diff --git a/core/helper.go b/core/helper.go
index c24bfa904..d8c2a31a2 100644
--- a/core/helper.go
+++ b/core/helper.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var (
 
 // bo returns an exponential backoff for reading meter power quickly
 func bo() *backoff.ExponentialBackOff {
-	return backoff.NewExponentialBackOff(backoff.WithInitialInterval(20*time.Millisecond), backoff.WithMaxElapsedTime(time.Second))
+	return backoff.NewExponentialBackOff(backoff.WithInitialInterval(20*time.Millisecond), backoff.WithMaxElapsedTime(2*time.Second))
 }
 
 // powerToCurrent is a helper function to convert power to per-phase current
diff --git a/core/site.go b/core/site.go
index 0297c9ff6..4948766b6 100644
--- a/core/site.go
+++ b/core/site.go
@@ -486,11 +486,12 @@ func (site *Site) collectMeters(key string, meters []config.Device[api.Meter]) [
 
 		// power
 		var b bytes.Buffer
-		start := time.Now()
 		power, err := backoff.RetryWithData(func() (float64, error) {
+			start := time.Now()
 			f, err := meter.CurrentPower()
 			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintf(&b, "%v !! %v\n", time.Now(), err)
+				d := time.Since(start)
+				fmt.Fprintf(&b, "%v !! %3dms %v\n", start, d.Milliseconds(), err)
 			}
 			return f, err
 		}, bo())
@@ -498,8 +499,7 @@ func (site *Site) collectMeters(key string, meters []config.Device[api.Meter]) [
 			site.log.DEBUG.Printf("%s %d power: %.0fW", key, i+1, power)
 		} else {
 			if b.Len() > 0 {
-				site.log.ERROR.Println(start, "!!")
-				site.log.ERROR.Println(b.String())
+				site.log.ERROR.Println("\n" + b.String())
 			}
 			site.log.ERROR.Printf("%s %d power: %v", key, i+1, err)
 		}