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#1
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I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help
me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. |
#2
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On Apr 24, 12:51�pm, "peter" wrote:
I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. a clamp on ampmeter is one approach........... |
#3
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#4
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On Apr 24, 11:51*am, "peter" wrote:
I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. What you want to do is an audit of your use, there is a 100$ or so device that just clamps on your main meter and I think by RF it sends what the use is to what looks like a thermostat sized unit. A 25$ Kill- a- Watt meter which is very accurate you can use for whatever plugs into the wall, it measures amp, watts, Va, Hz, volt, used over time so you can accuratly figure out what your refrigerator uses it will tell you how many watts is used in say 100 hours. A clamp on meter is good to find any panel shorts, but best is one that goes to .01 amp and box stores dont have them that go that low unless you spend alot, A 35$ greenlee at your electric supply store is good. |
#5
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On Apr 24, 2:40*pm, Buy1get1free wrote:
On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:51:41 GMT, "peter" wrote: I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...roduct_6970_20... You can find it alot cheaper on ebay |
#6
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On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:51:41 GMT, "peter" wrote:
I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...&ci_sku=457007 |
#7
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Buy1get1free wrote in
: On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:51:41 GMT, "peter" wrote: I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...duct_6970_2003 43851_200343851?cm_ven=Aggregates&cm_cat=Google&cm _pla=Electrical%2C%20 Electrical%20Tools&cm_ite=457007&ci_src=14110944&c i_sku=457007 You can also call your power company. In VT, they would send you one to use for a month and even sent you a postpaid box to return it. Of course, had to leave credit card info in case you didn't return it. |
#8
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![]() "peter" wrote in message news:xU2Qj.6869$i45.1545@trndny01... I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. Just step outside and observe your electric meter. If's the old style electro-mechanical type you just take your watch and measure how many revolutions the "wheel" makes in, say, 15 second. Write that down. If you look carefully, you might find a number on the meter that converts revolution to energy. If you have a 100% electronic meter it should cycle around with one display showing instant energy consumption. Otherwise you have to use a current transformer (a clamp on ampmeter includes a CT) and an AC ampmeter. ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com ** |
#9
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On Apr 25, 1:19*am, "John Gilmer" wrote:
"peter" wrote in message news:xU2Qj.6869$i45.1545@trndny01... I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. Just step outside and observe your electric meter. * If's the old style electro-mechanical type you just take your watch and measure how many revolutions the "wheel" makes in, say, 15 second. * Write that down. * If you look carefully, you might find a number on the meter that converts revolution to energy. If you have a 100% electronic meter it should cycle around with one display showing instant energy consumption. Otherwise you have to use a current transformer (a clamp on ampmeter includes a CT) and an AC ampmeter. ** Posted fromhttp://www.teranews.com** If in North America one normally has two 115 volt 'legs' that must be measured to determine the current draw. For example one may at any one time have lights and apparatus switched on that are on leg A. Then at perhaps other times circuits that are on leg B. So both have to be measured/recorded. Heavier 230 volt appliances, such as clothes dryers, cooking stoves and electric heat use leg A and leg B. So the current could be measured twice! The electrcity meter does this on behalf of the power utility. Trying to measure current without using the proper (and code compliant) apparatus sounds like a rather useless exercise? maybe the simplest is read the meter and/or invest in one of those devices (battery powered AIUI) that clamp onto the meter and transmit information to a battery powered unit inside the house. Congratulate the OP on cultivating an awareness of which appliances use most power and when they are on; but some so called 'economies' are meaningless. For example many homes here use electric heating; so that the more 'efficient' appliances or CFL lamps that today do not 'waste' as much electricity as heat do not contribute to home heating. As a consequence electric heating has to operate a little more in order to warm the house so the same amount of kilowatt hours are used, whether indirectly through 'inefficient' appliances/lights or directly through electric heating. |
#10
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On Apr 26, 6:05*pm, "Paul" wrote:
Google - "cent a meter" I use these in my student rental units so tenants can see how much each appliance, light, etc. is using and adjust there usage for best economy. "terry" wrote in message ... On Apr 25, 1:19 am, "John Gilmer" wrote: "peter" wrote in message news:xU2Qj.6869$i45.1545@trndny01... I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. Just step outside and observe your electric meter. If's the old style electro-mechanical type you just take your watch and measure how many revolutions the "wheel" makes in, say, 15 second. Write that down. If you look carefully, you might find a number on the meter that converts revolution to energy. If you have a 100% electronic meter it should cycle around with one display showing instant energy consumption. Otherwise you have to use a current transformer (a clamp on ampmeter includes a CT) and an AC ampmeter. ** Posted fromhttp://www.teranews.com** If in North America one normally has two 115 volt 'legs' that must be measured to determine *the current draw. For example one may at any one time have lights and apparatus switched on that are on leg A. Then at perhaps other times circuits that are on leg B. So both have to be measured/recorded. Heavier 230 volt appliances, such as clothes dryers, cooking stoves and electric heat use leg A and leg B. So the current could be measured twice! The electrcity meter does this on behalf of the power utility. Trying to measure current without using the proper (and code compliant) apparatus sounds like a rather useless exercise? maybe the simplest is read the meter and/or invest in one of those devices (battery powered AIUI) that clamp onto the meter and transmit information to a battery powered unit inside the house. Congratulate the OP on cultivating an awareness of which appliances use most power and when they are on; but some so called 'economies' are meaningless. For example many homes here use electric heating; so that the more 'efficient' *appliances or CFL lamps that today do not 'waste' as much electricity as heat do not contribute to home heating. As a consequence electric heating has to operate a little more in order to warm the house so the same amount of kilowatt hours are used, whether indirectly through 'inefficient' appliances/lights or directly through electric heating.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Paul I couldnt get a link |
#11
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There is this glass enclosed device called an electric meter generally
on the outside of your house where the electric wires come into your house. It often has a 4 or 5 inch diameter wheel inside that spins around based on the amount of electric you are using at that moment. The faster it spins the more current (power) you are using. Additionally there are also 4 or 5 pointers on the unit that display the number of amp/hours used since the meter was installed. If you write down the numbers the pointer is pointing to (always the smaller number) and compare it to the positions in an hour or week, the difference is how many amp-hours you have use it that time frame. If you have a digital meter, just write down the number and compare On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:51:41 GMT, "peter" wrote: I'd like to be more aware of the current draw in my house. This could help me locate appliances I forgot to turn off, or device that draw large current even when turned off, or hidden current leakage. The easiest way is probably to add some sort of meter to the main electrical panel. However I don't feel like rewiring the panel for this. Are there circuit breaker with built-in amp meter? I guess the meter would have to be very small. If such thing exists it would be the simplest solution. Or it could transmit the reading via powerline (x10 or insteon) that can be read with a PC interface. |
#12
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maybe the simplest is read the meter and/or invest in one of those
devices (battery powered AIUI) that clamp onto the meter and transmit information to a battery powered unit inside the house. It just occurs to me, my power company uses radio AMR to read my meter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_meter_reading Are there receives I can buy to receive the same signal? |
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