Appliances Going Online

Idaho Power Co. has started a sixmonth experiment in controlling home appliances with personal computers. The goal is to find out whether consumers will pay for such a service.

Idaho Power Resources Corp. has purchased rights to a system manufactured by Tampa, Fla.-based TeCom Inc., and it has asked its employees to test the concept.

It works like this:

A box containing a microprocessor is mounted outside a house near the power meter. Inside is a power line modem that transmits signals from a power line to a personal computer, a meter module that stores information and several “smart devices” attached to the cords of appliances.

No rewiring of the house is needed to make the system operate. The modem simply plugs into a socket. The computer then communicates with the appliances by sending signals over the wiring in the house.

The system can be programmed by the homeowner so lights, water heaters, air conditioners and other appliances come on and go off at selected times.