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OK I have a box full of three test instruments to test all of the above plus the time taken for a RCD to trip but these are not going to be available to most DIY people.
Some of the stuff a DIY meter will measure is however surprising for example power factor with a simple portable plug-in power meter. So this got me thinking how much he could really measure with such a simple meter.
After getting one of these simple plug-in meters I was under the impression they were nothing more than a toy. I worked out the kWh/Annum my fridge freezer used then cost of replacement and quickly realised even if I could show it used 4 times what it should it still would not be economical to borrow the money to replace it. So why bother measuring it? Power factor was another I may be able to calculate I need a 2μF capacitor on my CFL but I’m still not going to fit one so why bother measuring?
So then it can measure without having to use GN38 leads and hold open socket shutters voltage, current and power combine this with a simple load in my case tried my wife’s smoothing iron and one can get on and off load volts and the load amps so one should be able to work out volt drop. Then hang on it was not so long ago I was trying to work out volt drop from prospective short circuit current and loop impedance so could the reverse be done?
Well first was a look at the readings and volts are only given in whole numbers 3 s.g. so loop impedance 0.1 Ω maximum accuracy not really good enough but better than nothing. The PSCC was silly one volt difference could change reading from 1515 amps to 3042 amps so really not accurate enough but B32 we are looking at 160A and that equals an 18 volt drop with 13 amp load.
So where the question is “Can I extend my ring final” would a test with a kettle and portable plug-in power meter be good enough to give an answer?
Or are the testers a complete waste of space? Also any other ideas of how cheap DIY test equipment can be used in a safe manor to emulate our expensive kit.
Some of the stuff a DIY meter will measure is however surprising for example power factor with a simple portable plug-in power meter. So this got me thinking how much he could really measure with such a simple meter.
After getting one of these simple plug-in meters I was under the impression they were nothing more than a toy. I worked out the kWh/Annum my fridge freezer used then cost of replacement and quickly realised even if I could show it used 4 times what it should it still would not be economical to borrow the money to replace it. So why bother measuring it? Power factor was another I may be able to calculate I need a 2μF capacitor on my CFL but I’m still not going to fit one so why bother measuring?
So then it can measure without having to use GN38 leads and hold open socket shutters voltage, current and power combine this with a simple load in my case tried my wife’s smoothing iron and one can get on and off load volts and the load amps so one should be able to work out volt drop. Then hang on it was not so long ago I was trying to work out volt drop from prospective short circuit current and loop impedance so could the reverse be done?
Well first was a look at the readings and volts are only given in whole numbers 3 s.g. so loop impedance 0.1 Ω maximum accuracy not really good enough but better than nothing. The PSCC was silly one volt difference could change reading from 1515 amps to 3042 amps so really not accurate enough but B32 we are looking at 160A and that equals an 18 volt drop with 13 amp load.
So where the question is “Can I extend my ring final” would a test with a kettle and portable plug-in power meter be good enough to give an answer?
Or are the testers a complete waste of space? Also any other ideas of how cheap DIY test equipment can be used in a safe manor to emulate our expensive kit.