Sense gives you a clear view of your home’s energy use—all day, every day. You can see exactly how much energy you’re using in real time. And over time, Sense can even break that usage down by detecting many of the devices in your home.
Once the Sense app is running, it begins to learn the unique electrical “signatures” of your appliances. Common devices show up first, and as your home and Sense spend more time together, detection gets smarter.
Not every device will be recognized—especially low-wattage items like laptops, smart speakers, or game consoles. Even some larger appliances can be harder to spot if they use variable speeds or don’t have clear on/off cycles.
Because detection happens automatically, without human input, some devices may never be identified. But the more data Sense collects, the sharper and more useful your energy insights become.
What You Can Do Even Before Sense Detects Devices
Even before a device is detected, the Sense app gives you powerful insights:
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See how much energy individual devices use: Start with the Watt Check tool (at the Dashboard), which offers an easy way to measure wattage for many common devices. To measure a device not offered via Watt Check, go to the real-time power meter: Turn each device on or off to instantly gauge its energy use.
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Explore Dashboard > Usage: Track usage in kWh or dollars (adjust this in Settings > Electricity Info). And use the Watt Check tool to test individual devices for how much energy they use.
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Add devices manually: Complete the device survey and add devices using the Add Device feature at the bottom of your Devices list. In many cases, this can help Sense get you device usage information sooner.
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Try smart plugs: Great for tracking electronics that are difficult to detect automatically
- Use dedicated circuit monitoring: If your Sense Energy Monitor is installed in your electrical panel and has an open middle port (plus a second set of sensors), you can monitor large 240v appliances directly
Even without full device detection, Sense gives you meaningful insights into your energy use—helping you make smarter choices right away.
Resources
How Do I Use the Meter Feature?