Best Solar Monitoring Devices

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Solar energy is increasing in popularity, reaching all 50 U.S. states and increasing at an average annual growth rate of 33%. Being aware of your energy usage can help you make the most of your solar system and save on electricity bills. Solar monitoring devices make tracking production and consumption simple and convenient. Monitoring production is important to maximize output and ensure your solar system is working correctly. We researched an assortment of devices that provide tools and tips to save energy and money with solar power. 

Solar monitors attach to your circuit panel or solar inverter to measure the energy output from your solar panels and quickly detect when your system is not functioning as expected. When you generate electricity, it’s imperative to know if your production meets your consumption. 

Best solar monitoring devices

1. Emporia Vue Energy Monitor
2. Sense Solar
3. Curb Energy Monitoring
4. Engage by Efergy

Best Solar Monitoring Devices by Save On Energy

The best solar monitoring devices for your home

We determined the best solar monitoring devices based on monitoring ability, smartphone app connection, real-time tracking, number of sensors, and energy-saving insights.

• Solar monitoring ability means the device keeps track of your system’s energy generation and how your home uses it.
• Smartphone app connection offers the convenience of monitoring your energy usage anywhere. The app can send alerts about appliances in your home and send reports about weekly or monthly energy usage.
• Real-time tracking lets you view the mobile app and see real-time data about your solar system’s production and appliance consumption.
• The number of sensors included with your monitoring device depends on which device you purchase. The sensors attach to your circuit panel to monitor the usage of specific appliances. The more sensors you have, the more data you receive about your home’s energy usage.
• Energy-saving insights provide tips on how to save energy and money in your home. 

Emporia Vue Energy Monitor

Lower your carbon footprint with the Emporia Vue Energy Monitor. Emporia has three options, with the number of sensors ranging from zero to 16. The sensors send data to the connected Emporia Energy smartphone app to share information about your system’s energy production and home consumption. The app also provides notifications about how to save energy, increase grid reliability, and lower your electricity bill. The Emporia Vue Energy Monitor is available for purchase on Emporia’s site. Save 5% on your Emporia purchase with the code SAVEONENERGY.

The Emporia Vue Energy Monitor is best for those who want to track energy use but are looking for a budget-friendly option. 

What we like: Offers a lower price than competitors, tracks data in real-time, can integrate with other Emporia products, and includes a one-year warranty. 

What to consider: Can add up to 16 sensors but increases the price.

Sense Solar

Save on your energy bills with the Sense Solar home energy monitor. The Sense Solar monitor can recognize devices in your home and provide data about the device’s power generation and consumption. You can also view the energy usage history of your home to make comparisons. The app has a “Now” feature to show what devices are running at that time. The display shows the devices in circles, where the larger circles represent devices using the most power. You can track the data anytime and receive alerts from the Sense mobile app. Sense Solar is available on Amazon.  

The Sense Solar energy monitor is best for those on a time-of-use plan who want to track their electricity use with alerts and visual insights. 

What we like: Offers a payment plan and 120-day money-back guarantee. Can buy additional sensors, supports time-of-use energy plans, and tracks in real-time.

What to consider: Higher cost and only four sensors are included. Takes time for the Sense monitor to identify appliances. 

Curb

Understand your home’s energy costs with Curb’s monitoring system. The system connects with the Curb mobile app to provide information about your home’s energy consumption. The app’s insights can help you understand what appliances are costing you money and how to prevent energy waste. For example, the app will tell you what devices in your home are turned on and consuming energy that you may not realize. The monitors can also identify and alert you about problems to ensure your system works properly. Curb provides two options based on your home energy needs. They also have a commercial option for large businesses. Fill out the form on Curb’s website or contact customer service to get purchasing information. 

The Curb energy monitor is best for those willing to invest in a product to learn ways to reduce energy waste in their home. 

What we like: Weekly tracking emails, real-time data tracking, can remotely turn off devices to reduce energy use and can add up to 18 sensors.

What to consider: Most expensive option on our guide,no information about warranty or money-back guarantee. Not a direct buying option. 

Engage by Efergy

The Engage Hub Kit connects to the Engage Efergy smartphone app to display real-time energy data. The display shows how much energy is consumed and how much that costs for the day, week, or month of your choice. This feature helps to compare past to current energy usage. If you would rather view all of the data online, you can download their software to your computer. The web app lets you download the data into a spreadsheet for comparison. To monitor solar data, you must also purchase Efergy’s Solar Sub-metering kit. The kit allows you to view solar generation and energy usage from your system separately from the electricity used from the grid. Purchase the Engage Hub Kit and Solar Sub-metering kit on Amazon. 

The Engage by Efergy is best for those who want to view and compare data on a computer instead of a smartphone. 

What we like: Real-time tracking, online and smartphone app access, ability to compare usage from past and present, and offers a one-year warranty. 

What to consider: Solar monitoring requires an additional equipment purchase. Four XL sensors are included with the Hub kit and Solar kit. 

Get a quote from our solar advisors

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How do solar monitoring devices work?

Solar monitoring devices attach to your home’s breaker panel to track energy consumption and generation from your solar panels in real-time. The sensors detect how much electricity your home is using through electrical currents. The monitors connect to cloud servers to send that information to your device’s software and connected smartphone app. The app displays the data in graphs and charts to provide actionable steps for you to reduce your energy use. 

Pros and cons of solar system monitors

Solar monitoring devices are a helpful way to track energy generation from your solar system and track how your home uses the energy. Learning and adjusting your energy usage habits is a great way to lower your electricity bill. You may also want to consider smart thermostats and energy-tracking apps. 

Solar monitoring can increase the benefits of a net-metering agreement, where you receive credits for sending excess energy back to the grid. Also, some solar batteries, like the Tesla Powerwall, have monitoring abilities. Before purchasing a solar monitoring device, check what your solar system and other equipment are already tracking.