optical port. You can peel the template off the glass and realign it if necessary. Align the edges of the sensor with the white side lines on the template. Slide the Meter Sensor over the glass dome as far as it will go. Tighten the clamp until the Meter Sensor is snug, but can move just enough to allow for adjustments. Open the Sensor A rm Latch Cover and look down the opening. Youll see a vertical plastic tab painted white on the inside of the Sensor body. Look through the opening and confi rm that the tip of the white plastic tab on the Sensor is lined up with the arrow line on the template. Adjust the position of the sensor if necessary. Press the RESET button. Within 10 seconds, the STATUS indicator will light solid red while the Meter Sensor looks for a signal from the meter. When the Sensor is correctly aligned, the Status indicator will blink.
Push the smaller end of the Sensor Arm upwards through the latch opening and press the Sensor A rm firmly into the cavity (5).
5. 6. Slide the Sensor A rm as far down as it will go into the bottom cavity of the body. If necessary, use a dull pointed object, such as a ballpoint pen, to push it all the way down (6). The two Sensor LEDs must be visible. Tuck the wire into the side cavity (7). Close the latch (8). Rethread the clamping strap into the sensor housing and reattach the ends. Turn the screw as you feed in the end to reattach it.

7. 8. 9.

Status Reset Indicator Button

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TYPE 3ELECTRONIC WITH OPTICAL PORT ON TOP
9. You may need to slide the Sensor toward you until the Sensor LEDs are directly over the optical port on the meter. If the STATUS indicator does not begin to blink within one minute, continue to reposition the Sensor until you have proper alignment.
The data appearing on your screen is an accurate measure of your electricity consumption. To see an accurate measure of your electricity cost, follow the next section to program your billing rates. If numbers are not appearing on your screen after 2 minutes, go to section 11, Troubleshooting and Q&A.

Now, you can go indoors and, referring to your electric bill, program your billing rates into the Digital Display.
If there is a problem, please read the Troubleshooting section in this Instruction Manual.

Latch Raised

NOTE: To maximize batte ry life, the indicator stops flashing after about two minutes. 10. When the STATUS light begins to blink, tighten the clamping strap tight so the sensor cannot move. Close the latch.
Installation is complete! Go to Section 4, Synchronize Meter Sensor.
04 SYNCHRONIZE METER SENSOR AND DIGITAL DISPLAY
The prog/sync button on top of the Digital Display is used to enter Program Mode and to enter data for each programming step.
05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE
In order to display the cost of your electricity, you need to program the Digital Display with information from your electricity bill.
The Reset Button is located on the front of the Meter Sensor, adjacent to the Status Indicator.
Put Digital Display into ID mode

ACTION/PRESS

DISPLAY

Beep! Beep!

There are three ways you may be billed for electricity: Flat Rate. See example on page 18
You are charged the same amount per kilowatt-hour (kWh) no matter how much you use or what time of day you use it.
Press and hold until you hear two (2) beeps.
Tiered Rates. See example on page 20
You are charged one rate for an initial number of kilowatt-hours, then a higher rate if you exceed that threshold. There may be several thresholds.
Time-of-Use Rates. See example on page 23
Reset Meter Sensor Press Beep! You are charged a different rate depending on the time of day. There may be two rates (on-peak and off-peak) or three rates (on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak).
Digital Display will beep. Data will appear within two (2) minutes. 16
Get a recent electric bill and determine how you are charged. Then, go to the appropriate page and fill out the form with your billing information. This will make it easier to program your Power Monitor.

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05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE Flat Rate Billing Example
Note: Rates can differ in winter and summer.
05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE Flat Rate Billing Determine Your Billing Rate
Now refer to your own electric bill. Find your billing rate. If applicable, add fees and taxes to your base rate to obtain an accurate total billing rate, as shown in the example. If your rate is in dollars per kilowatt-hour ($/kWh), you will need to multiply by 100 to convert it to cents per kilowatt-hour (/kWh).
RECORD YOUR BILLING RATE HERE Billing Rate: = /kWh
Go to Section 6, Program Digital Display.
The sum of these rates is your total cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh). In this example, add them to get a total rate of $0.1348 per kilowatt-hour. Then multiply by 100 to convert to 13.48 /kWh RECORD YOUR BILLING RATE HERE Billing Rate: =

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05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE Tiered Rate Billing Example
If you have tiered billing, you are charged an initial rate for an initial amount of power, or tier; then a higher rate if you exceed that initial amount. Your billing plan may have several tiers. You will need to determine the rate and threshold for each billing tier. Refer to the example below: Example of a three-tier billing plan Similar information will be available from your utility; call or consult their web site if this information is not on your bill.
Power consumption, kWh (kilowatt-hours)
Example bill for this three-tier billing plan:
ELECTRIC BILL Besides the cost of the electricity itself, your bill may have additional charges, fees, and taxes that are linked to your amount of consumption Generation charges per kWh Generation charges per kWh Generation charges per kWh Transmission charges per kWh Transmission charges per kWh Transmission charges per kWh Public benefits fees per kWh Public benefits fees per kWh Public benefits fees per kWh TOTAL CHARGES 1300 kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.0200 $ 65 $100 $ 60 $ 26 $ 50 $ 28 $ 6.50 $ 10 $ 6 $351.50
The lowest rate is the Tier 1 rate.
you will be billed for: 400 kWh at the highest rate 1000 kWh at the middle rate
The middle rate is the Tier 2 rate. Add all the Tier 2 charges to get a total of $0.16/kWh. Multiply by 100 to get 16/kWh.
The highest rate is the Tier 3 rate. Add all the Tier 3 charges to get a total of $0.24/kWh. Multiply by 100 to get 24/kWh.
If your total consumption is 2700 kWh Threshold kWh
Add all the Tier 1 charges to get a total of $0.075/kWh. Multiply by 100 to get 7.5/kWh. The Tier 1 threshold is 1300 kWh.
There is no threshold The Tier 2 threshold is 1300 kWh + 1000 kWh for Tier 3. = 2300 kWh. For this example, you would record your billing data in the form like this: RECORD YOUR BILLING RATES AND THRESHOLDS HERE BILLING RATE Tier 1 THRESHOLD /kWh

Threshold kWh

1300 kWh at the lowest rate
Three rates, two thresholds

1300 2300

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4

Tier 5

Tier 6 20

kWh 21

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05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE Tiered Rate Billing Determine Your Billing Rates and Thresholds
Now refer to your own electric bill. Find your tiered billing rates, and the corresponding threshold(s) in kilowatt-hours (kWh). If applicable, add fees and taxes to each tiered base rate to obtain accurate total billing rates, as shown in the example. If your rates are in dollars per kilowatt-hour ($/kWh), you will need to multiply by 100 to convert them to cents per kilowatt-hour (/kWh).

05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE Time-of-Use Rate Billing Example
If you have Time of Use (TOU) billing, you are charged a different rate depending on the time of day. There may be two rates (on-peak and off-peak) or three rates (on-peak, midpeak, and off-peak). In addition, weekends and holidays may be charged at a single rate regardless of the time of day. The Power Monitor allows the entry of up to 6 time slots. Example of a Time-of-Use billing plan: Similar information will be available from your utility; call or consult their web site if this information is not on your bill.
Enter the Billing Rates and Thresholds from your electric bill in the table below. The POWER MONITOR allows for up to six different tiered rates. RECORD YOUR BILLING RATES AND THRESHOLDS HERE BILLING RATE Tier 1 /kWh THRESHOLD kWh
Boxed times need to be programmed into the Display.
Off-Peak rates are in effect all hours on Saturday and Sunday, and on all holidays.

Tier 6

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Example bill for a three-rate Time-of-Use plan: Besides the cost of the electricity itself, your bill may have additional charges, fees, and taxes that are linked to your amount of consumption. ELECTRIC BILL Generation charges per kWh Generation charges per kWh Generation charges per kWh Transmission charges per kWh Transmission charges per kWh Transmission charges per kWh Public benefits fees per kWh Public benefits fees per kWh Public benefits fees per kWh TOTAL CHARGES The lowest rate is the Off-Peak rate. Add all the Off-Peak charges to get a total of $0.075/kWh. Multiply by 100 to get 7.5 /kWh. The middle rate is the Mid-Peak rate. Add all the Mid-Peak charges to get a total of $0.16/kWh. Multiply by 100 to get 16 /kWh. 1300 kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.kWh X $.0200 $ 65 $100 $ 60 $ 26 $ 50 $ 28 $ 6.50 $ 10 $ 6 $351.50
For the example, you would record your billing data as follows: RECORD YOUR BILLING RATES AND TIME SLOTS HERE OFF Peak Rate MID Peak Rate ON Peak Rate BILLING SCHEDULE SLOT

/kWh /kWh /kWh

Time-of-Use billing applies to:

Weekdays Weekends

START TIME

RATE TYPE

AM PM ON PEAK OFF PEAK
MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK
The highest rate is the On-Peak rate. Add all the On-Peak charges to get a total of $0.24/kWh. Multiply by 100 to get 24 /kWh.

AM PM AM

PM AM PM AM PM AM PM
MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK

OFF PEAK

- - -: - - -

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05 DETERMINE BILLING MODE AND BILLING RATE Time-of-Use Rate Billing Determine Your Billing Rates and Time Slots
Now refer to your own electric bill. Find your Time-of-Use billing rates, and the corresponding time slots. Also, determine if your Time-of-Use billing applies on weekends. If applicable, add fees and taxes to each base rate to obtain accurate total billing rates, as shown in the example. If your rates are in dollars per kilowatt-hour ($/kWh), you will need to multiply by 100 to convert them to cents per kilowatt-hour (/kWh). Enter the Billing Rates and Time Slots from your electric bill in the table below. The Power Monitor allows for two or three different Time-of-Use Rates and up to six different Time Slots. RECORD YOUR BILLING RATES AND TIME SLOTS HERE OFF Peak Rate MID Peak Rate ON Peak Rate BILLING SCHEDULE SLOT
06 PROGRAM DIGITAL DISPLAY - TIME, DAY,
TEMPERATURE, POWER FACTOR, BILLING MODE
The prog/sync button on top of the Digital Display is used to enter Program Mode and to enter data for each programming step. If the Digital Display detects no activity for one minute while in Program Mode, it will automatically save your data and exit to Display Mode. Also, you can exit Program Mode at any point by holding prog/sync for three seconds. The buttons change the value on the screen. To make the numbers change faster, you can hold the button down continuously until you reach the desired number. If you enter a wrong value and accidentally save it, you can exit Program Mode. Then go back into Program Mode and step through each entry until you get to the one you need to fix. Any data youve already entered will be saved. Follow these steps to program the Digital Display with your Power Factor (which you recorded in section 03 Installing Your Meter Sensor), your Electric Bill information, and display preferences.

Time-of-Use billing applies to: Weekdays Weekends
Put Digital Display into Program mode
Hold three seconds until you hear one beep. RATE TYPE
AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK ON PEAK MID PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK OFF PEAK

Set current time.

Set hours and AM/PM.

Set minutes.

Set clock for 12 Hr (regular time) or 24 Hr (military time).
Continue on the top of the next page.

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06 PROGRAM DIGITAL DISPLAY - TIME, DAY, TEMPERATURE, POWER FACTOR, BILLING MODE

Set day of the week.

07 PROGRAM DIGITAL DISPLAY FLAT RATE BILLING

STEP ACTION/PRESS

Find the Billing Rate you recorded in section 05.
Enter your Billing Rate. Set temperature units. To make the numbers change faster, you can press and hold the or.
Find your Power Factor (the number you recorded in section 03 Installing Your Meter Sensor). Enter your Power Factor. Typical Power Factors are: 7 for electromechanical meters.2 1.0 for electronic meters with optical ports Enter your Billing Mode:

(usually 7 Kh).2

Do NOT enter a threshold. Press the button until you see dashes appear on the Digital Display.

Programming is complete!

Go to Section 10, Using Your Power Monitor.

for Flat or Tiered rates

2-PEAK
for Time-of-Use with two rates

3-PEAK

for Time-of-Use with three rates
If your billing mode is Flat Rate, proceed to section 07. If your billing mode is Tiered Rate, proceed to section 08. If your billing mode is Time-of-Use Rate, proceed to section 09. 28 29

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08 PROGRAM DIGITAL DISPLAY TIERED RATE BILLING
Note: Before you begin programming your Digital Display for Tiered Rate Billing, you will need to refer to the Billing Rates and Thresholds you recorded in section 05.
Enter Billing Rate for Tier 1. To make the numbers change faster, you can press and hold the or.
If there is no Tier 3, Press until you see dashes.

$/hr $/hr $/hr $/hr

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11 TROUBLESHOOTING AND Q&A
A. I am unsure of my electric meter type. How can I find out which type of meter I have?
The photos in section 03 of the Instruction Manual show the various kinds of electric meters that we have grouped under three types: electromechanical; electronic with optical port on face; electronic with optical port on top. The majority of existing meters fall under one of these generic types. Determine which photo most closely matches your meter, and remember to follow the installation instructions for that meter type. Also, find the meters Power Factor on the face of the meter and write it in the box labeled Power Factor. The Power Factor is a number (usually 1.0 or 7.2) preceded by two letters (usually Kh or Ks or Kt). Proceed with the preparation steps in order and follow the installation instructions for that meter type.
B. After installing the Meter Sensor on my meter and pressing the RESET button, nothing happens. The red indicator does not light up. The STATUS light in the Sensor should light up solid red within 10 seconds after pressing the RESET switch. If it does not, try these steps: 1. Confirm that the batteries are inserted in the correct orientation. + and symbols are printed on the green circuit board inside the battery compartment. 2. Confirm that the batteries are not dead. We recommend lithium batteries for longer life in freezing conditions. 3. Confirm that the battery lid is closed and screwed down. The lid has to be fastened down for the batteries to make contact. C. The red STATUS indicator on my Meter Sensor is flashing rapidly, and I cannot proceed with the installation as described. The fast flashing indicates that the Meter Sensor has not received a signal from the meter, or can not see the rotating meter wheel, after 20 minutes of trying. Follow the steps in Section 3 to make sure the Sensor is properly aligned on your meter. Then press the RESET button. The indicator will turn off and light up again after 10 seconds. You can then proceed with the installation normally. D. My Meter Sensor STATUS LED is flashing regularly, but every now and then, there is an extra flash. Is there anything wrong with my unit?

J. My Digital Display is showing SLEEP and dashes. What do I do?
This indicates that the Digital Display is not receiving transmissions from the Meter Sensor, and the Display has gone to sleep to save battery life. Press any button on the Display to wake it up. If the Display does not show data within two minutes, try these steps, in order: 1. Move the Display closer to the Sensor. The Power Monitor has a range of about 60 ft. (20 m), including transmission through an exterior wall. The range may be less if there are metal walls or beams between the Sensor and the Display. Also, the range may decrease as the batteries in the Sensor lose power, or in extremely cold weather. We recommend lithium batteries for the Sensor if the temperature falls below freezing. 2. Inspect the Meter Sensor. Make sure that the batteries are not dead, and that the Sensor is still properly aligned on the meter. Press the RESET button on the Sensor. The STATUS light should light up solid, then begin flashing slowly (once per revolution for an electromechanical meter). Refer to Section 3 if you need to re-align your Sensor. 3. Re-synchronize the Sensor and the Display. Bring the Display to within 2 feet of the Sensor. Press and hold the prog/sync button on the Display until you hear two beeps and the Display says id Then press and hold the RESET button on the Sensor for 6. seconds. When you release the RESET button, the Display should beep, and id will disappear. After two minutes, the Display should show data.
G. The consumption information shown on my Digital Display is not correct and it jumps randomly.
Several factors can affect the accuracy of the info rmation shown on your Digital Display and they all relate to interference. If your neighbor also has a Power Monitor system, you may be receiving their information. In this case, you need to change the Meter Sensor address and re-synchronize the Digital Display. Repeat section 04 in the Instruction Manual, but press and hold the RESET button for five (5) seconds. The Meter Sensor then selects a new address randomly on which to base the synchronization. Wireless devices, such as weather stations or o l d - s ty baby monitors and cordless phones, transmit information on frequencies similar to the le Power Monitor. If you have a wireless weather station, try turning it off bri e fly and check to see if the Power Monitor Display re t u rns to normal operation. If it does, then check to see if you can change the weather stations operating channel.

M. My Digital Display behaves erratically and shows illogical values.
Should your Digital Display start displaying any unexpected values, reset it to the factory settings by pressing on the prog/sync and clr keys simultaneously. However, doing so will erase all your existing rate entries and you will have to follow the instructions in this Instruction Manual to set up and program your Digital Display again. N. The total shown on my Digital Display does not match the total shown on my electricity bill. In order for the two totals to match, you would need to clear the totals on the Digital Display on the exact day and time the utility company reads your meter. In addition, your electricity bill may include fixed fees or taxes that are not proportional to your electric usage. The total amount shown on the Power Monitor is accurate, but is really meant as a reference to indicate how much power you have consumed since you last cleared the totals. For example, if you clear the totals at the beginning of every monthly cycle, then you can use the Power Monitor to compare against your monthly budget. 41

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12 HOW ELECTRICITY IS MEASURED How Electricity is Measured
Power is the ability to do work. Electric power is measured in Watts (W), and for large values, in kilowatts (1000 Watts, or kW). A typical incandescent light bulb consumes 60 Watts. A typical microwave oven consumes 1 to 2 kilowatts. Energy is power used over a period of time. Electric energy is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you leave a 60W light on for one hour, it consumes 60 Watt-hours, or 0.06 kWh. If you leave a 2 kW microwave oven on for 15 minutes, it consumes 0.5 kWh.
13 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
FCC INFORMATION FCC Class B Part 15 This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Industry Canada Certification Operation is subject to the following two conditions: This device may not cause harmful interference, and This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Imported by Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., 701 E. Joppa Rd. Towson, MD 21286 U.S.A.
See ToolsElectric Yellow Pages for Service & Sales
Catalog Number EM100B Part No. 90539499 Rev. 1 JUN. 2008 Copyright 2008 Black & Decker (US) Inc. Printed in China

EM100B Power Monitor Frequently-Asked Questions
1. Questions related to the electric meter and installing the Sensor 1.1 I live in an apartment or condominium. Can I use the Power Monitor? In order to use the Power Monitor, you need access to your electric meter, and your meter needs to within 60 feet of where you want to put your display. Your meter might be out of range if you live in an apartment or condominium. 1.2 Is the Power Monitor compatible with all electric meters? The Power Monitor is compatible with up to 90% of electric meters in the US. To confirm that your meter is compatible, check this link for a complete list and images of meters known to be incompatible: http://www.blackanddecker.com/Energy/PowerMonitorCompatibility.htm Non-Compatible Meters: 1. Mechanical meter (dials or an odometer, like in a car), and a spinning wheel, but the front edge of the wheel is not visible. You are more likely to have this kind of meter if the meter is inside your home. 2. Digital display (like on a calculator) and a two-port optical port (two adjacent holes, sometimes in a circular metal housing). You are more likely to have this kind of meter if you have time-of-use billing (you are charged a different rate for power at different times of the day). 1.3 My utility is installing new Smart meters. Will my Power Monitor be compatible with them? Among the new generation of Smart meters, the Power Monitor is compatible with the GE I-210 meter, the Elster REX meter, and the Itron / Schlumberger Centron meter. It is not compatible with the Landis + Gyr Focus meter. Black & Decker will post any known compatibility problems on our web site, and your product is fully warranteed in the event that it is not compatible with your meter. 1.4 Where can I install my Display? The Power Monitor Display needs to be within 60 feet (20 meters) of your electric meter in order to receive a signal. You may need to locate it closer if there are metal cabinets, steel beams, or metal stud walls between your meter and the Display. You can remove the plastic stand on the display and mount it to a wall if you prefer. If the Display is moved too far away from the Sensor, the animated bars will stop moving across the screen and the display will say SLEEP. Move the display closer and press any button to regain contact with the sensor.
1.5 I am unsure of my electric meter type. How can I find out which type of meter I have? You need to know your meter type in order to install the sensor properly. The photos in Section 3 of the Instruction Manual show the three types of meters: electromechanical, electronic with an optical port on the face, and electronic with an optical port on the top. The majority of existing meters fall under one of these generic types. Determine which photo most closely matches your meter, and follow the installation instructions for that meter type. 1.6 After installing the Sensor on my meter and pressing the RESET button, nothing happens. The red indicator does not light up at all. The STATUS light in the Sensor doesnt come on until 10 seconds after pressing the RESET switch. If it doesnt come on at all, try these steps: 1. Confirm that the batteries are inserted in the correct orientation. + and - symbols are printed on the green circuit board inside the battery compartment. 2. Confirm that the batteries are not dead. We recommend lithium batteries for longer life in freezing conditions. 3. Confirm that the battery lid is closed and screwed down. The lid has to be fastened down all the way for the batteries to make contact. The screw on the battery door should screw down until no threads are showing and it is holding the door closed. You might have to turn the screw hard to get it to go in all the way. If it will not seat, unscrew it, then realign the screw and try again. 1.7 I attached the sensor to the meter and pressed the RESET button, but I never see the red light flashing like it says in the manual. When the sensor is installed and aligned correctly, the red light will flash slowly for about two minutes. If it doesnt ever flash, you probably need to realign the sensor. 1.7.1 Mechanical meter (spinning wheel): 1. Make sure that you can see the edge of the spinning wheel from the front face of the meter. You dont need to see the top or bottom, just the edge. Make sure that the glass is clean in front of the disk. 2. Turn on some appliances in the house to make the wheel rotate faster. 3. Align the sensor arm so its mostly parallel with the disk, centered in front of the disk, and as close to the glass as possible (ideally touching it). Lock it in place (tighten the strap and close the latch on the sensor). If you cant get the strap tight enough, put the rubber shim between the sensor and the meter. 4. Press the RESET button on the sensor and wait until the red light comes on solid. The red light will stay solid for several seconds while the sensor figures out what kind of meter you have.

5. When the sensor arm is properly aligned, the red light will flash about a second after the black stripe goes by. If you still dont see the flash, try adjusting the sensor arm from side to side, or up or down a little bit until you see the flash. If theres a scratch or smudge on the glass, move the sensor arm to one side or the other, but keep the arm mostly parallel to the disk. 6. Some mechanical meters have a plastic dome instead of a glass one, and theres a blemish in the plastic right in the spot where the sensor arm needs to look. Try moving the arm to be a little to the right of the blemish and at an angle, as shown in the image:
1.7.2 Digital Meter with a single optical port on the front face of the meter: 1. Check the compatibility guide on our web site to confirm that your meter is compatible, and that youve identified the correct optical port. If the port is on the front face of the meter, it will look like a little transparent dome. Make sure that the glass is clean in front of the port.
2. Turn on some appliances in the house to make it easier for the sensor to detect a signal. You cant see it, but the port is flashing an infrared signal, and the flashing is faster when you use more power. 3. Align the sensor arm so the black dot on the end of the arm is over the optical port, and lock it in place (tighten the strap and close the latch on the sensor) 4. Press the RESET button on the sensor and wait until the red light comes on solid. The red light will stay solid for several seconds while the sensor figures out what kind of meter you have. 5. When the sensor arm is properly aligned, the red light will flash slowly. If you still dont see the flash, try adjusting the sensor arm from side to side, or up or down a little bit until you see the flash.
1.7.3 Digital Meter with a single optical port on the top of the meter: 1. This type of meter is labeled either Schlumerger Centron or Itron Centron.
On the top of the meter, through the glass, theres a square hole and an oval hole with a small clear plastic pipe sticking up out of the oval hole. Thats the optical port. Make sure that the glass is clean in front of the port.

2. Turn on some appliances in the house to make it easier for the sensor to detect a signal. You cant see it, but the port is flashing an infrared signal, and the flashing is faster when you use more power. 3. Follow the instruction manual to reconfigure the sensor for a type 3 meter. You need to pull out the sensor arm and fit it into the body of the sensor. See the video on our web site. 4. Attach the clear plastic template to the top of the meter so the white arrow is pointing at, but not covering up the port. 3. Align the sensor over the top of the meter as shown in the manual for a type 3 meter. 4. Press the RESET button on the sensor and wait until the red light comes on solid. The red light will stay solid for several seconds while the sensor figures out what kind of meter you have. 5. When the sensor arm is properly aligned, the red light will flash slowly. If you still dont see the flash, try adjusting the sensor from side to side, or forward or back a little bit until you see the flash. When you see the flash, tighten the mounting strap. Be careful that you dont move the sensor out of alignment while tightening the strap.
1.8 The red STATUS indicator on my Sensor is flashing rapidly, and I cannot proceed with the installation as described. The fast flashing indicates that the Meter Sensor has not received a signal from the meter, or can not see the rotating meter wheel, after 20 minutes of trying. Follow the steps in Section 3 of the instruction manual to make sure the Sensor is properly aligned on your meter. Then press the RESET button. The indicator will turn off and light up again after 10 seconds. You can then proceed with the installation normally. 1.9 My Sensor STATUS LED is flashing regularly, but every now and then, there is an extra flash. Is there anything wrong with my unit? This is exactly what you should see. Electronic meters produce one single pulse every time you have consumed one watt-hour. When the Meter Sensor first detects a pulse from an electronic meter, the STATUS indicator starts flashing. Thereafter, the indicator keeps on flashing at the same frequency. In addition, it will flash once every time it reads a pulse from your meter, at intervals that vary according to your current rate of electricity consumption. This periodic irregular flashing is absolutely normal. 1.10 I raised the gray latch on the sensor to try to adjust the sensor arm, and a piece of the housing came off. Now what? Just snap the part back on and close the latch. You can adjust the arm position without lifting the latch all the way up.
2. Questions related to Synchronizing the Sensor to the Display 2.1 When I try to synchronize my Display and Sensor, the Display keeps showing id on the screen. This indicates that the Digital Display is in ID mode, searching for a signal from your Sensor. Press the RESET button on the Sensor. If the Display remains in ID mode, move it to a location between 2 and 10 feet (60 cm to 3m) of the Sensor, and then press the RESET button again.

3. Questions related to understanding an electric bill 3.1 What kind of billing schemes does the Power Monitor support? The Power Monitor supports the following billing plans: flat-rate billing (you are charged a single rate for the amount of electricity you use) tiered billing (you are charged one rate for an initial amount of electricity, then a different rate for the next amount, and so on) time-of-use billing (you are charged different rated at different times of the day) The power Monitor can also take into account any taxes or fees that are proportional to the amount of electricity you use. The Power Monitor can not take into account fixed fees that are charged regardless of the amount of power you use.
If you are charged different rates in the summer and winter, you will have to program those new rates each season. 3.2 How do I figure out what kind of billing plan I have? You should be able to tell from your bill. If you see the words tier on your bill, you probably have tiered billing. If you see the words peak rate and off-peak rate on your bill, you probably have time-of-use billing. Most power companies have excellent web sites that can help you understand your bill. 3.3 I cant decipher my electric bill. What numbers do I enter? First, check you power companys web site for an explanation of your bill, or call their support number. If you are still confused, use this technique to approximate your billing rate: 1. From your latest bill, find the total electricity consumption. This number will be labeled in kWh, or kilowatt-hours. 2. From your latest bill, find the total cost for electricity, including all fees and taxes. Make sure you have not added in costs for gas, water, or any other municipal services. 3. Divide the total cost in dollars by the total consumption in kWh, for a flat billing rate in $/kWh. 4. Multiply that number by 100 to get a flat billing rate in cents/kWh 5. Follow the instruction manual to enter that rate as a flat billing rate. This approximation will give you a good idea of relative costs as you learn to be more efficient with your energy use.
4. Questions related to the device not working 4.1 The Meter Sensor appears to have detected my meter properly, but I only see dashes (--) on my Display. This indicates that the Display is not receiving transmissions from the Sensor. Try these steps, in order: 1. Move the Display closer to the Sensor. The Power Monitor has a range of 60 ft. (20 m), including transmission through an exterior wall. The range may be less if there are metal walls or beams between the Sensor and the Display. Also, the range may decrease as the batteries in the Sensor lose power, or in extremely cold weather. We recommend lithium batteries for the Sensor if the temperature falls below freezing. 2. Inspect the Meter Sensor. Make sure that the batteries are not dead, and that the Sensor is still properly aligned on the meter. Press the RESET button on the Sensor. The STATUS light should light up solid, then begin flashing slowly (once per revolution for an electromechanical meter). Refer to Section 3 in the instruction manual if you need to re-align your Sensor, or refer to Question 1.6 above.

3. Make sure the battery door on the sensor is closed all the way. The screw on the battery door should screw down until no threads are showing and it is holding the door closed. You should not have to turn the screw hard to get it to go in all the way. If it will not seat, unscrew it, then realign the screw and try again. 4. Re-synchronize the Sensor and the Display. Bring the Display to within 2 feet of the Sensor. Press and hold the prog/sync button on the Display until you hear two beeps and the Display says id. Then press and hold the RESET button on the Sensor for 6 seconds. When you release the RESET button, the Display should beep, and id will disappear. After two minutes, the Display should show data. 4.2 My Display is showing SLEEP and dashes. What do I do? This indicates that the Display is not receiving transmissions from the Meter Sensor, and the Display has gone to sleep to save battery life. Press any button on the Display to wake it up. If the Display does not show data within two minutes, try these steps, in order: 1. Move the Display closer to the Sensor. The Power Monitor has a range of about 60 ft. (20 m), including transmission through an exterior wall. The range may be less if there are metal walls or beams between the Sensor and the Display. Also, the range may decrease as the batteries in the Sensor lose power, or in extremely cold weather. We recommend lithium batteries for the Sensor if the temperature falls below freezing. 2. Inspect the Meter Sensor. Make sure that the batteries are not dead, and that the Sensor is still properly aligned on the meter. Press the RESET button on the Sensor. The STATUS light should light up solid, then begin flashing slowly (once per revolution for an electromechanical meter). Refer to Section 3 of the instruction manual if you need to re-align your Sensor. 3. Re-synchronize the Sensor and the Display. Bring the Display to within 2 feet of the Sensor. Press and hold the prog/sync button on the Display until you hear two beeps and the Display says id. Then press and hold the RESET button on the Sensor for 6 seconds. When you release the RESET button, the Display should beep, and id will disappear. After two minutes, the Display should show data. 4.3 The power usage shown on my Display is not updating or is unusually low. Try turning on an electric appliance that consumes a large amount of power such as a stove or dryer. If the values on the Digital Display do not start to update within a few minutes, then the Meter Sensor is likely not aligned correctly on your utility meter. Try repeating the appropriate alignment steps described in the Instruction Manual.

4.4 My Display behaves erratically and shows illogical values. My Display says ERROR Try resetting your display you will have to re-program it with your billing information afterwards. Press the prog/sync and clr buttons simultaneously, until you hear a beep. You will have to follow the instructions in the Instruction Manual to synchronize to the Sensor and program your billing rates again. 4.5 Whenever it rains, I dont get a signal / the display shows zero power consumption. Sometimes your meter can fog up on the inside of the glass, preventing the sensor from seeing the wheel or optical port. If the Display shows 0, youre still getting a radio signal from the sensor. Wait until the weather changes and the measurement should reappear. If the display shows dashes or SLEEP, that means you have lost the signal. Heavy rain can weaken the radio signal from the sensor. Move the display closer to the sensor and press any button to wake it up. The Display will try to re-acquire the signal for 10 minutes.
5. Questions related to accuracy, not matching the electric bill, not matching the outside temperature 5.1 The power usage shown on the Display is low or does not match what it should be. You may have entered the wrong Power Factor (Kh), which calibrates the Digital Display to your electric meter. Use the tare feature to measure the consumption of your microwave or toaster, and compare the value on the Digital Display to the value marked on the nameplate of the appliance. If the numbers are off by a factor of 2 or more, you need to change the Power Factor. Refer to section 3 in the Instruction Manual. Go out to your electric meter and confirm the Power Factor (sometimes labeled Ks or Kt). On some larger homes, there may be a sticker on the meter indicating that your utility has changed the meter's Power Factor. Then, follow the programming instructions to enter a new value into the Digital Display. 5.2 The power usage shown on the Display is several times higher than what it should be. If you have a mechanical meter (it has a rotating wheel), the sensor may be detecting scratches on the wheel, instead of just the black stripe. Turn on some lights or appliances in your house, then take a look at the your meter. Press the RESET button on the sensor. After 10 seconds, the red light will come on solid. Then after a minute, it will start to flash. It should only flash once per revolution of the wheel, shortly after you see the black stripe on the wheel pass by. If the red light flashes several times per wheel revolution, you need to adjust the position of the sensor arm. Move the sensor arm a little off-center from the wheel, and angle it up or down, as shown in the photo. You may need to use a screwdriver to loosen and re-tighten the clamping strap.

If the sensor has stopped flashing, press the reset button again, and confirm that the light flashes only once per disk revolution, just after the stripe goes by. If your Display is not receiving a signal after re-adjusting the arm, you may need to re-synchronize it with the sensor. See section 4 in the instruction manual to resynchronize. 5.3 The consumption information shown on my Display is not correct and it jumps randomly. Several factors can affect the accuracy of the information shown on your Digital Display and they all relate to interference. If your neighbor also has a Power Monitor system, you may be receiving their information. In this case, you need to change the Sensor address and re-synchronize the Digital Display. Repeat section 04 in the Instruction Manual, but press and hold the RESET button for five (5) seconds. This will cause the Sensor to select a new radio address. Wireless devices, such as weather stations or old- style baby monitors and cordless phones, transmit information on frequencies similar to the Power Monitor. If you have a wireless weather station, try turning it off briefly and check to see if the Power Monitor Display returns to normal operation. If it does, then check to see if you can change the weather stations operating channel.
5.4 The total shown on my Display does not match the total shown on my electricity bill. It is unlikely that the Power Monitor will exactly match your bill. This product is intended to help you understand the cost of power as you use it, and to estimate your effectiveness as you learn to be more efficient in your energy use. Some sources of error include: Not having the current rate programmed into the Display. For example, some utilities charge different rates in winter and summer. Some utilities change their rates every month. Not including taxes and fees when you calculate the rates to enter into the display Fixed fees and surcharges that can not be programmed into the display. Not knowing the exact time and date when the billing period starts, so you can reset the accumulated total. 5.5 The temperature shown on the Display does not match weather reports or appears to be incorrect. The temperature shown on the Digital Display is the temperature at your electric meter it does not measure the air temperature. If your electric meter is exposed to direct sunlight, or there has been a freeze overnight, the reading will be higher or lower than the air temperature. The reading will match the air temperature more closely when it is in the shade, and when the outside temperature has not changed significantly over the last hour.

6. Questions related to the Tare button/Appliance Mode 6.1 What does Tare mean? Tare is a term used on weighing scales. When you go to a salad bar, the cashier uses a Tare button to zero out the weight of your plate and just weigh the salad. Our button works the same way. It zeros out all the ongoing power use lights, TVs, other appliances and lets you see only the power consumption of the next item you turn on. 6.2 I pressed the Tare button but nothing happened when I turned on a light. The minimum power level that the Power Monitor can measure is 0.1 kW (100 Watts). A single incandescent light bulb consumes about 60 Watts. Its about the same for a computer, and even less for a compact fluorescent light bulb. So you wont be able to measure a power level that low. You will be able to measure a computer plus a large monitor, or a large TV, or a room full of lights. And these are the items that cost you money to operate.
6.3 It takes forever after I press the Tare button to see a change. Actually, it takes 30 seconds to one minute. The Display gets a new measurement from the Sensor every 30 seconds (any sooner and your batteries wouldnt last). To get an accurate measurement of an appliance, you should: Press the Tare button Then turn on the appliance Wait at least a minute and a half, so that the display has received at least two measurements 6.4 Im trying to measure an appliance, but the measurement jumps around, or doesnt seem correct. If some other device in your house turns on at the same time, or shortly after you turn on the appliance youre measuring (sump pump, refrigerator compressor, kids turn on a light in another room), your appliance measurement will be affected. To try again: Turn off the appliance you were trying to measure. Exit Tare mode (press the Tare button again. The display should not say TARE in the upper left-hand corner) Wait for at least one minute, allowing time for the Display to update and for any automatic appliance to end its cycle (sump pump or refrigerator compressor turns off). Press the Tare button again (TARE appears in the upper left-hand corner) Turn on the appliance Wait at least a minute and a half, so that the display has received at least two measurements 6.5 The display is showing negative power consumption. Using the Tare button is all about timing. The Tare button zeros out your current power measurement. If your power usage goes up or down after you press the button, that change will show, positive or negative. For example, if your electric hot water heater was on before you pressed the Tare button, and then it turns off, your household power consumption will drop and the display will show a negative number. A lot of devices in your home turn on and off automatically (sump pump, refrigerator compressor, dehumidifier) and they may affect your Tare measurement.

7. Questions related to Battery Life 7.1 How many and what kind of batteries do I need? You need 4 AA batteries; two for the Sensor, and two for the Display. We recommend name-brand alkaline batteries for best life. If you expect freezing weather, we recommend lithium AA batteries for the Sensor; they last longer in cold weather. 7.2 Can I use rechargeable batteries? No. Rechargeable AA batteries have a lower voltage than alkaline or lithium batteries and will not operate the electronics properly. Also, they will not last nearly as long as a single-use battery before needing to be recharged.
7.3 How long will the batteries last? If you use name-brand batteries, they should last about 6 months in both the Sensor and the Display. 7.4 The Sensor Battery indicator shows a low battery level, but I installed fresh batteries not long ago. Regular alkaline batteries can become exhausted very rapidly when it is extremely cold outside. If you are expecting an extended period of temperatures below 32F (0C), try using lithium AA batteries in the Meter Sensor. They last longer in cold weather.
8. Questions related to issues with the local Power Company 8.1 Does the Power Monitor affect my electric meter in any way? No. The Power Monitor uses an infrared sensor to count the revolutions of the wheel (if you have a mechanical meter), or count the flashes from the optical port (if you have a digital meter). The sensor can not in any way affect the reading on your meter. 8.2 Will the Power Company allow me to attach this to my meter? Most power companies are aware of this product and do not have a problem with it as long as the sensor is not getting in the way of the meter reader. However, it is the users responsibility to ensure compliance with their power companys policies. Do not install the Power Monitor on meters designated as incompatible; the sensor may obstruct your utilitys ability to read the meter. It is the users responsibility to re-install a sensor removed for meter maintenance. The Sensor has a weather-proof tag that explains the product to your meter reader and includes a phone number the utility can call for further information. Do not remove the tag. 8.3 My meter reader keeps taking the Sensor off of my meter. The Power Company called and told me to remove my Power Monitor. If you have a digital meter with a 2-port optical port (2 adjacent holes, sometimes in a circular metal housing), the meter reader may need to access that port to make his reading each month. If that is the case, we recommend you remove your Power Monitor and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Please accept our apologies for your inconvenience. The use and depiction of specific meters in this document does not represent or imply that the Power Monitor has been approved or endorsed by their manufacturer or your local power company. All brand, product names and other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.