| Author |
Desperately seeking a simple wattmeter.
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| Peter Jason 2008-01-01, 5:25 pm |
| I want to audit the power consumption of the
lighting in the house.
I suspect the labelling of globes and timer
power usage to be suspect.
I need a simple meter to put between the
power socket and the lights to test
consumption.
Please help
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| Palindrome 2008-01-01, 5:25 pm |
| Peter Jason wrote:
> I want to audit the power consumption of the
> lighting in the house.
>
> I suspect the labelling of globes and timer
> power usage to be suspect.
>
> I need a simple meter to put between the
> power socket and the lights to test
> consumption.
>
> Please help
You appear to be in Australia, but need to confirm so that those that
might propose things to buy know what not to suggest..
In the UK, it is possible to purchase a plug-in power meter for <20GBP
(eg from Maplin).
If that fails:
Those loads are purely resistive. You can get the power consumed by
purchasing a clamp multimeter and making a short extension lead with
each (insulated) conductor available to clamp. Clamp the "hot" wire,
read the current, multiply by the supply voltage (which you can also
measure with the same meter) - the result is the actual power consumed
in watts. In the UK it is possible to buy an (AC) multimeter for <20GBP,
also.
Good luck. Be careful out there - joules in the wrong place can ruin
your whole day...
--
Sue
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| Peter Jason 2008-01-01, 8:25 pm |
|
"Palindrome" <me9@privacy.net> wrote in
message
news:fIzej.212444$WF3.200619@fe06.news.easynews.com...
> Peter Jason wrote:
>
> You appear to be in Australia, but need to
> confirm so that those that might propose
> things to buy know what not to suggest..
>
> In the UK, it is possible to purchase a
> plug-in power meter for <20GBP (eg from
> Maplin).
>
> If that fails:
>
> Those loads are purely resistive. You can
> get the power consumed by purchasing a
> clamp multimeter and making a short
> extension lead with each (insulated)
> conductor available to clamp. Clamp the
> "hot" wire, read the current, multiply by
> the supply voltage (which you can also
> measure with the same meter) - the result
> is the actual power consumed in watts. In
> the UK it is possible to buy an (AC)
> multimeter for <20GBP, also.
>
> Good luck. Be careful out there - joules in
> the wrong place can ruin your whole day...
>
>
>
> --
> Sue
Thanks, I'll try. Will the clamp method work
with fluorescent globes, TVs and electric
timers?
pj
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| Palindrome 2008-01-01, 8:25 pm |
| Peter Jason wrote:
> "Palindrome" <me9@privacy.net> wrote in
> message
> news:fIzej.212444$WF3.200619@fe06.news.easynews.com...
>
> Thanks, I'll try. Will the clamp method work
> with fluorescent globes, TVs and electric
> timers?
>
No. Only with purely resistive loads such as incandescent lamps and
heater elements.
--
Sue
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| Salmon Egg 2008-01-01, 8:25 pm |
| On 1/1/08 2:51 PM, in article fleg6v$2crj$1@otis.netspace.net.au, "Peter
Jason" <pj@jostle.com> wrote:
> I want to audit the power consumption of the
> lighting in the house.
>
> I suspect the labelling of globes and timer
> power usage to be suspect.
>
> I need a simple meter to put between the
> power socket and the lights to test
> consumption.
>
> Please help
In the States, there are plenty of energy (watt-hour) meters on the surplus
market for about $US 5 to 10. Shipping could be more.
I bought an old watt meter and current transformer at a swap meet for the
same purpose. It has been a few years and have not got it set up.
Bill
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|
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"Peter Jason" <pj@jostle.com> wrote in message
news:fleg6v$2crj$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
> I want to audit the power consumption of the
> lighting in the house.
>
> I suspect the labelling of globes and timer
> power usage to be suspect.
>
> I need a simple meter to put between the
> power socket and the lights to test
> consumption.
>
> Please help
>
>
>
>
If you're in Australia try Jaycar Electronics (http://www1.jaycar.com.au/ )
Cat No.
MS6115. Cost is AUD 39.95 and it should do what you want and more.
regards
Barry
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| tom.blanford@paonia.com 2008-01-02, 3:25 am |
| Peter Jason wrote:
> I want to audit the power consumption of the
> lighting in the house.
>
> I suspect the labelling of globes and timer
> power usage to be suspect.
>
> I need a simple meter to put between the
> power socket and the lights to test
> consumption.
>
> Please help
Try this link -
http://www.p3international.com/prod...0/P4400-CE.html
Don't know if they have configurations for all electricl outlet types.
| |
| Peter Jason 2008-01-03, 5:25 pm |
|
"Baz" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:13nlu4mlhlb4q55@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Peter Jason" <pj@jostle.com> wrote in
> message
> news:fleg6v$2crj$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
>
> If you're in Australia try Jaycar
> Electronics (http://www1.jaycar.com.au/ )
> Cat No.
> MS6115. Cost is AUD 39.95 and it should do
> what you want and more.
>
> regards
> Barry
Thanks I found one there called a
"PowerTechPlus Functional Energy Meter"
MS-6115. It seems to work too.
Regards, pj
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