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I found one for $19.95 and was wondering if this was a good meter for determining amps drawn from my display. If not, what would be a good meter?
Whatever meter that is used, can you plug the power cord from the LOR controller into the meter to get the amps drawn on that side of the controller, or will I have to do it channel by channel? Perhaps there is another way; either way thank you for your advice!
I have one and it is my favorite tool for putting up my display. I read the amps before they go into the controller. I dont knnow about the other way. The controller may have to be on to read it, but not sure. I would think through the Hardware utility.
I have one and it is my favorite tool for putting up my display. I read the amps before they go into the controller. I dont knnow about the other way. The controller may have to be on to read it, but not sure. I would think through the Hardware utility.
For that price, it is probably one of the better options..
Remember that the controllers themselves don't draw any meaningful power, but rather the lights do.. So if you plug the controller into the meter, it will only read the lights that are on, that are fed by that cord (if you have dual inlet controllers)
Personally, I prefer to know how much power each channel draws, so I can plan that some of my controllers are 15A across all 16 channels, and others are 15A per half. That way I can support all on, if I ever do that in one of my sequences.. (rare)
I don't have the kill o watt, but the more expensive 'watts up'. The kill o watt is the better deal (cheaper, does the same thing). Mine has a computer interface, but I hardly every use it.
I measure all my stuff indoors, just plugging each item in and then writing down the amps and watts for each item.
Then I populate the quartzhill spreadsheet inventory page with all the unique items.
I've found LED(s) can sometimes be a little tricky, as the readings (for me) have been on the low side ... but I've found that LEDs read more accurately after they have warmed up for a minute first. Oddly enough, I've seen that certain color (LEDS) are more or less power hungry. So in the inventory, I typically put things in by type, color and where I bought them ... so the HD 70ct minis vs. Target 40% less 100ct minis vs. Walmart 100ct minis, etc.
The LEDS use so little energy, that I usually just back calculate the 'per bulb' numbers.
Mine does total cumulative energy use and the min, max avg ... so it might be interesting to hook up the meter to a controller for an entire show ... just to see what the min, max, avg and total usage was. Per controller, this could be somewhat interesting. The watts up I have is also a data logger, so you can download all the data over time to the computer ... cool, but kind of a lot of work.
$20 is a bargain. You should also consider the purchase of an inexpensive clamp meter to measure amperage. They can be found in some of the box warehouse stores for under $40.
Not only is it a good meter, it is a must have item for anyone using lighting controllers.
You can read half the controller by turning on everything with the hardware utility but each channel is very important too.
I never plug a channel in until I check the full draw through the kill-a-watt.
I just came across this meter called 'TED' ... which seems rather interesting as well, as its a permenant monitoring solution. I've always wanted that.
You never should have posted that info about TED, now I want one and will have to figure out how to come up with the money. That might mean one less controller for the 2008 show. Very neat, I like it.
Clamp on amp meters are pretty versatile for quick readings.. Basically they are a current transformer on a split core, with a lever to open up the core to place it over a wire.
If you know how to be safe with the panel face off your electrical panel, a clamp meter usually can easily be used to measure current in the split phase feeds and neutral, as well as current in the individual circuits.
Outside the panel, they typically are not quite so non intrusive, but still fast and easy. If you just clamp the meter over a standard cord, it should read zero, or as close as the split core allows to zero. The reason is that all the current out the cord is offset by all the current coming back in the opposite direction.. The way to get around this is to use a cord with the hot and neutral separated. You can either make your own version of this, or various places sell figure 8 shaped adapters with a plug on one end, and a socket on the other. These adapters are labeled where to clamp for a direct one x reading through one hole, and a 10x reading through the other.
The key advantage that these have over non clamp meters for measuring current through strings of lights is that there is no risk of exposure to line voltages. However the Kill A Watt is pretty much comparable for this use. The advantage the clamp has over the KAW is the ability to go into the panel.
BTW, I'll second that the energy detective is way too appealing....
I looked at the link for the TED unit and it appears to be a great unit but, for what it does and it's basically fixed installation as well as fixed functionality I think it's way over the top.
In more simplistic terms a quality clamp-on meter like the Geenlee or one by Fluke gives you much more flexibility. Not only can you measure individual loads but you can also measure actual voltagge as well as resistance and continuity. Some of the more high end versions also have diode testing capabilities (think LED testing).
If you know the amperage and voltage you can calculate the wattage of any load consuming device.
The critical component in seting up a display is knowing the current draw of each connected load, to do that with a clamp on takes a small easy to fabricate interface that allows you to read the hot side of the device while it is plugged in. If anyone is interested I can put together a simple diagram and parts list so you can build your own test rig. The rig can be used to read individual loads as well as the total load on a controller.
Tony
____________________ Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
-klb- wrote: Clamp on amp meters are pretty versatile for quick readings.. Basically they are a current transformer on a split core, with a lever to open up the core to place it over a wire.
If you know how to be safe with the panel face off your electrical panel, a clamp meter usually can easily be used to measure current in the split phase feeds and neutral, as well as current in the individual circuits.
Outside the panel, they typically are not quite so non intrusive, but still fast and easy. If you just clamp the meter over a standard cord, it should read zero, or as close as the split core allows to zero. The reason is that all the current out the cord is offset by all the current coming back in the opposite direction.. The way to get around this is to use a cord with the hot and neutral separated. You can either make your own version of this, or various places sell figure 8 shaped adapters with a plug on one end, and a socket on the other. These adapters are labeled where to clamp for a direct one x reading through one hole, and a 10x reading through the other.
The key advantage that these have over non clamp meters for measuring current through strings of lights is that there is no risk of exposure to line voltages. However the Kill A Watt is pretty much comparable for this use. The advantage the clamp has over the KAW is the ability to go into the panel.
BTW, I'll second that the energy detective is way too appealing....
- Kevin
here is an example of how klb was describing using an amp clamp. I made this from a scrap piece of extention cord , and 2 plugs I had lying around.
gymnasium wrote: You never should have posted that info about TED, now I want one and will have to figure out how to come up with the money. That might mean one less controller for the 2008 show. Very neat, I like it.
Gosh Darn it! same bug just got me too! Curse you Tabrynn! hahahahhaha! see what you went and did!
Only thing that it wont help with is all those darn fees that add up to about 2/3rds of you electric bill.. If those "fees" weren't on my bill it would be less that $50 a month right now and about $100 during our hot summers!
Last edited on Sunday March 23rd, 2008 06:38 pm by mnkyboy
Tony Furst wrote: I looked at the link for the TED unit and it appears to be a great unit but, for what it does and it's basically fixed installation as well as fixed functionality I think it's way over the top.
Just to expand on this, the TED should not be considered as a solution for the same things that the Kill A Watt or clamp meters cover.
The clamp meters are good for checking loads of strings of lights, or groups of strings of lights. They are also good for point in time checking of total panel loads and branch circuit loads...
The Kill A Watt is good for checking loads of strings of lights or groups of strings of lights. It can also be put on a small appliance like a refrigerator, or small window air conditioner to track their energy usage over time.
The TED is aimed specifically at watching the entire household energy usage over time. It won't measure individual strings of lights, and it won't track individual small appliance use. It will watch whole house trends, and with a PC and software, it can approximately break out large load use like AC, clothes dryers, etc.. So, while I think it is cool, it definitely does not do for our hobby anything like what a clamp meter or Kill A Watt meter will do..
I was just thinking that maybe one could get by with just a kill-o-watt + TED or a kill-o-watt and a clamp meter.
The bonus of the TED (for me), would be conservation and ease of use. Usually when something is easy, you use it more.
For me, I could only see myself using the clamp meter to measure the whole house load ... but it wouldn't be as handy as the kill-o-watt for measuring individual loads.
So I know the clamp meter is more flexible / versitile ... but on a 20 below zero night ... I'm thinking I'd enjoy going into the warm office and viewing the load ... and not opening up a main panel and using the clamp meter.
So when using the clamp meter on the main panel, do you just put it around one of the incoming wires and measure per side ?
Having to create a special cable, to then measure with is n
eat, but isn't that then making the clamp meter into a kill-o-watt basically?
Ok, so one could own just a clamp meter ... and it would offer the most for the least $$ it seems, right?
I was just thinking that maybe one could get by with just a kill-o-watt + TED or a kill-o-watt and a clamp meter.
The bonus of the TED (for me), would be conservation and ease of use. Usually when something is easy, you use it more.
For me, I could only see myself using the clamp meter to measure the whole house load ... but it wouldn't be as handy as the kill-o-watt for measuring individual loads.
So I know the clamp meter is more flexible / versitile ... but on a 20 below zero night ... I'm thinking I'd enjoy going into the warm office and viewing the load ... and not opening up a main panel and using the clamp meter.
So when using the clamp meter on the main panel, do you just put it around one of the incoming wires and measure per side ?
Having to create a special cable, to then measure with is n
eat, but isn't that then making the clamp meter into a kill-o-watt basically?Kinda sorta but not really the clamp-on won't tell you watts you still have to do the math for that part. As for the special cable, basically you only need it for plug loads. All it really is is a short extension cord that has had the outer jacket removed so that you can put the jaws around the hot conductor.
Ok, so one could own just a clamp meter ... and it would offer the most for the least $$ it seems, right?I can do everything the Kill-A-Watt can do and lots more with my clamp-on meter. I prefer an instrument that I can get multiple uses out of so that's why I have the clamp on, well actually the clamp-on attachment for my Fluke Digital VOM. I also have an older Amprobe brand RS-3 analog clamp on, still works and is as accurate as the Fluke for 90% of what I need it for.
____________________ Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
