re: power meter monitoring

["intergate news groups" <djraher@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark,
Thanks for the related links. I was more then just a little surprised at the
holier then thou reaction to my post.  I thought sharing both ideas and
information on interesting related products was exactly what the group was
all about. I remembered seeing several posts requesting information on how
to monitor the main power meter, as well as posts mentioning a desire to be
able to monitor peak power usage, which I didn't think the kill a watt meter
would do. Here I thought I was simply passing along some useful information
I ran accrossed,
only to get slammed as a spammer.  I also wonder how many posters search the
group each time before posting a question or comment.  I can personally
remember seeing dozens of messages that would fail this criteria, and I for
one would not slam them for it.  We are supposed to be helping each other,
aren't we??
Dennis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark_F_Hult" <
MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
Newsgroups: comp.home.automation
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: Power monitoring device
> On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 18:20:56 GMT,
nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx
 (Dave Houston) wrot
> e in
> message  <
45d744f0.69684750@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>:
>
>>"intergate news groups" <
djraher@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:
>>
>>>I just found two power monitoring devices, one for the main power meter
>>>and
>>>one portable, that look really good. The one for the main power meter
> clamps
>>>the detector/transmitter to the glass cover of the meter and sends the
>>>information to the display inside the house. The portable unit has peak
>>>reading feature that others have mentioned as being useful. It also has a
>>>function to log the amount of time a device draws more then a set amount
>>>of
>>>power. You could track the time a refrigerator compressor is running for
>>>an
>>>example. Now if the main power meter transmission could be captured for
>>>the
>>>HA system all sorts of things are possible.  Take a look at:
>>>
>>>www.powercostmonitor.com
>>>
>>>Dennis
>>
>>You'll catch less flak from self-appointed moderators if you search the
>>group before posting with wide-eyed exuberance.
>>
>>Watts Up has been around for 3-4 years. It and other power meters have
>>been
>>discussed here. IMO, it's a bit pricey - you're paying $100 for the RS232
>>(now USB) interface as compared to the Kill A Watt (previously mentioned
>>in
>>the reefer madness thread) which can measure the same things (with better
>>accuracy unless the new USB model of Watts Up has improved on accuracy).
>
> ROTFL.  The Watts Up was first mention in this newsgroup in 1998! So was
> it
> Dave Houston "posting with wide-eyed exuberance" "3-4 years ago" and
> ~five
> years after it was first discussed here ? ;-)  The Watts Up was initially
> tested marketed in 1992 and was available on-line at retail by at least
> 1998.
> Dennis, you might also check out the web site of long-time
> comp.home.participant who has implemented some interesting and useful DIY
> power monitoring See Ed Cheung's site at:
>
http://www.edcheung.com/automa/power.htm
  Requires soldering skills, but
> might provide some ideas.
>
> ... Marc
> Marc_F_Hult
>
www.ECONtrol.org