| Forum Home | ||||
| PC World Chat | ||||
| Thread ID: 143430 | 2017-01-09 05:45:00 | Watt Meters and where to get them | dugimodo (138) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1430563 | 2017-01-09 05:45:00 | I have an occasional use for a watt meter so I've owned 2 of them, the two different models that Jaycar sells. One is an Elto and you find it all over the place. Both failed on me after a few month of disuse, the cheaper one just gives weird nonsensical readings now and the more expensive one is completely dead. www.jaycar.co.nz www.jaycar.co.nz Has anyone had a good run out of a watt meter, say more than a couple of years of occasional use? and if so what model and where did you get it ? |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1430564 | 2017-01-09 05:52:00 | You know the rms voltage, with one of these you can calculate the Wattage: en-us.fluke.com |
zqwerty (97) | ||
| 1430565 | 2017-01-09 07:14:00 | I have an occasional use for a watt meter so I've owned 2 of them, the two different models that Jaycar sells. One is an Elto and you find it all over the place. Both failed on me after a few month of disuse, the cheaper one just gives weird nonsensical readings now and the more expensive one is completely dead. www.jaycar.co.nz www.jaycar.co.nz Has anyone had a good run out of a watt meter, say more than a couple of years of occasional use? and if so what model and where did you get it ? I've been down this road too and I've got a very old EMA-1 which won't work after a couple of years. :D Problem, two flat cells in the top of the unit. Chuck a couple of batteries at it and it works fine. ;) |
B.M. (505) | ||
| 1430566 | 2017-01-09 07:24:00 | You know the rms voltage, with one of these you can calculate the Wattage: en-us.fluke.com Only if you measure the power factor...........you can do this using a wattmeter and measuring current and voltage :banana :clap |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 1430567 | 2017-01-09 07:57:00 | I thought, Vrms X Irms = Watts on resistive load, so the result will always be more than what may be being used if the load is capacitive or inductive. Hence built in safety factor. |
zqwerty (97) | ||
| 1430568 | 2017-01-09 08:39:00 | Clamp meters don't work on power cords, you need to separate the phase and neutral and feed the individual wire through the meter which makes them basically useless for measuring household appliances unless you make up a rig for it. A plug in watt meter is a lot more convenient and can log power usage over time so for example I can find out the daily usage of my fridge. Thanks for that B.M. unfortunately it's not that simple in my case, one has replaceable batteries and that's not the issue, it's just giving garbage readings even with new batteries or at least it was I think I binned it at some point. The other has a tiny soldered on 6V Nicad internally that was reading 0V so I un-soldered it and jury rigged a 6V battery to test and nothing, no display at all. Binned that too. Was hoping someone could recommend something decent besides those two. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1430569 | 2017-01-09 08:55:00 | Easy to use a short extension cord and separate out the phase and neutral. Obviously a Watt meter will do the job but how much do you want to pay, a clamp meter will have a lot of uses and surely won't be as expensive. |
zqwerty (97) | ||
| 1430570 | 2017-01-09 08:59:00 | All true zqwerty but it's the ability to log usage over time that I'm really after. There's no way to do that with a clamp meter that I'm aware of. Also as to pricing, it's the opposite to what you'd expect. Watt meters are cheaper than clamp meters. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1430571 | 2017-01-09 18:11:00 | Clamp meters don't work on power cords, you need to separate the phase and neutral and feed the individual wire through the meter which makes them basically useless for measuring household appliances unless you make up a rig for it . A plug in watt meter is a lot more convenient and can log power usage over time so for example I can find out the daily usage of my fridge . Thanks for that B . M . unfortunately it's not that simple in my case, one has replaceable batteries and that's not the issue, it's just giving garbage readings even with new batteries or at least it was I think I binned it at some point . The other has a tiny soldered on 6V Nicad internally that was reading 0V so I un-soldered it and jury rigged a 6V battery to test and nothing, no display at all . Binned that too . Was hoping someone could recommend something decent besides those two . Oh I see . Well if I remember correctly I got mine at Bunnings but the model seems to have been superseded . However they do have THIS ( . bunnings . co . nz/arlec-energy-cost-electrical-meter_p04410270" target="_blank">www . bunnings . co . nz) one . Can't vouch for it though . |
B.M. (505) | ||
| 1430572 | 2017-01-09 21:11:00 | Try here: www.mrpositive.co.nz | Laggard (17509) | ||
| 1 2 | |||||