Lee Valley has Kill-a-Watt meters under $20

[LCHIEN]

I've mentioned this before if you want to check your tools and or appliances for power consumption. Its a very safe way of measuring Amps and Volts and Watts up to 15Amps. It handles surges well (I've plugged my HF 2HP DC into it and started it and that draws nearly 75Amps starting current). I personally own two of these. And they are very easy to use for a non technical person.


http://www.leevalley.com/newsletters...newsletter.htm

[cgallery]

On Loring's recommendation I purchased one.

I find it very handy.

Just a month or so ago I checked to see what kind of load I was putting on my bandsaw's motor when I was resawing taller stock. I was concerned that I may be pushing the motor too hard.

It was reassuring to have the meter and discover that I wasn't risking burning the motor out.

I'm pretty sure I spent about $30 on mine.

[Photojosh]

FWIW, Amazon has these for $22 or so.

[LCHIEN]

they are all over ebay for around $20, too, but some people here don't do ebay.

[gerti]

Newegg sells them for $16.99:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ill%20A%20Watt

[LCHIEN]

Newegg sells them for $16.99:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ill%20A%20Watt

even better!

[Mr__Bill]

Just a month or so ago I checked to see what kind of load I was putting on my bandsaw's motor when I was resawing taller stock. I was concerned that I may be pushing the motor too hard.

It was reassuring to have the meter and discover that I wasn't risking burning the motor out.

I was at a loss as to just why one would need one of these. It seemed to me to be a nifty gadget lacking a needful purpose, but I now see what it could be useful for. I hadn't thought of measuring the start up load or of finding out how much a motor was lugging down. My clamp-on still serves my needs though it's a bit cumbersome but I can see how this could be useful.

Bill,

[LCHIEN]

IT can be useful for these things:
1. Monitors AC voltage with an easy plugin (as opposed to poking the leads of your Voltmeter into the two slots an holding them there), you can see if your line is high or low at any given time; mines 122V tonight. And if running a load is dragging down the branch circuit or extension cord too much. In my shop I leave one plugged in just to monitor the line voltage.

2. Monitors AC Amps, without breaking into a line cord or opening the tool to separate out one conductor to clamp your ammeter around. Also, being direct reading it more accurate than the clamp meters.

3. reads Line frequency in Hz, of course most major power grids are spot on but
generators might be off.

4 reads watts to get actual power

5 reads VA to get reactive power for non linear loads like electronics and motors.

6. integrates time and wattage to give actual watt hours for a intermittently operating device (like a refrigerator or a thermostatically controlled device) to give watt hours and you can calculate how much actual power and cost (based on so many cents per KWH) to run it for a given averaging period of time.


P.S. against my laboratory instrumentation, I found it is quite accurate much better than 1%.
and simply plug it into the wall, plug you tool or appliance into its socket. No test leads exposed or loose, no chassis to open or wires to break out.

[Mr__Bill]

IT can be useful for these things:

6. integrates time and wattage to give actual watt hours for a intermittently operating device (like a refrigerator or a thermostatically controlled device) to give watt hours and you can calculate how much actual power and cost (based on so many cents per KWH) to run it for a given averaging period of time.

Now if I did that I would find out just how much that garage refrigerator is costing me. Then I would have to keep track of the savings from buying food on sale. Then I would find out that there was no saving at all and would stop stocking my freezer. Not being able to rationalize running the fridge for just keeping drinks cold and having a place to put the turkey for leftovers I would unplug the thing. It would set there until the freon leaked out and destroyed the ozone layer and I would be responsible for killing all the penguins. Then come 5 PM and I need to make dinner there would be nothing to thaw out and cook. I would have to go to the store. On the way, weak from hunger and in a hurry I cause an accident killing some poor kid who was going to grow up and find the cure for cancer. Dinner now being really late SWPIMS (She Who Parks In My Shop) would kill me for sure.

So you see, while all the information a Kill-a-Watt meter presents is more than just of interest to the electrical engineer, to me I could be rather dangerous.

Bill,
The nice thing about rain is it gives me a great reason to again put off doing those outdoor tasks like cleaning the gutters that I really didn't want to do at all.

PS
Someone is sure to ask, 'What about the fridge in the kitchen?' Well that's full of stuff and is a another story.

[prisbylla]

Thanks for the laugh Mr. Bill. I've been trying to rationalize the purchase of one of these things for a while now. Somehow I'm not so sure anymore...

[tg3]

All sold out.

[Mr__Bill]

Thanks for the laugh Mr. Bill. I've been trying to rationalize the purchase of one of these things for a while now. Somehow I'm not so sure anymore...

Actually Loring's discussion on how to use one to check the wire size in an extension cord and to check voltage drop over a cord makes a lot of sence. I imagine that one could use it to check how well made up the connections are in a string of outlets in a house too. It would also be just the thing to use if you want to bill your kids for the electricity they use playing video games.

Harbor Freight has them in the store but not on line, that I could find. For around $15. Wonder how they compare to the other ones?


Bill, way over here on the big ocean

[LCHIEN]

$15 is cheap. other places have them for around $20-29.

Check amazon, eBay, NewEgg as well

[Highlander]

Does Harbor Freight have the 'Kill-A-Volt' or is it something similar?

I've never been to Harbor Freight. There is one about 10 minutes away, but I have HD, Lowes, and Sears hardware closer, and never go past HF. If they have the 'Kill-A-Volt', I might have to take a trip there.