Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T

Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T

Todd wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T
Hi,
What's wrong using multimeter?
Typically brown out period is early morning breakfast time,
evening supper time. We do our laundry during the day on week ends.

Todd wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T
Look more closely; some will display voltage

Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T

check campingworld. A lot of Rv'r use them to monitor voltage in rv parks.

there definitely is such an animal. Plugs right in the outlet.

Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T

google is your friend

http://www.modmyrv.com/2008/06/07/rv-ac-voltage-monitor

Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Try this outfit:

http://www.murata-ps.com/cgi-bin/cd4...defaultPanel=0

Todd wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T

a Kill-A-Watt will do both

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Tony Hwang wrote:
Todd wrote:
Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T

Hi,
What's wrong using multimeter?
Typically brown out period is early morning breakfast time,
evening supper time. We do our laundry during the day on week ends.

I did not want the fuss. I just wanted to let it hang in the
outlet and tell me the voltage

Steve Barker wrote:

Todd wrote:

Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T


google is your friend

http://www.modmyrv.com/2008/06/07/rv-ac-voltage-monitor



Not bad for $16.99.

If you really want to cheap it down pick up this multimeter from Harbor
Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90899

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

jeff_wisnia wrote:
Steve Barker wrote:

Todd wrote:

Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T


google is your friend

http://www.modmyrv.com/2008/06/07/rv-ac-voltage-monitor



Not bad for $16.99.

If you really want to cheap it down pick up this multimeter from
Harbor Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90899

Jeff

That's a good idea: Attach a male plug to the wires where the probes used to
be.

But I'd like to second the Kill-A-Watt. You'll find many other uses for the
device.

Steve Barker wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T

google is your friend

http://www.modmyrv.com/2008/06/07/rv-ac-voltage-monitor


Hi Guys,

Thank you for all the tips. I never would have thought
to look in RV accessories. Now I have lots of choices,
including pretty LED models. I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.

Many thanks,
-T

Radio Shack used to have a plug in meter, for about five
bucks. Swing needle for voltage.

Google for "line voltage monitor" and find one for $20 at
Walmart.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...i_sku=11742723

http://tinyurl.com/ykcyr2p
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Todd" wrote in message
...

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T

wrote:
On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:21:39 -0700, Todd wrote:

Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,


Buy a cheap meter, put lamp cord on it and plug it in.
I bought a Weston 904 (lab grade back in the day) for $5 at a surplus
place and it has been plugged in for 15 years.
Hi,
That is very good idea. Very well built vintage meter you can hang on
the wall like a clock. Will beat El Cheapo Chinese made plug in meters
for sure.

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:50:57 -0700, Todd wrote:

Bennett Price wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T
Look he http://tinyurl.com/yj865kt

Googled: energy consumption meter plug in

Thank you for looking!

Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

-T
They also register voltage. You can choose voltage, amperage, and
wattage, as well as KwH and cost.
Mine is a UPM EM100

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:48:45 -0400, jeff_wisnia
wrote:

Steve Barker wrote:

Todd wrote:

Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T


google is your friend

http://www.modmyrv.com/2008/06/07/rv-ac-voltage-monitor



Not bad for $16.99.

If you really want to cheap it down pick up this multimeter from Harbor
Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90899

Jeff
Standard multimeter - cheap as you can get, wired to a plug.
Nasty if the wires come out of the meter, and definitely not "code
compliant" like the UPM EM100

In article , Todd wrote:

I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.



How much math does it take to read a digital meter?

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:59:33 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote Re display utility voltage?:


But I'd like to second the Kill-A-Watt. You'll find many other uses for the
device.

Ditto on that.
--
I filter all messages from google groups.

Smitty Two wrote:
In article , Todd wrote:

I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.



How much math does it take to read a digital meter?

---

Is 122 volts greater or less than 115?

By how much?

What color is a volt?

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:50:57 -0700, Todd wrote:

-snip-
Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.


If that's all you want to do then install a Uninterruptible Power
Supply with an alarm. They seem to have cleaned it up now, but
when I first put in my UPS it beeped several times a week for power
fluctuations that didn't bother lights, or even the TV.

If brownouts are common I'd be more worried about my computers than my
washing machine.

Jim

In article ,
Jim Elbrecht wrote:

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:50:57 -0700, Todd wrote:

-snip-
Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.


If that's all you want to do then install a Uninterruptible Power
Supply with an alarm. They seem to have cleaned it up now, but
when I first put in my UPS it beeped several times a week for power
fluctuations that didn't bother lights, or even the TV.

If brownouts are common I'd be more worried about my computers than my
washing machine.

Jim

I wouldn't. Electric motors hate brownouts. My washer has such a gadget,
but my computer doesn't. But I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.

wrote:
On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:55:28 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
Jim Elbrecht wrote:

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:50:57 -0700, Todd wrote:

-snip-
Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

If that's all you want to do then install a Uninterruptible Power
Supply with an alarm. They seem to have cleaned it up now, but
when I first put in my UPS it beeped several times a week for power
fluctuations that didn't bother lights, or even the TV.

If brownouts are common I'd be more worried about my computers than my
washing machine.

Jim
I wouldn't. Electric motors hate brownouts. My washer has such a gadget,
but my computer doesn't. But I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.


I vote with Smitty. Switch mode power supplies have a great tolerance
for power fluctuations. Some are perfectly happy with any input from
100-250 volts without manual switching. Your basic PC supply still has
a range of 100-150 or 200-250 depending on the switch setting.
They also have a large tolerance to dips, and spikes.
Hi,
By design they have built-in regulator that is why.

On Oct 24, 6:21*pm, Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? *(No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T

triplett used to have one

Jimmie

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:00:42 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:55:28 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
Jim Elbrecht wrote:

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:50:57 -0700, Todd wrote:

-snip-
Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.


If that's all you want to do then install a Uninterruptible Power
Supply with an alarm. They seem to have cleaned it up now, but
when I first put in my UPS it beeped several times a week for power
fluctuations that didn't bother lights, or even the TV.

If brownouts are common I'd be more worried about my computers than my
washing machine.

Jim

I wouldn't. Electric motors hate brownouts. My washer has such a gadget,
but my computer doesn't. But I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.


I vote with Smitty. Switch mode power supplies have a great tolerance
for power fluctuations. Some are perfectly happy with any input from
100-250 volts without manual switching. Your basic PC supply still has
a range of 100-150 or 200-250 depending on the switch setting.
They also have a large tolerance to dips, and spikes.


Try 94 to 240

Smitty Two wrote:

In article ,
Jim Elbrecht wrote:

-snip-

If that's all you want to do then install a Uninterruptible Power
Supply with an alarm. They seem to have cleaned it up now, but
when I first put in my UPS it beeped several times a week for power
fluctuations that didn't bother lights, or even the TV.

If brownouts are common I'd be more worried about my computers than my
washing machine.

Jim

I wouldn't. Electric motors hate brownouts. My washer has such a gadget,
but my computer doesn't.

I suppose I could argue that I really don't care if the washer dies,
but it would ruin my day if my computer did.g

I stand corrected on that point. [near unanimity here is too unusual
to go un-noticedg]

But I'd still go with a UPS for my computer- for all the UPS
benefits-- and an audible alarm if there is a brownout.

But I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.

I almost disagreed-- then remembered that the last century isn't that
far back. I'm in a suburban area that still had flakey power 10 yrs
ago.

Jim

wrote:
On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:00:42 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:55:28 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
Jim Elbrecht wrote:

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:50:57 -0700, Todd wrote:

-snip-
Unfortunately, those are consumption meters. Rats!
I want to monitor my line voltage, so I don't start
my washer during a brown out.

If that's all you want to do then install a Uninterruptible Power
Supply with an alarm. They seem to have cleaned it up now, but
when I first put in my UPS it beeped several times a week for power
fluctuations that didn't bother lights, or even the TV.

If brownouts are common I'd be more worried about my computers than my
washing machine.

Jim
I wouldn't. Electric motors hate brownouts. My washer has such a gadget,
but my computer doesn't. But I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.

I vote with Smitty. Switch mode power supplies have a great tolerance
for power fluctuations. Some are perfectly happy with any input from
100-250 volts without manual switching. Your basic PC supply still has
a range of 100-150 or 200-250 depending on the switch setting.
They also have a large tolerance to dips, and spikes.


Try 94 to 240
Hi,
Yes and like 32Hz to 60Hz. So CE specs. win hands down over UL spec.

JIMMIE wrote:
On Oct 24, 6:21 pm, Todd wrote:
Hi All,

Anyone know of a voltage meter I can plug into
and sit in an electrical outlet that will
display my utility voltage? (No luck with
Google.)

Many thanks,
-T

triplett used to have one

Jimmie

I've got a fairly nice (expanded scale) one here made by VIZ, but I've
had it for decades, so I have no idea whether they even exist any more.

Smitty Two wrote:
snipBut I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.

We have plenty of power fluctuations here in Austin, Texas. Some are
quite noticeable, while others are merely enough to trigger a UPS
without causing much impact otherwise. I believe they come from a
variety of causes, including sudden load variations, cars hitting
utility poles, equipment (especially transformer) failures, severe
weather bringing down lines, etc.

Smitty Two wrote:
But I too wonder, where is the OP that he has
brownouts? I thought those were so, like, last century.

Nevada. Yes, last century -- we like it that way. :-)

Smitty Two wrote:
In article , Todd wrote:

I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.



How much math does it take to read a digital meter?

Makes me remember where too high and too are.

Todd wrote:
Smitty Two wrote:
In article , Todd wrote:

I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.



How much math does it take to read a digital meter?

Makes me remember where too high and too are.

Considering how low the R&D involved would be, sounds like a viable
niche market here. A combo nightlight and analog voltage meter, with
high and low markers like an old barometer.

I'd buy one. (as long as it wasn't over 20 bucks or so.)

--
aem sends...

On Oct 25, 7:41*pm, aemeijers wrote:
Todd wrote:
Smitty Two wrote:
In article , Todd wrote:

I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.

How much math does it take to read a digital meter?

Makes me remember where too high and too are.

Considering how low the R&D involved would be, sounds like a viable
niche market here. A combo nightlight and analog voltage meter, with
high and low markers like an old barometer.

I'd buy one. (as long as it wasn't over 20 bucks or so.)

--
aem sends...

You can get an el-cheapo multimeter almost anywhere these days. Plug
it into an outlet and see if it reads between 115 and 125 Volts when
power seems to be normal. Then just watch the meter whenever you want
to turn on whatever it was that you mentioned in the OP.

hr(bob) wrote:
On Oct 25, 7:41 pm, aemeijers wrote:
Todd wrote:
Smitty Two wrote:
In article , Todd wrote:
I am thinking that the analog
with the red and green strips may just be perfect -- no
math required.
How much math does it take to read a digital meter?
Makes me remember where too high and too are.
Considering how low the R&D involved would be, sounds like a viable
niche market here. A combo nightlight and analog voltage meter, with
high and low markers like an old barometer.

I'd buy one. (as long as it wasn't over 20 bucks or so.)

--
aem sends...

You can get an el-cheapo multimeter almost anywhere these days. Plug
it into an outlet and see if it reads between 115 and 125 Volts when
power seems to be normal. Then just watch the meter whenever you want
to turn on whatever it was that you mentioned in the OP.

If you have a modern UPS connected to your computer that talks to it
through a serial port or USB connection, you ought to be able to set an
alarm whenever your line voltage goes outside of parameters (of course,
the UPS itself will probably beep when that happens and the UPS switches
over to the inverter - unless you're one of those guys who has to have
professional grade everything and you're using a "true online" UPS for
your home PC...)

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:00:42 -0400, gfretwell wrote:
I vote with Smitty. Switch mode power supplies have a great tolerance
for power fluctuations. Some are perfectly happy with any input from
100-250 volts without manual switching.

ISTR some designs essentially pick one of two configurations depending
on line input - i.e. if it's around 120 (US and presumably others) or
around 240 (Europe). Such designs can still fry if the voltage isn't
somewhere close to one of those two (i.e. giving it something like 180 for
any length of time would be bad)

Your basic PC supply still has a range of 100-150 or 200-250 depending
on the switch setting.

Yeah, they save a few cents on parts cost. Some really crap ones don't
even have the switch.

They also have a large tolerance to dips, and spikes.

Usually - or at least if something does happen it tends to kill parts that
are easy to replace. Although not always - I've seen some where the
entirety of the 'hot' side and half the LV side has been taken out by a
fault...

cheers

Jules