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AC energy monitor

blackrose

By blackrose
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Does anyone know where I can get an AC energy monitor that runs off the mains rather than batteries?

 

The one I've got goes through batteries very quickly and I've tried rechargeables but the voltage isn't high enough and they only last a couple of weeks.

 

Because I'm on a 13amp supply and have a 10amp RCBO on the boat I have to juggle appliances and I find a monitor a useful aid to prevent me drawing too much power.

 

Maplins don't seem to have any mains powered units.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Maplins don't seem to have any mains powered units.

what type are you after, then ?

 

Something more than the type that just plug into a 13A socket ?

 

I'd not expect this to use batteries......

 

Maplin Linky

 

Certainly similar ones I have don't, (soe from Maplin, but not this exactt model, I think. I can't understand why one ever would - it has to be plugged into the mains to be of any practical purpose, doesn't it!

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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what type are you after, then ?

 

Something more than the type that just plug into a 13A socket ?

 

I'd not expect this to use batteries......

 

Maplin Linky

 

Certainly similar ones I have don't, (soe from Maplin, but not this exactt model, I think. I can't understand why one ever would - it has to be plugged into the mains to be of any practical purpose, doesn't it!

 

Thanks. I've got one of those but doesn't that just monitor a single socket? I want one for the entire mains ring.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Thanks. I've got one of those but doesn't that just monitor a single socket? I want one for the entire mains ring.

Well that's why I was checking what you needed.

 

I thought originally when you oved to that ooring you raised query that the boat would be fed through a landline plugged into just a normal 13 amp mains socket, rather than the ore usual 16A round pin connector ?

 

Or am I remembering wrong ?

 

I thought if that was the case, you can just insert this where you plug into that 13A socket, then you are monitoring entire boat ?

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Nickhlx Veteran

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Well that's why I was checking what you needed.

 

I thought originally when you oved to that ooring you raised query that the boat would be fed through a landline plugged into just a normal 13 amp mains socket, rather than the ore usual 16A round pin connector ?

 

Or am I remembering wrong ?

 

I thought if that was the case, you can just insert this where you plug into that 13A socket, then you are monitoring entire boat ?

 

On our pontoon, there are posts with 4 outputs and 4 meters ( one for each outlet) Why not use one of these on board ? It measures down to 0.1 kWh. Don't use mine though as I am using it laugh.gif - look at electrical wholesalers

 

 

ETA - I wasn't thinking of one of these http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/RDCRED60.html but it would probably suit your need..

 

Nick

Edited by Nickhlx
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Well that's why I was checking what you needed.

 

I thought originally when you oved to that ooring you raised query that the boat would be fed through a landline plugged into just a normal 13 amp mains socket, rather than the ore usual 16A round pin connector ?

 

Or am I remembering wrong ?

 

I thought if that was the case, you can just insert this where you plug into that 13A socket, then you are monitoring entire boat ?

 

And that why I replied with a description of what I needed. :unsure:

 

I could do as you suggest, but I'd have to go outside, walk across the garden and check the monitor in the (unlit) greenhouse. I really wanted something on the boat.

 

I just want something like this which clips onto the live cable rather than having to wire something in.

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/wireless-energy-saving-meter-220934

Edited by blackrose
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Have a look for 'energy monitor' on Ebay, lots of whole house ones on auction.

 

 

Looked on ebay but I can't find one that says it runs off the mains. All the wireless ones (with remote sensor) use batteries. They seem to have unnecessarily complicated the designs of these things without thinking about the user. The main selling point for these devices is that knowing how much power you are using will help to save energy, but they don't seem to have considered the quantity of batteries these devices use (slight paradox there). I don't need a remote sensor because they are power hungry - all I need is a monitor with a 1m wire between the sensor and display which I can run from the mains.

Edited by blackrose
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Chalky Experienced

Chalky

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I've got 2 British Gas ones, one they sent me and one from ebay. Both have mains powered receivers and battery powered transmitters. One's been running for nearly 2 years on the original batteries, the other is coming up to 6 months with no problem.

If the battery is failing after a few weeks it could be faulty. Alternatively they could transmit every time there's something to report and it may be that there's something thats causing it t0 transmit all the time.

One alternative is to power the transmitter off the boat supply.

Since they're battery powered a mod to run off the boat supply shouldn't be too difficult since they use hall effect / coil based current sensing (not direct coupling). Once you know the voltage of the battery a regulator based on an LM317 should do the job (maplin do a kit). You'll just need to change the front end capacitors to 100V devices and add an in-line choke and +20V zener diode for transient suppression.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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A mains powered unit with a remote battery powered sensor would do the job if the batteries last as long as you both say. Mine was completely battery powered and they only last a few weeks.

 

Do you have a model name/number? I'll google British Gas energy monitor.

 

Edit: Is it this one? http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/energy-savers/green-gadgets/Trec-energy-monitor.html

Edited by blackrose
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Nickhlx Veteran

Nickhlx

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A mains powered unit with a remote battery powered sensor would do the jon id the batteries last as long as you both say. Mine was completely battery powered and they only last a few weeks.

 

Do you have a model name/number? I'll google British Gas energy monitor.

 

On my wireless, free from British Gas, home monitor, both the TX and RX are battery powered and the batteries last about 9-12 months - I think I have only replaced once. It's the OWL system, of which I think there is a later (and probably improved) model now out...

 

Nick

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Nickhlx Veteran

Nickhlx

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Mine isn't - it's older than that in an ugly black case, and is as I said, mains powered. Just the TX is battery powered.

 

Tony

 

Ours is this one .... http://www.naturalcollection.com/shop/owl-119-wireless-energy-monitor-by-2-save-energy/?PCode=FSGNC15&gclid=CMXL05zas6sCFaQmtAodfDmZdw

 

Seems to work well - slight doubt about the accuracy, (power factor related I think) doesn't / can't differentiate between incoming power consumed and outgoing power generated, updates about once every seconds, and doesn't always respond quickly to small changes in power ( less than 20 watts), but otherwise it's fine...

 

Nick

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Chalky Experienced

Chalky

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Both of ours are Owl ones. The one off ebay cost about £20 and the display forgets everything when the power goes off. The newer one that we got when we moved to British Gas B) from EDF (long story :angry: ) has internal batteries and runs for a few hours after the mains goes off. Its also got a multi colour display and runs on zigbee.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Ours is this one .... http://www.naturalcollection.com/shop/owl-119-wireless-energy-monitor-by-2-save-energy/?PCode=FSGNC15&gclid=CMXL05zas6sCFaQmtAodfDmZdw

 

Seems to work well - slight doubt about the accuracy, (power factor related I think) doesn't / can't differentiate between incoming power consumed and outgoing power generated, updates about once every seconds, and doesn't always respond quickly to small changes in power ( less than 20 watts), but otherwise it's fine...

 

Nick

 

Gibbo once told me that these monitors arent very accurate because they don't know the precise voltage. I guess for the AC monitors which you can set the voltage, you could always use a plug in monitor to check the voltage at a socket and then set this on the ring mains monitor.

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Chalky Experienced

Chalky

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Gibbo once told me that these monitors arent very accurate because they don't know the precise voltage. I guess for the AC monitors which you can set the voltage, you could always use a plug in monitor to check the voltage at a socket and then set this on the ring mains monitor.

 

They make a lot of assumptions and are for guidance only. To do it properly you need things like calibrated current transformers and differential probes and these cost a lot more than the meters we're talking about here. They are for indication only and it usually states somewhere in the paperwork that the electricity meter is taken as the standard.

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  • 3 months later...
blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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Both of ours are Owl ones. The one off ebay cost about £20 and the display forgets everything when the power goes off. The newer one that we got when we moved to British Gas B) from EDF (long story :angry: ) has internal batteries and runs for a few hours after the mains goes off. Its also got a multi colour display and runs on zigbee.

 

I just bought an Owl off ebay for 20 quid.

 

Does anyone know how to set the alarm funtion? I just want to set it for a max Kw draw, not max cost or anything.

 

Is this feature available - the manuals don't really say?

 

 

 

Edit: I found this online and under "Programming the Owl" it says:

 

http://www.theowl.com/uploads/downloads/OWL+USBmanual.pdf

 

D. Alarm:

Press the SET key again. OFF will flash in the window. Change this setting if you would like an alarm to sound when the usage peaks above a specified rate. Press ADJUST or MODE to change to ON. Press SET to confirm. The default setting is 10.00 KW. You can choose to change this from 0 up to 999.9 KW. Press the ADJUST or MODE key to set the

maximum rate to trigger the alarm.

 

For some reason when I turn the alarm on it just allowns me to make a cost adjustment, but not a Kw adjustment. I'll have to call the manufacturers.

Edited by blackrose
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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If you bring the power onboard and insert the Maplin plug in meter there, then run on round the boat to all consuming irems you solve your power checking need by the insertion of a 13A socket in the boat and running all the power consumption off that through the plug in meter.

 

Yes, I can see that would work, but since my mains ring is already fitted and I don't want to mess about with it a clip on meter will suffice. Anyway, I don't think most plug in meters have high power draw alarms do they?

 

I have a 13 amp supply with a 10amp RCBO onboard. Should I set the high power draw alarm at 2.3 Kw? (if I ever manage to work out how to set it!)

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