Energy FAQ

Question:

Please excuse the newbie question…. Is there a way to monitor kilowat usuage PER CIRCUIT from the circuitbreaker box? It would really be usefull if I could know how much power is being used by circuit then it would be easy to break down WHERE the most power is being used in the house. thanks! -Doug

Response:

Per plug in apliance use a Kill a Watt meter,  it is cheap and accurate. A clamp on digital amp meter is ok if equipment is running. But to log a circuit over time someone else will know.

Response:

> Please excuse the newbie question…. > Is there a way to monitor kilowat usuage PER CIRCUIT from the > circuitbreaker box? It would really be usefull if I could know how > much power is being used by circuit then it would be easy to break > down WHERE the most power is being used in the house. > thanks! > -Doug

    For a one time measurement, a regular clamp on ammeter will do the job.  Open up the circuit box ( Danger, live wires and terminals will be exposed when you do this. ) and put the meter clamp around the wire in question.  Repeat until you run out of circuits.  You probably want to have some help doing this, as otherwise you will be doing a lot of running back and forth.     –Dale

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Please excuse the newbie question…. > Is there a way to monitor kilowat usuage PER CIRCUIT from the > circuitbreaker box? It would really be usefull if I could know how > much power is being used by circuit then it would be easy to break > down WHERE the most power is being used in the house. > thanks! > -Doug >     For a one time measurement, a regular clamp on ammeter will do > the job.  Open up the circuit box ( Danger, live wires and terminals > will be exposed when you do this. ) and put the meter clamp around > the wire in question.  Repeat until you run out of circuits.  You > probably want to have some help doing this, as otherwise you will > be doing a lot of running back and forth. >     –Dale

Thanks! I’m thinking there could be a market for a device that could record and download the info to a computer. Then you could yell at the daughter (or wife) when you see how much power that hair dryer is using Your suggestion definitely sounds a little dangerous. I’d probably want to shut the power off first before doing it.

Response:

>Thanks! I’m thinking there could be a market for a device that could >record and download the info to a computer. Then you could yell at the >daughter (or wife) when you see how much power that hair dryer is >using

Unfortunately, there isn’t much between the Watts Up class products, which require you to plug them in between the appliance and the wall, and professional power data loggers, which cost more than your yearly power bill. You could get yourself a spare meter and base from http://hialeahmeter.com/ and wire it into the various circuits in your house one at a time…

Response:

>>Thanks! I’m thinking there could be a market for a device that could >record and download the info to a computer. Then you could yell at the >daughter (or wife) when you see how much power that hair dryer is using >Unfortunately, there isn’t much between the Watts Up class products, >which require you to plug them in between the appliance and the wall, >and professional power data loggers…

Brand Electronics. Nick

Response:

> Please excuse the newbie question…. > Is there a way to monitor kilowat usuage PER CIRCUIT from the > circuitbreaker box? It would really be usefull if I could know how > much power is being used by circuit then it would be easy to break > down WHERE the most power is being used in the house. > thanks! > -Doug

Handy with a soldering iron? Have a look at the magazine _Circuit Cellar_. You should be able to get these articles through interlibrary loan: ISSUE 73 August 1996  From the Bench